Capability 13: Public Health Surveillance and Epidemiological Investigation

Definition: Public health surveillance and epidemiological investigation is the ability to create, maintain, support, and strengthen routine surveillance and detection systems and epidemiological investigation processes, as well as to expand these systems and processes in response to incidents of public health significance.

Functions and Associated Performance Measures: This capability consists of the ability to perform the functions listed below. Associated CDC-defined performance measures are also listed below.

Function 1: Conduct public health surveillance and detection

• Measure 1: Proportion of reports of selected reportable diseases received by a public health agency within the jurisdiction-required time frame

Function 2: Conduct public health and epidemiological investigations

• Measure 1: Percentage of infectious disease outbreak investigationsthat generate reports 
• Measure 2: Percentage of infectious disease outbreak investigation reports that contain all minimal elements
• Measure 3: Percentage of acute environmental exposure investigations that generate reports 
• Measure 4: Percentage of acute environmental exposure reports that contain all minimal elements 

Function 3: Recommend, monitor, and analyze mitigation actions

• Measure 1: Proportion of reports of selected reportable diseases for which initial public health control measure(s) were initiated within the appropriate time frame

Function 4: Improve public health surveillance and epidemiological investigation systems