A Digital Bridge To Real-Time COVID-19 Data

Several years ago, the Digital Bridge collaborative was formed, consisting of representatives from three key stakeholder communities: public health, the health care delivery system, and electronic health record (EHR) vendors. They concluded that the ubiquitous footprint of electronic health records in the United States should be the standard source of rich, real-time data for public health purposes and was equally ideal as a set of recipient systems for critical public health guidance for clinicians and patients. One founding principle of the Digital Bridge was that, wherever possible, existing standards and technologies would be used. Electronic case reporting (eCR) for surveillance purposes is being tested for COVID-19.  From the initial four delivery system sites, more than 2,400 facilities from 26 systems are now transmitting these reports, with more being added weekly.

To learn more about the Digital Bridge, click here.

(Source:  Lumpkin JR, Wiesenthal A. Health Affairs, July 31 2020)