The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, College of Nursing and Tickle College of Engineering have been awarded a $1.5 million research subcontract to build advanced systems engineering and operations for situations in which critical decisions must be made quickly and correctly. Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC, the management and operations contractor for the Y-12 National Security Complex, sponsored the initiative, which aims to develop an integrated approach for applying advanced engineering tools and techniques.

Dr. Koszalinski testing app. Photo courtesy of UTK Nursing

COVID-19 is dramatically altering today’s healthcare environment. With many hospitals at risk of being overburdened and outpatient facilities encouraging social distancing measures, healthcare providers face an unprecedented crisis: How can they continue to serve their patient populations effectively without putting themselves or their patients at risk?

Two new healthcare apps created by University of Tennessee, Knoxville, researchers may help answer this question. Neither app was developed with a pandemic in mind, but both inventors believe their technology can support individuals indirectly or directly affected by the pandemic.