OVERVIEW
I-DENTI-FIED is a safe, secure system to positively identify individuals, provide secure access to a Personal Health Record (PHR) as needed and improve safety and patient care in field applications. The I-DENTI-FIED system provides members with a passive RFID transponder and a cloud-based Personal Health Record for the collection and storage of medications, allergies, clinical conditions, past findings, emergency contacts, insurance coverage, personal preferences, power of attorney documents, and other important information.
First responders and care-givers are provided with an RFID reader and secure middleware for use in the event of injury or illness. The reader accesses the member’s unique 16-digit identification number, unlocking access to the member’s PHR via the Internet or our call center. This report summarizes a recent Homeland Security exercise in which I-DENTI-FIED played a pivotal role.
THE EXERCISE
On May 16-20, 2011 Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) participated in a multi-state exercise designed around a mock natural disaster. Participants included thousands of local and state emergency responders as well as numerous federal officials and representatives from the White House. The exercise simulated a 7.7 magnitude earthquake at the New Madrid Fault, followed closely by a 6.0 magnitude aftershock in Southern Indiana’s Wabash Valley Seismic Zone. Local first responders, county emergency management officials, state and federal personnel, and private sector partners from across Indiana’s 92 counties took part in what IDHS described as Indiana’s largest disaster exercise ever.
A key component was a boots-on-the-ground element involving more than 1,200 Indiana emergency responders. In the course of the exercise, dozens of IDHS, EMS and Fire units mobilized and redeployed to the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center in the interest of assessing and refining the response capabilities of law enforcement, search and rescue, disaster mental health, animal shelter, civil support, and fire suppression in comparable circumstances.
THE PROBLEM
Health Information Management exerts a major gating influence on response time within the First Responder community. Information is typically hand written, usually dated and available sporadically if at all. An inordinate draw-down on time occurs at deployment simply collecting medical history and emergency contacts for each member of a response team. Compounding the problem, the utility of the information depends upon the accuracy and availability of the individual’s last physical, inviting downstream problems if the information actually needs to be used for decision-making. This challenge is mirrored and magnified many times within the population for whom mobilization has occurred.
IDHS District 1 recognized the need to streamline their mobilization efforts and simultaneously provide credentials to all personnel at each stage of the exercise. Recalling an earlier exercise, Russell Shirley, Director of Porter County Environmental Operations and District One Task Force Commander reports that “with our old method, we spent over 3 hours checking-in about 65 people…and we really didn’t gather much useable information.”
THE SOLUTION
To meet the needs of first responders for both this exercise and their normal duties, I-DENTI-FIED worked with Don Hess, Manager, Emergency Medical Services at Saint Anthony Medical Center & Director, District One Hospital Planning Committee, to integrate a flexible Health Information Management System with their current credentialing process. The existing system produces a Photo ID Card with a bar code for tracking personnel during mobilization and at the scene. The I-DENTI-FIED System embeds RFID technology in the card to serve as a unique identifier to a cloud-based gateway to the responder’s Personal Health Record. The record itself may be pre-existing or supplied by I-DENTI-FIED when credentials are issued. This solution supplies the missing link in the provision of knowledge-based health care and supports the evolving credentialing requirements being developed throughout Indiana and across the country.
Each member of District 1 was provided with a PHR in advance in order to capture their medical history, emergency contacts and personal preferences, thereby establishing a baseline to easily update as details change. I-DENTI-FIED facilitated in the collection of health data, photos, enrollment details, credential production and PHR setup for during the 30 days preceding the exercise.
BENEFITS
“With the use of the I-DENTI-FIED System” said Commander Shirley,” we were able to substantially streamline a cumbersome check in process. We registered 125 people in less than 30 minutes. Fast-tracking our mobilization effort and saving 2 1⁄2 hours for twice the personnel is tremendously valuable. Beyond that, we now have the added benefit of having every responder’s medical information immediately accessible if needed.” Reducing mobilization time is critical in the event of an emergency, increasing the effectiveness of a District Task Force. Moreover, employing an automated accountability system increases safety, maximizes productivity of team members and streamlines paperwork for the Incident Management Team.
More importantly, harnessing a reliable and secure Health Information Management System provides immeasurable benefits for those who go into harm’s way. The online PHR eliminates handwritten forms and makes it easy for responders to collect, store and update their health history. The secure and confidential access management features provide the medical team with easy access to clinical history from any location.
SUMMARY
Michael J. Parks, Division Chief for Crown Point Fire Rescue said, ” Deployment on a national emergency is always difficult to manage, but utilizing The I-DENTI-FIED System in tandem with our credentials, we are now able to account for personnel at all times with the added confidence that we can access their medical information in the event of an emergency”.
The I-DENTI-FIED System is a valuable tool for First Responders and the Hospitals that support their work. Easily implemented as an enhancement into existing accountability and employee badge programs, the system is easily deployed for any group that travels, provides services to the public or has responsibility for their medical care.
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