Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 14, 2025

Setup of Consumer Wearable Devices for Exposure and Health Monitoring in Population Studies
Published on: February 3, 2023
Notes From the Field: Use of Emergency Medical Service Data to Augment COVID-19 Public Health Surveillance in
David R Sayers1, Scott T Hulse1, Bryant J Webber1
1Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States.
Abstract:
Epidemiologic and syndromic surveillance metrics traditionally used by public health departments can be enhanced to better predict hospitalization for coronavirus disease (COVID-19). In Montgomery County, Maryland, measurements of oxygen saturation (SpO2) by pulse oximetry obtained by the emergency medical service (EMS) were added to these traditional metrics to enhance the public health picture for decision makers. During a 78-day period, the rolling 7-day average of the percentage of EMS patients with SpO2 <94% had a stronger correlation with next-day hospital bed occupancy (Spearman ρ=0.58, 95% CI 0.40-0.71) than either the rolling 7-day average of the percentage of positive tests (ρ=0.55, 95% CI: 0.37-0.69) or the rolling 7-day average of the percentage of emergency department visits for COVID-19-like illness (ρ=0.49, 95% CI: 0.30-0.64). Health departments should consider adding EMS data to augment COVID-19 surveillance and thus improve resource allocation.
Related Concept Videos
Principles of Disease Surveillance
Steps in Outbreak Investigation
Statistical Methods for Analyzing Epidemiological Data
Statistical Software for Data Analysis and Clinical Trials
Censoring Survival Data
Applications of GIS: Disaster Management and Emergency Response

