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Northern New England Metropolitan Medical Response System (NNE-MMRS) And Global Emergency Resources Debut New Emergency Response Patient Tracking Model


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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACT:
Robert Gougelet, M.D.
Project Director- Northern New England MMRS
Northern New England MMRS
Office Phone: 603-653-1189
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NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND METROPOLITAN MEDICAL RESPONSE SYSTEM (NNE-MMRS) AND GLOBAL EMERGENCY RESOURCES DEBUT NEW EMERGENCY RESPONSE PATIENT TRACKING MODEL

GIS Enabled Hand-Held and Web-Based System Tracks Infected and “At-Risk” Patients From Across an Entire Geographic Region with Field Tracking Technologies and a New Web-Based Electronic Status Management System

HANOVER and LEBANON, NH – On November 15th, 2006 the Northern New England Metropolitan Medical Response System (NNE-MMRS) conducted an emergency response exercise. The exercise simulated a public health emergency involving multiple casualties. The exercise was designed to test the hospital and surrounding community’s ability to provide prophylactic medicines and hospital bed surge capacity when the hospital becomes overwhelmed. The exercise was supported by The Northern New England Metropolitan Medical Response System (NNE-MMRS), a program funded by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The NNE-MMRS regional office is located at the New England Center for Emergency Preparedness (NECEP) at Dartmouth Medical School. The exercise simulated an intentional infectious disease mass casualty event. Also included in the exercise was the establishment of a community-based Acute Care Center (ACC) at Dartmouth College’s Leverone Field House in the Town of Hanover. This was to simulate a community-based hospital surge capacity facility. The exercise tested real time field status tracking management software from Augusta, Georgia based Global Emergency Resources, LLC. The software, HC Standard TM , was used to input, track, and manage patient status and metrics in a real-time, web-based, and GIS enabled environment.

Global Emergency Resources web-based application, HC Standard TM (Healthcare), was used during the exercise to track and triage 50 patients at both the hospital and the Acute Care Center (ACC) using the latest generation handheld devices and custom imagery. The critical information was gathered and relayed to the system in real time from the field where it was available for immediate use by the hospital Emergency Operation Center “EOC” staffers and other decision makers and care-givers.

HC Standard TM was also utilized to demonstrate the mass distribution of critical medications and supplies from a Strategic Nation Stockpile Point of Distribution (SNS-POD) Center, as might occur during a pandemic flu or other mass casualty event. This field-based status tracking and management system instantaneously relayed inventory and status information back to the EOC and to other participating agencies where they were better able to define and respond to their surge capacity needs and decision support alternatives.

“During Hurricane Katrina the nation lacked any patient tracking or centralized data gathering capabilities. This severely inhibited our ability to monitor the impact of the event and ensure all patients were adequately treated and complete medical cost was obtained,” said Dr. Robert Gougelet, Medical Director Emergency Response, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and Program Director for the NNE MMRS. “HC Standard TM provided a very portable and flexible architecture that we used during the drill to adapt to the rapidly changing scenario during our emergency medical response; this capability will be of particular importance in the event that we are faced with a truly pandemic event.” “One pre-exercise test of the system allowed for a subject to be scanned on a handheld device located in Miami, FL with the information pertaining to that casualty (including a photograph) appearing on the New Hampshire HC Standard site a few seconds later for viewing on the master patient tracking matrix. Keeping in mind the fact that the exercise database was hosted in Augusta, GA, this effectively showed how the entire Eastern Seaboard could be involved in sharing vital data related to multiple jurisdictions during a widespread outbreak or emergency.”
About The Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS)
The Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) Program began in 1996 and currently is funded by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS).The primary focus of MMRS is to develop or enhance existing emergency preparedness systems to effectively respond to a public health crisis, especially a weapons of mass destruction (WMD) event. Through preparation and coordination, local law enforcement, fire, hazmat, EMS, hospital, public health, and other “first response” personnel plan to more effectively respond in the first 48 hours of a public health crisis.
MMRS officially became part of the new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on March 1, 2003. Inquiries about MMRS programs, services, and resources can be directed to the MMRS staff. Updates will be posted to the MMRS website at http://mmrs.fema.gov. Further information about the NNE MMRS program can be found at http://dms.dartmouth.edu/~necep, or http://www.nnemmrs.org.
About Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC)
Located in Lebanon, New Hampshire, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center’s aim is to provide high-quality healthcare and comfort to the ill, to prevent illness among the well and to advance healthcare through education, research, community service and the improvement of clinical practice. DHMC is comprised of Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital, the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic, Dartmouth Medical School and VA Medical and Regional Office Center in White River Junction, Vermont. DHMC is also home to the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth and Norris Cotton Cancer Center. DHMC is New Hampshire’s only academic medical center. For more information visit http://www.dhmc.org/.

About Global Emergency Resources (GER).

Global Emergency Resources is a provider of innovative and easy to use solutions for today’s rapidly changing world. GER is committed to improving the readiness and availability of critical surge capacity business resources and key personnel. Utilizing innovative technologies such as HC Standard TM, GER helps communities, government agencies, and independent companies succeed in protecting, deploying, and recovering their most vital assets during any threat or disaster scenario. GER’s Training and Exercise Division has highly certified, multi-disciplinary experience at the Local, State, and Federal levels and has been involved directly in some of the most critical and high profile drills in the nation. GER’s associates have demonstrable experience in both government and commercial sector operations. The company, in concert with its various industry partners, can assist in meeting both operational and strategic business needs as required. For more information concerning Global Emergency Resources or HC Standard TM, please call toll free at (866) 404-6911 or visit their web site at www.ger911.com.



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