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To protect the public from communicable
diseases, such as hepatitis, HIV, and tuberculosis, the Bureau of
Epidemiology collects, analyzes, and disseminates information about these
and other diseases. However, incomplete and late reporting by physicians and
laboratories hampers the Bureau’s ability to identify outbreaks. The
report recommends that the Bureau routinely review its records to identify
non-reporters and do more to encourage reporting by laboratories and
hospital and health provider staff authorized to report on behalf of
physicians. The Bureau could also raise awareness of the importance of
reporting by disseminating more technical disease surveillance information
to health care providers. We also found that the Bureau could more
effectively gauge immunization rates by improving its computerized registry
and more thoroughly verifying school immunization records. Finally, the
report recommends that the Bureau review the more than 40 separate
activities required of the Office of Environmental Health, and allow it to
focus on the functions most important to protecting public health.
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