Using e-mail to investigate outbreaks.

Abstract

Summary points • Electronicnetworkshavevastlyincreasedthespeedandmagnitudeofinformationexchange• E-mailhasbeenusedbyhealthcareprofessionalsforavarietyoftasks• E-mailwasusedtorapidlycharacterizeanoutbreakofgastroenteritisinAlaskaandmanyotheroutbreaksinotherstates Best Practice LouisaCastrodale Epidemic IntelligenceServiceDivision of AppliedPublic Health TrainingEpidemiology ProgramOfficeCenters for DiseaseControl and PreventionAtlanta, GA and Alaska Department ofHealth and SocialServicesSection of EpidemiologyPO Box 240249Anchorage, AK99524-0249 MichaelBellerSueAnneJenkerson Alaska Department ofHealth and SocialServicesSection of Epidemiology BruceChandler Municipality ofAnchorageDepartment of Healthand Human ServicesDivision of CommunityHealthCorrespondence to: DrCastrodale louisa_castrodale@health.state.ak.us Competinginterests: None declared West J Med 2002;176:181-183This article is the secondin a series of articles thatexamine how digitaltechnology is changingmedical practice.