What primary data source powers the University of Pittsburgh's Outbreak Detection System (ODS)?

Answer

Electronic Health Records (EHRs)

The Outbreak Detection System (ODS) developed by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC is explicitly designed around utilizing existing clinical data within the hospital setting. The innovation stems from monitoring admission data sourced directly from Electronic Health Records (EHRs). This method allows the system to operate in near real-time, actively checking the data stream for disruptions in the typical distribution of diagnoses, bypassing the typical delays associated with waiting for physicians to manually report cases or for aggregated lab results to filter through traditional, slower channels. The continuous monitoring of EHR admission data is the foundational element that enables this modern, active surveillance approach.

What primary data source powers the University of Pittsburgh's Outbreak Detection System (ODS)?
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