Keeping up with the times: A modernized approach to case investigation activities
Abstract
Background: Cobb and Douglas Public Health (CDPH) Acute Disease Epidemiology Section (ADES) team performs case investigation activities for reported conditions utilizing the State Electronic Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (SendSS). An important part of case investigation is attempting contact with the reported case or proxy for interview. When a case does not respond to the established protocol for contact, the case is considered as lost to follow-up (LTFU). Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the protocol consisted of two phone calls and a letter if contact was not established. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, routine case investigation practices became disrupted, and it became logistically challenging to send letters to cases. During COVID-19 pandemic response, the Georgia Department of Public Health (GA DPH) incorporated a text messaging protocol into routine COVID-19 case investigations for contact attempts. CDPH ADES adopted the GA DPH COVID-19 case investigation strategy in 2021 to reach cases via text instead of sending letters. The new protocol consists of two phone calls and a text before a case is deemed LTFU.
Methods: Review of all reported enteric cases in SendSS in the calendar years 2019 and 2022 to assess the success rate in contact with the case. Cases were individually assessed for types of contact attempts made and the success of contact with the case or LTFU. Contact attempts by type (phone calls and letter) were counted and analyzed for success or LTFU.
Results (or anticipated results): After analysis of the 2019 enteric cases, it was found that 79% of cases were successfully contacted. After the change in protocol, there was no changes in the rate of cases successfully contacted during 2022
Conclusion: The modernization of our contact protocol was effective and the successful contact rate remained stable across the years evaluated (2019 and 2022).
Keywords
epidemiology, program evaluation, case investigation, COVID-19
Keeping up with the times: A modernized approach to case investigation activities
Background: Cobb and Douglas Public Health (CDPH) Acute Disease Epidemiology Section (ADES) team performs case investigation activities for reported conditions utilizing the State Electronic Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (SendSS). An important part of case investigation is attempting contact with the reported case or proxy for interview. When a case does not respond to the established protocol for contact, the case is considered as lost to follow-up (LTFU). Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the protocol consisted of two phone calls and a letter if contact was not established. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, routine case investigation practices became disrupted, and it became logistically challenging to send letters to cases. During COVID-19 pandemic response, the Georgia Department of Public Health (GA DPH) incorporated a text messaging protocol into routine COVID-19 case investigations for contact attempts. CDPH ADES adopted the GA DPH COVID-19 case investigation strategy in 2021 to reach cases via text instead of sending letters. The new protocol consists of two phone calls and a text before a case is deemed LTFU.
Methods: Review of all reported enteric cases in SendSS in the calendar years 2019 and 2022 to assess the success rate in contact with the case. Cases were individually assessed for types of contact attempts made and the success of contact with the case or LTFU. Contact attempts by type (phone calls and letter) were counted and analyzed for success or LTFU.
Results (or anticipated results): After analysis of the 2019 enteric cases, it was found that 79% of cases were successfully contacted. After the change in protocol, there was no changes in the rate of cases successfully contacted during 2022
Conclusion: The modernization of our contact protocol was effective and the successful contact rate remained stable across the years evaluated (2019 and 2022).
