Michigan Disease Surveillance System (MDSS)

Electronic Reportable Laboratory Result Reporting and Promoting Interoperability Program

The Michigan Disease Surveillance System (MDSS) is a web-based system that allows for the electronic capture of disease data for the tracking and case management of communicable disease. MDSS fulfills the physician communicable disease reporting requirements and has the ability to receive HL7 laboratory reports using LOINC and SNOMED codes for lab tests and lab results, respectively. For more information on the MDSS, please visit the website Michigan Disease Surveillance System (MDSS).

Criteria for Electronic Laboratory Results Reporting

  • Data Originating from Laboratories
    Michigan’s Public Health Code requires that all laboratory and health provider occurrences of reportable communicable diseases get reported to the local health authorities (details about mandatory reporting can be found at www.michigan.gov/cdinfo). Both referring and referral labs are required to report results if they indicate the presence of a reportable condition. Proper and timely reporting of these results electronically to the MDSS will satisfy both the Reportable Lab Meaningful Use requirements as well as reporting requirements as stated in the Public Health Code.
  • Capability to Submit Laboratory Results in the Standard Format
    A national standard has been developed for certified electronic health record technology (CEHRT) to generate electronic HL7 messages for lab results. Electronic lab reporting submissions must be constructed in the HL7 format as described in the MDSS Testing and Submission Guide and companion dynamic message map 2.0 (.xlsx).

Registration to Submit Electronic Laboratory Results

Hospital laboratories that meet the criteria for selecting electronic lab results reporting must complete a registration to submit electronic lab results within 60 days of the start of the meaningful use reporting period. Registration is completed through the Michigan Health System Testing Repository.

Instructions for completing the registration: Michigan Health System Testing Repository User Guide

Once the registration is completed, an e-mail will be sent with instructions on next steps to comply with meaningful use active engagement requirements.

Electronic Case Reporting

Electronic case reporting (eCR) allows healthcare facilities to automatically report encounter data from an EHR to public health agencies for surveillance activities.  ECR data is more complete than manual reporting, is secure and reduces the clinician resources necessary to report. The Michigan Disease Surveillance System (MDSS) has the ability to receive electronic case reports using HL7 Clinical Document Architecture (CDA). Electronic reporting to MDHHS fulfills the legal reporting requirement for communicable disease reporting, and for other public health concerns (i.e., Lead, Heavy Metals, or Pesticide poisoning, etc.) reporting. Electronic Case Reporting is required to meet the Public Health and Clinical Data Exchange Objective measures for Hospitals and Critical Access Hospital participants under the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program (PIP) and for Eligible Professionals participating in the Merit based Incentive Payment System (MIPS).

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and the Michigan Health Information Network (MiHIN) are working with the CDC eCR team and APHL/AIM, to support an electronic case reporting approach for nationwide interoperability, and enhanced delivery of effective disease control and patient care practices.

Additional Resources

Criteria for Electronic Case Reporting

  • Data Originating from Eligible Hospitals and Eligible Professionals
    • Michigan’s Public Health Code requires that all health provider encounters that result in identification of reportable communicable diseases get reported to the local health authorities. Details about mandatory reporting can be found at www.michigan.gov/cdinfo.
  • Capability to Submit Electronic Case Reports in the Standard Format

Registration to Submit Electronic Case Reports

  • Eligible Hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals, and Eligible Professionals interested in the CMS PIP measure must register their intent to report ECR to MDHHS within the Michigan Health System Testing Repository (HSTR) https://michiganhealthit.org/public-health/.
  • Once your registration has been received, an e-mail will be sent with instructions on next steps to connect with MIHIN and start the onboarding process.
  • To ask questions or receive condition specific information about eCR reporting send an email to MDHHS_MDSS@michigan.gov.