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The Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases…

  • Supports the activities that protects the public health and safety of our island by enhancing the health department's capacity to effectively detect, respond, prevent, and control known (or unknown) infectious diseases.
  • Maintains a portfolio of projects in varying stages of response such as enhancing detection by improving the infrastructure necessary to support infectious disease testing, and modernizing health information systems for better data collection and reporting.
  • Prioritizes strengthening epidemiologic capacity, enhancing laboratory capacity, and modernizing information systems, within Guam and across the region.

It’s the law

As mandated by Chapter 3, Title X, Guam Code Annotated, Any person licensed or registered to practice any healing art under Chapter 12 of this Title who has knowledge of or suspects the presence of any communicable disease or any other disease dangerous to the public health, shall report the same to the Director within forty-eight (48) hours after diagnosis, unless a different time is prescribed by regulation, together with the name, age, village of residence and sex of the person afflicted, the house or other place in which such person may be found, and such other information as may be required by regulation.

Reporting a Notifiable Condition
Reporting Requirements

Include those with potential for rapid spread or requiring prompt action for effective control and should be reported within 48 hours by phone in addition to the usual morbidity form.

Must be reported within 5 working days by phone, FAX or mail using the morbidity form.

Promoting Interoperability Programs  
“Public Health Meaningful Use”

The expansion and use of electronic health records (EHRs) is a national goal established under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH).The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has designated these initiatives as Promoting Interoperability Programs, previously referred to as Meaningful Use (MU).

These programs provide financial incentives for Eligible Professionals (EP), Eligible Hospitals (EH) and Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) to adopt, implement and demonstrate MU of Certified EHR Technology (CEHRT).