title: Applying telehealth in natural and anthropogenic disasters.
abstract: There are myriad telehealth applications for natural or anthropogenic disaster response. Telehealth technologies and methods have been demonstrated in a variety of real and simulated disasters. Telehealth is a force multiplier, providing medical and public health expertise at a distance, minimizing the logistic and safety issues associated with on-site care provision. Telehealth provides a virtual surge capacity, enabling physicians and other health professionals from around the world to assist overwhelmed local health and medical personnel with the increased demand for services postdisaster. There are several categories of telehealth applications in disaster response, including ambulatory/primary care, specialty consultation, remote monitoring, and triage, medical logistics, and transportation coordination. External expertise would be connected via existing telehealth networks in the disaster area or specially deployed telehealth systems in shelters or on-scene. This paper addresses the role of telehealth in disaster response and recommends a roadmap for its widespread use in preparing for and responding to natural and anthropogenic disasters.
authors.affiliation: University of Miami TeleHealth, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida 33136, USA. ssimmons@med.miami.edu
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Simmons
authors.forename: Dale
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Alverson
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Poropatich
authors.forename: Joe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: D'Iorio
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: DeVany
authors.forename: Charles R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Doarn
mesh_terms: D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004190:Disasters; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement; D008007:Licensure, Medical; D018511:Systems Integration; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014838:Volunteers / Q000458:organization & administration