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ESSENCE is a tool that enables the user to conduct syndromic surveillance, quickly identifying and describing new and emerging threats, potential outbreaks and other public health concerns that could result in mission degradation.
By using already existing clinical electronic medical record data, ESSENCE is useful in quickly assessing public health threats. It also supports the evaluation, planning, and implementation of public health practice, disease prevention, and emergency response ( BUMEDINST 6220.12C). For more information about surveillance policy and guidance, visit our Medical Surveillance and Medical Event Reporting page.
(Account holders only)
Navy and Marine Corps Force Health Protection Command (NMCFHPC) continues to develop user guidance and dashboards for Navy users to improve routine surveillance activities and make data decisions. The command is currently identifying and implementing process improvements to try and expand surveillance capabilities for in-garrison and operational environments. This additional function would increase the surveillance signal for field and operational components to maintain a pulse on disease activity, globally. Present guidance informs users on how to gain access to ESSENCE, integrate program functions for surveillance, and how to maintain and complete training. As evolution of the program continues supplementary user direction and training will be included and/or updated to reflect program changes and improvements.
This guide provides step-by-step instructions to assist Navy users through the process of obtaining an DoD ESSENCE account.
A reference guide to refer to when requesting access to ESSENCE. This checklist provides an outline to support the end user when completing this process allowing the agency to successfully create a user profile.
DMIS IDs are recognized within the DoD as the controlling standard for both medical and military facility identification and cost/workload classification. The DHA publishes DMIS ID Tables monthly for the MHS.
NMCFHPC encourages the use of dashboards for routine surveillance (see below). If desired, users can also learn how to view and create alerts, which provides notification for exceedances for any saved queries.
Dashboards are available within ESSENCE to supports the early identification and detection of potential threats for end users to be able to successfully conduct surveillance for multiple platforms within the area of responsibility at a glance. support and expand surveillance activities to ease the process of monitoring and identification of specific trends whether annually, monthly, weekly, or seasonally. The dashboards can be designed to meet command/unit or installation intent, enabling a quick analysis of potential threats occurring within a population. This capability allows for early detection, leadership awareness and implementation of best practices to prevent potential disruption and/or degradation to mission efforts and readiness.
Provides a weekly review of data and trend trajectories for respiratory diseases/illness to include: Influenza, Influenza like Illnesses (ILIs), Upper Respiratory Infections (URIs), Pneumonia, Positive COVID tests and other COVID Like Illnesses (CLIs).
Provides a broad overview of all data encounters and trend trajectories, encompassing weekly counts for all Disease & Injury Categories to include: Respiratory, Gastrointestinal (GI), Injury, Rash, Reportable Medical Events (RMEs), and other medical events.
Please contact your respective Navy Environmental and Preventive Medicine Unit (NEPMU) at https://www.med.navy.mil/Navy-and-Marine-Corps-Force-Health-Protection-Command/Field-Activities/ for consultative support.
Collaboration established by Center for Disease Control (CDC) to collect, analyze, and share electronic patient encounter data from various data sources (emergency departments, urgent and ambulatory care centers, inpatient healthcare settings and laboratories). Unlike DoD ESSENCE, NSSP data is largely collected from emergency departments rather than clinics, NSSP also includes some DoD data.
Users at Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs) are typically those who are in states with program availability (NC, AZ, DC, VA, NY, MD, GA, FL and NJ) and only members within these locations can submit access request for accounts.
or to be added to the distribution lists for upcoming training opportunities from the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Division (AFHSD), please email: dha.ncr.health-surv.mbx.dod-essence@health.mil.
When requesting access make sure to write “NSSP Access Requested” in the subject line.
Be sure to include full name and state of the MTF where you are billeted.
Contact the NSSP Service Desk at http://support.syndromicsurveillance.org
◦ This course introduces the biosurveillance system ESSENCE Version 5 (v5). ESSENCE v5 is based on the commercially available ESSENCE developed by the Johns Hopkins University Advanced Physics Laboratory. Users will learn a brief overview of syndromic surveillance, the tools and how to use ESSENCE v5, and the steps to conduct syndromic surveillance at their assigned MTF(s) with ESSENCE.
◦ This course covers less frequently used and more advanced features and is a continuation of the basic training course (DHA-US046).
◦ Six self-paced modules instruct and assess your understanding of concepts being presented. Topics include overviews of ESSENCE, syndromic surveillance, basic and advanced ESSENCE system components, ESSENCE Chief Complaint Processor, and ESSENCE alerting algorithms.
◦ Learn how to perform routine tasks (e.g. create queries, analyze data).
◦ https://www.cdc.gov/nssp/tech-tips/free-text-coding/part1.html
> Webinar on using queries: Presentation on how to use queries in ESSENCE. In addition to teaching the basic mechanics of the application, the presentation will explore advanced techniques for utilizing queries in features like myESSENCE, advanced graphing, and data downloads.
◦ ESSENCE Training on Using Queries
> ICD-9/ICD-10-CM coding reference: Website designed for the fast lookup of all current American ICD-10-CM (diagnosis) and ICD-10-PCS (procedure) codes.
◦ https://www.icd10data.com/
Bureau of Medicine and Surgery 7700 Arlington Blvd. Ste. 5113 Falls Church, VA 22042-5113 This is an official U.S. Navy website This is a Department of Defense (DoD) Internet computer system. General Navy Medical Inquiries (to Bureau of Medicine and Surgery): usn.ncr.bumedfchva.mbx.bumed-general-inquiries@health.mil