TY - JOUR AU - Mui, Wai-Ling AU - Argenta, Edward P. AU - Quitugua, Teresa AU - Kiley, Christopher PY - 2017/05/02 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - NBIC and DTRA, An Interagency Partnership to Integrate Analyst Capabilities JF - Online Journal of Public Health Informatics JA - OJPHI VL - 9 IS - 1 SE - Data sources, standards, exchange, visualization, and quality DO - 10.5210/ojphi.v9i1.7624 UR - https://ojphi.org/ojs/index.php/ojphi/article/view/7624 SP - AB - <div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 332.706px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.08186);" data-canvas-width="63.1985303030303">Objective</div><div style="left: 104.045px; top: 347.521px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.02447);" data-canvas-width="378.0120000000001">The National Biosurveillance Integration Center (NBIC) and</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 364.036px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.983132);" data-canvas-width="391.8435219696969">the Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s Chemical and Biological</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 380.551px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.00734);" data-canvas-width="386.4487651515154">Technologies Department (DTRA J9 CB) have partnered to co-</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 397.066px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.05464);" data-canvas-width="394.2243462121211">develop the Biosurveillance Ecosystem (BSVE), an emerging</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 413.582px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.03658);" data-canvas-width="393.29644242424246">capability that aims to provide a virtual, customizable analyst</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 430.097px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.977642);" data-canvas-width="389.5090227272728">workbench that integrates health and non-health data. This partnership</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 446.612px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.00479);" data-canvas-width="390.1084401515152">promotes engagement between diverse health surveillance entities to</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 463.127px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.00236);" data-canvas-width="349.3045378787877">increase awareness and improve decision-making capabilities.</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 494.554px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.11811);" data-canvas-width="81.88294696969696">Introduction</div><div style="left: 104.045px; top: 509.369px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.0408);" data-canvas-width="381.28001818181815">NBIC collects, analyzes, and shares key biosurveillance</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 525.885px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.0317);" data-canvas-width="390.99563409090877">information to support the nation’s response to biological events of</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 542.4px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.961587);" data-canvas-width="391.1093409090908">concern. Integration of this information enables early warning and</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 558.915px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.01622);" data-canvas-width="390.58432424242426">shared situational awareness to inform critical decision making, and</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 575.43px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.00324);" data-canvas-width="204.64419696969702">direct response and recovery efforts.</div><div style="left: 104.045px; top: 591.945px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.996019);" data-canvas-width="374.9348969696969">DTRA J9 CB leads DoD S&amp;T to anticipate, defend, and safeguard</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 608.46px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.973036);" data-canvas-width="391.6147045454545">against chemical and biological threats for the warfighter and the</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 624.976px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.00271);" data-canvas-width="38.604166666666664">nation.</div><div style="left: 104.045px; top: 641.491px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.03101);" data-canvas-width="375.8894727272729">These agencies have partnered to meet the evolving needs of the</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 658.006px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.01256);" data-canvas-width="390.4102545454545">biosurveillance community and address gaps in technology and data</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 674.521px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.99691);" data-canvas-width="392.3671348484848">sharing capabilities. High-profile events such as the 2009 H1N1</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 691.036px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.979184);" data-canvas-width="389.53569469696964">pandemic, the West African Ebola outbreak, and the recent emergence</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 707.551px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.953856);" data-canvas-width="391.4308083333331">of Zika virus disease have underscored the need for integration of</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 724.066px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.02913);" data-canvas-width="393.2824045454546">disparate biosurveillance systems to provide a more functional</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 740.582px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.99186);" data-canvas-width="391.86738636363634">infrastructure. This allows analysts and others in the community</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 757.097px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.00746);" data-canvas-width="392.5566462121208">to collect, analyze, and share relevant data across organizations</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 773.612px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.02615);" data-canvas-width="390.7738356060607">securely and efficiently. Leveraging existing biosurveillance efforts</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 790.127px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.02271);" data-canvas-width="390.67416666666657">provides the federal public health community, and its partners, with</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 806.642px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.01878);" data-canvas-width="390.7710280303031">a comprehensive interagency platform that enables engagement and</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 823.157px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.0021);" data-canvas-width="71.73356060606059">data sharing.</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 854.584px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.07334);" data-canvas-width="57.70971969696969">Methods</div><div style="left: 104.045px; top: 869.4px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.01412);" data-canvas-width="375.69715378787885">NBIC and DTRA are leveraging existing biosurveillance projects</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 885.915px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.02971);" data-canvas-width="391.0321325757575">to share data feeds, work processes, resources, and lessons learned.</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 902.43px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.991439);" data-canvas-width="392.0147840909092">A multi-stakeholder Agile process was implemented to represent</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 918.945px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.02366);" data-canvas-width="390.817353030303">the interests of NBIC, DTRA, and their respective partners. System</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 935.46px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.03777);" data-canvas-width="390.91140681818206">requirements generated by both agencies were combined to form a</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 951.976px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.979112);" data-canvas-width="391.3185053030304">single backlog of prioritized needs. Functional requirements from</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 968.491px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.03147);" data-canvas-width="391.02932500000003">NBIC support the development of the prototype by refining system</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 985.006px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.04283);" data-canvas-width="393.28661590909087">capabilities and providing an operational perspective. DTRA’s</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 1001.52px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.0365);" data-canvas-width="391.193568181818">technical expertise and research and development (R&amp;D) portfolio</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 1018.04px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.03854);" data-canvas-width="391.0798613636357">ensures robust analytic applications are embedded within a secure,</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 1034.55px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.0026);" data-canvas-width="161.00043181818185">scalable system architecture.</div><div style="left: 104.045px; top: 1051.07px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.99701);" data-canvas-width="377.21885984848484">Integration of analyst validated data from the NBIC Biofeeds</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 1067.58px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.962146);" data-canvas-width="390.95211666666654">system serves as a gold-standard to improve analytic development</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 1084.1px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.03228);" data-canvas-width="391.01107575757555">in machine learning and natural language processing. Additionally,</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 1100.61px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.04057);" data-canvas-width="393.874803030303">working groups are formed using NBIC and DTRA extended</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 1117.13px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.989449);" data-canvas-width="392.05268636363616">partnerships with academia and private industry to expand R&amp;D</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 1133.64px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.01412);" data-canvas-width="390.63907196969694">possibilities. These expansions include leveraging existing ontology</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 1150.16px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.98338);" data-canvas-width="389.5497325757572">efforts for improved system functionality and integrating social media</div><div style="left: 89.1818px; top: 1166.67px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.0022);" data-canvas-width="260.47284090909096">algorithms for improved topic analysis output.</div><div style="left: 505.364px; top: 332.706px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.08498);" data-canvas-width="50.70481818181818">Results</div><div style="left: 520.227px; top: 347.521px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.03549);" data-canvas-width="378.6787992424238">The combined efforts of these two agencies to develop the</div><div style="left: 505.364px; top: 364.036px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.0089);" data-canvas-width="392.6970249999998">BSVE and improve overall biosurveillance processes across the</div><div style="left: 505.364px; top: 380.551px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.00045);" data-canvas-width="392.57629924242417">federal government has enhanced understanding of the needs of</div><div style="left: 505.364px; top: 397.066px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.99816);" data-canvas-width="389.798203030303">the community in a variety of mission spaces. To date, co-creation of</div><div style="left: 505.364px; top: 413.582px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.985415);" data-canvas-width="389.6002689393936">products, joint analysis, and sharing of data feeds has become a major</div><div style="left: 505.364px; top: 430.097px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.978988);" data-canvas-width="389.52306060606065">priority for both partners to advance biosurveillance outcomes. Within</div><div style="left: 505.364px; top: 446.612px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.0126);" data-canvas-width="390.3906015151515">the larger efforts of system development, possible coordination with</div><div style="left: 505.364px; top: 463.127px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.01718);" data-canvas-width="390.1744181818183">other agencies such as the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and</div><div style="left: 505.364px; top: 479.642px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.00092);" data-canvas-width="389.956831060606">the US Geological Survey (USGS) could expand reach of the system</div><div style="left: 505.364px; top: 496.157px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.00412);" data-canvas-width="382.0689469696968">to ensure fulfillment of health surveillance requirements as a whole.</div><div style="left: 505.364px; top: 527.584px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.10288);" data-canvas-width="84.24131060606061">Conclusions</div><div style="left: 520.227px; top: 542.4px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.00614);" data-canvas-width="377.6891287878787">The NBIC and DTRA partnership has demonstrated value in</div><div style="left: 505.364px; top: 558.915px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.00189);" data-canvas-width="392.15516287878773">improving biosurveillance capabilities for each agency and their</div><div style="left: 505.364px; top: 575.43px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.991655);" data-canvas-width="391.8687901515151">partners. BSVE will provide NBIC analysts with a collaborative</div><div style="left: 505.364px; top: 591.945px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(0.969552);" data-canvas-width="386.35050000000007">tool that can leverage use of applications that visualize near real-</div><div style="left: 505.364px; top: 608.46px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.02673);" data-canvas-width="390.7752393939393">time global epidemic and outbreak data from a range of unique and</div><div style="left: 505.364px; top: 624.976px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.02789);" data-canvas-width="390.71908787878766">trusted sources. The continued collaboration means ongoing access</div><div style="left: 505.364px; top: 641.491px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.04042);" data-canvas-width="390.71066515151523">to new data streams and analytic processes for all analysts, as well</div><div style="left: 505.364px; top: 658.006px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.03923);" data-canvas-width="391.25252727272704">as advanced machine learning algorithms that increase capabilities</div><div style="left: 505.364px; top: 674.521px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.00143);" data-canvas-width="389.9568310606061">for joint analysis, rapid product creation, and continuous interagency</div><div style="left: 505.364px; top: 691.036px; font-size: 14.0379px; font-family: serif; transform: scaleX(1.00261);" data-canvas-width="90.85315151515154">communication.</div> ER -