ABOUT IDRS

The Infectious Disease Reporting System is the combined infectious disease reporting system for health care provided in Franklin County, including the City of Columbus. The Columbus and Franklin County Public Health agencies have joined forces to make the reporting, tracking and investigation of infectious disease cases easier and more convenient.

Physicians, hospitals, infection control professionals, laboratorians and any individual, per Communicable Disease Rules 3701-3-01 through 3701-3-30 of the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC), are legally required to report suspected, lab-confirmed, and clinical diagnoses of specific diseases and conditions within specified time frames to IDRS. Read more about requirements or learn more about reporting options.

The IDRS:

  • Allows for convenient and easy reporting of any reportable infectious disease case in Columbus and Franklin County, 24 hours a day
  • Enables active reporting and analysis of disease trends
  • Provides early identification of potential outbreaks and new trends in infectious disease
  • Enables timely case follow-up and public health interventions which will result in fewer secondary cases

The staff of the IDRS will ensure proper investigation and follow-up of all infectious disease reports. With this combined data, the public health agencies will conduct appropriate surveillance of infectious diseases; develop, implement and communicate public health prevention strategies; ensure affected residents have access to medical follow-up; communicate with the medical community; educate residents about infectious diseases and support the domestic preparedness response plan.

This means no more trying to figure out to which public health agency to report a infectious disease case!