Role: Conducting Disease Surveillance
The DOH may conduct Disease Surveillance through the systematic collection, analysis and interpretation of health data.
The DOH routinely gathers data on over 70 reportable communicable diseases. Outbreaks can be identified as the data is analyzed. Surveillance data for outbreaks of disease may come from different sources and will include, but is not limited to, the following:
- DHMH Regional Surveillance Data
- Local Hospitals
- Anne Arundel County Public Schools
- Physicians' Offices
- Pharmacists
- Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities
- Emergency Medical Service
(EMS units)
Deviations from the norm can be a very important warning about actual or impending emergencies. For example, the epidemiology staff may learn from a school nurse of an unusual increase in absenteeism of students.
