Work

Enhancing crisis response efficiency through ICT: A Delphi study on operational and decision-making improvements in mass casualty incidents

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Objective: This study investigates the role of information and communication technology (ICT) in mass casualty incidents (MCIs), focusing on its potential to enhance coordination and decision-making during the training and operational phases.Methods: A three-round Delphi study was conducted between 10 February and 20 September 2024, involving 25 international experts from academia, clinical practice and health informatics. A SWOT analysis was conducted to synthesise the results.Results: The SWOT analysis revealed six strengths: the use of drones, global positioning systems, artificial intelligence (AI), and electronic dashboards to enhance operational efficiency in MCIs, along with virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to improve the cost-effectiveness of training; five opportunities: leveraging the Internet of Things to improve communication, VR and AR as transformative training technologies, financial incentives, development of specialised digital tools, the use of AI for MCI analytics; five weaknesses: lack of standardisation and interoperability, lack of ICT-supported training, resistance to change, ICT infrastructure and cybersecurity vulnerabilities, cost and complexity of implementing electronic triage; and five threats: financial and legislative barriers, limited access to the IoT infrastructure, scepticism towards ICT use, inadequate technological readiness, and neutral perceptions regarding the cost-effectiveness of ICT in MCIs and suitability of technical infrastructure for its adoption in MCIs.Conclusions: The integration of ICT into MCI management offers significant potential to enhance decision-making and operational efficiency. However, successfully implementing these technologies in practice depends on effectively addressing the weaknesses and threats identified in this study. Future research should target ICT scalability, interoperability, and evaluation.

Source: Sustainable Futures

DOI: 10.1016/j.sftr.2025.101259

Authors: Primož Režek, Boštjan Žvanut

Institution: University of Primorska

Language: English

Topic: Disaster Response and Management

Subfield: Emergency Medical Services

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Industry, innovation and infrastructure, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,340