Building flexible data structure for disaster response

Abstract

Context: Recent years have had repeated public health emergencies where communities are to take the lead in response. Yet official data systems rarely can support community decision-making with real or near-real time, localised data. This disconnect discourages evidence-based decision-making based on community need, leading instead to highly contested, and often erratic decisions.

Objective: Develop a plan for public health and communities together to develop, understand and use real (or near real) time data during a public health emergency, including roles and activities for public health, community decision-makers and community members. Focus is primarily on communities without access to 'in-house' dedicated data providers.

Design: Using 'crisis standards of care' and the National Planning Frameworks, a set of actions are proposed to build the data infrastructure for public health disaster response, focused on local data needs.

Results: The proposed actions are organised within the 'crisis standards of care' five key elements framework. These actions are then connected to the Public Health Accreditations Board (PHAB) domains and the public health professionals core competencies demonstrating where these proposed actions fit in the services and skills of public health organizations and professionals. Many of the proposed actions would be applicable to larger more resourced communities and public health disaster responses.

Conclusions: Forward planning, practicing and discussions based in the ''crisis standards of care'' model and 'The National Planning Frameworks' could help communities build the relationships needed to access data for decision-making in the moment. Further, using the ''crisis standards of care'' model would allow for development of a process and framework for rapidly shifting needs and resource access as is seen in emergencies. Model would also increase transparency and community focus, assisting decision-makers in advocating and implementing the response in timely and equitable manner which would increase positive outcomes and positively engage the community.

Keywords: competencies; decision support systems; disaster; disaster relief planning; public health; standards of care.