The document discusses the scope and development of disaster e-health. It defines key terms like disaster management, disaster medicine, and e-health. It also outlines the four phases of disaster management: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. Examples are provided of existing and emerging e-health technologies that could support each disaster management phase, such as using electronic health records, telehealth, and mobile health apps. The document concludes by identifying areas for future work, like developing seamless workflow protocols and implementation strategies to incorporate e-health into disaster response efforts.

1. The scope and development of disaster e-
health
Work in Progress
Awadh Althwab

2. • Disaster management
• Disaster medicine
• E-health
• Disaster e-health
• Research questions
• Disaster management phases
• Examples of disaster e-health applications
• Future work
PresentationPresentation
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3. Disaster ManagementDisaster Management
A four phase approach
• Mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery
• Situation awareness
Disaster decision making is different
• High stress levels
• Situation is continuously evolving
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“Disaster management refers to the protocols, procedures, and decisions needed to protect
populations and organizations from the consequences of natural or man-made disasters”
“Disaster management refers to the protocols, procedures, and decisions needed to protect
populations and organizations from the consequences of natural or man-made disasters”
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4. Disaster MedicineDisaster Medicine
• Protocols for dealing with clinical events in disasters
• Competencies for clinical personnel in emergencies
• Strong clinical focus
• Very limited use of ICT
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“Disaster medicine is the area of clinical specialisation that deals with the provision of
healthcare to disaster survivors and responders and the planning of medically related
disaster preparation, planning, response, and delivery”
“Disaster medicine is the area of clinical specialisation that deals with the provision of
healthcare to disaster survivors and responders and the planning of medically related
disaster preparation, planning, response, and delivery”
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5. E-HealthE-Health
“E-health is the application of information management, systems, and technology to
the planning and delivery of high-quality and cost-effective healthcare”
“E-health is the application of information management, systems, and technology to
the planning and delivery of high-quality and cost-effective healthcare”
Existing applications Emerging applications
Electronic health record Big data
Telehealth Cloud computing
M-health Wearable computing
Decision support Context-aware computing
Social networking Crowd sourcing
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6. E-Health
•Electronic health record
•Telehealth
•Mobile health
•Decision support systems
E-Health
•Electronic health record
•Telehealth
•Mobile health
•Decision support systems
Incorporating E-health in disaster medicineIncorporating E-health in disaster medicine
Disaster Medicine
•Strong clinical focus
•Clinical competencies
•Clinical protocols (care pathways)
•Limited use of ICT
Disaster Medicine
•Strong clinical focus
•Clinical competencies
•Clinical protocols (care pathways)
•Limited use of ICT
Disaster E-healthDisaster E-health
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Disaster E-Health
Research questions?
Disaster E-Health
Research questions?
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7. Research QuestionsResearch Questions
• How to define disaster health?
• What is its scope?
• What are the limitations?
• How does disaster health relate to disaster medicine?
• How can e-health applications work seamlessly to improve disaster healthcare?
• What are the strategic issues associated with implementing disaster e-health?
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8. Disaster Management (DM) PhasesDisaster Management (DM) Phases
Mitigation e.g. risk preventionMitigation e.g. risk prevention
Preparedness e.g. training programsPreparedness e.g. training programs
Pre-eventPre-event
Response e.g. immediate interventionResponse e.g. immediate intervention
Recovery e.g. Long term plansRecovery e.g. Long term plans
Post-eventPost-event
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9. Examples of Existing E-Health Technologies in DMExamples of Existing E-Health Technologies in DM
Cycle Phase Applications
Mitigation
• Health risk identification, sharing of plans via teleconferencing
• International exchange of disaster healthcare response experience
• International sharing of epidemiological data
• Disaster medicine education of clinicians (e.g. computer-based competencies)
• Development of public health messages using mobile technologies
Preparedness
• Patient plans for evacuation, treatment in situ, and at hospitals
• International plans for accessing electronic health records
• Provision of computer-based care protocols and pathways
• Mobile healthcare apps for victims, volunteers, and professional responders
Pre-eventPre-event
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10. Examples of Existing E-Health Technologies in DMExamples of Existing E-Health Technologies in DM
Cycle Phase Applications
Response
• Remote diagnosis of injured patients before arrival at hospital (e.g. tablet PC)
• Deployment of medical teams to identified crisis areas
• Mobile networks to support healthcare responses (e.g. blood donations)
Recovery
• Web sites to support crisis patients and their carers
• Teleconferencing support for patients with mental stress
• Mobile contacts for health situation awareness (e.g. food and water supplies)
• Mobile communication between clinicians recovery managers
Post-eventPost-event
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11. Examples of Emerging E-Health Technologies in DMExamples of Emerging E-Health Technologies in DM
Cycle Phase Applications
Mitigation
• On-line availability of big data analysis to help reduce the spread of diseases
• Availability of EHRs in the cloud
• National (and global) scheme for wearable computers that transmit health data
• On-line sharing of international experience of disaster e-health
Preparedness
• Use of big data to characterize injury patterns seen as result of disasters
• Use of big data to specify cultural, ethnic, religious and linguistic issues
• Context-aware simulation exercises and training programmes
Pre-eventPre-event
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12. Examples of Emerging E-Health Technologies in DMExamples of Emerging E-Health Technologies in DM
Cycle Phase Applications
Response
• Better decision making with real-time visual data (e.g. Google Glass)
• Cloud computing to facilitate access to medical information from anywhere
• Telemonitoring of patients via wearable sensors
• Victim identification via Google person finder
• Automated health advice based on context
• Crowd sourcing of situations for rapid response
Recovery
• Help injured patients to recover from home (e.g. wearable sensors)
• (G)mail groups for mobilising healthcare support when and where needed
• Organised crowd sourcing to deploy scarce health resources
Post-eventPost-event
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13. Future WorkFuture Work
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• Community engagement
• Development of seamless workflow protocols
• Implementation strategies

14. Thank you
Source: (Scott, 2011)
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