Staff Experiences With Electronic Initial Case Reports for Birth Defects Surveillance in Texas

Staff reported that while eCR offers potential advantages, such as serving as a data source for case-finding, significant challenges remain. These include issues with eICR structure, data completeness, and integration into existing workflows. Recommended improvements include better organization of eICR data, inclusion of additional clinical details, and development of standardized abstraction protocols. These findings can inform strategies to optimize eCR for birth defects surveillance and point to the need for national guidelines.