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Alliance of Local Oregon Epidemiologist + Neighbors (ALOE+)

Mission Statement: Our mission is to connect and empower local health department epidemiologists and analysts across all disciplines in Oregon and our partners in neighboring states and tribes, utilizing collaboration to give a unified voice to local needs and enhance the exchange of information, ideas, and expertise.
Jaime WaltersKathleen LovgrenAileen DULDULAOEva Hawes, Research and Evaluation Analyst at Washington CountyRussell BarlowAryn Walker, Marion CountyAdiba Ali, Epidemiologist at Clark CountyPeter Banwarth, Epidemiologist at Benton/Linn/LincolnRoger Brubaker, Health Analyst at LaneAlyssa Carlson, Epidemiologist at Clark CountyGerald Dyer, Jr., CD Epidemiologist at Benton/Linn/LincolnMarta Fisher, CD Epidemiologist at MultnomahKevin Jian, CD Epidemiologist at MultnomahAndrea Krause, Epidemiologist at JacksonRachel Posnick, CD Epidemiologist at Marion County +55 others
Call to action by Taylor PINSENT ·

💪 COVID-19 Alliance

Hi everyone, now is the time to really use this group as a collective state-wide epi voice. Things have been moving really fast and everyone has been extremely busy. I am wondering if we should set up a COVID-19 specific meeting to talk through issues or concerns that have been identified to see if we need to band together to get things adjusted and/or improved? 

A few things identified up here in the Portland Metro Area have been the type of Orpheus (now Opera) questions that have been asked during case investigations. There have been questions we thought should be added early on. Have you felt the same? It would also be nice to have a data dictionary. What do you think? If you have had similar questions or concerns, let's join together as a local voice.

Comments & Events

Katharine Carvelli, Epidemiologist at Lane Katharine Carvelli, Epidemiologist
Taylor,

Thanks for initiating this. I’d like to chat about the types of data cleaning that people are doing. I’m finding that some of the changes that OHA is making aren’t appropriate. I’d also like to discuss some of the workflows that others are using.

Thank you,
Katharine
Notified 33 people
Kimberly Repp, Chief Epidemiologist/Epidemiology Program Manager at Washington Kimberly Repp, Chief Epidemiologist/Epidemiology Program Manager
Agreed. I am also concerned that there are epidemiological decisions being made without consulting any actual epidemiologists. Everything from phase metrics, to outbreak jurisdiction, and case interview data elements. In a time where everyone is an armchair epidemiologist, this is a dangerous precedent. As there is a Health Officer group that seems to be consulted for/makes major decisions by/for administration, I am growing increasingly concerned that those decisions are made in isolation. There needs to be a core group of 3-4 of us that are appointed/elected by this group from across the state to provide that leadership at that level and to that level. Our voice is not at the table and it needs to be. 
Notified 33 people
Taylor PINSENT, Modernization Epidemiologist at Multnomah County Taylor PINSENT, Modernization Epidemiologist
Several months later and we are still having the same conversations. I just heard that our leadership requested this as part of our "watchlist" support. I sent an email today with a doodle poll so we can all try to regroup and come up with a plan.

best,
Taylor
Notified 33 people
Kathleen Rees, CD Epidemiologist at Washington Kathleen Rees, CD Epidemiologist
Thank you, Taylor!
Taylor PINSENT, Modernization Epidemiologist at Multnomah County 👍
Notified 33 people
Peter Banwarth, Epidemiologist at Benton/Linn/Lincoln Peter Banwarth, Epidemiologist
Thanks Taylor; I did not get an email with a doodle poll - I think I may not be on the most current ALOE list. I'll add my email, but in the meantime, could you forward the doodle poll to peter.banwarth@co.benton.or.us
Thanks
Peter
Notified 34 people
Sarah Kalivoda Mannion, Region 7 Epidemiologist at Crook Sarah Kalivoda Mannion, Region 7 Epidemiologist
Hi there! Jenny and I (Central Oregon) were chatting today about starting to develop a data dictionary. Getting all of our county jurisdictions on the same page data-entry-wise is easier said than done, but having an OHA approved data dictionary would help us all with consistency in reported data in OPERA. 

I do my fair share of case investigation in addition to my epi work in Region 7 and am familiar with interpretation of investigation questions, so I plan to start defining and recording the start of a dictionary for COVID data entry to help the counties in my jurisdiction. 

Do some of us (outside Central Oregon) have time to devote toward developing some universal guidance and definitions for data entry? If there were a few of us working on this, we could come together in a future meeting to hash out definitions. With OHA extremely busy, I think we might make better progress if we were able to present an draft data dictionary for them to review and potentially put out to all LPHAs so we can be consistent in our data entry statewide. Otherwise, I feel that this is not enough of a priority for them to develop for us some time. 

What do you all think?
Notified 44 people
Katharine Carvelli, Epidemiologist at Lane Katharine Carvelli, Epidemiologist
Sarah Kalivoda Mannion, Region 7 Epidemiologist at Crook Sarah  

I'd like to participate.

Katharine
Notified 45 people