Effectiveness of the Facility for Elderly Surveillance System (FESSy) in Two Public Health Center Jurisdictions in Japan: Prospective Observational Study

• DOI: 10.2196/58509
• Publication Date: 2025-01-13T12:21:26Z
• Authors: Junko Kurita; Motomi Hori; Sumiyo Yamaguchi; Aiko Ogiwara; Yurina Saito; Minako Sugiyama; Asami Sunadori; Tomoko Hayashi; Akane Hara; Yukari Kawana; Youichi Itoi; Tamie Sugawara; Yoshiyuki Sugishita; Fujiko Irie; Naomi Sakurai
• Keywords: Public health surveillance

Abstract Background Residents of facilities for older people are vulnerable to COVID-19 outbreaks. Nevertheless, timely recognition outbreaks at public health centers has been impossible in Japan since May 8, 2023, when the Japanese government discontinued aggressive countermeasures against because waning severity dominant Omicron strain. The Facility Elderly Surveillance System (FESSy) developed improve information collection. Objective This study examined FESSy experiences and effectiveness two center jurisdictions Japan. Methods assessed use by detection mode an automated AI system (ie, AI), as well manual centers’ staff staff) direct reporting centers. We considered following aspects: (1) diagnoses or symptoms, (2) numbers patients their date, (3) ultimate involved incidents. Subsequently, was compared based on modes. lasted from June 1, through January 2024. Results In both areas, this 31 which 87 incidents were detected. (AI detected significantly fewer than non-FESSy methods, that is, date number patients. Conclusions superior outbreak size.