USU National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health Establishes Nationwide Ecosystem to Advance Science, Operations, and Education in Disasters

The National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, a component of the Uniformed Services University, established a Joint Disaster Medicine and Public Health Ecosystem to leverage resources at the speed of response following a disaster or public health emergency event. 

The Ecosystem is a collaboration of medical and public health partners across the country.

Most critically, the Ecosystem allows quick mobilization of resources following a disaster or

public health emergency event. (Photo composite: Flood photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Bryan

Weyers, Fire photo by U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Dennis J. Henry, Jr./Released, Plane

photo by Eric Brown, Atlanta VA Health Care System)

May 10, 2024 by Hadiyah Brendel

Responding to the nation’s next disaster requires more than a quick reaction and an influx of resources. Swift and effective responses must originate from effective partnerships at all levels. Government, academia, and industry must collaborate and contribute when disasters strike. 

Combined with rapid decision-making and wide-ranging expertise, collaborations yielding new capabilities strengthen the nation’s ability to readily respond while minimizing undue burdens to the health of the American people. 

Advancing the nation’s medical and public health disaster readiness is central to the National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health (NCDMPH), a component of the Uniformed Services University (USU). NCDMPH recently established the Joint Disaster Medicine and Public Health Ecosystem to prepare the nation for the next disaster or public health emergency.

The Ecosystem is a collaboration of medical and public health partners across the country that allows NCDMPH to leverage diverse areas of expertise on behalf of the federal government. This model allows NCDMPH to draw on needed capabilities from multiple organizations with demonstrated excellence in medicine and public health. Most critically, the Ecosystem allows quick mobilization of resources. 

“I see the Ecosystem not only as a fundamental partnership of experts working with the National Center but also emergent collaborations that build transdisciplinary approaches to the field of disaster medicine and public health,” says Dr. Kaitlin Lovett, contract employee of the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine and science director for  NCDMPH. 

Lovett says over the years, one issue in the nation’s responses to disasters is that many key organizations and subject matter experts have not collaborated. They often speak to each other for the first time immediately following a disaster or catastrophic event. And when they come together, Lovett says, they don’t understand the “different cultures and goals they have for themselves relative to how one another succeeds.”

The earlier that introductions between experts and organizations occur, “the better able they are to understand their respective equities and metrics for success,” says Lovett. Earlier conversations can also lead to a more coordinated response to an emergency event.

Poised as a bridge between federal agencies and academia, the National Center is ready to facilitate that collaboration within the disaster medicine and public health domain. 

Established in 2008 under the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 21 (HSPD-21), the NCDMPH is both an academic center and a federal organization governed by the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs, Transportation, and State.  They were established to advance the Nation’s medical and public health readiness for disasters. In carrying out this mission, the National Center leads federal efforts to develop and propagate core curricula, research, and training related to medicine and public health in disasters and is charged with maintaining the Nation’s joint disaster medicine and public health science and education program for all executive departments.

During the initial request for proposals to the Ecosystem, NCDMPH contacted academic institutions, non-profit organizations, university-affiliated research centers, and federally-funded research and development centers with disaster and public health experts. 

In their proposals, each organization spoke about its capabilities within three pillars of science, operations, and education, the foundation of the NCDMPH. A strategic focus on science, the utilization of data to inform decisions; operations, guiding decisions toward impact; and education, sustaining excellence and expertise in the field, prepares NCDMPH to effectively respond to a disaster-level event. While not required to show expertise in all three, an Ecosystem partner must demonstrate excellence in at least one domain.  

Each partner also addressed their support and partnership objectives in joining the Ecosystem. Additionally, the proposals differentiated each partner’s ability to support steady-state efforts during peacetime as well as rapidly mobilizing technical experts during disasters and other health emergency events. 

Lovett says the call for proposals will occur on a regular, most likely annual, basis. As gaps appear in the capabilities required of the Ecosystem, more focused requests for proposals may follow. 

At its launch, the Joint Disaster Medicine and Public Health Ecosystem includes 18 partners. Once fully established, NCDMPH can efficiently leverage each partner for their capabilities and link them to the identified site. For instance, NCDMPH may task an organization to design a public health education campaign. Or ask them to conduct a study of medical countermeasure effectiveness--medicines and medical supplies used to diagnose, prevent, or treat disease–following a public health emergency event.

“I hope that NCDMPH can foster relationships in the field of disaster medicine and public health so the nation can better respond during a disaster or other public health emergency,” says Lovett.  “Or we can respond during a conflict by recognizing, leveraging, and linking the diverse strengths of the Ecosystem partners on behalf of the federal interagency,” she continues. 

To find out more information about joining or utilizing the Joint Disaster Medicine and Public Health Ecosystem, contact NCDMPH@usuhs.edu.