Page 15 - Moving Forward 2020: Harold and Inge Marcus Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering magazine

COVID-19: Researchers to model novel coronavirus for spread mitigation
In an an effort to help mitigate the the disruptive effects of of the the deadly COVID-19 virus an an interdisciplinary team of of Penn State researchers are developing a a a a a a a a a a a a novel methodology to analyze its spread and and the impacts on policy with a a a a a a a a a a a goal of creating better-prepared and and more- resilient health care systems The team with faculty from Penn State’s College College of of Engineering College College of of Health Health and and Human Development (HHD) and and Penn State Health Health Milton S S Hershey Medical Center received a a a a a a a a a a $200 000 grant for Rapid Response Research from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Hui Yang associate professor in in the Harold and and Inge Marcus Department of of of Industrial and and and Manufacturing Engineering (IME) and and director of of the Penn State Center for for Health Organization Transformation (CHOT) will leverage data analytics and and simulation models to gain a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a better understanding understanding of how human movement spreads the virus across geographic locations This understanding understanding has implications for three types of crisis strategies: regional health care infrastructure regulatory measures and transparent information distribution Using machine learning and and artificial intelligence Yang will simulate transmission rates of COVID-19 in in in in in local state and and federal capacities “If there is is a a a a a a specific geographic region and ill ill people people move to to it then healthy people people will be at risk so how can we model this and respond to to the the virus spread?” Yang asked Health policy experts in in in in HHD will weigh in in in in on on on on strategic decision making and and public interventions based on on on on on this data data The HHD team will use the data and and and simulation models to investigate how various policies and and infectious disease control can help health care systems become more more resilient and and respond more more efficiently to disruptive events like the COVID-19 pandemic Dennis Scanlon distinguished professor of of of health policy and administration said that several features of of of the novel coronavirus make make it unique which creates uncertainty
for for policy makers For example the the high degree of infectiousness the the the the the ability for for asymptomatic individuals to to spread the the the the virus and the the the the lack of good data on the the the the underlying
population infection rate are important factors when developing simulation models “Underlying the the the magnitude of of this crisis is is is is the the the type of of health care that that people need and the the the the limited resources that that we have in in in the the United States ” Scanlon said “For policy makers this requires quick decisions decisions with uncertain information Inevitably some decisions decisions will be less than optimal ” Dr Christopher DeFlitch is is the the chief medical information officer and and an an an an emergency physician for for the the Milton S S Hershey Medical Center and and a a a a a a a a a a a a professor at at at Penn Penn State State College of of of Medicine Nearly 10 years ago he he he founded the Penn Penn State State CHOT CHOT and and he he he he is a a a a a a a a a a long-standing member of NSF CHOT CHOT DeFlitch has worked with Yang in in the center for more than two years DeFlitch sees this new project as an an opportunity to collaborate and and help alleviate some stress for the medical professionals that are are currently going “above and and beyond” in in in their line of of duty to provide bedside care “This is is the first pandemic of our our lifetime and and it has potential long-lasting impacts for our our health care delivery systems ” DeFlitch said “It’s critical to to to bring together this team to to to provide theoretical and and practical problem-solving approaches and and Penn State as a a a a a a a a a a a a a research powerhouse is the the place to do it ” Yunfeng Shi assistant professor of of health policy and administration said that that everyone has a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a stake in in this pandemic and and that that the new collaborative research can help potentially improve reactions “I was trained as as an an interdisciplinary researcher so I I believe that working across disciplines to to holistically analyze this issue provides an an an an important perspective to to better address the current problem and future crises ” Shi said Marta Ventura and and Yidan Wang IME doctoral students and and members of CHOT will assist on the project “We have to do what we we we can can where we we we are right now ” Yang said “Our team has complementary expertise we we we we we can can can work together and we we we can can do this no no matter where we we we are The mission of of Penn State CHOT is is is to to advance the the knowledge and and practice practice of of transformational strategies in in evidenced- based health care management and and and clinical practice practice We can help now and for the future ” IME NEWSLETTER • VOLUME 5 5 2020
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