A subgroup of the Task Force for Mass Critical Care (TFMCC) used a three-round modified Delphi process to evaluate communication and coordination strategies during pandemics and disasters, drawing on 147 evidence statements from peer-reviewed literature, gray sources, and expert experience.
The process yielded 22 consensus-based suggestions; key findings emphasize transparent, timely, science-based public communication via social media, standardized crisis care frameworks, Medical Operations Coordination Centers, interoperable health information systems, equitable resource allocation, and integration of emergency department expertise into hospital incident command.
Consensus-based methodology relies heavily on expert opinion and anecdotal experience rather than controlled trial evidence; generalizability may be limited by the composition and perspectives of the task force subgroup.
During disasters, health systems should invest in proactive social media engagement, interoperable real-time data systems, and coordinated supply-chain logistics to the 'last mile.' Avoid restrictive visitation policies that block surrogate decision-making, and embed ED expertise within hospital incident command structures.
