Government Success: HSO Helps a County’s Department of Public Health Build and Deploy a Contact Tracing Solution on Microsoft Dynamics 365, Replacing Salesforce

The solution allows the department to monitor case and contact tracing data more quickly, efficiently, and accurately

About

This county’s Department of Public Health has 4,500 employees who ensure optimal health and well-being for all 10 million residents. It oversees environmental health, disease control, and community and family health.

Challenge

In 2020, the county’s Department of Public Health needed to maintain a database of presumptive and confirmed COVID-19 patients, track their contacts, and monitor their quarantine periods. The department also wanted to reach out to patients and contacts via SMS surveys and manage the vaccination process. Additionally, they needed to track community outreach by healthcare workers to avoid the spread of COVID-19.

The emergence of the Mpox virus in 2022, which was declared a state of emergency within the county, introduced a brand new project for the Department of Public Health. This initiative required the development of new applications tailored to tracking and contact tracing specifically for the Mpox virus, signifying a pivot from their ongoing public health efforts against COVID-19. Faced with this new challenge, the department encountered a significant hurdle: a shortage of development resources. This limitation underscored the pressing need for innovative approaches to meet the escalating public health demands in the face of this new health crisis.

Solution

HSO worked in close collaboration with the technical team named PHIS (Public Health Information Systems) to implement critical Microsoft Dynamics 365 CE (Sales and Service) projects for the department. The team's involvement spanned all stages of implementing CE-based projects, including multiple consultants playing varied roles to ensure comprehensive solutions.

For the initial challenge of contact tracing during the COVID-19 pandemic, HSO developed a system that received daily feeds of confirmed COVID-19 patients from the medical department. This system facilitated the creation of interview records for each person, assignment to call center representatives, and collection of necessary information. It also established new contacts for those who had interacted with COVID-19 positive patients, initiating self-quarantine requests and monitoring during the quarantine period. Utilizing AWS Pinpoint, an SMS survey was conducted throughout the quarantine, and Health Officer Orders were generated and sent via email for confirmation. This system was further enhanced to assist in setting up vaccine appointments.

In parallel, for the community health workers project, HSO developed a system to identify outreach formats, capture detailed information on race, ethnicity, and priority groups, and track the distribution of face masks, hand sanitizers, and other supplies. This system also monitored the outcome of the outreach efforts, ensuring effective community engagement.

With the onset of the Mpox virus and its declaration as a state of emergency, the scope of HSO's involvement expanded to address this new public health challenge. Building on the success of the COVID-19 response, HSO was tasked with updating the Case Investigation and Contact Tracing System to include capabilities for managing the Mpox outbreak. This involved design, development, implementation, and production support for a system that would manage and maintain databases for both presumptive and confirmed Mpox patients, alongside the existing COVID-19 data.

HSO's approach emphasized automation and integration with state-level systems, leveraging a suite of technologies including Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales, Customer Service, Power Platform, Azure, DevOps, Amazon, MailChimp, RedCap Surveys, Reporting, DocuSign, SharePoint, OneDrive for Business, Word Online, and SSIS/KingsWay Soft. This comprehensive strategy ensured that the department's systems were not only updated to handle the immediate needs of the Mpox emergency but were also strengthened for future public health challenges.

Results

The successful deployment of critical public health initiatives against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent Mpox outbreak has significantly bolstered the county's response capabilities. The implementation of a dynamic contact tracing system for COVID-19 marked a pivotal advancement in maintaining a comprehensive database of both presumptive and confirmed cases. This system enabled efficient tracking of contacts and effective monitoring of quarantine measures, playing a crucial role in curbing the virus's spread. Additionally, system enhancements streamlined the vaccine appointment process, facilitating greater access to vaccinations for the county's residents.

Moreover, the community health workers project emerged as a cornerstone in the county's strategy to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. By optimizing community outreach efforts, the project ensured that healthcare workers' endeavors were both effective and strategically aligned with public health goals.

The adaptation of these initiatives to confront the Mpox outbreak further underscored the county's capacity to rapidly respond to emerging public health threats. Integrating Mpox management into the existing system not only provided a seamless continuation of services but also exemplified the county's commitment to safeguarding public health within budgetary and time constraints.

These comprehensive efforts have not just addressed the immediate challenges posed by COVID-19 and Mpox; they have also fortified the county's public health infrastructure against future crises. The positive impact of these initiatives extends beyond the immediate response, setting a foundation for a resilient and adaptive public health system capable of facing upcoming public health challenges with enhanced readiness and efficiency.

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