DEPARTMENT: Health
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Vincent. R. Nathan, PhD, MPH
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
Authorizing an Agreement with STRAC for Visual Dx and Everbridge Software Licenses
SUMMARY:
This ordinance authorizes an agreement between Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council (STRAC) to provide funding in an amount not to exceed $37,500.00 in support of multiagency (Metro Health, STRAC, and Texas Department of State Health Services) funded licenses for Visual Dx Software from Logical Images, Inc. and Everbridge Software for public health emergency preparedness activities. Funding for this agreement is available and budgeted within Metro Health's Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) FY 2016 grant and the FY 2016 Emergency Preparedness Discretionary grant.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In April of 2007, Metro Health initiated a piloted program for Visual Dx and currently maintains the cost of the program. Visual Dx is a diagnostic and training tool that allows physicians to more rapidly diagnose rare diseases or agents associated with bioterrorism and pandemics. In 2008, STRAC and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Region 8 became partners in a multi-agency implementation plan to equip hospitals with the Visual Dx software throughout the region. In 2011, the program was expanded to all Bexar County physicians through the Bexar County Medical Society (BCMS).
This contract with STRAC will maintain the Visual Dx Software across DSHS Region 8. As part of our Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) grant deliverables, Metro Health is required to train physicians and medical responders on how to rapidly identify and diagnose patients that present themselves to hospital emergency departments and physician offices.
Visual Dx is versatile in that it will train physicians as necessary and can be used in real-time situations to make a rapid diagnosis. Although funding from the Metro Health...
Click here for full text