Skip to main content
University of Nebraska Omaha logo University of Nebraska Omaha
APPLY MY UNO DIRECTORY

University of Nebraska Omaha logo
College of Information Science & Technology
APPLY MY UNO DIRECTORY
  • About Backback to Main menu
    • About IS&T
    • Dean's Message
    • Commitment to Diversity
    • College of Information Science & Technology Anti-bullying and Civility Statement 
    • Faculty & Staff Directory
    • Resources for Faculty and Staff
    • Technology Support
  • Academics Backback to Main menu
    • Find a Degree or Program
    • Advising
    • Study Abroad
    • Accreditation
  • Admissions Backback to Main menu
    • Admissions
    • Apply
    • Scholarships
    • Financial Aid
  • Student Resources Backback to Main menu
    • Tutoring Support
    • Academic & Professional Skills
    • Undergraduate Advising Worksheets
    • Student Organizations
    • Jobs & Internships
    • Grade Appeal Policy
  • Community Engagement Backback to Main menu
    • P-12 School Initiatives
    • iSTEM Virtual Toolbox
    • IS&T Women in IT Projects
  • Research
  • Support Us
  1. UNO
  2. College of Information Science & Technology
  3. News
  4. 2018
  5. 12
  6. Keeping the Heartland Safe When Decisions are Needed...STAT

Keeping the Heartland Safe When Decisions are Needed...STAT

  • published: 2018/12/20
  • contact: Nolan Searl - University Communications
  • search keywords:
  • public health informatics
  • STATPack
Two students working together

Two students working in the Public Health Informatics lab

Thanks to innovation from the College of Information Science & Technology, rural hospitals and laboratories throughout Nebraska and even Oklahoma can know the unknown — helping heal and save lives.

That’s achieved through an emergency response system called STATPack — the Secure Telecommunications Application Terminal Package — which IS&T faculty developed 15 years ago. STATPack connects health care professionals in rural areas to experts at the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory via an immediate and secure communication channel.

There are no other systems like STATPack available. This project has opened many doors. We have a network of people, organizations and technology in place that positions us to explore new services and opportunities.

 Ann Fruhling, principle investigator for STATPack

“There are no other systems like STATPack available,” says Ann Fruhling, principle investigator for STATPack. “This project has opened many doors. We have a network of people, organizations and technology in place that positions us to explore new services and opportunities."

Through STATPack, participating hospitals and diagnostic laboratories send digital images of suspicious or unknown organisms (e.g., ecoli) electronically to microbiologists at the Nebraska Public Health Lab (NPHL) on the University of Nebraska Medical Center campus. The secure, web-based network saves time and effort and minimizes risk associated with couriers transporting live biological samples over the road to NPHL.

Once the images are received, microbiologists examine them and either rule out the organism as being a threat, or decide if steps need to be taken to treat a patient. All conversations are done between the microbiologists at NPHL and the practitioner at the rural hospital.

STATPack is on its fifth major release. Enhancements have included mobile application development, micrometer and adaptable technology for smaller rural microbiology laboratories.

“The state public health laboratories have received a significant return on their investment” Fruhling says. “We know the technology is always changing. We take this into account during strategic planning by considering, ‘How can we leverage the next generation technology?’”

More than 40 hospitals in Nebraska and Oklahoma utilize STATPack. It is especially critical when a consultation is necessary on holidays and weekends when laboratories may not be fully staffed.

Fruhling estimates that more than 60 UNO students have worked on or with STATPack over the years. It has provided valuable technical, problem-solving, user relations and communication experience to aspiring IT professionals, computer scientists and cybersecurity experts.

This article was published in the Winter 2018 edition of UNO Magazine.

SHARE

News Sections

  • University of Nebraska Omaha News Center
  • UNO News Center
  • Maverick Daily
  • The Bullseye
  • Campus Events

Featured

  • UNO Magazine: Take Me Home, Country Roads
  • Access the Experts: Sachin Pawaskar
  • Garcia-Murillo Chosen as Next Dean for College of Information Science & Technology
  • Durango Days

Most Viewed

  • Turning Lemons into Class Projects: How One IS&T Professor Created a Class Out of the Pandemic
  • Helping AP Computer Science Students Level-Up Their Game
  • Be Maverick Proud with These IS&T Zoom Backgrounds

Related Resources

  • Biomedical Informatics and Bioinformatics
  • Cybersecurity
  • School of Interdisciplinary Informatics

About the College of IS&T

College of Information Science & Technology

  • Contact Us
  • College of Information Science & Technology
  • 172 Peter Kiewit Institute
  • 1110 South 67th Street
  • Omaha, NE 68182  map this location
  • 402.554.2380
  • Contact Us
  • College Resources
  • Advising
  • Jobs and Internships
  • Research Clusters
  • News and Events
  • IS&T Grants Office
  • IS&T Technology Systems and Facilities
Peter Kiewit Institute
  • Next Steps
  • Visit UNO
  • Request Information
  • Apply for Admission
  • The UNO Advantage
  • Our City (Omaha)
  • Just For You
  • Future Students
  • Current Students
  • Work at UNO
  • Faculty and Staff
  • A-Z List
  • Popular Services and Resources
  • my.unomaha.edu
  • Academic Calendar
  • Campus Buildings & Maps
  • Library
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Course Catalogs
  • Internships & Career Development
  • Bookstore
  • MavCARD Services
  • Military-Connected Resource Center
  • Speech Center
  • Writing Center
  • Human Resources
  • Center for Faculty Excellence
  • Affiliates
  • University of Nebraska System
  • NU Foundation
  • Buffett Early Childhood Institute
  • Daugherty Water for Food Institute
  • National Strategic Research Institute
  • Peter Kiewit Institute
  • Rural Prosperity Nebraska
  1. University Policies
  2. Privacy Statement
  3. Accessibility
  1. 402.554.2800

University of Nebraska Omaha
University of Nebraska Omaha, 6001 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE, 68182
  • © 2023  
  • Emergency Information Alert
  • Report an Incident or Concern

Omaha Skyline

Our Campus. Otherwise Known as Omaha.

The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its education programs or activities, including admissions and employment. The University prohibits any form of retaliation taken against anyone for reporting discrimination, harassment, or retaliation for otherwise engaging in protected activity. Read the full statement.

scroll to top of page