The Michigan Department of Community Health is now able to receive electronic laboratory reports of communicable diseases that are required to be reported under Michigan's Public Health code. Below are the basic requirements for laboratories and facilities interested in reporting electronically to MDCH for inclusion into the Michigan Disease Surveillance System (MDSS).

Message Format

The Michigan Department of Community Health is able to receive electronic laboratory observation messages in Health Level 7 (HL7) format.  HL7 versions 2.3.1 and 2.3.z are the preferred format. The HL7 message type ORU is supported.

Test and Results Coding

Standard LOINC and SNOMED codes for tests and results respectively is preferred; however MDCH is capable of translating local laboratory tests and results in the standard HL7 message segments.

Submitter Information

Electronic lab submitters are required to have a CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments) assigned number.

Message Transport

Transfer of messages to MDCH is via the Centers for Disease Control's Public Health Information Network Messaging System (PHINMS). PHINMS provides strong encryption and authentication of transfers and is available from the CDC at no charge.

Setting Up Encryption and Authentication Keys

If you already have a verifiable public key or authentication from the CDC, you should exchange that with MDCH. MDCH may be able to provide a public key for you to use if you do not have a public key. For the test process, you will be provided with a key.

Testing

Once secure communication has been established between MDCH and your PHINMS sender, MDCH would like to receive test messages from you lab. These may be live messages, or historical samples, but should be actual lab samples covering a range of data outputs. Some number of requests to resend sample messages may be made by MDCH for retesting, so a live feed is most convenient.

Additional Information

Additional information and technical consultation are available by contacting the Surveillance Systems Coordinator with the Michigan Department of Community Health Surveillance and Infectious Disease Epidemiology Section.

Brad Carlson, MPH

Surveillance Systems Coordinator

carlsonbr@michigan.gov

313-870-2735

References

·       MDCH Electronic Laboratory Reporting Guide (Updated 4/23/2008)

·       CDC PHIN MS Website

·      HL7 2.3.z Messaging Implementation Guide

·       MDCH Companion Guide to the HL7 2.3.z Implementation Guide

·       HL7 2.3.1 Messaging Implementation Guide

·       MDCH Companion Guide to the HL7 2.3.1 Implementation Guide