Stengths & Challenges

ELR sequencing submissions have unique strengths and challenges due to the systems involved (and not involved) in generating the HL7 messages, as well as their integration with established surveillance systems at WA DOH. Comparing ELR with other sequencing metadata submission modes highlights some of these strengths and challenges:

ELR

Strengths:

Linkage to WDRS Event completed upstream
WDRS Event automatically created if no Event linked
Person demographics (should be) included
Mostly timely reporting
Data available in WDRS outside of Question Package

Challenges:

DIQA cannot alter how WDRS Event linkage is done
Difficult to onboard labs
Difficult to get labs to change data structure for reported records
Data structure dependent on HL7 versioning and requirements from external groups
Multiple labs submitting with data reported in multiple structures

PHL

Strengths:

Linkage to WDRS Event is directly controlled by DIQA
Mostly timely reporting
One lab submitting; consistent data structure

Challenges:

Linkage to WDRS Event must be coded by DIQA
WDRS Event must be manually created if no Event linked
Person demographics may not be included
Difficult to get PHL dashboard created
PHL reliant on a separate dashboarding team to make dashboard changes
Reliant on Selenium and prone to breaking with Chrome or page HTML updates
Data are not found in WDRS outside of Question Package

Secure File Transfer

Strengths:

Linkage to WDRS Event is directly controlled by DIQA
Less difficult for labs to change data structure for reported records
Multiple labs submitting with data reported in a consistent structure

Challenges:

Linkage to WDRS Event must be coded by DIQA
WDRS Event must be manually created if no Event linked
Person demographics may not be included
Difficult to onboard labs
Reliant on Selenium and prone to breaking with Chrome or page HTML updates
Reporting is often done in batches and is delayed
Data are not found in WDRS outside of Question Package