Using Big Healthcare Data for ILI Situational Awareness in Georgia

Authors

  • Joel Greenspan Martin, Blanck & Associates, Alexandria, VA, United States
  • Silvia Valkova IMS Government Solutions, Falls Church, VA, United States

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5210/ojphi.v6i1.5193

Abstract

We describe how high-volume electronic healthcare reimbursement claims from providers' offices and retail pharmacies can be used to provide timely and accurate influenza-like illness (ILI) situational awareness at state and CBSA levels. We focused on the 2006-2010 influenza seasons and the 39 CBSAs in the State of GA. A sufficient proportion of claims for services within any 7-day service period can be accumulated from both providers' offices and retail pharmacies to generate useful CBSA-level ILI metrics, dispelling the common perception that claims data accumulate too slowly to be useful for public health decision making in sub-state geographic areas.

Author Biography

Joel Greenspan, Martin, Blanck & Associates, Alexandria, VA, United States

Joel R. Greenspan, MD, MPH, is a medical epidemiologist, former CDC career medical officer, currently a Senior Partner for Public Health and Emergency Preparedness at Martin, Blanck & Associates (Alexandria, VA), and a consultant to IMS Health.

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Published

2014-03-09

How to Cite

Greenspan, J., & Valkova, S. (2014). Using Big Healthcare Data for ILI Situational Awareness in Georgia. Online Journal of Public Health Informatics, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.5210/ojphi.v6i1.5193

Issue

Section

Poster Presentations