Registration with Public Health
All Eligible Hospitals and Eligible Professionals in Wisconsin must register with DPH if they plan to participate in any of the public health measures - regardless of which MU stage is being reported. To facilitate the registration, DPH has implemented a web-based tool called the "Public Health Registration for Electronic Data Submission" system, or PHREDS. To register in PHREDS, go to: www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/ehealth/PHMU/phmuregisterphreds.htm
As illustrated by the table above, WISHIN is an option for providers for submitting both immunization and syndromic surveillance data to DPH. Providers using WISHIN for these services will get assistance from WISHIN on completing their PHREDS registration. Much of the work done for registration in PHREDS can be leveraged for other WISHIN onboarding activities - making dual use of the data and configuration activities to save time and ensure accuracy. Organizations that are already onboarding to WISHIN for other services should contact their WISHIN Project Managers promptly to add syndromic surveillance or immunizations to their list of services.
What Else do I Need to Do?
One question that always comes up about the public health MU objectives is "What, exactly, do I have to have in place in order to meet the MU public health objectives?" The answer to this is simple: You must have registered in PHREDS. You do not have to be "live" or actively sending data (although that is acceptable too!) - you just need to be registered, "in the queue," and responsive whenever you are contacted that it's your turn to start the work. That's it. It really is that simple.
Providers can meet the public health MU objectives by registering in PHREDS within 60 days of the start of their EHR reporting period and being in any one of the following statuses:
- Achieved ongoing data submission in stage 1 and have satisfied the stage 2 MU technical standards and specifications for ongoing data submission.
- Achieved ongoing data submission during stage 2.
- In the process of onboarding with the appropriate entity/system (WISHIN, BioSense 2.0, WIR, or WCRS) by the end of the EHR reporting period. This means that at some point before the end of the EHR reporting period you have actively begun work with the appropriate entity/system to get your data submitted.
- In a queue with the appropriate entity/system (WISHIN, WIR, BioSense 2.0, WCRS or the State Lab of Hygiene) awaiting an invitation to begin the onboarding process. Your PHREDS registration puts you in the queue.
As indicated above, the provider must be "...responsive whenever you are contacted that it's your turn to start the work." This last part is critical. A provider that is "in the queue" can be contacted at any time to start the planning and work needed for these objectives. When that happens, providers must respond to the requests for action within 30 calendar days. Failure to respond to the requests within 30 days will make you ineligible to meet the objectives.
Can (and how) do eligible professionals (EPs) meet the syndromic surveillance MU stage 2 menu objective for public health?
EPs can meet the MU stage 2 syndromic surveillance menu objective for public health by registering in PHREDS for the objective. Priority for actual data submission will be given to:
- EPs that are part of an integrated delivery network (IDN) or hospital system and whose syndromic surveillance data is included in the syndromic surveillance data being submitted by the IDN or hospital.
- EPs that are not part of an IDN or hospital system but have registered in PHREDS to use WISHIN as the means to submit the syndromic surveillance data.
WISHIN Assistance
The flowchart below outlines the path for public health registration and onboarding for providers looking to meet the syndromic surveillance and immunization MU public health objectives. WISHIN can assist providers with both of these MU public health objectives and can leverage the PHREDS registration for other WISHIN onboarding activities. Providers that are not familiar with WISHIN services should contact WISHIN directly at (608) 274-1820 or at wishin@wishin.org. Existing WISHIN customers that are interested in adding these public health services should contact their WISHIN project manager promptly.
