Public health surveillance enables local, state, and federal government organizations to monitor and quickly respond to emerging health trends, which can help save lives. Public health surveillance systems collect, analyze, and interpret health-related information related to a specific population. The data collected can include lab records, immunization data, and lab testing. The organization can use this information to learn more about what’s driving the trend and how it is affecting a specific population, including the number of reported cases of a particular illness or disease and the symptoms and conditions associated with infection. Once the organization has interpreted the data, it will use its findings to implement policies designed to reduce the infection rate. Depending on the outbreak’s severity, these policies may be mandated or voluntary. Public health surveillance systems must complete several steps to comply with the latest reporting guidelines. The surveillance system includes various government agencies, epidemiologists, and healthcare providers. Private companies and healthcare providers must share information about the latest health trends with their assigned public health surveillance system. Data analysts at the surveillance system will organize the data into a comprehensive report. The team will assess the report’s accuracy and remind providers and companies to share their findings if they haven’t done so already. Once the report has been compiled, local, state, and federal governments will decide how this information should affect public policy. Public health surveillance is ongoing. The data only provides a snapshot in time, so the process must be repeated regularly. Private companies and healthcare providers must continue to share their findings with public health surveillance systems. Data analysts will interpret the data to see how the trend has changed and look for possible errors that could affect the report’s accuracy. Policymakers will then assess the data to see if the current policies are working as intended.

1. Public health surveillance systems collect, analyze, and
interpret health-related information related to a specific
population. The data collected can include the following:
WHAT ARE PUBLIC HEALTH SURVEILLANCE
SYSTEMS?
SURVEILLANCE
Systems
Public Health
Public health surveillance enables local, state, and federal government
organizations to monitor and quickly respond to emerging health trends,
which can help save lives.
WHAT ARE THEY & HOW DO THEY WORK?
Web forums,
message boards,
and other public
platforms
Social media
posts and
trends
Lab records
Lab testing
and diagnostic
results
Immunization
data
The organization can use this information to learn more
about what’s driving the trend and how it is affecting a
specific population, including:
Once the organization has interpreted the data, it will
use its findings to implement policies designed to
reduce the infection rate. Depending on the outbreak’s
severity, these policies may be mandated or voluntary.
The number of
reported cases of a
particular illness
or disease
The symptoms and
conditions associated
with infection
What kinds of
individuals are most
likely to be at risk
of serious illness
How infections
can be prevented
The success and outcomes related to
various treatments and vaccines
Public health surveillance is ongoing. The data only
provides a snapshot in time, so the process must be
repeated regularly.
HOW DO PUBLIC HEALTH SURVEILLANCE
SYSTEMS WORK?
Public health surveillance systems must complete several
steps to comply with the latest reporting guidelines. The
surveillance system includes: various government agencies,
epidemiologists,and healthcare providers.
Private companies and healthcare
providers must share information
about the latest health trends with
their assigned public health
surveillance system.
Once the report has been compiled,
local, state, and federal governments
will decide how this information should
affect public policy.
The team will assess the report’s
accuracy and remind providers and
companies to share their findings if they
haven’t done so already.
Data analysts at the surveillance
system will organize the data into a
comprehensive report.
Private companies and
healthcare providers must
continue to share their
findings with public health
surveillance systems.
Data analysts will
interpret the data to
see how the trend has
changed and look for
possible errors that
could affect the
report’s accuracy.
Policymakers will then
assess the data to see if
the current policies are
working as intended.
www.ssg-llc.com