Monthly Syndromic Surveillance Drug Overdose Dashboard

The dashboard allows users to focus on one of eight distinct drug overdose categories for a tailored visualization. These categories include:

• All Drug Overdose
• All Opioids
• All Stimulants
• Benzodiazepines
• Heroin
• Fentanyl
• Cocaine
• Methamphetamine

By selecting a specific category, users can track trends in emergency department visits related to that drug category, uncovering meaningful insights to guide prevention and intervention efforts.

The data presented in the dashboard come from the Minnesota Department of Health’s syndromic surveillance system, which collects near real-time information from Minnesota health systems. This system uses a combination of free text and diagnosis codes to classify visits as suspected drug overdoses. While the data support early identification of emerging trends, the primary goal of the dashboard is to provide general situational awareness regarding drug overdose-related emergency department visits. By leveraging these data, the dashboard offers valuable insights to inform public health decisions and interventions within Minnesota.

While syndromic surveillance data are powerful for monitoring trends, there are important limitations to consider:

• Suspected overdoses: The data reflect suspected drug overdose visits based on symptoms and diagnosis codes. Confirmatory toxicology testing is not performed meaning there is potential for misclassification.
• Data updates over time: The chief complaint and diagnosis codes associated with emergency department visits may be updated throughout and after the visits, meaning that the data are subject to change over time.
• Overdose categories are not mutually exclusive: Drug overdose categories overlap, as a single emergency department visit can fall into multiple drug categories (e.g., fentanyl visits are also counted in the All-Opioids category) and if multiple substances are involved (e.g., visits with fentanyl and cocaine will be counted in both drug categories).
• Incomplete case data: Not all hospitals participate in syndromic surveillance, which can lead to underreporting. Additionally, the onboarding of new hospitals may result in changes to the data over time.

Despite these limitations, the dashboard provides a critical tool for tracking drug overdose trends, offering timely data to inform public health actions and community awareness.