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We
have started a new line of research associated with
the use of medical informatics in a number of applications.
In one of these applications, we are interested in creating
a prototype system capable of detecting in real time,
biologic, chemical, nuclear, and radiological terrorism
attacks as well as routinely supporting the local public
health community with information regarding natural
outbreaks of contagious and traumatic diseases. This
can be accomplished through syndromic surveillance of
the Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) interrogatory data,
collected by the computer aided dispatch (CAD) system
at 911 Centers already in place. A set of tools will
allow further analysis to determine possible causes
(e.g. type of biological agents), the mechanism of transmission
(for example, based on current atmospheric conditions
and simulations of the dispersion of the plume), and
possible actions (e.g. evacuation of a population center
in danger). The system is intended to be used by local,
regional, and national public health officials giving
them advance information about possible man made or
naturally occurring events, and helping them make decisions
on possible actions to take.
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