Lab Matters Fall 2023 | Page 67

APHL 2023 POSTER ABSTRACTS comprehensive LIMS assessment . Our LIMS assessment process documents the Current State of the laboratory , facilitates a gap analysis , and provides recommendation for Future State efficiencies . These inputs empower lab leadership to develop a comprehensive data modernization plan for their organization and make a wellinformed decision on whether to maintain , augment , or replace their existing LIMS . Despite the disparate drivers of your evaluation , this process allows laboratories to define what you have , describe what you want , get what you need with documentation to submit to procurement offices .

Presenter : Monica Akre , makre @ jmichael-consulting . com

Sharing Data Across the Nation through AIMS

R . Shepherd 1 , A . McShane 2 ; 1 Association of Public Health Laboratories , 2 Ruvos , Inc .

For over a decade , the APHL Informatics Messaging Services ( AIMS ) Platform has facilitated public health data exchange for public health laboratories and agencies and their clinical partners . Each day , hundreds of thousands of messages are routed through the Platform . This session will provide an in-depth look at the variety of ways public health laboratories use AIMS , from setting up a new use case and data flow , to actually routing , validating , and parsing the data . How does AIMS keep the data flowing ? And how can AIMS help laboratories meet their data exchange needs ? Attendees will learn how AIMS is making it easier to share data across local and state lines and with CDC and with clinical partners . They will learn the breadth of public health data and use cases that AIMS supports , as well as the variety of services available on the Platform . Attendees will learn about the safeguards that AIMS has put in place to secure the nation ’ s public health data . They will learn how APHL continues to modernize the AIMS Platform to meet the changing needs of their members . Every state public health laboratory and agency exchanges data with AIMS . It is a cornerstone of public health data exchange today , with significant plans for more services in the future . As PHLs are planning approaches to data modernization , they should leverage these available services and incorporate AIMS capabilities into their design .”

Presenter : Rachel Shepherd , rachel . shepherd @ aphl . org

LESSONS LEARNED FROM PAST DISEASE EVENTS

An Evaluation of Testing Access in the Laboratory Response Network ( LRN ) during the First 10 Weeks of the Mpox Response , May 17 – July 31 , 2022

K . Thomas ; US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Background : This evaluation sought to identify the successes and challenges that LRN member laboratories faced during the initial 10 weeks of the public health response to the 2022 mpox outbreak . Authors explored how prior investments and programmatic support enabled the initial testing response and identified barriers that limited testing and testing access within LRN laboratories . Findings will inform and improve future planning and responses . Methods : CDC ’ s Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections led an evaluation using a qualitative approach . Key partners were identified for unstructured interviews using purposive sampling . Eleven interviews were carried out with CDC Subject Matter Experts ( n = 5 ), select state and local public health laboratories and epidemiologists ( n = 5 ), and the Association of Public Health Laboratories ( APHL ). Participants were selected to obtain diverse viewpoints from those that have been most involved in this response , while also collecting information in a timely manner . Discussions were carried out using four guiding questions :

1 . What investments in preparedness supported the response to mpox ?

2 . What were some of the main successes in the first 10 weeks of the mpox response ?

3 . What were some of the main challenges in the first 10 weeks of the mpox response ?

4 . How can the LRN improve their response to infectious disease outbreaks in the future ?

We conducted a thematic analysis of the subsequent discussions . Results : Through our discussions with key LRN partners , we identified themes which informed the development of seven recommendations for improved LRN response in the future . These recommendations build upon the successes and challenges identified in discussions .

1 . Increase and sustain necessary public health laboratory infrastructure and connections with clinical and commercial laboratories .

2 . Create and exercise surge plans .

3 . Update approved protocols to include automated extraction methods when possible .

4 . Update electronic test ordering and reporting systems for LRN member laboratories .

5 . Increase training for laboratory staff , providers and partners in working with public health laboratories .

6 . Improve communication between CDC , LRN member labs and providers .

7 . Plan for expansion to commercial and clinical laboratories as part of outbreak response .

Conclusions : The LRN systems plays an integral role in the US ’ s outbreak preparedness , including helping to provide a critical initial response until testing capacity can be expanded to commercial and clinical sites . The findings presented in this paper will be used as a starting point for discussions with CDC and partners about the future and potential improvement of the LRN . In addition , testing readiness for future responses will require a systemic approach that includes providers , commercial and clinical laboratories and other partners in addition to public health and LRN laboratories .

Presenter : Katharine Thomas , twu2 @ cdc . gov