Tuberculosis Genotyping Information Management System

About TB GIMS

TB GIMS:

• Links isolate genotyping results to patient-level surveillance data.
• Provides a platform for health departments to:
  • Submit isolates for genotyping (whole-genome sequencing [WGS]),
  • Track isolates with pending results,
  • Review genotyping results,
  • Request and view phylogenetic comparisons (WGS trees),
  • Customize line lists and set up watch lists for new cases, and
  • Access nationwide genotyping information.
• Alerts users to potential TB outbreaks in their jurisdictions.

Access to TB GIMS

Access to TB GIMS is limited to registered users and is coordinated by a designated State TB GIMS Administrator. The State TB GIMS Administrator is located the within the TB program. Check with the TB program in your state for details.

Steps:

1. Contact your state TB GIMS Administrator to request access.
2. If approved, the state TB GIMS Administrator will contact CDC to begin registering you as a potential TB GIMS user.
3. You will receive an e-mail invitation from “SAMS-NO-REPLY (CDC).”
   1. This e-mail includes a link to the Secure Access Management Services (SAMS) portal.
   2. SAMS is CDC’s secure website for public health partners to access sensitive information and applications (e.g., TB GIMS) that are not available to the public.
4. Follow the instructions from SAMS to verify your identity. For more information, refer to SAMS Identity Verification Overview.

User roles and access levels

TB GIMS users

The primary TB GIMS users include:

• TB laboratories that submit isolates for genotyping
• Contract laboratories
• TB programs
• CDC

Access levels

There are different access levels in TB GIMS. Most TB GIMS users will be Standard Users.

Standard Users

Standard users have access to genotyping data but cannot edit data in the system. Standard Users can:

• Search for genotyping results by case (using patient identifiers) or by specific genotype strains (e.g., wgMLSType or GENType) and
• View details related to their queries on genotype clusters.

Standard Users may include TB Program managers and other staff who use genotype data in contact investigations, TB program evaluation, incident response, and other TB control activities.

Super Users

Super Users have unrestricted access to TB GIMS for their approved jurisdiction. They can update, edit, enter, upload, review, search, import, and export all TB GIMS data.

CDC suggests that most jurisdictions should designate two Super Users, including the:

• Person in the laboratory with primary responsibility for submitting isolates to the genotyping laboratories; and
• Person from the TB program with the primary responsibility for
  • Managing,
  • Validating, and
  • Analyzing genotype-related activities for their jurisdictions.

Other access levels in TB GIMS

Administrators

• An Administrator may or may not be a Super User. Administrators who are Super Users are responsible for regular maintenance of the TB GIMS data.
• CDC Administrators

Genotyping laboratory users include users from laboratories funded by CDC to provide genotyping services to state and local TB control programs.

Information protection

CDC is committed to maintaining strict confidentiality and security of the national surveillance information through the National TB Surveillance System (NTSS). TB GIMS is an extension of NTSS and is protected in the following ways:

• Data encryption is employed when data is transmitted between users and TB GIMS;
• Multi-factor authentication is used upon logon.
  • This prevents unauthorized users from gaining access to the system;
• TB GIMS is housed on servers that are protected by reverse proxy firewalls.
  • This prevents unauthorized access to the system;
• TB GIMS is designed to display data/information based on user roles.
  • This ensures users only have access to what they have been authorized by Administrators;
• All potential users must be authorized by local TB GIMS Administrators.

Data use agreements and rules of behavior

CDC data use agreements and "rules of behavior" provide general instructions on the appropriate use of Information Technology resources.

"Rules of behavior" are not to be used in place of existing policy. Rather they are intended to supplement the Health and Human Services (HHS) Information Security Program Policy.

All TB GIMS users must sign these agreements electronically to access and view genotype data.