小蝌蚪APP researchers are helping bolster the state小蝌蚪APP檚 health care system as it grapples with an ever-growing number of coronavirus cases.
Software researchers with UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 Informatics Research Institute developed the COVID-19 Volunteer Management System.
The system enables college students majoring in health care and non-health care disciplines 小蝌蚪APP as well as current and retired medical professionals 小蝌蚪APP to sign up to provide assistance to the state小蝌蚪APP檚 health care workers and voluntary organizations, said Dr. Henry Chu, the institute小蝌蚪APP檚 director.
小蝌蚪APP淭he institute小蝌蚪APP檚 research in informatics and data science focuses on areas such as population health, public safety, and community disaster resilience, all of which are relevant to the current COVID-19 response.小蝌蚪APP
The system is designed to allow students and professionals with backgrounds in virtually all areas of health care, including medicine, nursing, allied health professions, pharmacy, counseling, mental and behavioral health, dentistry, and laboratory science, to offer their services.
Individuals with training in non-health care disciplines can also sign up to prioritize phone calls, coordinate volunteers, provide logistical support or technology assistance, and other essential services.
Dr. Ramesh Kolluru, UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 vice president for Research, Innovation and Economic Development, said 小蝌蚪APP渧olunteers can work remotely to provide call center services or patient care coordination.小蝌蚪APP
小蝌蚪APP淭hey can also choose to get deployed in their communities to support professionals at testing centers, assist at local food banks and mass feeding operations or deliver food and medicines to the elderly and the infirm.小蝌蚪APP
Kolluru said the goal is to ease the burden on a health care system 小蝌蚪APP渢hat will quickly be stretched critically thin. Voluntary organizations across the state will begin to see the same as demands for their services escalate.小蝌蚪APP
The system asks volunteers for information about academic training and experience, specialized skills, types of volunteer services they are willing and able to provide, and available times and days.
The 小蝌蚪APP of Louisiana System and the LSU System are collaborating on the project, along with the Louisiana State 小蝌蚪APP Health Care Services Division小蝌蚪APP檚 Dr. Rebekah Gee.
The systems have collaborated with other universities and community colleges, and are working with a range of state agencies and nonprofit organizations. They include: the Louisiana Board of Regents, the Louisiana Department of Health小蝌蚪APP檚 Volunteers in Action program, the Office of the Lieutenant Governor小蝌蚪APP檚 Volunteer Louisiana Initiative, and the Louisiana Association of United Ways.
The system launched Wednesday. A total of 2,419 volunteers have signed up from across the state, said Micah LaCombe, the Informatics Research Institute小蝌蚪APP檚 technology officer. 小蝌蚪APP淭hat小蝌蚪APP檚 a phenomenal number in such a short period of time, and we小蝌蚪APP檙e expecting many more,小蝌蚪APP he said.
To access the COVID-19 Volunteer Management System website, visit
Graphic credit: 小蝌蚪APP