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Promoting interoperability for Public Health syndromic surveillance reporting

In 2024, the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department announced its capacity to receive electronic syndromic surveillance data from eligible hospitals (EHs) and critical access hospitals (CAHs). With this declaration of readiness, facilities participating in the CMS Promoting Interoperability Program may register their intent to meet the syndromic surveillance reporting measure.

For all other eligible providers, please take the exemption for this measure, as the Public Health Department is only supporting registration for EHs and CAHs.

Interested in participating in syndromic surveillance?

Facilities interested in participating in syndromic surveillance through the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program can follow these steps:

  1. Connect with the Public Health Informatics and Data Operations Units (PHIDO): Complete the County of Santa Clara Public Health Department’s Promoting Interoperability Program Registration of Intent Form. 
  2. Submit and validate data: Submit and validate data until data meet data quality requirements and are approved to move into production status.
  3. Request a letter: Request an acknowledgement of engagement letter for Medicare Promoting Interoperability attestation by emailing [email protected].

Contact the Public Health Informatics and Data Operations Unit at [email protected] if you have any questions.

What is Promoting Interoperability?

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) established the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program to encourage eligible hospitals and healthcare providers to adopt and utilize certified electronic health record technology (CEHRT). 

One of the required objectives that participants are required to report as part of the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program is the Public Health and Clinical Data Exchange Objective. Within that objective is Measure 2 - Syndromic Surveillance Reporting, which states “the eligible hospital or CAH is in active engagement with a public health agency (PHA) to submit syndromic surveillance data from an emergency department (Place of Service [POS] 23)”.

Medicare Promoting Interoperability participants should contact the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) for additional options for exchange to meet Medicare Promoting Interoperability requirements via the CDPH - Health Information Exchange Gateway.

What is syndromic surveillance?

Syndromic surveillance is a critical public health capability that enables the seamless integration and systematic monitoring of groups of symptoms (syndromes) and health-related data in near real-time.

Syndromic surveillance data come from electronic health records, and include data on all visits, regardless of the disease or condition. Analysis of these data, based on signs and symptoms before a confirmed diagnosis or laboratory result, enables the identification of concerns across a broad range of health conditions. This information is essential for understanding disease trends and community health-seeking behaviors, and for effectively responding to public health emergencies. 

Eligible hospitals (EHs) and critical access hospitals (CAHs) who participate in syndromic surveillance can contribute significantly to improve public health outcomes and enhance situational awareness for public health authorities.

The County of Santa Clara Public Health Department is committed to enhancing our capacity to receive electronic syndromic surveillance data from hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Syndromic surveillance reporting supports the goal of improving public health monitoring and response capabilities within our communities.