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Secure Scalable Disaster Electronic Medical Record and Tracking System

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 June 2013

Gerard DeMers ,
Christopher Kahn ,
Per Johansson ,
Colleen Buono ,
Octav Chipara ,
William Griswold  and
Theodore Chan
Gerard DeMers*
Affiliation:
University of California, San Diego Health System, UCSD EM Department, San Diego, California USA
Christopher Kahn
Affiliation:
University of California, San Diego Health System, UCSD EM Department, San Diego, California USA
Per Johansson
Affiliation:
University of California, California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology, La Jolla, California USA
Colleen Buono
Affiliation:
University of California, San Diego Health System, UCSD EM Department, San Diego, California USA
Octav Chipara
Affiliation:
University of California, California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology, La Jolla, California USA
William Griswold
Affiliation:
University of California, California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology, La Jolla, California USA
Theodore Chan
Affiliation:
University of California, San Diego Health System, UCSD EM Department, San Diego, California USA
*
Correspondence: Gerard DeMers, DO, DHSc, MPH University of California, San Diego Health System UCSD EM Department 200 W. Arbor Street San Diego, California 92103 USA E-mail gdemers@ucsd.edu
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Abstract

Introduction

Electronic medical records (EMRs) are considered superior in documentation of care for medical practice. Current disaster medical response involves paper tracking systems and radio communication for mass-casualty incidents (MCIs). These systems are prone to errors, may be compromised by local conditions, and are labor intensive. Communication infrastructure may be impacted, overwhelmed by call volume, or destroyed by the disaster, making self-contained and secure EMR response a critical capability.

Report

As the prehospital disaster EMR allows for more robust content including protected health information (PHI), security measures must be instituted to safeguard these data. The Wireless Internet Information System for medicAl Response in Disasters (WIISARD) Research Group developed a handheld, linked, wireless EMR system utilizing current technology platforms. Smart phones connected to radio frequency identification (RFID) readers may be utilized to efficiently track casualties resulting from the incident. Medical information may be transmitted on an encrypted network to fellow prehospital team members, medical dispatch, and receiving medical centers. This system has been field tested in a number of exercises with excellent results, and future iterations will incorporate robust security measures.

Conclusion

A secure prehospital triage EMR improves documentation quality during disaster drills.

DeMersG, KahnC, JohanssonP, BuonoC, ChiparaO, GriswoldW, ChanT. Secure Scalable Disaster Electronic Medical Record and Tracking System. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2013;28(5):1-4.

Keywords

disasterelectronic medical recordmass casualty incidenttriage
Type
Special Report
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 28 , Issue 5 , October 2013 , pp. 498 - 501
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2013 

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