Syndromic surveillance at the Washington State Department of Health
The RHINO Community of Practice (CoP) connects users of RHINO data systems. Sharing space as a community, both online and in-person, enables users to crowd source issues which arise in the course of data usage, share best practices and latest developments in the field of health informatics, and leverage resources related to using these critical data sets.
As co-practitioners with a variety of use case experiences, users benefit from newsletters, resource repositories, meetings, and online discussion boards to communicate in real-time with one another and subject matter experts on data usage topics. In addition, RHINO looks to the CoP for input on programmatic or technical modifications and priorities.
The CoP format is both online and in person, allowing for varying levels of user participation. The goal of the CoP is to coordinate RHINO data expertise and usage in ways that enhance our collective ability to assess, evaluate, and respond to public health needs.
RHINO CoP Mission
“By connecting Rapid Health Information NetwOrk (RHINO) users to one another in a community setting, enabling crowdsourcing of common issues, dissemination of best practices, and generation of new knowledge, the RHINO Community of Practice will promote nimbler, more responsive public health practice by optimizing data usage for the analysis of public health needs and the design of data-driven, targeted programs to address those needs in real-time, when and where they arise.
RHINO CoP Resources
Virtual CoP meetings
These meetings are held every other month. In addition to hearing updates related to the RHINO program, data, and software applications, it is an opportunity to hear about RHINO surveillance projects, share work and ask questions, and to receive training on using RHINO data and tools.
The RHINO team
The team offers in-person and online ESSENCE training sessions upon request. Introductory sessions are typically a half day and commonly include a review of ESSENCE basics, guidance on building custom queries, and demonstrations of pre-made dashboards. They can also include some advanced user tips for monitoring conditions of interest, such as influenza-like illness. Training can be tailored to meet the needs of your organization's users. Basic or advanced trainings may be focused on a specific topic, task, or project. To request a training, email RHINO@doh.wa.gov.
CoP SharePoint page and Charter
Please email RHINO@doh.wa.gov to request access to these online resources.
Community of Practice Charter (PDF)
Newsletters
Past Meetings
RHINO Guidance Documents
- Working with RHINO - A Handbook for using Syndromic Surveillance Data in Washington State (PDF)
- Requesting and Using RHINO data
- RHINO ESSENCE queries (Excel)
Query development guidance
- ESSENCE query drafting tool (Excel)
- Developing, Evaluating, and Disseminating Definitions for Syndromic Surveillance in Public Health Practice: A Guidance Document
National Resources
International Society for Disease Surveillance (ISDS)
- Surveillance Knowledge Repository (Abstracts, webinars, reports)
- Syndrome Library
National Syndromic Surveillance Program (NSSP)
How Can I Get Involved?
Email our Syndromic Surveillance Outreach and Policy Coordinator with any questions or to register for the CoP.