surveillance protocol A collection of all directive information associated with a surveillance activity, such as the surveillance objectives, the action specifications and legislative specification. Everything about a surveillance activity that is related to its planning and methodology. A surveillance activity is then a specific execution of a surveillance protocol, which generates specific results. A surveillance protocol exists efore a surveillance activity is carried out, and can exist even in the absence of a surveillance activity - for instance there cna be a surveillance protocol for outbreak investigations, but the exucition of a surveillance activity and associated results will only be available if an outbreak is detected. plan specification