DSS for field hospitals planning. Technological and functional aspects

Area of Science:

• Disaster medicine
• Public health preparedness
• Healthcare management

Background:

• Natural and social disasters have surged by 250% in 50 years, impacting over 800 million people.
• Disaster causes are diverse and often unpredictable, necessitating robust medical response strategies.
• Field Hospitals (FH) are vital for high-standard medical care during disasters, aiming to reduce mortality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a Decision Support Model (DSS) for effective Field Hospital (FH) planning.
• To optimize FH deployment based on disaster characteristics and local healthcare capacity.
• To define technical and technological requirements for FH in disaster scenarios.

Main Methods:

• Development of a Decision Support Model (DSS) for FH planning.
• Integration of disaster typology, affected area, population size, and local health system capacity into the DSS.
• Specification of FH technical and technological needs within the DSS framework.

Main Results:

• The DSS enables tailored FH planning for diverse disaster types and locations.
• The model considers population impact and existing local health infrastructure.
• DSS provides clear guidelines on FH technical specifications and necessary technology.

Conclusions:

• The DSS is a fundamental tool for planning effective Field Hospitals.
• Optimized FH planning through the DSS can significantly improve disaster medical response.
• The model enhances preparedness by defining essential FH resources and capabilities.