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Using Medicare Data to Identify Individuals Who Are Electricity Dependent to Improve Disaster Preparedness and Response

Year: 2014

Type: article

Abstract: During a disaster or prolonged power outage, individuals who use electricity-dependent medical equipment are often unable to operate it and seek care in acute care settings or local shelters. Public health officials often report that they do not have proactive and systematic ways to rapidly identify and assist these individuals. In June 2013, we piloted a first-in-the-nation emergency preparedness drill in which we used Medicare claims data to identify individuals with electricity-dependent durable medical equipment during a disaster and securely disclosed it to a local health department. We found that Medicare claims data were 93% accurate in identifying individuals using a home oxygen concentrator or ventilator. The drill findings suggest that claims data can be useful in improving preparedness and response for electricity-dependent populations.

Source: American Journal of Public Health

DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2014.302009

Authors: Karen DeSalvo, Nicole Lurie, Kristen Finne, Chris Worrall, Alina Bogdanov, Ayame Dinkler, Sarah Babcock, Jeffrey Kelman

Institution: United States Department of Health and Human Services

Language: English

Topic: Disaster Response and Management

Subfield: Emergency Medical Services

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W2055152129

FWCI: 8.726

Cites: 7

Cited by: 34

Related to: 10