By:  Dean Weiner

The New York City Health Department finds itself in dire need of a substantial investment of $5 million to undertake a comprehensive overhaul of its disease data collection system. The overwhelming influx of COVID-19 reporting during the pandemic has exposed the limitations of the current Electronic Data Reporting Infrastructure (EDRI), compelling the department’s Fund for Public Health to solicit bids for a three-year contract aimed at upgrading the data system, NY Post reported.

In the proposal, it is acknowledged that the EDRI Replacement solution design must be capable of processing the copious amounts of health information to support public health response, particularly during outbreak activities. Every facet of the city’s health care system, including hospitals grappling with an unprecedented surge of patients, faced immense strain throughout the COVID-19 crisis.

The Division of Disease Control within the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene shoulders the responsibility of identifying, surveilling, treating, controlling, and preventing infectious diseases. This division comprises seven bureaus that specialize in communicable diseases, immunization, hepatitis, HIV and sexually transmitted infections, tuberculosis control, public health clinics, and public health laboratory/management and systems coordination. The collective efforts of surveillance teams across these bureaus result in the monitoring and investigation of more than 90 infectious diseases.

The bid proposal, issued under the administration of Mayor Eric Adams, underscores the pressing need to replace the current data standardization and cleaning processes within the Division of Disease Control. This initiative aims to address existing issues that were brought to the forefront during the COVID-19 pandemic and previous communicable disease emergencies like the Zika virus. By implementing a cloud-based solution, the department intends to expand its data collection capabilities, ensuring a more efficient response to emergent infectious agent threats.

The Health Department’s existing system struggled to process the overwhelming reporting demands during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognizing the urgency to rectify this issue, the department seeks to upgrade to a more advanced data collection and management system. However, despite the challenges faced, the department emphasizes its commitment to providing accurate, timely, and accessible information to the residents of New York City through its exceptional COVID reporting dashboards.

Looking ahead, the department envisions a significant variation in patient volume over the coming years. Projections indicate that the annual patient volume could range from 4,037,736 to 13,618,341 until the year 2032. In addition, the number of messages processed is estimated to experience a substantial increase, with projections averaging from 11.5 million to a staggering 17.5 billion by 2032. As part of the upgrade, health officials also aim to process and retain all negative report results, alongside positive results for diseases such as syphilis.

Examining the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on patient volume and message processing reveals a dramatic surge. In 2019, the department processed data for 320,697 patients and 2,836,697 messages. However, these figures experienced a staggering escalation in subsequent years, with patient volume skyrocketing to 12,721,061 in 2020 and further surging to 17,101,298 in 2021. As the pandemic gradually subsided, the patient volume decreased to 4,559,413 in 2022, as per records maintained by the Health Department.

Given the magnitude of the challenges faced and the need for a more robust and efficient data collection system, the investment of $5 million in upgrading the Health Department’s disease data collection system is deemed essential. The proposed overhaul, including the implementation of a cloud-based solution, aims to ensure that the department is well-equipped to handle the evolving demands of public health emergencies