NSSP Update – November and December 2023

NSSP Update

A Technical Newsletter for the NSSP Community of Practice | November and December 2023

The National Syndromic Surveillance Program issues NSSP Update monthly to share the latest Community of Practice activities, technical and program updates, and ways in which syndromic surveillance is improving public health.

Conference promo on laptop from overlooking shoulder 2023

CSTE

Join the Experts Who Influence the Future of Syndromic Surveillance

The 2023 Syndromic Surveillance Symposium will be held December 5–7, 2023.

Examples of Chief Complaint Discharge Diagnosis

TECHNICAL TIPS AND TRAINING

Free-Text Coding Part 8: !TERM! Syntax

This shorthand coding method lets you specify inclusion criteria and avoid numerous negations.

Participation 2023

BY THE NUMBERS

Endless Possibilities for DataUpdates to NSSP Emergency Department Coverage

Emergency department participation in NSSP is 78%. There’s a lot you can do with this unparalleled amount of data before, during, and after a public health emergency.

woman looking as seeker

DATA QUALITY CORNER

The Case of the Missing Chief Complaint

Two scenarios in this whodunit. Camille wants to spotlight trends from the previous week, but they’ve disappeared. Malik’s data pulls for an article he is finalizing are usually consistent, but now the counts are low or gone. What’s going on?

FAQ Question marks on blue background

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Check Out the Updated Laboratory Data FAQs

We explain NSSP’s agreement with a national lab, data flow and frequency, health conditions covered, specimen identifiers, and more.

Jan 2022 ESSENCE Word Cloud

Monthly National-level Free-text ESSENCE Queries

Analysts can exercise a high level of customization by using free-text queries. They can quickly code free-text queries and rapidly respond to outbreaks, disasters, and health events that unfold. These word clouds capture free-text queries from a national perspective.

Jan 2022 ESSENCE Word Cloud

Developing Syndrome Definitions

NSSP works with health departments, CDC programs, and others to develop and improve syndrome definitions. Here is a list of the syndromes being worked on now.

Mark Your Calendar

Green calendar icon
The NSSP CoP Call Calendar lists the monthly NSSP Community of Practice call and subcommittee/group meetings. The CoP Call Calendar is maintained by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE).
orange cogs icon
The monthly patching schedule for Testing/Development and Onboarding/Production environments is posted in Technical Updates.