Systems thinking for health emergencies: use of process mapping during outbreak response

Kara N. Durski; Dhamari Naidoo; Shalini Singaravelu; Anita A. Shah; Mamadou Harouna Djingarey; Pierre Formenty; Chikwe Ihekweazu; James Banjura; Benoit Kebela; Adesola Yinka-Ogunleye; Ibrahima Soce Fall; Womi Eteng; Mohamed Vandi; Charles Keimbe; Anwar Abubakar; Abulazeez Mohammed; Desmond E. Williams; Margaret Lamunu; Sylvie Briand; Jean Claude Changa Changa; Etienne Minkoulou; Dan Jernigan; Demba Lubambo; Asheena Khalakdina; Ibrahim Mamadu; Ambrose Talisuna; Albert Mbule Kadiobo; Amara Jambai; Bruce Aylward; Michael Osterholm

doi:10.1136/BMJGH-2020-003901

Systems thinking for health emergencies: use of process mapping during outbreak response

Kara N. Durski, Dhamari Naidoo, Shalini Singaravelu, Anita A. Shah, Mamadou Harouna Djingarey, Pierre Formenty, Chikwe Ihekweazu, James Banjura, Benoit Kebela, Adesola Yinka-Ogunleye, Ibrahima Soce Fall, Womi Eteng, Mohamed Vandi, Charles Keimbe, Anwar Abubakar, Abulazeez Mohammed, Desmond E. Williams, Margaret Lamunu, Sylvie Briand, Jean Claude Changa ChangaEtienne Minkoulou, Dan Jernigan, Demba Lubambo, Asheena Khalakdina, Ibrahim Mamadu, Ambrose Talisuna, Albert Mbule Kadiobo, Amara Jambai, Bruce Aylward, Michael Osterholm

Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

Process mapping is a systems thinking approach used to understand, analyse and optimise processes within complex systems. We aim to demonstrate how this methodology can be applied during disease outbreaks to strengthen response and health systems. Process mapping exercises were conducted during three unique emerging disease outbreak contexts with different: mode of transmission, size, and health system infrastructure. System functioning improved considerably in each country. In Sierra Leone, laboratory testing was accelerated from 6 days to within 24 hours. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, time to suspected case notification reduced from 7 to 3 days. In Nigeria, key data reached the national level in 48 hours instead of 5 days. Our research shows that despite the chaos and complexities associated with emerging pathogen outbreaks, the implementation of a process mapping exercise can address immediate response priorities while simultaneously strengthening components of a health system.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	e003901
Journal	BMJ Global Health
Volume	5
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1136/BMJGH-2020-003901
State	Published - Oct 2020

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© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

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Durski, K. N., Naidoo, D., Singaravelu, S., Shah, A. A., Djingarey, M. H., Formenty, P., Ihekweazu, C., Banjura, J., Kebela, B., Yinka-Ogunleye, A., Fall, I. S., Eteng, W., Vandi, M., Keimbe, C., Abubakar, A., Mohammed, A., Williams, D. E., Lamunu, M., Briand, S., ... Osterholm, M. (2020). Systems thinking for health emergencies: use of process mapping during outbreak response. BMJ Global Health, 5(10), Article e003901. https://doi.org/10.1136/BMJGH-2020-003901

Durski, KN, Naidoo, D, Singaravelu, S, Shah, AA, Djingarey, MH, Formenty, P, Ihekweazu, C, Banjura, J, Kebela, B, Yinka-Ogunleye, A, Fall, IS, Eteng, W, Vandi, M, Keimbe, C, Abubakar, A, Mohammed, A, Williams, DE, Lamunu, M, Briand, S, Changa, JCC, Minkoulou, E, Jernigan, D, Lubambo, D, Khalakdina, A, Mamadu, I, Talisuna, A, Kadiobo, AM, Jambai, A, Aylward, B & Osterholm, M 2020, 'Systems thinking for health emergencies: use of process mapping during outbreak response', BMJ Global Health, vol. 5, no. 10, e003901. https://doi.org/10.1136/BMJGH-2020-003901

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abstract = "Process mapping is a systems thinking approach used to understand, analyse and optimise processes within complex systems. We aim to demonstrate how this methodology can be applied during disease outbreaks to strengthen response and health systems. Process mapping exercises were conducted during three unique emerging disease outbreak contexts with different: mode of transmission, size, and health system infrastructure. System functioning improved considerably in each country. In Sierra Leone, laboratory testing was accelerated from 6 days to within 24 hours. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, time to suspected case notification reduced from 7 to 3 days. In Nigeria, key data reached the national level in 48 hours instead of 5 days. Our research shows that despite the chaos and complexities associated with emerging pathogen outbreaks, the implementation of a process mapping exercise can address immediate response priorities while simultaneously strengthening components of a health system.",

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AU - Eteng, Womi

AU - Vandi, Mohamed

AU - Keimbe, Charles

AU - Abubakar, Anwar

AU - Mohammed, Abulazeez

AU - Williams, Desmond E.

AU - Lamunu, Margaret

AU - Briand, Sylvie

AU - Changa, Jean Claude Changa

AU - Minkoulou, Etienne

AU - Jernigan, Dan

AU - Lubambo, Demba

AU - Khalakdina, Asheena

AU - Mamadu, Ibrahim

AU - Talisuna, Ambrose

AU - Kadiobo, Albert Mbule

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AU - Aylward, Bruce

AU - Osterholm, Michael

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Systems thinking for health emergencies: use of process mapping during outbreak response

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