Bill would enhance disease and immunization monitoring
The Health and Human Services Committee heard testimony Feb. 24 on a bill meant to improve the sharing of electronic health information in Nebraska.
LB591, introduced by Grand Island Sen. Mike Gloor, would require the state Department of Health and Human Services to set standards for using electronic health records to analyze medical data to detect or anticipate disease outbreaks – a process known as syndromic surveillance.
“Syndromic surveillance is widely acknowledged to be beneficial to public health,” Gloor said. “This bill would enhance [the department’s] ability to quickly identify or rule out public health threats.”
The bill also would authorize use of the Nebraska Statewide Immunization Registry to share immunization information with health care professionals, schools, licensed child care facilities, electronic record systems, public health departments and Indian health services.
Gloor said sharing such information would protect Nebraskans from vaccine-preventable diseases and facilitate age-appropriate immunization.
Joann Schaefer, chief medical officer at HHS, testified in support of the bill, saying current reporting on cases of diseases like influenza is incomplete because some facilities do not participate. In addition, she said, many facilities fax reports on a weekly basis, delaying HHS access to important information.
“The most effective [disease] surveillance is automatic and real time,” she said, adding that some facilities are unwilling to participate in the absence of a statutory requirement.
Vicki Vinton also testified in support of the bill on behalf of the Nebraska Nurses Association. She said broader sharing of immunization data would allow providers to determine needed vaccinations, send reminders and follow up with patients about past-due vaccinations.
“Immunization is vital to the public health and welfare of the citizens of Nebraska,” she said.
No opposition testimony was given and the committee took no immediate action on the bill.
