Important update: Healthcare facilities
CDC has updated select ways to operate healthcare systems effectively in response to COVID-19 vaccination. Learn more
UPDATE
Given new evidence on the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant, CDC has updated the guidance for fully vaccinated people. CDC recommends universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status. Children should return to full-time in-person learning in the fall with layered prevention strategies in place.
UPDATE
The White House announced that vaccines will be required for international travelers coming into the United States, with an effective date of November 8, 2021. For purposes of entry into the United States, vaccines accepted will include FDA approved or authorized and WHO Emergency Use Listing vaccines. More information is available here.
UPDATE
Travel requirements to enter the United States are changing, starting November 8, 2021. More information is available here.

COVID-19 Electronic Case Reporting for Public Health Agencies

COVID-19 Electronic Case Reporting for Public Health Agencies

Improve public health action with real-time data flow

Updated Nov. 12, 2021
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Starting on January 1, 2022, eCR will be required by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Promoting Interoperability ProgramExternal for eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals and the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Promoting Interoperability Performance CategoryExternal for eligible clinicians.

Electronic case reporting (eCR) is the automated generation and transmission of case reports from the electronic health record (EHR) to public health agencies for review and action. eCR makes disease reporting from healthcare to public health faster and easier. It moves data quickly, securely, and seamlessly from EHRs in healthcare facilities to state, tribal, local, and territorial public health agencies. eCR also allows public health to provide information back to healthcare professionals.

Learn more:

eCR’s Value

  • Eliminates the manual reporting burden on providers and securely transfers vital patient and clinical information from healthcare to public health for disease tracking, case management, and contact tracing.
  • Provides faster, more complete data than manual reporting, including patient and clinical data on demographics, comorbidities, immunizations, medications, and other treatment.
  • Saves time for healthcare providers who report and public health staff who conduct case investigations.

Benefits of eCR

public health
Public Health Agencies
  • Provides more timely and complete data to support outbreak management and monitor disease trends
  • Efficiently monitors the spread of reportable conditions and diseases during outbreaks and public health emergencies
  • Reduces response time with automated information
  • Improves communication and collaboration with healthcare by enabling bidirectional data exchange
  • Supports submission of case-based data (without identifiable information) to CDC through the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System.
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Healthcare Providers
  • Provides real-time reports to public health officials to guide the state, tribal, local, and territorial response to public health threats
  • Facilitates communication and collaboration between healthcare and public health
  • Reduces burden for healthcare providers without disrupting the clinical workflow
  • Saves time by eliminating manual data entry and reporting
  • Streamlines reporting to multiple jurisdictions
  • Receives information from public health about the reportable condition
  • Fulfills the CMS Promoting Interoperability Program requirement for eCR
  • Can fulfill legal reporting requirements

Getting Started with eCR

Public Health Agencies

Check-light Make sure that you or an affiliated public health agency is connected to AIMS, the APHL Informatics Messaging Services platformExternal, to receive electronic case reports.

Check-light Enter your jurisdiction’s reporting criteria for reportable conditions into the Reportable Condition Knowledge Management System (RCKMS)External.

Check-light Engage with the eCR team and local HCOs to implement eCR.

Healthcare Providers

Check-light Email ecr@cdc.gov to learn more about getting started with eCR.

Check-light Work with the eCR team to connect with your public health agency.

Check-light Register your intent for eCR with the appropriate public health agency.

Check-light Partner with your EHR vendor to discuss options for implementing eCR.

Check-light Get approval from your organization’s leaders to implement eCR.

For more details, go to Getting Started with eCR