Indianapolis EMS Using Big Data to Track Potential Ebola Upsurge in Real Time
Indianapolis, IN (PRWEB) November 03, 2014 -- Emergency medical services, hospitals and governments around the globe are racing to identify ways to track potential Ebola outbreaks before they happen. Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services (IEMS), Indiana's largest EMS provider, is leveraging historical and real-time data to get in front of the infectious disease. Using Perceivant’s platform, IEMS is tracking influenza-like symptoms as they are reported to visually identify changes in normal influenza patterns and predict the possibility of any infectious outbreak, such as Ebola. By merging medical expertise and big-data analytics, IEMS can proactively prepare their providers, hospitals and the community in the event that a patient is infected.
Chief of IEMS, Charles Miramonti, M.D., said their big data platform, powered by Perceivant, will potentially allow our team, with the help of the Marion County Public Health Department, to identify in real-time any deviations to normal influenza activity.
“IEMS is using Perceivant’s platform to visually display trends of influenza-like symptoms. The dashboard system allows us to quickly view a change in what is considered to be a normal pattern. Any spike or trend is then further investigated by our public health partners to determine if there is a cause which would signal a need to modify our operations,” Miramonti said. “Since Ebola presents with many influenza-like illness symptoms, we are able to monitor our community for any variation outside of normal expectations and be proactive.”
Tom Arkins, chief of information technology and informatics for IEMS, said, “The ability for us to identify trends in illness early is valuable since EMS is on the frontline of healthcare for many individuals. By establishing a defined threshold using historical data we are able to see what is normal and what is either unexpected or trending.”
IEMS also is using Perceivant’s platform to determine which ambulance runs should be treated as non-emergent, how protocols in the field affect long-term patient outcomes, which emergency treatments are most costly, which types of calls occur in specific areas of the city, where gaps exist in training, as well as injury trends and recommendations for prevention. Data that previously took weeks to evaluate is now available in real time, exactly when EMS needs it.
Arkins said, “As a healthcare provider, having data to validate what is going on is extremely important. Data sitting in a computer doesn't mean anything if nothing is done with it. Turning the data into knowledge is a powerful tool.”
About Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services:
IEMS is the largest provider of emergency pre-hospital medical care in the state, responding to nearly 100,000 911 calls each year. A division of the Indianapolis Department of Public Safety, IEMS is a partnership between the City of Indianapolis, Indiana University School of Medicine and Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County, with Eskenazi Health as the supervising health system. IEMS strives to provide the best pre-hospital medical services to the community through the endless pursuit of excellence in patient-centered care, education, efficiency, efficacy, safety and quality of service. IEMS serves the community not only through emergency care, but also through unique outreach programs and educational opportunities. Our mission: Right care. Every patient. Every time.
About Perceivant:
Perceivant’s HIPAA-compliant data analytics platform has the ability to process terabytes of information in real time or via batch, correlate it and deliver it to decision makers in a readable, actionable format. Perceivant enables healthcare providers to utilize their data like never before, allowing them to make insight-driven decisions that reduce risk, cut costs and improve quality of care. By correlating data across all departments and source systems, Perceivant provides a unified view into health system data. One of a growing number of ground-breaking high-tech companies in Indiana, Perceivant was founded in 2012 by leaders from successful start-ups such as iGoDigital and Exact Target.
Courtney Klepsch, Perceivant, http://www.perceivant.com, +1 8583675992, [email protected]
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