ABSTRACT When multiple agencies respond to a disease outbreak (i.e., H1N1 and SARS), the coordina... more ABSTRACT When multiple agencies respond to a disease outbreak (i.e., H1N1 and SARS), the coordination of actions is complex and evolves over time. There has not been any systematic empirical study of the dynamics of emerging coordination behaviour and knowledge transfer process during a disease outbreak. In this paper, we first introduce our approach for the analysis of multi-agency intervention during a disease outbreak using the study of social networks. Using social networks and its analytic framework, we explore questions such as: How does the multi-agency coordination emerge for supporting the complex knowledge transfer process during different phases of disease outbreak? How effective are these formal and informal coordination mechanisms in achieving a robust outcome in response coordination through effective knowledge transfer process during the outbreak? What are the key lessons learned by studying the emerging coordination and knowledge transfer process during past disease outbreak in improving the multi-agency preparedness for dealing with future outbreaks? The discussion is supported by a qualitative study of the implementation of the results of the analysis. We reveal that profound understanding of social network behaviour and emerging coordination concepts are pivotal to the optimisation of knowledge transfer process which is a prerequisite for successful outbreak intervention. We look qualitatively at how Hunter New England Area Health Services applied these concepts to lead a successful coordination plan during an H1N109 endemic.
Multi-organisational environment is demonstrating more complexities due the ever-increasing tasks... more Multi-organisational environment is demonstrating more complexities due the ever-increasing tasks’complications that are arising in modern environments. Disease outbreak coordination is but one of these complex tasks, which requires multiskilled and multi-jurisdictional agencies to coordinate together in dynamic environment. This research discusses theoretical foundations and practical approaches to suggest frameworks and methods to study the outcome of some aspects of the complex interorganisational networks in dynamic environments, specifically coordination during disease outbreak. This dissertation studies coordination as being an interdisciplinary domain, and then uses social network theory to model such coordination. As part of the investigation, I have surveyed about 70 health professionals from different skillsets and organisational positions whom have participated in the swine influenza H1N1 2009 outbreak. The interviews collected both qualitative and quantitative data in or...
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 2016
Objective Our study of informal networks aimed to explore information-sharing environments for th... more Objective Our study of informal networks aimed to explore information-sharing environments for the management of disaster medicine and public health preparedness. Understanding interagency coordination in preparing for and responding to extreme events such as disease outbreaks is central to reducing risks and coordination costs. Methods We evaluated the pattern of information flow for actors involved in disaster medicine through social network analysis. Social network analysis of agencies can serve as a basis for the effective design and reconstruction of disaster medicine response coordination structures. This research used new theoretical approaches in suggesting a framework and a method to study the outcome of complex inter-organizational networks in coordinating disease outbreak response. We present research surveys of 70 health professionals from different skill sets and organizational positions during the swine influenza A (H1N1) PDM09 2009 pandemic. The survey and interviews ...
Disaster medicine and public health preparedness, 2015
New theoretical and practical approaches were used to determine the outcome of complex interorgan... more New theoretical and practical approaches were used to determine the outcome of complex interorganizational networks during the 2009 H1N1 outbreak in Australia. Seventy health professionals from different skill sets and organizational positions who participated in the 2009 swine influenza H1N1 outbreak in Australia were surveyed. Interviews were designed to collect both qualitative and quantitative data to build a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the dynamics of interorganizational networks that evolve during the coordinated response to the H1N1 outbreak. Three main components of network theory, ie, degree centrality, connectedness, and tie strength, were used to construct a performance model for assessing networks of preparedness and response. We observed that increasing communication frequency and diversifying the tiers of the interorganizational links enhanced the overall network's performance in the case of formal coordination. Network measures such as centrality, ...
ABSTRACT When multiple agencies respond to a disease outbreak (i.e., H1N1 and SARS), the coordina... more ABSTRACT When multiple agencies respond to a disease outbreak (i.e., H1N1 and SARS), the coordination of actions is complex and evolves over time. There has not been any systematic empirical study of the dynamics of emerging coordination behaviour and knowledge transfer process during a disease outbreak. In this paper, we first introduce our approach for the analysis of multi-agency intervention during a disease outbreak using the study of social networks. Using social networks and its analytic framework, we explore questions such as: How does the multi-agency coordination emerge for supporting the complex knowledge transfer process during different phases of disease outbreak? How effective are these formal and informal coordination mechanisms in achieving a robust outcome in response coordination through effective knowledge transfer process during the outbreak? What are the key lessons learned by studying the emerging coordination and knowledge transfer process during past disease outbreak in improving the multi-agency preparedness for dealing with future outbreaks? The discussion is supported by a qualitative study of the implementation of the results of the analysis. We reveal that profound understanding of social network behaviour and emerging coordination concepts are pivotal to the optimisation of knowledge transfer process which is a prerequisite for successful outbreak intervention. We look qualitatively at how Hunter New England Area Health Services applied these concepts to lead a successful coordination plan during an H1N109 endemic.
Multi-organisational environment is demonstrating more complexities due the ever-increasing tasks... more Multi-organisational environment is demonstrating more complexities due the ever-increasing tasks’complications that are arising in modern environments. Disease outbreak coordination is but one of these complex tasks, which requires multiskilled and multi-jurisdictional agencies to coordinate together in dynamic environment. This research discusses theoretical foundations and practical approaches to suggest frameworks and methods to study the outcome of some aspects of the complex interorganisational networks in dynamic environments, specifically coordination during disease outbreak. This dissertation studies coordination as being an interdisciplinary domain, and then uses social network theory to model such coordination. As part of the investigation, I have surveyed about 70 health professionals from different skillsets and organisational positions whom have participated in the swine influenza H1N1 2009 outbreak. The interviews collected both qualitative and quantitative data in or...
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 2016
Objective Our study of informal networks aimed to explore information-sharing environments for th... more Objective Our study of informal networks aimed to explore information-sharing environments for the management of disaster medicine and public health preparedness. Understanding interagency coordination in preparing for and responding to extreme events such as disease outbreaks is central to reducing risks and coordination costs. Methods We evaluated the pattern of information flow for actors involved in disaster medicine through social network analysis. Social network analysis of agencies can serve as a basis for the effective design and reconstruction of disaster medicine response coordination structures. This research used new theoretical approaches in suggesting a framework and a method to study the outcome of complex inter-organizational networks in coordinating disease outbreak response. We present research surveys of 70 health professionals from different skill sets and organizational positions during the swine influenza A (H1N1) PDM09 2009 pandemic. The survey and interviews ...
Disaster medicine and public health preparedness, 2015
New theoretical and practical approaches were used to determine the outcome of complex interorgan... more New theoretical and practical approaches were used to determine the outcome of complex interorganizational networks during the 2009 H1N1 outbreak in Australia. Seventy health professionals from different skill sets and organizational positions who participated in the 2009 swine influenza H1N1 outbreak in Australia were surveyed. Interviews were designed to collect both qualitative and quantitative data to build a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the dynamics of interorganizational networks that evolve during the coordinated response to the H1N1 outbreak. Three main components of network theory, ie, degree centrality, connectedness, and tie strength, were used to construct a performance model for assessing networks of preparedness and response. We observed that increasing communication frequency and diversifying the tiers of the interorganizational links enhanced the overall network's performance in the case of formal coordination. Network measures such as centrality, ...
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