Investigate NIC List to Complete Missing Data and Verify Care Status
After generating a “not in care” (NIC) list, health departments should determine if the individuals on the list truly are not in care, to minimize expending resources locating individuals already in care. This step should include turning to other data sources to fill in important information that might be missing from an individual’s record (e.g., current telephone number or address) and to verify the care status.
One step of the investigation process should be checking with the last known care provider to verify care status. Another step of the investigation process should include matching the NIC list to other data sources, which might include databases both internal and external to the health department (e.g., STD Surveillance Database, CAREWare, ADAP, Medicaid, etc.) HICSB provides guidance on conducting data matches in its Technical Guidance for HIV Surveillance Programs. Jurisdictions that do not have the resources to conduct routine electronic matches of the NIC list with other databases might need to conduct matches manually. Health departments should ensure that local law, regulations, and health department policy permit these types of database matches.
Whenever performing matches, compare records to complete data missing from the HIV surveillance database as well as to collect data indicative of care (e.g., laboratory results).
Health departments using Web-based applications or databases as well as conducting electronic data matches should take steps to ensure security and confidentiality of the data. They should become familiar with how the search function of an application or database will secure the information they use to search for data and whether the application or database will store any information from the search, for how long, and for what purpose. Web-based applications for Internet searches might not be completely secure. Health departments must investigate these applications prior to use and, if they decide to use one: take steps to conduct searches with limited information using secure electronic methods; and ensure IP addresses do not identify the HIV program or its staff directly.