Developing the ISPRM registry of rehabilitation disaster relief experts
Jan D. Reinhardt, PhD; James E. Gosney, MD; Andrew J. Haig, MD; & Jian’an Li, MD
Background
• Natural disasters => new disabilities and existing disabilities
• Physical Rehabilitation required• However, rehabilitation perspective often
underdeveloped in disaster settings• Scarcity of existing rehab resources and
professionals make external/international assistance necessary
Background (continued)• However: • How identify deployable experts – with expertise in disaster rehabilitation – best suited to the setting in question?
• => Database of rehabilitation professionals with expertise in disaster relief including Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (PRM)
• WHO DAR-ISPRM collaboration plan 2011-2013
Background (continued)• “ISPRM will, moreover, compile a database of
international experts for PRM in disaster relief, which may provide a PRM professional volunteer team when it is needed in any region of the world.
• In that ISPRM will closely collaborate with relevant NGOs, other academic organizations and WHO offices”. (WHO-DAR/ISPRM 2011)
Objective• Establish a database of PRM/rehabilitation experts in
natural disaster that can be used to identify deployable individuals/teams in the case of international disaster
International Disaster
UN/WHO Agency/NGO responsible for disability & rehab
ISPRM disaster rehab experts’ database
Deployment of rehab experts/teams
What is a database?• More than a survey …• “A database is an organized collection of data. The
data is typically organized to model relevant aspects of reality (for example, the availability of rooms in hotels), in a way that supports processes requiring this information (for example, finding a hotel with vacancies).”
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Database
What is a database? - continuedFunctions:• Input (forms like surveys etc.)• Storing (protected server, backups, etc.)• Retrieving (search masks, structured requests)• Managing information (update, modify,
aggregate, etc.)
What is a database? - continuedDatabase Management System (DBMS), e.g. SQL:
• Data definition• Update• Retrieval• Administration
ISPRM – Rehab Disaster Experts DBData definition:• Variables
– Needs of end-user …– Relevant info for monitoring
ISPRM – Rehab Disaster Experts DB• Variables– Demographics
• Name (surname, first)• Gender• Date of birth• Country(ies) of citizenship• Country of residence• Religion• Contact information (phone, e-mail, address)• Hospital and/or university affiliation(s) • Current position(s)• Professional rehabilitation organization affiliation
ISPRM – Rehab Disaster Experts DB• Variables– Professional qualifications
• Emergency training qualification • Disaster training qualifications• Medical/specialty qualifications
– MD (If yes, years of experience)– PRM residency qualification (if yes, years of experience)– Registration– Licensing
• Upload CVs, diploma etc.
«FMTs will adhere to professional guidelines: all their staff must be registered to practice in home country and have licence for the work they are assigned to by the agency» (WHO-FMT Working Group 2013)
ISPRM – Rehab Disaster Experts DB• Variables– Disaster relief qualifications
• Disaster experience (up to 10 disasters)• Disaster 1-10 (multiple entries possible)
– Name of country– Type of disaster– Date– Sponsoring organization– Medical role– Traumatic disabling conditions treated:
» fracture» spinal cord injury (SCI)» amputation, etc.
ISPRM – Rehab Disaster Experts DB• Variables– Deployability
• Clearance by employer• Length of time willing to serve • Native language(s)• English-skills• Other language(s)• Health restrictions• Dietary restrictions (describe)• Other deployment considerations (describe)• Motivation (Describe reason(s) for registering including your feelings about working with
people from different backgrounds)
ISPRM – Rehab Disaster Experts DBData definition:• Relations
ISPRM – Rehab Disaster Experts DBUpdate:• Inserting data: Initial survey of ISPRM membership• Modifying and deleting data: Repeated Surveys, online self-
entry of users …• Challenges: Reaching the expert population,
correctness/accuracy of information (verification through institutions?)
ISPRM – Rehab Disaster Experts DBRetrieval of info:• Search mask• Suited to the needs of the end-user• Easy to use• Practical usefulness of eventual output, i.e. list of
deployable experts
ISPRM – Rehab Disaster Experts DBAdministration:• Registering and monitoring users, enforcing data security,
monitoring performance, maintaining data integrity, dealing with concurrency control, and recovering information if the system fails.
• Needs ongoing professional programming and monitoring• Needs secure server (https) involving firewalls etc.• Needs ethical statement on data protection• Needs mechanisms for backup
Database & Network
Web-Server SwiSCI-DatabaseMySQL
Internet
php
Database Administrator
Disaster Relief Experts
phpMyAdmin
Login (password-protected)
End-user
https://www.swisci.chLogin (password-protected)
https://www.swisci.chLogin (password-protected)
Firewall-Protected
https (tap-proof)encrypted
ISPRM – Rehab Disaster Experts DBAdministration:• Potential links to other existing databases, e.g. CRED natural
disaster database, FMT database, ISPRM membership database …
Related ProjectsDART certificationUN disab experts, etc.:ISCoS, Other rehab NGOs
ISPRM – Rehab Disaster Experts DBBudget:- Infrastructure:
- Webserver- Database-server - Firewall, backup system etc.
- Database administrator/manager- Programming (sql, html, php), definition of database (2 months)- Development of forms for entry and retrieval (2 months)- Monitoring (1 day per months)- Update (1 day per week)
ISPRM – Rehab Disaster Experts DBOutlook/next steps:• Think big, start with small steps• Obtain feedback from responder organizations
on variables• Initial ISPRM member survey• Identify institution to host database• Write up grant proposal
Thank You!