Tanaq Support Services has been providing mission-critical support to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Epidemic Information Exchange, Epi-X, since August 2021. A team of three developers, one project manager, and one user support technician effectively provides outstanding 24/7/365 support to ongoing operations, maintenance, system modernization, and distinguished customer service to more than 6,400 users.
Epi-X is CDC’s only secure, web-based communications network that provides a robust communications exchange between CDC, State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Public Health Officials (STLTs), federal agencies (DOD, DOS, DHS, EPA, FDA, HHS, USDA, FEMA), other public health organizations (AAPCC, APHL, ASTHO, CSTE, NACCHO, NASPHV), and Mexican and Canadian Governments. Epi-X provides rapid reporting, immediate notification, editorial support, and coordination of health investigations for public health professionals. This system is the primary and preferred mechanism utilized by STLTs to provide a bidirectional exchange of personally identifiable information (PII) in cases of COVID-19, monkeypox, avian influenza, etc., and contact tracing data management with other STLTs and to CDC. CDC uses Epi-X to disseminate vaccine safety data to state health departments. The CDC Division of Global Migration and Quarantine relies on Epi-X to transmit PII with STLTs when residents of their jurisdiction are exposed to a communicable disease on an aircraft or ship.
The Tanaq team oversaw the secure delivery of more than 450,000 reports to more than 6,400 STLTs during the ongoing COVID-19 and monkeypox responses, and assured the appropriate dissemination of information to public health officials regarding residents with COVID-19, monkeypox, hepatitis, and other reportable diseases. These reports enabled STLTs to conduct patient monitoring, contact tracing, and interstate movement tracking to mitigate the spread of infectious diseases. The reports provided the gold standard of technical assistance, resulting in 29,475 actions to troubleshoot technical issues, enroll new users, process authorization requests, and manage user permissions.
Despite being small, the Tanaq team has successfully implemented six significant releases to modernize the Epi-X system this past year. These enhancements have focused on streamlining the reporting process by understanding the new STLT requirements for exchanging sensitive information regarding all-hazard public health events.
The Epi-X team continues to be in front of innovative system enhancements and leverages the latest technology and cross-jurisdictional coordination to improve the rapid collection, analysis, and reporting of COVID-19, monkeypox, clinical guidance, and public health messaging to the Epi-X community. These Epi-X efforts help in allocating resources and activities to implement medical and non-medical countermeasures.
