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The value of hospital data for covid-19 pandemic surveillance and planning
  • Douglas G Manuel,
  • Carl van Walraven,
  • Alan J Forster
Douglas G Manuel
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Carl van Walraven
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
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Alan J Forster
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
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Abstract

Hospital data for covid-19 surveillance, planning and modelling are challenging to find well into the pandemic. Data for new covid-19 admissions are particularly challenging to find. Accurate hospital data are the best source of information for short-term forecasts of health care capacity, and they improve long-term covid-19 models that are typically based on cases. We describe the role of hospital data for studying covid-19, why admission data are hard to find, and how improved data infrastructure can meet surveillance and planning needs over the next year. Critical infrastructure includes a well-maintained list of patients hospitalized with covid-19 that is integrated with public health information systems.