CDC Privacy Impact Assessment

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Privacy Impact Assessment Form
v 1.47.4
Status Draft

Form Number

F-13154

Form Date

Question

Answer

1

OPDIV:

CDC

2

PIA Unique Identifier:

P-6410927-737605

2a Name:

9/19/2017 7:49:30 AM

OID Infectious Diseases Enterprise LIMS (ID ELIMS)
General Support System (GSS)
Major Application

3

Minor Application (stand-alone)

The subject of this PIA is which of the following?

Minor Application (child)
Electronic Information Collection
Unknown

3a

Identify the Enterprise Performance Lifecycle Phase
of the system.

Implementation
Yes

3b Is this a FISMA-Reportable system?

4

Does the system include a Website or online
application available to and for the use of the general
public?

5

Identify the operator.

6

Point of Contact (POC):

7

Is this a new or existing system?

8

Does the system have Security Authorization (SA)?

8b Planned Date of Security Authorization

No
Yes
No
Agency
Contractor
POC Title

Business Steward

POC Name

James Tolson

POC Organization CDC/OID/OD
POC Email

Jst2@cdc.gov

POC Phone

404-639-4224
New
Existing
Yes
No
September 29, 2017
Not Applicable

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OID Infectious Diseases Enterprise LIMS (ID ELIMS) is the CDC's
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Disease
(NCEZID) implementation of an Enterprise level Laboratory
Information Management System (LIMS). ID ELIMS will
facilitate specimen tracking and data management among
CDC and its State and local partners.

11 Describe the purpose of the system.

ID ELIMS improves capability for CDC laboratories to prepare
for, identify and respond to public health events, reference
testing requests and inquiries about specimens tested at CDC;
strengthens surveillance and support of epidemiology and
laboratory science efforts; tracks specimens securely; improves
laboratory data quality and security; prepares readiness for
electronic test order and result (ETOR) exchange with external
partners; and improves accuracy for electronic health records
(EHR).
ID ELIMS tracks all incoming specimens to CDC ID laboratories ,
manages lab specimens tests and data workflows within CDC
labs; and produces standard format report for all lab tests to
internal and external CDC customers.

ID ELIMS primarily collects information on laboratory samples
submitted to CDC for testing which includes information
related to patient demographics, information about the
specimen sent to CDC for testing, and any previous testing
results. When laboratory samples arrive at CDC, a unique CDC
assigned specimen and aliquot identification numbers are
assigned and recorded in the system; other metadata collected
include publicly available information about the submitting
Describe the type of information the system will
organization, patient history (i.e. illness, infection), patient
collect, maintain (store), or share. (Subsequent
travel history, exposure history, immunization history, and
12
questions will identify if this information is PII and ask previous laboratory results.
about the specific data elements.)
System users are required to access ID ELIMS using user name
and password to authenticate via Lightweight Directory Access
Protocol (LDAP), when logging in while in the CDC laboratory;
however, when accessing the system on CDC office computers,
ID ELIMS users are required to login using their PIV card
credentials. Log-in credentials are not stored within ID ELIMS,
but instead are managed and stored centrally within the CDC
server environment.

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ID ELIMS is the unified laboratory information management
platform used by the ID laboratories for specimen
management and testing. The goals of the LIMS Project are to
provide a ID Enterprise system of specimen tracking and data
management which can electronically interoperate with CDC,
State and local partners LIMS systems. ID ELIMS is being
implemented as a laboratory information management system
(LIMS) and enterprise resource planning tool that will manage
multiple aspects of laboratory informatics as well as support a
modern laboratory's operations. Key features include, but are
not limited to, laboratory workflow and specimen testing, data
tracking support, and data exchange interfaces.

Provide an overview of the system and describe the
13 information it will collect, maintain (store), or share,
either permanently or temporarily.

The primary information collected by the system includes
information related to and describing a specimen that was
created in-house, or collected and sent to CDC by its external
partners. In addition to this specimen information, additional
information may include publicly available submitter
information, patient medical records data and laboratory
testing results. The system is designed to maintain these
records, as well as maintain and store CDC laboratory test
results pertaining to these specimens.
The ELIMS data will be used by the epidemiologists and
laboratorians for public health surveillance and outbreaks, as
well as identifying disease trends. In addition, due to the
system being used to manage the laboratory, the system also
maintains information related to laboratory document control,
equipment management, reagent management, and
specimen storage locations.
The results from the CDC testing along with all of the other
information is permanently stored in the system and
traceability (audit history records) allow for tracking and
tracing of the specimen information. The system will share the
lab test results only with the specimen submitters.

14 Does the system collect, maintain, use or share PII?

Yes
No

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15

Indicate the type of PII that the system will collect or
maintain.

Social Security Number

Date of Birth

Name

Photographic Identifiers

Driver's License Number

Biometric Identifiers

Mother's Maiden Name

Vehicle Identifiers

E-Mail Address

Mailing Address

Phone Numbers

Medical Records Number

Medical Notes

Financial Account Info

Certificates

Legal Documents

Education Records

Device Identifiers

Military Status

Employment Status

Foreign Activities

Passport Number

Taxpayer ID

Employees
Public Citizens
16

Business Partners/Contacts (Federal, state, local agencies)

Indicate the categories of individuals about whom PII
is collected, maintained or shared.

Vendors/Suppliers/Contractors
Patients
Other

17 How many individuals' PII is in the system?

18 For what primary purpose is the PII used?

19

Describe the secondary uses for which the PII will be
used (e.g. testing, training or research)

100,000-999,999
The primary use of PII data in this system is to enable the State
public health submitters to identify the submitted sample
against the testing results in order to provide patient care or
for use during a public health response.
N/A

20 Describe the function of the SSN.

N/A

20a Cite the legal authority to use the SSN.

N/A

Public Health Service Act, Section 301, "Research and
Identify legal authorities governing information use Investigation," (42 U.S.C. 241); and Sections 304, 306 and 308(d)
21
which discuss authority to grant assurances of confidentiality
and disclosure specific to the system and program.
for health research and related activities (42 U.S.C. 242 b, k, and
m(d)).

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22

Yes

Are records on the system retrieved by one or more
PII data elements?

No
Published:

Identify the number and title of the Privacy Act
System of Records Notice (SORN) that is being used
22a
to cover the system or identify if a SORN is being
developed.

09-20-0106, Specimen Handling for Testing and
Related Data

Published:

Published:
In Progress
Directly from an individual about whom the
information pertains
In-Person
Hard Copy: Mail/Fax
Email
Online
Other
Government Sources
23

Within the OPDIV
Other HHS OPDIV
State/Local/Tribal
Foreign
Other Federal Entities
Other

Identify the sources of PII in the system.

Non-Government Sources
Members of the Public
Commercial Data Broker
Public Media/Internet
Private Sector
Other
23a

Identify the OMB information collection approval
number and expiration date.

24 Is the PII shared with other organizations?

The OMB package is in development. In 2011 the OMB
package was determined to be exempt; we are currently
reevaluating this.
Yes
No

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Within HHS
Sharing/disclosure of PII data occurs within HHS for the
purpose of reporting or communicating the laboratory
testing results for a specific patient and/or specimen only in
those instances where the Agency is the original submitter.
Other Federal
Agency/Agencies

24a

Identify with whom the PII is shared or disclosed and
for what purpose.

PII data is shared with the other Federal Agencies for the
purpose of reporting or communicating the laboratory
testing results specific patient and/or specimen when they
are the original submitter.
State or Local
Agency/Agencies
Sharing/disclosure of PII data occurs with the State or Local
Agencies for the purpose of reporting or communicating the
laboratory testing results specific patient and/or specimen
when they are the original submitter.
Private Sector

Describe any agreements in place that authorizes the
information sharing or disclosure (e.g. Computer
N/A. Entities and organizations only receive reports on cases
24b Matching Agreement, Memorandum of
they originally submitted, and any PII included is information
Understanding (MOU), or Information Sharing
they themselves provided.
Agreement (ISA)).
24c

Describe the procedures for accounting for
disclosures

Describe the process in place to notify individuals
25 that their personal information will be collected. If
no prior notice is given, explain the reason.

26

Is the submission of PII by individuals voluntary or
mandatory?

Describe the method for individuals to opt-out of the
collection or use of their PII. If there is no option to
27
object to the information collection, provide a
reason.

All disclosures are tracked via a spreadsheet and must be
approved in writing by the specimen owner, laboratory Team
Lead, and the ELIMS Science Advisor.
There is no process for CDC to notify individuals that their
personal information will be collected, because CDC does not
directly collect the data but receives it from a third party (State
Public Health Lab, other Federal Agencies, International
Institutions, and Peace Corp.) The notification process for
individuals is the responsibility of the specimen submitters.
Voluntary
Mandatory
The opt-out of the collection or the submission of PII is
determined by CDC Public Health Partners (State Public Health
Labs, other Federal Agencies, International Institutions, and
Peace Corp.). The opt-out process is the responsibility of our
CDC Public Health Partners.

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PII data are collected by State Public Health laboratories who
submitted to CDC in support of Public Health laboratory
Describe the process to notify and obtain consent
from the individuals whose PII is in the system when testing, outbreaks, surveillance, and investigation activities. In
the event a major system change that significantly alters the
major changes occur to the system (e.g., disclosure
disclosure and/or use of PII maintained in the system, CDC will
28 and/or data uses have changed since the notice at
the time of original collection). Alternatively, describe notify the State Public Health Partners (State Public Health
Labs, other Federal Agencies, International Institutions, and
why they cannot be notified or have their consent
Peace Corp.) of the change so that they can take appropriate
obtained.
action to notify and obtain consent from the affected
individuals.
If there is a PII incident where an individual believes their data
has been compromised or is inaccurate, they would contact
the third party agency (state health departments) that
collected their information prior to contacting the CDC.
Describe the process in place to resolve an
individual's concerns when they believe their PII has
29 been inappropriately obtained, used, or disclosed, or
that the PII is inaccurate. If no process exists, explain
why not.

Describe the process in place for periodic reviews of
PII contained in the system to ensure the data's
30
integrity, availability, accuracy and relevancy. If no
processes are in place, explain why not.

31

Identify who will have access to the PII in the system
and the reason why they require access.

The CDC official specified in the SORN would be contacted by
the State Health Departments. In the case of a discrepancy, the
submitter must provide identification and be able to
reasonably identify the record and specify the information
being contested, the reasons for requesting the correction, and
the corrective action sought along with supporting
information to show how the record is inaccurate, incomplete,
untimely, or irrelevant. The CDC official will work with the CDC
testing laboratory to investigate and resolve the data security
issue or discrepancy. CDC will then report back to the
individual following a successful resolution with the Public
Health Agency submitter.
No system-level process is in place for periodic reviews of PII
for data integrity, availability, accuracy and relevancy. ID ELIMS
provides laboratory units access to review all data including PII.
As the data owners, the laboratories can conduct their own
reviews as needed or as consistent with their existing policies.
Users

Specimen data entry, analytical results
entry, reporting

Administrators

Administrators have access to PII data
in ELIMS for troubleshooting, database
and system management.

Developers
Contractors

Others

HHS/CDC badged contractors are used
on this project for maintenance and
user support and may incidentally view
PII data to help troubleshoot user's

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In determining which system users may access PII, a rolebased access approach is to be used that incorporates audit
trails and traceability functions. As a result, access to this
system's data is based on the “need to know”.
Access to PII data is limited to the technical support staff who
Describe the procedures in place to determine which may incidentally view PII data while assisting users and
32 system users (administrators, developers,
troubleshoot issues in ID ELIMS. Administrative staff such as
contractors, etc.) may access PII.
the ELIMS database and system administrator have access to
PII data through the management the database and
application servers. All of the other ID ELIMS team members,
such as project managers, developers, LIMS implementation
specialists, testers, and trainers only have access to the
system's development, testing, and training environments that
do not contain PII data.

Describe the methods in place to allow those with
33 access to PII to only access the minimum amount of
information necessary to perform their job.

ID ELIMS utilizes a security rights model that allows CDC
administrators to limit individual roles and rights. CDC
administrators create unique profiles for each user and assign
users to groups and determine controls and clearance levels
associated with each user and group (e.g. User 1 associated
with Lab A can only access specimen data and its PII that is
associated with Lab A; User 1 will not see data associated Lab
B). Specific data permissions include access rights to edit/add/
delete. A user’s role or group controls access to specific ELIMS
modules and functionality.

Identify training and awareness provided to
personnel (system owners, managers, operators,
contractors and/or program managers) using the
34
system to make them aware of their responsibilities
for protecting the information being collected and
maintained.

All ID ELIMS users receive Security and Privacy Awareness
Training at least annually.

Describe training system users receive (above and
35 beyond general security and privacy awareness
training).

All ID ELIMS users receive Role-Based Training. In addition,
each user must sign a Rules of Behavior prior to system access.

Do contracts include Federal Acquisition Regulation
36 and other appropriate clauses ensuring adherence to
privacy provisions and practices?

Describe the process and guidelines in place with
37 regard to the retention and destruction of PII. Cite
specific records retention schedules.

Yes
No
The specific records retention schedules applicable to the
retention and destruction of this data are: CDC RCS, B-321, 2&4;
GRS 20.6; and GRS 20.2a.4, 20.2d, and 20.6.
Final reports and substantive reporting materials are
maintained permanently (CDC RCS, B-321, 2&4). Routine
reports are maintained for five years (GRS 20.6). Other input/
output records are disposed of when no longer needed (GRS
20.2a.4, 20.2d, and 20.6). Disposal methods include erasing
computer tapes, burning or shredding paper materials or
transferring records to the Federal Records Center when no
longer needed for evaluation and analysis.

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Describe, briefly but with specificity, how the PII will
38 be secured in the system using administrative,
technical, and physical controls.

Only authorized CDC staff, contractors, and guest researchers
have access to the data, all of whom receive the appropriate
Privacy and role-based trainings prior to access. No data will
be allowed to be downloaded to or to reside on a portable
device (e.g. laptops, thumb drives, storage media). PII is
secured in the system via FISMA compliant Management,
Operational, and Technical controls documented in the
systems security authorization package. For example,
Management Controls include Federal, HHS, and CDC specific
Privacy, Risk Assessment, and Incident Management Policies,
as well as, annual system privacy impact assessments;
Operational Controls include physical facilities management
policies, data center and media protection procedures, security
& privacy incident response procedures; and mandatory
annual security & privacy awareness training.
Technical Controls include application level role based access
controls; servers audit and accountability requirements;
encryption of PII at rest and in transit; and adherence to
organizationally defined minimum security controls.
Physical security is provided by housing ID ELIMS servers in a
secured facility protected by guards and a cardkey system.
Access to the computer room is controlled by a PIV card and
security code (numeric keypad) system. Access to the data
entry area inside of the lab buildings, the laboratories
themselves, and offices near the laboratories is controlled by a
PIV card.

General Comments

OPDIV Senior Official
for Privacy Signature

Beverly E.
Walker -S

Digitally signed by
Beverly E. Walker -S
Date: 2017.12.04 11:24:15
-05'00'

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