Michigan-based ImageSoft, Inc. has released a new integrative case management tool that helps public health departments map out the spread of COVID-19. The software development company worked with the Ottawa County Department of Health (OCDPH) to develop OnBase, a cloud-based app that is now available throughout the U.S.
One of the biggest issues with current case tracing platforms is lack of patient response. ImageSoft has reported a 91% response rate, far exceeding most other apps out on the market. The app sends a simple, daily survey comprised of two “yes or no” questions via email or SMS. Not only is it simply executed, but the solution doesn’t require patients to share sensitive data.
"Our approach, developed with a trusted Public Health Department, does not require anyone to 'opt-in,' eliminating many of the privacy issues people have. Its origins stem from the challenges and recommendations of front-line workers, such as nurses and epidemiologists," said Vince Hanson, ImageSoft Director of Sales and Marketing.
Patients reportedly find the app much less invasive than similar platforms, and its simplicity also helps healthcare workers return their focus to more important activities, like providing care for those who need it. The software integrates public health records, ESRI mapping software, and Qualtrics connected through a real-time dashboard, reportedly saving front-line workers thousands of hours that otherwise would have been spent on data entry.
So far, OCDPH has utilized OnBase for over 20,000 surveys which would have resulted in over 2,800 hours of administrative work that, through the use of ImageSoft’s software, has been given back to patient care. The platform’s automated reporting and follow-up effectively connects the data to local health databases and ultimately the CDC, putting health departments and the public ahead of the curve. The platform’s proximity tracing even includes smartphone-compatible notification that can alert users when they approach COVID-19 “hot-spots.”
In addition to mapping out Coronavirus cases, ImageSoft is partnering up with schools, restaurants, churches, and other community institutions to monitor and control a variety of outbreaks, so the public can help curb the spread of communicable diseases like measles, chicken pox, and the flu, among other illnesses.
