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