Connecting and sharing health information
WEDSS is a secure, web-based system designed to facilitate reporting, investigation, and surveillance of communicable diseases in Wisconsin. It is designed for public health staff, infection control practitioners, clinical laboratories, clinics, and other disease reporters.
- Overview of the Wisconsin Electronic Disease Surveillance System (WEDSS) (PDF), updated January 15, 2015.
Benefits of the electronic system include:
- Time savings, with easier access to the most current disease-specific forms
- Automatic reporting to the correct health department based on patient address
- Improved consistency in reporting
- Improved security, information sharing and data analysis
- Reduced duplication and paperwork
- Standardization
- More timely reporting
Health Care Provider Reporting of Communicable Diseases
What is a health care provider's responsibility in reporting communicable diseases to public health?
According to Wis. Stats. § 252.05, any health care provider who knows or has reason to believe a person treated or visited by him or her has a communicable disease is required to report. Per Wis. Admin. Code § DHS 145.04(1), this includes reporting of a case or suspected case.
Go to the DHS Communicable Disease Reporting webpage to learn:
- Which diseases are reportable,
- What should be included in a communicable disease report, and
- How a communicable disease can be reported to public health.
How can I learn more about WEDSS?
Watch a video overview of WEDSS (recorded module, approx. 5 minutes). Presentation will only open in Internet Explorer or Safari web browsers.
Contact your local health department or the Division of Public Health (DPH) WEDSS staff.
WEDSS documents are located on the WEDSS Sharepoint site. You must have a Wisconsin Logon Management System (WILMS) account in order to use WEDSS or access these documents. If you do not have a WILMS account, please send an email to DPH WEDSS staff to request instructions.
