1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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”

6. 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

7. 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

8. Challenges Uncoordinated efforts for competency development
Difficulty with field research
Lack of policy development
Lack of funding for research in emergency planning and response

9. 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?

10. 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

11. Final Thought You can help make a difference:
Nurses Readiness Needs Assessment
Available :
Closes Monday, May 6, 2013
POCs: LCDR Saligan or CDR Nicole Chamberlain

13. 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

14. 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