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New information technology tools for a medical command system for mass decontamination
Akira Fuse1, Tetsu Okumura, Jun Hagiwara
1Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan. fuse@nms.ac.jp
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine
|February 8, 2013
Summary
Information Technology (IT) tools enhance command, control, and communication during mass decontamination events. These novel tools, including remote video and communication networks, improve medical resource management and patient transport decisions.
Area of Science:
- Emergency Medicine
- Public Health
- Information Technology
Background:
- Effective command, control, and communication (CCC) are vital during mass decontamination events in nuclear, biological, or chemical (NBC) responses.
- Information Technology (IT) offers potential solutions to strengthen medical CCC capabilities in disaster scenarios.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of novel IT tools in enhancing medical command and control during a mass decontamination exercise.
- To assess the utility of remote video and communication network systems for decision-making and coordination.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a vehicle-based remote video camera system transmitting images from responders in the warm zone to the Medical Commander.
- Implemented a communication network connecting key personnel at the on-site Medical Headquarters, hot zone, coordination office, and a remote medical headquarters.
- Employed a specially equipped vehicle for the on-site Medical Headquarters to facilitate inter-agency coordination.
Main Results:
- IT tools proved effective in supporting medical command and control of resources and patient transport decisions during the exercise.
- Remote video transmission aided the Medical Commander's decision-making process.
- The communication network facilitated coordination among different operational points.
Conclusions:
- Novel IT tools, including remote video and communication networks, can significantly improve medical CCC during mass decontamination.
- Further improvements are needed to address transmission delays, camera control, and network limitations for optimal performance.
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