Disaster Health InformationOutreach And Collaboration Project 2012-2013

Disaster Health Information for the Medical Reserve Corps of Arkansas

Abby Holt - Arkansas Department of Health (ADH)Cassie Cochran - Arkansas Department of Health (ADH)

Jon Goodell – University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Library (UAMS Library)

Purpose•To provide..

▫Greater access to emergency and disaster-related information through the development of a state sponsored web-accessible, mobile resource website. State and area specific information, public health, and first-responder emergency documents are available in the resource.

Collaboration•The project involves the collaboration

between the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Library (UAMS Library); the Preparedness and Emergency Response Branch, Center for Health Protection at the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), where the MRC program for Arkansas is located; and the Arkansas Department of Health’s (ADH) Information Technology Services office.

Primary Project StaffCassie Cochran, MRC Coordinator, Preparedness and Emergency Response Branch, ADH

Abby Holt, MLIS, MPH, Epidemiologist, Analytical Epidemiology Branch, ADH

Jon Goodell, MA AHIP, Reference and Outreach Librarian, UAMS Library

Bert Wells, Senior Systems Programmer, Information Technology Services Branch, ADH

Contributors•Preparedness and Emergency Response

Branch ADH Branch Chief, Associate Branch Chief, Public

Health Preparedness Section Chief•Office of Administration, ADH

Grants Coordinator (collaboration with UA Disability Office)

•Office of Health Communications and Marketing, ADH

Public Information Specialist

MRC in Arkansas•The MRC is a national network of

volunteer emergency responders organized at the local-level in Arkansas; currently there are 10 units scattered across the state and they operate under the direction of the ADH.

MRC in Arkansas (2)•The MRC volunteers include medical and

public health professionals:▫Physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists,

veterinarians, physical therapist, chiropractors and epidemiologists.

▫Many community members; including interpreters, chaplains, office workers, legal advisors, and others can also fill much needed lay positions.

MRC Survey•The survey was developed to determine

needed emergency response resources by the Arkansas MRC.

•The survey was developed using Google Docs.

MRC Survey Distribution•Cassie Cochran distributed the survey

November 27th to the System of Emergency Response Volunteers (SERV) AR database.▫SERV AR is Arkansas’ version of the federal

Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals (ESAR-VHP) program.

MRC Survey Distribution (2)•As of Dec. 12, 2012, 48 responses. •Cassie redistributed the survey Jan. 7,

2013 to increase the overall response rate. ▫Data were retrieved, Feb. 5, 2013 and we

received a total of 86 responses.

MRC Survey Responses

N=86

Professions

Disaster types

Note: survey respondents were allowed to select multiple types of events.

Assistance to people with disabilities

Best way to access health information on internet

Disaster Information sources

Medical Reserve Corps of Arkcansas Home pages

Health Forms page

Arkansas Department of Health Resources

Department of Health Contacts Page

Chemical Disasters Resources Home Page

Disaster Related Resources Page

Weather Resources Page

Obstacles• Work from Information Technology (IT) delayed until

July, 1 2013.▫ MOA between Preparedness and IT Department ▫ Percent of time of IT assistance was an issue for other

programs needing work completed▫ Head of IT retired▫ Preparedness Branch had to determine a current source

of funding for work▫ Competing work and emergency response (oil spill,

potential infectious disease outbreak, tornado recovery)• Local travel has been limited due to budgetary cuts so

we may incorporate MRC website training within the scope of an existing MRC meeting.

For more information about the project and MRC website:

http://ADHDisasterHealth.arkansas.gov