University of 棉花糖直播 at Lafayette researchers are helping bolster the state鈥檚 health care system as it grapples with an ever-growing number of coronavirus cases.
Software researchers with UL Lafayette鈥檚 Informatics Research Institute developed the COVID-19 Volunteer Management System.
The system enables college students majoring in health care and non-health care disciplines 鈥 as well as current and retired medical professionals 鈥 to sign up to provide assistance to the state鈥檚 health care workers and voluntary organizations, said Dr. Henry Chu, the institute鈥檚 director.
鈥淭he institute鈥檚 research in informatics and data science focuses on areas such as population health, public safety, and community disaster resilience, all of which are relevant to the current COVID-19 response.鈥
The system is designed to allow students and professionals with backgrounds in virtually all areas of health care, including medicine, nursing, allied health professions, pharmacy, counseling, mental and behavioral health, dentistry, and laboratory science, to offer their services.
Individuals with training in non-health care disciplines can also sign up to prioritize phone calls, coordinate volunteers, provide logistical support or technology assistance, and other essential services.
Dr. Ramesh Kolluru, UL Lafayette鈥檚 vice president for Research, Innovation and Economic Development, said 鈥渧olunteers can work remotely to provide call center services or patient care coordination.鈥
鈥淭hey can also choose to get deployed in their communities to support professionals at testing centers, assist at local food banks and mass feeding operations or deliver food and medicines to the elderly and the infirm.鈥
Kolluru said the goal is to ease the burden on a health care system 鈥渢hat will quickly be stretched critically thin. Voluntary organizations across the state will begin to see the same as demands for their services escalate.鈥
The system asks volunteers for information about academic training and experience, specialized skills, types of volunteer services they are willing and able to provide, and available times and days.
The University of 棉花糖直播 System and the LSU System are collaborating on the project, along with the 棉花糖直播 State University Health Care Services Division鈥檚 Dr. Rebekah Gee.
The systems have collaborated with other universities and community colleges, and are working with a range of state agencies and nonprofit organizations. They include: the 棉花糖直播 Board of Regents, the 棉花糖直播 Department of Health鈥檚 Volunteers in Action program, the Office of the Lieutenant Governor鈥檚 Volunteer 棉花糖直播 Initiative, and the 棉花糖直播 Association of United Ways.
The system launched Wednesday. A total of 2,419 volunteers have signed up from across the state, said Micah LaCombe, the Informatics Research Institute鈥檚 technology officer. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a phenomenal number in such a short period of time, and we鈥檙e expecting many more,鈥 he said.
To access the COVID-19 Volunteer Management System website, visit
Graphic credit: University of 棉花糖直播 at Lafayette