EpiTrax is a flexible, open source, cloud-based, highly secure and configurable, comprehensive surveillance and outbreak management application designed for public health. It allows local and state public health agencies to identify, investigate, and mitigate communicable diseases and outbreaks,s. All jurisdictions across the state of Colorado use EpiTrax.
EpiTrax supports public health jurisdictions in receiving electronic laboratory reporting (ELR) and electronic case reporting (eCR). These messages from health care providers and laboratories are processed by Electronic Message Staging Area (EMSA) according to rules that ensure public health has the information as soon as it is received.
EpiTrax launched in May 2024 for most reportable conditions. In 2025, all reportable conditions in the state of Colorado will be managed in EpiTrax, replacing a patchwork of smaller disease-specific surveillance systems and paper-based reporting.
Background
Data Modernization Initiative (DMI) is Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) multi-year effort to modernize core data and surveillance infrastructure across the federal and state public health landscape. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Disease Surveillance System Modernization (DSSM) program is a critical enabler for the state of Colorado to meet the DMI goals and objectives. As part of the DSSM program, EpiTrax is being implemented as the consolidated disease surveillance platform for the state of Colorado.
History of EpiTrax
Epitrax was developed by the Utah Department of Health and Human Services and is managed by the Epitrax Consortium. It’s based on the National Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NEDSS) and is compliant with CDC’s Public Health Information Network (PHIN). Several other public health jurisdictions, including Kansas, Missouri, Nevada, and Utah, use EpiTrax as their statewide disease surveillance system.