Building Partnerships with the Medical Community in Foodborne Illness Surveillance

During the years of 2008, 2009, and 2010, Kern County Environmental Health received 265, 288, and 301 consumer complaints of potential foodborne illness respectively. Providers reportedly took stool samples from 16% of cases whom sought medical attention during this time period. The increasing incidence of self-reported foodborne illness and the need to strengthen relationships with the medical community in foodborne illness surveillance prompted Environmental Health, in partnership with Public Health, to organize the Foodborne Illness Surveillance Guidance Training for Medical Professionals. The goal was threefold:

1. to educate the medical community,
2. increase provider reporting, and
3. improve surveillance of foodborne illnesses.

The training consisted of various speaker and panel discussions. An epidemiologist from the California Department of Public Health discussed the science behind detecting and responding to outbreaks. A panel composed of Public Health’s Laboratory Director and a county epidemiologist discussed the laboratory’s capabilities to test obtained stool samples and the process of reporting foodborne illnesses to Public Health. A final panel consisting of the county epidemiologist and the Food Program Supervisor discussed the medical community’s role in reporting observed increases in foodborne illness incidence.

As a result of the training, three large medical providers asked Environmental Health to continue the training as a traveling roadshow, partnering with medical facilities – including clinics and hospitals in low-income areas – to offer surveillance guidance to their entire staff. It has been evident that this unique training approach was well-received by the medical community and has resulted in improved collaboration between agencies and providers. It is optimistic that the partnerships built will lead to a continued increase in foodborne illness reporting by providers, and thus, enhanced foodborne illness surveillance in Kern County.