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Tim O'Leary



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  • OS29 - Realizing the Promise of "Big" Data (ID 34)

    • Event: e-Health 2017 Virtual Meeting
    • Type: Oral Session
    • Track: Clinical and Executive
    • Presentations: 1
    • Coordinates: 6/07/2017, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM, Room 203CD
    • OS29.05 - Establishing a Sustainable Healthcare Emergency Management Communication Solution in Ontario (ID 233)

      Tim O'Leary, Toronto Central LHIN; Toronto/CA

      • Abstract
      • Slides

      Purpose/Objectives: Preparations for hosting the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games (PPAG) in 2015 accentuated the need for a tool to facilitate communications and coordination among a diverse group of healthcare organizations in Ontario to respond to planned and unplanned events. To address the need, the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network (TC LHIN) initially sponsored 7 LHINs hosting the PPAG to implement a scalable and sustainable Emergency Management Communication Tool (EMCT) for health organizations within Ontario. Subsequently, EMCT was expanded to the remaining LHINs. This presentation will provide an overview of the initial implementation, expansion approach and a demonstration of EMCT.

      Methodology/Approach: The project involved consulting with several emergency management experts at over 30 organizations, along with leveraging lessons learned and best practices from Vancouver BC’s experience during the 2010 Olympics. As a result, the requirements for the Emergency Management Communication Tool (EMCT) have been defined. Consequently, a solution was selected through a competitive bidding process. In spring of 2015, health organizations from seven LHINs were selected to participate in the initial implementation of EMCT whereas those of the remaining seven LHINs joined the expansion phase in early 2016. UHN was the delivery partner managing the implementation of EMCT. Facilitated sessions with key emergency management experts and collaboration with the vendor ensured that the solution was customized to support business processes and best practices for any emergency events. Lessons learned from the initial implementation were transformed into strategies for success in the expansion phase to improve user adoption, including: 1) Hosting on-site roadshows to obtain leadership buy-ins 2) Onboarding organizations in rolling phases to accommodate users’ schedules and priorities 3) Sharing success stories and tangible real-life applications of EMCT to better educate users 4) Conducting demonstrations of EMCT with simulated scenarios for users

      Finding/Results: The Emergency Management Communication Tool has grown its footprint from the initial implementation to the expansion phase with over 1400 registered users from 200 health organizations in Ontario. The user base is comprised of a diverse group of emergency planning and management organizations such as: Ministry Emergency Management Branch, Local Health Integrated Networks, hospitals, first responders, Public Health Ontario, the Public Health Agency of Canada, etc. It has proven success in both coordination and communication of large scale planned events such as the Pan AMAm games and Syrian refugee resettlement, as well as at the local level for health service providers in codes. For operational practices, seasonal influenza reports and bed availability in emergency departments were information readily available in the tool. Acting as a central hub to promote peer-to-peer collaboration and information sharing, this tool was capable to deliver pertinent situational awareness to health organizations in any large scale emergency events.

      Conclusion/Implication/Recommendations: The implementation of EMCT provided the foundation to support Ontario’s vision for a standardized incident management system that was interoperable across all levels of emergency management. Health organizations in Ontario can now further integrate their EMCT tool into their emergency management practices and collaborate with other organizations in the region to prepare for cross-organizational emergency responses.

      140 Character Summary: The implementation of a web-based communication tool across Ontario is instrumental in emergency management during planned and unplanned events

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