Source: UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY submitted to
FORAGES FOR ADVANCING LIVESTOCK
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
SPECIAL GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0221893
Grant No.
2010-34431-20837
Project No.
KY0CARTER4
Proposal No.
2010-02856
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
PW
Project Start Date
Jun 1, 2010
Project End Date
May 31, 2013
Grant Year
2014
Project Director
CARTER, C. N.
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
500 S LIMESTONE 109 KINKEAD HALL
LEXINGTON,KY 40526-0001
Performing Department
Veterinary Science
Non Technical Summary
The Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center at the University of Kentucky and the Breathitt Veterinary Center at Murray State University are full-service veterinary diagnostic laboratories serving practicing veterinarians and farmers in Kentucky. Both facilities have recently implemented fully functional web-enabled laboratory information management systems (LIMS) that will soon be directly linked with the Office of the Kentucky State Veterinarian (OSV). The LIMS accessions all clinical cases submitted from veterinary practitioners and farmers and reports laboratory test results back to these clients in a timely and accurate manner. Over the last two decades, these laboratories have accessioned over one million clinical cases. A large data warehouse of animal health data has been developed and tested in a previous project that will provide data streams for animal health reporting, monitoring and trend analysis. The purpose of this project is to enable wireless and remote access to this rich data warehouse along with current and archived clinical cases. Outcomes: 1. Wireless/remote access to diagnostic testing results 2. Wireless/remote access to a ruminant disease decision support system designed to assist veterinarians in selecting appropriate diagnostic tests and submiting an appropriate specimen. 3. Dissemination of current trends in animal health through multi-threaded briefings and rich thematic web-based products.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
31133101170100%
Knowledge Area
311 - Animal Diseases;

Subject Of Investigation
3310 - Beef cattle, live animal;

Field Of Science
1170 - Epidemiology;
Goals / Objectives
The goal of this project is to design and develop mobile wireless and remote access to diagnostic information systems to assist food animal practitioners in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases in ruminants, including foreign animal diseases (FAD's). The system will fully integrate animal health and diagnostic testing data bases of the University of Kentucky Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center and the Murray State University Breathitt Veterinary Center. Further, it will assist in the quick diagnosis of diseases in ruminants, thereby allowing for a more timely medical response which should lead to a better overall outcome. By presenting non-endemic diseases into generated differential lists, the system will help practitioners do a better job of early recognition of emerging diseases, FAD's and the identification of possible agro-terrorist events. Supporting Objectives- This will be accomplished by integrating hand-held and remote computers into existing Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) in place at two Kentucky veterinary diagnostic laboratories. These facilities have clinical archives of over 1 million clinical cases over a period of fifteen years from which disease trends useful to practitioners are derived. Plans to accomplish project goals-- 1. Research the availability and appropriateness of hand-held computing devices for use by food animal veterinarians in conjunction with their state veterinary diagnostic laboratories 2. Design and develop the necessary software to enable integration and remote and wireless access to a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) 3. Identify and install the necessary hardware to enable integration and remote and wireless access to a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) 4. Design and develop a differential diagnosis system for ruminants that assists food animal veterinarians in selecting appropriate diagnostic tests for rule-in/rule-out of disease 5. Conduct a field test of remote and wireless veterinary diagnostic laboratory access systems to evaluate the effectiveness of the system. 6. Establish an animal health briefing capability at the diagnostic laboratory to keep state, federal, and practicing veterinarians abreast of disease trends and ongoing outbreaks. The room will also serve as an incident command post (ICP) during severe outbreaks of disease.
Project Methods
The selection of appropriate laboratory tests in face of a herd health problem can be a complex process. In addition, laboratory test results generated for these cases are important for veterinarians in decision making related to forage animals owned by their clients (e.g. diagnoses, microbiological, immunological, toxicological pathological, antibiotic sensitivity and other results are crucial for practicing veterinarians to recommend treatment and prevention protocols). Other data elements captured are clinical signs, syndrome, duration of illness, and morbidity/mortality rates. Therefore, quick and easy access to data elements in the LIMS data base and other knowledge-based system is important to assist veterinarians in providing the most appropriate, accurate and early response to animal health problems. To fulfill this objective, a comprehensive study will be conducted to evaluate available and commonly used devices and broadband networks to determine their appropriateness for use in this project. It appears that this technology has matured enough such that a non-proprietary solution (e.g. application) can be developed that will allow for access to most diagnostic laboratory information resources (e.g. case reports/test summaries in a PDF file that can be downloaded and read by any device). The following tasks will have to be completed: Install and configure a public facing server. Install and implement a 128-bit signed security certificate Establish a DNS Server. Configure the LIMS software to provide the wireless and remote access to clinical case material on the laboratory LIMS servers and to provide direct alerts/bulletins to the handheld devices. Compile lists of the known infectious, parasitic, metabolic, and neoplastic diseases of cattle, sheep and goats in the US. Develop a list of roughly fifty clinical signs that are descriptive enough to build rudimentary differential diagnosis lists. Build a list of the most common clinical signs associated with each disease. Build a list of diagnostic test/procedures associated with each disease. The recently implemented Kentucky statewide animal health network and software created as part of this project will provide the necessary data streams and thematic products to conduct the animal health briefings. The briefer will have three simultaneous key video components to display during the sessions: 1) Disease/outbreak specific feed (largest display). 2) Graphics/GIS feed (smaller display). 3) Google Earth feed (smaller display). The disease/outbreak specific feed will display information pertaining to the disease process/outbreak being briefed. The graphic/GIS feed will display spatial and temporal trends associated with the disease process/outbreak. Finally, the Google Earth feed will provide a visual of exactly what locations are involved, zooming in as needed.

Progress 06/01/10 to 05/31/13

Outputs
Target Audience: During this reporting period, the target audiences for this project are as follows: 1) Practicing veterinarians utilizing veterinary diagnostic laboratories. 2) Veterinary diagnosticians that desire to improve the linkage between diagnostic laboratories and practicing veterinarians. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? This mobile application is an excellent training and professional development tool that helps veterinary clinicians, technicians and farmers better access diseases associated with a specific set of clinical signs, the diagnostic tests that are used to obtain a definitive diagnosis and the specimens needed to accomplish that testing. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? The mobile application has been presented at two scientific meetings, one national and one international attended by over 1500 professional veterinary diagnosticians and technicians. In addition, the application has been downloaded andevaluated by dozens of veterinarians all over the United States. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? A mobile, platform independent software application has been developed and tested that assists food animal practitioners in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases in ruminants including foreign animal diseases (FAD's) by presenting differential diagnostis lists, allowing users to select their top differentials and displaying appropriate diagnostic tests and specimens for rule-in/rule-out.Themobile applicationhas been tested in the field and is deemed useful in aidingclinicians in working more closely with veterinary diagnostic laboratories.Furthernore, the application can send an electronic accession form either to the clinican's practice or directly to the diagnostic laboratory suspensingclinical cases awaiting specimens for testing. Finally, an animal health briefing room capabilityhas beeninstalled at the University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory which can be utilized as an incident commant post (ICP) to brief state, federal and practicing veterinarians during serious disease outbreaks and to disseminate relevant disease information.

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Carter CN, Cassady J, Ronald N, Gaskill C, Arnold M, Smith J, Northington, W: Knowledge-based differential diagnostic and accessioning mobile application to improve ruminant laboratory case submissions. Proceed of the XVI International Symposium of the WAVLD, Jun, 2013, Berlin, Germany pp 58-59.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Cassady JC, Carter CN, Ronald NC, Arnold ML, Gaskill CL, Smith J, Northington CA: Development and evaluation of a mobile diagnostic computer application for veterinary diagnostic laboratories. Proceedings of the 55th Annual AAVLD meeting, Greensboro, NC, October 2012, p 168.


Progress 06/01/11 to 05/31/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Activities- Further software development and testing of mobile diagnostic application; further knowedge base development-- diagnostic test and specimen association with diseases. Events-- Presentation of mobile application to two food animal practitioner full day continuing education seminars (June 27, 2012 Breathitt Veterinary Center, Murray State University, February 15, 2012 & August 16, 2012, UK Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, University of Kentucky). Services-- Use of mobile application to consult on real-world diagnostic cases. Products-- Copyrighted as VetCheck, logo developed. Commercialization potential post project. PARTICIPANTS: Jacki Smith - Project manager, direct interface with field veterinarians and software developers. Investigated new hardware platforms for possible implementation with the mobile application. Craig Carter - Project PI, oversee Project Manager, attend most meetings with the software developer; run project meetings; assist with CE seminars and application demonstrations. Norman Ronald - Co-PI, chief knowledge engineer, build knowledge bases, advise on knowledge base strategies. Cindy Gaskill - Co-PI, toxicology knowledge engineer. Michelle Arnold - Co-PI, ruminant disease knowledge engineer. Wade Northington - Co-PI at Murray State University, provide additional guidance and project coaching TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences-- Practicing food animal veterinarians and the farmers they serve. Continuing educational programs previously described assist in delivering the technology to the food animal agricultural industries. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Software developer subawardee-- HEA, Inc. had to downsize programming staff due to the economic downturn, thereby delaying progress with the mobile application development. Terminology mapping consultant-- Edward Arvizo, MD experienced a bilateral retinal detachment, causing him to have to terminate his services on Jun 30, 2012. A request is being made to divert the remaining budget ($10,000) to assist in getting this work finalized.

Impacts
Change in knowledge-- Mobile Application to be presented at the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians meeting, October, 2012, Greenboro, NC-- Development and Evaluation of a Mobile Diagnostic Computer Application for Veterinary Laboratories Jacki C. Cassady, Craig N. Carter, Norman Ronald, Michelle L. Arnold, Cynthia L. Gaskill1, Jacqueline L. Smith, Wade A. Northington Veterinary diagnostic software, mobile application, animal health Narrative: Our laboratory was awarded a USDA-NIFA grant to fund the development and trial of a mobile diagnostic laboratory application (Vet Check-Up). The application is designed to provide Kentucky food animal veterinarians with a software tool to help build differential disease lists, select appropriate diagnostic tests, specimen(s) collection information, and output electronic accession forms. The current version associates approximately 40 highly discriminatory disease findings with more than 730 diseases found in bovine, caprine, and ovine species. Diseases are ranked based on the proportional fit of findings to diseases within color coded incidence categories as follows: common (green), intermediate (blue), rare (orange), and foreign animal diseases (red). The Vet Check-Up application enables veterinarians and other users to run practice scenarios and real clinical cases. Use of the "real case" feature allows veterinarians to store baseline electronic medical records for clients by collecting the following information: owner, farm and animal identification, case descriptions, clinical histories, test(s) requested, specimen type(s) collected, duration of illness, herd size, and herd health details. An electronic accession form is then generated to be submitted with specimen(s) for laboratory testing. Case information can be accessed through both the mobile application and email records of electronic accession forms. The intended use of the mobile application will enhance clinical case and epidemiological data capture and help veterinarians to better utilize the diagnostic laboratory. The application will be available through individual user web-based email account(s) and mobile device platforms including but not limited to Apple iOS and Android. A field trial of the mobile application is scheduled for late 2012 and will involve at least ten (10) volunteer practicing veterinarians. Volunteers will assess the capabilities of the mobile application on actual farm visits and provide feedback to identify application enhancements. Future versions of the application are planned for other species such as equine and porcine. Ultimately, such an application should integrate directly with Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS). Change in action-- This application has the potential to improve the interaction of field veterinarians with veterinary diagnostic laboratories. This has the potential of improving the delivery of healthcare to food animals, thereby increasing carcass marketability, quality and economics.

Publications

  • No publications reported this period


Progress 06/01/10 to 05/31/11

Outputs
OUTPUTS: A suitable project manager was hired. A study and evaluation of mobile computing devices for laboratory and field veterinary use is in progress. Specifications for a differential diagnosis application have been developed. Three meetings with the software developer (subawardee) have been accomplished The knowledge engineer (subawardee) has completed 55% of the ruminant disease knowledge base. The PI has made two trips have been made to Texas to work with the knowledge engineer. PARTICIPANTS: Dr. Norman Ronald, knowledge engineer (subawardee)has over 25 years in this field. Hensley, Elam and Associates, software development firm (subawardee), has over ten years in this business. This company is developing the differential diagnosis engine. TARGET AUDIENCES: Practicing veterinarians. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
A white paper on mobile computing devices is being written to help guide decision making related to the purchase/testing of these devices. The development/inference engines are now under development which will be driven by the knowledge engineer's output. This will enable the application to build differential diagnosis lists.

Publications

  • No publications reported this period