The National Indian Health Board (NIHB serve) is proud to announce the release of the eCR Roadmap for Tribes and Tribal Epidemiology Centers (TECs) to as a first-of-its-kind step-by-step guide to implementing eCR in a Tribal contextual framework.
A Guide for Implementing eCR for Tribal Public Health Authorities
As sovereign governments, Tribal Nations are inherently public health authorities and have the legal authority to receive case reports on conditions of interest to them (“of interest” is defined by Tribal law). Historically, Tribes have faced difficulties in receiving real-time disease case reports, but electronic case reporting is paving a way forward for Tribes to do so. Whether through a direct connection or through an indirect connection via formal partnerships, electronic case reporting (eCR) can provide real-time data to Tribal public health authorities to ensure swift public health action.
Strengthening Tribal Data Sovereignty through Improved Data Access
eCR is the automated, real-time exchange of case report information between electronic health records (EHRs) and public health authorities.
The eCR Roadmap will serve as an implementation guide for Tribes and TECs in connecting to eCR, in order to carry out important public health activities including, but not limited to:
· Providing more comprehensive surveillance services for their Tribal populations
· Creating a central data repository for their Tribal health data
· Monitoring specific diseases and detecting outbreaks within and across Tribes
