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  • PHID Contact Information

    • For questions on COVID-19 lab registration, onboarding, resubmitting corrections, and technical assistance please send email to 
      COVID-19ELR@dshs.texas.gov.

    • For general informatics or HL7 related questions, please contact 
      IDI@dshs.texas.gov.

    • For NEDSS related questions, please contact FORM.

COVID-19 Training for NEDSS

COVID-NEDSS


September 2021
Welcome to the Texas Department of State Health Service (DSHS) COVID-19 case investigation training site. This site provides guidance and resources to public health surveillance and epidemiology staff conducting COVID-19 case investigations across Texas.

Target Audience: New NEDSS users and other public health staff who will conduct COVID-19 case investigation activities.

Instructions: All new users will need to view and complete all 8 required training videos listed below. Please complete training videos in order listed below. Users must sign-in with name and email address to view each video training. It is important that users sign in to validate that they have completed each required training. We will track completion of training using this information. 

Approved NEDSS users will receive training login and passwords via email. Users will have a minimum of one week to complete the required training videos below and to conduct test functions through the training environment. Please only enter mock data into the training environment.

Objectives:

  • Provide orientation and training to the NEDSS system for new users on COVID-19 program area module
  • Provide a refresher course for current NEDSS users on COVID-19 program area module
  • Review and understand epidemiology and surveillance resources for COVID-19 case investigations
  • Review and understand COVID-19 confirmed and probable case definition and case criteria guidance
  • Review manual lab report data entry best practices
  • Comprehend data entry requirements for case entry of a routine COVID-19 case investigation
  • Understand data entry requirements for case entry of a vaccine breakthrough COVID-19 case investigation
  • Recognize data entry requirements for case entry of a COVID-19 variant case investigation
  • Comprehend data entry requirements for case entry of a COVID-19 reinfection case investigation

Phase I* Training Outline

  1. Welcome/Introduction to NEDSS COVID-19 Training* - Dr. Diana Martinez, PhD, MPH, Deputy State Epidemiologist, Office of the State Epidemiologist - Please open a copy of the training slides for this session and follow along as our new Deputy State Epidemiologist Dr. Diana Martinez helps to kick off our NEDSS COVID-19 Training Series.
    • Office of the State Epidemiologist
    • New Prioritization Criteria for COVID-19 case investigations
    • Training slides

  2. New User Orientation to NEDSS COVID-19 Program Area Module* - Pam Stuart, Interoperability Coordinator, Public Health Informatics and Data Unit
  3. COVID-19 Epidemiology & Surveillance Overview* - Ariel Morales, MPH, COVID-19 Epidemiologist II, Emerging and Acute Infectious Disease Unit (EAIDU)
  4. Data Entry of COVID-19 Case Investigations Part I* & Data Entry Part II* - Katherine Bourne, Program Specialist V, EAIDU
  5. COVID-19 NEDSS Reports Training* & Best Practices: Entering COVID-19 Labs in NEDSS* - Jessica Romano, MPH, Data Quality Management Coordinator, Public Health Informatics and Data Unit

  6. COVID-19 Laboratory Reporting Requirements* - Lucille Palenapa, MS, Medical Research Specialist, Laboratory & Infectious Disease Services Division
    • Review COVID-19 lab reporting requirements
    • Reporting to state vs reporting to local jurisdiction
    • Training slides

*Indicates required training 

Quick NEDSS User Tips

Brief training videos under 5 minutes covering frequent NEDSS user functions and tasks.

Phase 2 Training  *NEW- Added 11/10/21*

We are excited to provide an overview of the new upcoming feature in NEDSS which will allow for the automated creation of COVID-19 case investigations based on incoming eligible positive SARS-CoV-2 electronic laboratory reports. The main objective of this feature is to help alleviate the burden of manual case investigation creation and data entry for surveillance and epidemiology staff across the state. Please see below for a video overview of the process and slides available for download.   

NEDSS COVID-19 Case Automation Process (aka Workflow Decision Support)

Jessica Romano, MPH, Data Quality Management Coordinator, Public Health Informatics and Data Unit

Technical Assistance:

Contact Information

Last updated June 6, 2022