Browsing by Subject "pandemics"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Learning in the Time of COVID-19: Key Lessons From the Pandemic for Medical Trainees
    (Wolters Kluwer, 2020) Jain, Snigdha; Carlos, W. Graham, III; Medicine, School of Medicine
    The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the face of education for undergraduate and graduate medical trainees. Lectures, clinical clerkships, and testing have all been impacted significantly because of patient care needs and concern for the health and safety of trainees. While traditional teaching strategies have been upended, the challenges posed by the pandemic have also created unique opportunities for trainees. In this article, the authors summarize lessons trainees can learn from the ongoing pandemic in the following areas: public health, disaster preparedness, and resource allocation; reinventing professional and personal roles to meet the needs of the health care system; flexibility in navigating testing, licensure, and certification; appraising scientific evidence quickly and accurately; balancing a physician’s call to duty with fear for personal safety; combating moral injury; interprofessional collaboration; and advocating for oneself and colleagues. Focusing on these lessons can help educators steer their efforts to better prepare future physicians for unforeseen challenges that may come up in their personal and professional lives as well as in society as a whole.
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    Leveraging Data Visualization and a Statewide Health Information Exchange to Support COVID-19 Surveillance and Response: Application of Public Health Informatics
    (Oxford, 2021) Dixon, Brian E.; Grannis, Shaun J.; McAndrews, Connor; Broyles, Andrea A.; Mikels-Carrasco, Waldo; Wiensch, Ashley; Williams, Jennifer L.; Tachinardi, Umberto; Embi, Peter J.; Epidemiology, School of Public Health
    Objective We sought to support public health surveillance and response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) through rapid development and implementation of novel visualization applications for data amalgamated across sectors. Materials and Methods We developed and implemented population-level dashboards that collate information on individuals tested for and infected with COVID-19, in partnership with state and local public health agencies as well as health systems. The dashboards are deployed on top of a statewide health information exchange. One dashboard enables authorized users working in public health agencies to surveil populations in detail, and a public version provides higher-level situational awareness to inform ongoing pandemic response efforts in communities. Results Both dashboards have proved useful informatics resources. For example, the private dashboard enabled detection of a local community outbreak associated with a meat packing plant. The public dashboard provides recent trend analysis to track disease spread and community-level hospitalizations. Combined, the tools were utilized 133 637 times by 74 317 distinct users between June 21 and August 22, 2020. The tools are frequently cited by journalists and featured on social media. Discussion Capitalizing on a statewide health information exchange, in partnership with health system and public health leaders, Regenstrief biomedical informatics experts rapidly developed and deployed informatics tools to support surveillance and response to COVID-19. Conclusions The application of public health informatics methods and tools in Indiana holds promise for other states and nations. Yet, development of infrastructure and partnerships will require effort and investment after the current pandemic in preparation for the next public health emergency.
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    Leveraging Informatics and Technology to Support Public Health Response: Framework and Illustrations using COVID-19
    (2021) Snowdon, Jane L.; Kassler, William; Karunakaram, Hema; Dixon, Brian E.; Rhee, Kyu; Epidemiology, School of Public Health
    Objective: To develop a conceptual model and novel, comprehensive framework that encompass the myriad ways informatics and technology can support public health response to a pandemic. Method: The conceptual model and framework categorize informatics solutions that could be used by stakeholders (e.g., government, academic institutions, healthcare providers and payers, life science companies, employers, citizens) to address public health challenges across the prepare, respond, and recover phases of a pandemic, building on existing models for public health operations and response. Results: Mapping existing solutions, technology assets, and ideas to the framework helped identify public health informatics solution requirements and gaps in responding to COVID-19 in areas such as applied science, epidemiology, communications, and business continuity. Two examples of technologies used in COVID-19 illustrate novel applications of informatics encompassed by the framework. First, we examine a hub from The Weather Channel, which provides COVID-19 data via interactive maps, trend graphs, and details on case data to individuals and businesses. Second, we examine IBM Watson Assistant for Citizens, an AI-powered virtual agent implemented by healthcare providers and payers, government agencies, and employers to provide information about COVID-19 via digital and telephone-based interaction. Discussion: Early results from these novel informatics solutions have been positive, showing high levels of engagement and added value across stakeholders. Conclusion: The framework supports development, application, and evaluation of informatics approaches and technologies in support of public health preparedness, response, and recovery during a pandemic. Effective solutions are critical to success in recovery from COVID-19 and future pandemics.
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    Managing Pandemics with Health Informatics
    (IMIA Yearbook of Medical Informatics, 2021-09-03) Dixon, Brian E.; Holmes, John H.
    Objective: To summarize significant research contributions on managing pandemics with health informatics published in 2020. Methods: An extensive search using PubMed and Scopus was conducted to identify peer-reviewed articles published in 2020 that examined health informatics systems used during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The selection process comprised three steps: 1) 15 candidate best papers were first selected by the two section editors; 2) external reviewers from internationally renowned research teams reviewed each candidate best paper; and 3) the final selection of three best papers was conducted by the editorial committee of the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) Yearbook. Results: Selected best papers represent the important and diverse ways that health informatics supported clinical and public health responses to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Selected papers represent four groups of papers: 1) Use of analytics to screen, triage, and manage patients; 2) Use of telehealth and remote monitoring to manage patients and populations; 3) Use of EHR systems and administrative systems to manage internal operations of a hospital or health system; and 4) Use of informatics methods and systems by public health authorities to capture, store, manage, and visualize population-level data and information. Conclusion: Health informatics played a critical role in managing patients and populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health care and public health organizations both leveraged available information systems and standards to rapidly identify cases, triage infected individuals, and monitor population trends. The selected best papers represent a fraction of the body of knowledge stemming from COVID-19, most of which is focused on pandemic response. Future work will be needed to help the world recover from the pandemic and strengthen the health information infrastructure in preparation for the next pandemic.