Role-tailored software systems for medical response to disasters: enhancing the capabilities of "mid-tier" responders.

WIISARD (Wireless Internet Information System for Medical Response in Disasters) is developing wireless technology to coordinate and enhance the care of mass casualties at disaster sites. Mid-tier personnel (area supervisors) play a critical role in disaster response, supervising care processes in the triage, Treatment and Transport areas of the attack site. The design of a software tool to support mid-tier activities focuses on providing supervisors aggregate information on patient conditions and needs, real-time data on ambulance availability and location, and hospital status and on coordinating care delivery among triage, treatment and transport areas.