Why is passive surveillance considered less resource-intensive than active surveillance?

Passive surveillance is considered less resource-intensive primarily because it relies on healthcare providers to report conditions rather than requiring active efforts by public health officials to gather data. In passive surveillance systems, healthcare professionals and institutions voluntarily report cases of diseases or conditions to public health authorities. This system minimizes the burden on health departments, as they do not need to expend significant resources to reach out and collect information actively from various sources.

The efficiency of passive surveillance comes from the existing healthcare infrastructure, where providers are already engaged in diagnosing and managing health issues. This allows public health officials to utilize the information generated in routine clinical practice without requiring separate data collection initiatives.

In contrast, active surveillance demands more significant resource allocation, as it involves direct outreach to healthcare providers, conducting surveys, and often necessitating more sophisticated data collection and analysis.