Influenza‐like illness in Australia: A comparison of general practice surveillance system with electronic medical records

Surveillance systems are fundamental to detect infectious disease outbreaks and guide public health responses. We compared influenza‐like illness (ILI) rates for 2015‐2017 using data from the Australian Sentinel Practice Research Network (ASPREN) and electronic medical records from 550 general practices across Australia (MedicineInsight). There was a high correlation between both sources (r = .84‐.95) and a consistent higher ILI rate in 2017. Both sources also showed higher ILI rates among women and patients aged 20‐49 years. The use of routinely collected electronic medical records like those in MedicineInsight could be used to complement active influenza surveillance systems in Australia.