April 29, 2010

GER's HC Standard® merged data from four disparate systems originating from two states and tracked 158 patients from their originating point in Maryland to disaster evacuation hospitals in Tennessee.  Successful proof of concept for Emergency Data Exchange Language Tracking of Emergency Patients.

Participants

• Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology Directorate
• Department of Health and Human Services, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and  Response
• Department of Veterans’ Affairs Health Care Services
• FEMA Disaster Management Messaging Broker services (DMOPEN) (now “IPAWS-OPEN”)
• Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS)
• Tennessee, Shelby County - EMS, Emergency Resources Coordinator
• Health Department, Hospitals
• Tennessee Department of Health, TEMA

Objective

The overall exercise focused on the reception through NDMS of patients to the Memphis area from a distant area affected by a hurricane. The EDXL-TEP- TEP sub-exercise focused on the patient tracking operation utilizing multiple disparate vendor systems with a mass movement of patients.

Locations

• Baltimore, MD
• Memphis, TN

Comments

5,612 transactions among 4 systems

Scenario:

Due to a category 5 hurricane, Maryland and the Delmarva Peninsula partners must evacuate flood vulnerable hospitals in Baltimore & Annapolis. All facilities in Maryland, Pennsylvania and the NCR are occupied beyond capacity. The Governor of Maryland declared a State of Emergency and requested federal assistance.

The Secretary of DHHS and the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response activated the NDMS to assist in the evacuation. A Disaster Medical Assistance Team was deployed to BWI. Federal Coordinating Centers in FEMA REgion IV are activated and the VA cooperates with local partners to establish Patient Reception Areas in Nashville & Memphis airports.

GER’s Role:

Maryland officials want to be sure that patients being evacuated can be located and tracked successfully to the new facilities and returned to their homes and reunified with their families. Data sharing portals were opened between Maryland’s GER HC Standard® and the JPATS, DMS First Track, UPP and EMSystems in Memphis to track the patients.