90-Second Read: What health data execs need to manage an infectious disease response

Ebola and Hantavirus outbreaks illustrate the tools and capabilities that must matter to those leading health data management initiatives. When healthcare leaders hear the words "ebola" or "Hantavirus," many assume these are problems for infectious disease specialists, epidemiologists or public health agencies. For health data management leaders, Ebola and Hantavirus offer important lessons that extend far beyond the pathogens themselves.

According to the World Health Organization, case fatality rates have ranged from approximately 25 percent to 90 percent depending on the outbreak and available healthcare resources. Healthcare organizations today generate unprecedented amounts of information through electronic health records, laboratory systems, surveillance platforms, environmental monitoring programs, wearable technologies and population health initiatives. This is where health data management leaders play a critical role.

The future of disease surveillance will require a more comprehensive view of the factors influencing population health. The future of infectious disease response will depend not only on laboratories, therapeutics and vaccines. Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) can progress rapidly from flu-like symptoms to severe respiratory failure, while other Hantavirus strains can cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome.