The Role of Technology and Informatics in Disaster Planning and Response

Elizabeth Weiner & Lynn Slepski CAPT Lynn Slepski, PhD, RN, CNS Senior Public Health Advisor May 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-Links  Category of disasters  Currently 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 updates  Tracking patient flow  Patient care and facility management data  mHealth 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