The North Dakota Department of Health is currently pursuing the purchase and replacement of an antiquated existing inspection and licensing information management system. This new system, configured specifically for our Division, will address annual licensing, inspection, enforcement, and reporting for the large variety of food and lodging establishments we have regulatory responsibility over. The system will allow access and use by nine local city and county health units to improve our communications and oversight of the inspections performed by those local health units. Additionally, the information management system will improve communication with the food industry during routine inspections and during special emergency response investigations by using electronic communication such as email, text messaging, HL7 messaging, blast fax, etc. Automatically generated threshold alerts can be used to send updated emergency response and preparedness information to all retail food and food manufacturers/producers and state and local health officials to assist them in taking a proactive approach in preparing for and mitigating any threat to food operations and various levels of food distribution within the state and across state lines.
