Doing Good by Playing Well with Others: Exploring Local Collaboration for Emergency Preparedness and Response

Abstract

Increasingly frequent and costly disasters in the US have prompted the need for greater collaboration at the local level among healthcare facilities, public health agencies, emergency medical services, and emergency management agencies. We conducted a multiphase, mixed-method, qualitative study to uncover the extent and quality of existing collaborations, identify what factors impede or facilitate the integration of the preparedness community, and propose measures to strengthen collaboration. Our study involved a comprehensive literature review, 55 semistructured key-informant interviews, and a working group meeting. Using thematic analysis, we identified 6 key findings that will inform the development of tools to help coalitions better assess and improve their own preparedness community integration.

Increasingly frequent and costly disasters in the US have prompted the need for greater collaboration at the local level among healthcare facilities, public health agencies, emergency medical services, and emergency management agencies. The authors conducted a multiphase, mixed-method, qualitative study to uncover the extent and quality of existing collaborations, identify what factors impede or facilitate the integration of the preparedness community, and propose measures to strengthen collaboration. The study involved a comprehensive literature review, 55 semistructured key-informant interviews, and a working group meeting.