Does Antimicrobial Prescription Data Improve Influenza Surveillance in VA?

Authors

  • Patricia Schirmer Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Public Health Surveillance and Research
  • Carla Winston Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Public Health Surveillance and Research
  • Russell Ryono Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Public Health Surveillance and Research
  • Cynthia Lucero-Obusan Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Public Health Surveillance and Research
  • Gina Oda Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Public Health Surveillance and Research
  • Mark Holodniy Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Public Health Surveillance and Research

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5210/ojphi.v5i1.4515

Abstract

Whether antiviral or antibacterial prescriptions correlate with influenza coded encounters is unknown. Oseltamivir, zanamivir and azithromycin outpatient prescriptions from VA Corporate Data Warehouse and respiratory syndrome, influenza-like-illness (ILI) and influenza-specific ICD-9-CM coded visits from outpatient ESSENCE were analyzed for the 2010-2012 influenza seasons in all VA medical centers and outpatient clinics. Significantly more ILI and respiratory syndrome encounters occurred compared to antiviral prescriptions dispensed with marginal temporal correlation between visits and antiviral prescriptions. Azithromycin prescriptions tracked closely with the onset and peaks of the influenza season. Surprisingly, antiviral prescription data provided minimal additional information for influenza trend monitoring in VA.

Author Biography

Patricia Schirmer, Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Public Health Surveillance and Research

Dr. Schirmer received her undergraduate degree from Emory University and her medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School. She is a Medical Epidemiologist for VA's Healthcare Associated Infection-Influenza Surveillance Program, Office of Public Health. Her areas of expertise and interest include antimicrobial stewardship, hospital acquired infections, influenza and influenza-like illness, epidemiology of H1N1, and syndromic surveillance. Dr. Schirmer's scientific publications include articles on oseltamivir, ceftobiprole, Haemophilus influenza, and tuberculosis.

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Published

2013-03-23

How to Cite

Schirmer, P., Winston, C., Ryono, R., Lucero-Obusan, C., Oda, G., & Holodniy, M. (2013). Does Antimicrobial Prescription Data Improve Influenza Surveillance in VA?. Online Journal of Public Health Informatics, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.5210/ojphi.v5i1.4515

Issue

Section

Oral Presentations: Influenza Surveillance Methods - Evaluation and Practice