A resource management tool for public health continuity of operations during disasters

We developed and validated a user-centered information system to support the local planning of public health continuity of operations for the Community Health Services Division, Public Health - Seattle & King County, Washington.

The Continuity of Operations Data Analysis (CODA) system was designed as a prototype developed using requirements identified through participatory design. CODA uses open-source software that links personnel contact and licensing information with needed skills and clinic locations for 821 employees at 14 public health clinics in Seattle and King County. Using a web-based interface, CODA can visualize locations of personnel in relationship to clinics to assist clinic managers in allocating public health personnel and resources under dynamic conditions.

Based on user input, the CODA prototype was designed as a low-cost, user-friendly system to inventory and manage public health resources. In emergency conditions, the system can run on a stand-alone battery-powered laptop computer. A formative evaluation by managers of multiple public health centers confirmed the prototype design's usefulness. Emergency management administrators also provided positive feedback about the system during a separate demonstration.

Validation of the CODA information design prototype by public health managers and emergency management administrators demonstrates the potential usefulness of building a resource management system using open-source technologies and participatory design principles.