Outbreak Detection Information Network

Development of the Outbreak Detection Information Network (ODIN) technical system is part of a research project, funded by the Department of Defense. The intent of the project is to evaluate the effectiveness of combining civilian health indicator information with military health indicator information to enable detection and early response to bio-terrorism events and general health trends such as avian flu and SARS.

ODIN will implement the emerging science of syndromic surveillance by using the information gathered in initial health encounters, such as emergency room visits, to predict disease outbreaks days to weeks ahead of clinical certainty from laboratory results.

Syndromic surveillance is not yet a fully accepted scientific method, thus, one of the purposes of the ODIN project is to provide additional information and experience to validate it across a wide selection of methodologies. ODIN is unique in the fact that it is not geo-politically bound, but is designed with the capability to provide visibility across geographic boundaries.

While being funded as a research project, one of the major goals of the project is to produce a product that will have extensive functionality for the public health community and provide a long term toolset for epidemiological activities.

The five major components of the system are:

• Data Import
• Secure Data Store
• Statistical Analysis Engine
• Visualization
• Notifications

As a whole, this software constitutes a powerful, flexible and leading edge research and production system designed to improve public health operations in the military and civilian sectors. Read More