The Role of Technology and Informatics in Disaster Planning and Response

Elizabeth Weiner & Lynn Slepski

CAPT Lynn Slepski, PhD, RN, CNS

Senior Public Health AdvisorMay 3, 2013

Objectives

By the end of this session, advance practice nurses will be able to:

Describe at least two contributions that informatics can provide to emergency planning and response.

List at least two ways that informatics tools can be designed and used to support decision making and knowledge base building in emergency planning and response efforts.

Begin a dialogue about publishing

Informatics

Makes use of standard terminology (e.g. disaster and emergencies; terrorism vs. bioterrorism)

Access databases such as (NLM) Disaster Information Management Research Center-LinksCategory of disastersCurrently posted information

Planning tools access to public health data about air, water, sanitation, utilities and health care facilities

Public Health Emergencies

SARS detect, diagnose and track cases

H5N2 and H1N1-case counts underestimated Teacher absences/ school closure—

community level disease OTC purchases National Retail Data

Monitoring System

Fukushima Daiichi-forecast and inform the trajectory, duration and impact

Pertussis in Washington State—first noted by Twitter and Facebook inquiries

Biosurveillance

Systems Global Public Health Intelligence Network and Project Argus—use open source reporting to identify “tipping points”

CDC’s BioSense—health departments, hospital emergency rooms and pharmacies

Boston Children’s Health Map-scans on-line reports and categorizes

“Outbreak Near Me”

Disaster Mobile Health Technology

Alerts and updatesTracking patient flowPatient care and facility management datamHealth platforms standardize data acquisition,

organize info storage and facilitate medical communication

Hopkins Advanced Health and Disaster Aid Network

Haiti—iPhone app iChart—patient logs and longitudinal record

Discussion

Informatics and technology offer ways to improve:

Patient tracking and information flow Decision support and resource tracking Biosurveillance provides early recognition

and warning

Implications for further research More data and information may be

overwhelming National-level IRB

Challenges

Uncoordinated efforts for competency

development

Difficulty with field research

Lack of policy development

Lack of funding for research in emergency

planning and response

Research Questions

What are the critical information requirements that transect most health emergencies?

Can disease-related behaviors (i.e. care seeking and absenteeism) serve as proxies for case finding?

What are the science and technology capabilities that will facilitate biosurveillance activities including new detection and HIE approaches

Are there innovative ways to combine information and known facts to predict?

Conclusion

There remains several unmet informational needs in disaster planning and response

Protecting health and safety of people, animals and the environment is a top security priority

We need to leverage existing technologies and systems, enable efficiencies and where able create opportunities to help each other

Nurses specializing in informatics have new career possibilities outside of the hospital

Final Thought

You can help make a difference:

Nurses Readiness Needs Assessment

Available :

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/USPHS_NPAC_ReadinessNeedsAssessmentSurvey

Closes Monday, May 6, 2013

POCs: LCDR Saligan or CDR Nicole Chamberlain

Publishing

Something you know well or would like to learn about

Identify:

Target audience

Platform (media) that you want to use & requirements

Consider Impact Factor

Consider working with a partner

Outline first, then flesh in

Consider using a style tool

Put away for a night a re-read

Have someone else read your draft

Publishing

Near final draft—read it out loud

Get a 2nd opinion (grow a tough skin)

Put into final and send

Edits Really depends on reviewers Accept their recommendations or rebut I use a table

Celebrate or try again