Southern Plains Inter-Tribal Epidemiology Center:
Communicable Disease and Injury Reporting Enhancement Project

SPIEC will work collaboratively with the Indian Health Service/Tribal/Urban health facilities (I/T/U's), Indian Health Service (IHS) Oklahoma City Area Office (OCAO), and the OSDH Acute Disease, HIV and STD, and Injury Services staff to determine the process of assessing the reporting rates of a sub-set of the communicable diseases and injuries (reportable conditions). With a large number of communicable diseases and injuries being reportable, it is beyond the scope of this project to determine the reporting rates for all of the communicable diseases and conditions. Methods for analyzing the reporting include a systematic (database) linkage using probabilistic matching software between the OSDH communicable diseases and injury databases and the IHS Registered Patient Management System (RPMS) database and collaborative facility and/or laboratory audits. Some reportable conditions that have been proposed for inclusion in the study are Tuberculosis, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and all reportable injuries. Reportable injuries include all hospitalized and fatal cases of burns, drownings and near drownings, traumatic brain injuries and traumatic spinal cord injuries. The list of reportable conditions, as well as research logistics, will be finalized at the beginning of the project by the partners.

Point of Contact:
Robin Kinnard, DrPH ABD, Project Coordinating Epidemiologist
Phone: 405-951-6005 x100
E-mail: robin.kinnard@ihs.gov