2241 USE OF INTERNET SEARCH DATA TO PROVIDE REAL TIME DATA ON KIDNEY STONE DISEASE IN THE UNITED STATES

A network of coastal observatories is being built around the United States. While the motivations for developing these systems do not originate from marine sanctuaries per se, the sanctuaries stand to gain an unprecedented opportunity to benefit from real-time data and nowcasting/forecasting models. The construction of the observatories is being fueled by the rapid development in three enabling observational technologies. These technologies include (1) data acquisition systems that track the international constellation of IR and ocean color satellites; (2) nested grids multi-static SeaSonde surface current radars; and (3) a growing fleet of autonomous underwater vehicles. These observational assets are coupled to nowcast/forecast data assimilative models. These systems will allow the mean behavior in marine ecosystems to be defined while also providing real-time data that will allow adaptive sampling. The ability to adaptively sample the environment will allow scientists to make shrewd decisions about when and where to sample. Given this, developing the new approaches to measure critical biological processes and the geographic boundaries of those processes should be a key focus for the marine biology community. This will alter how scientists approach scientific questions in coastal waters.

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(A332) Increasing Medical Situational Awareness and Interoperability via “Virtual USA”

Prehospital and Disaster Medicine ◽

10.1017/s1049023x11003165 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 26 (S1) ◽

pp. s93-s93

Author(s):

K. Andress

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Real Time ◽

Situational Awareness ◽

Care Delivery ◽

The United States ◽

United States Department ◽

Poison Center ◽

British Petroleum ◽

Time Data ◽

Medical Response

IntroductionHistory is replete with interoperability and resource reporting deficits during disaster that impact medical response and planning. Situational awareness for disaster and emergency medical response includes communicating health hazards as well as infrastructure and resource status, capability and GIS location. The need for actionable, real-time data is crucial to response. Awareness facilitates medical resource placement, response and recovery. A number of internet, web-based disaster resource and situational status reporting applications exist but may be limited or restricted by functional, jurisdictional, proprietary and/or financial requirements. Restrictions prohibit interoperability and inhibit information sharing that could affect health care delivery. Today multiple United States jurisdictions are engaged in infrastructure and resource situation status reporting via “virtual” states and regional projects considered components of “Virtual USA”.MethodsThis report introduces the United States' Department of Homeland Security's “Virtual USA” initiative and demonstrates a health application and interoperability via “Virtual Louisiana's” oil spill related exposure reporting during the 2010, British Petroleum Gulf Horizon catastrophe. Five weekly Louisiana Department of Health and Hospital summary reports from the Louisiana Poison Center; Hospital Surveillance Systems; Public Health Hotline; and Physician Clinic Offices were posted on the Louisiana Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness's “Virtual Louisiana”.Results227 total spill-related, exposure cases from five reporting weeks were provided by five Louisiana source agencies and reported in Virtual Louisiana. Cases were reported weekly and classified as “workers” or “population”; associated with the parish exposure locations (8), offshore (1), or unknown (1); and shared with four other virtual states.ConclusionsReal-time health and medical situation status, resource awareness, and incident impact could be facilitated through constructs demonstrated by “Virtual USA”.

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