In Haiti, Could Twitter and Other Mobile Medical Technology Drive Disaster Response?

As international relief efforts ramp up in Haiti, we are reminded of how fragile society is in many parts of the world. With shanty towns scattered around Port-au-Prince, a health and public services infrastructure devastated by years of natural and human disasters, and a centralized leadership that was only recently beginning to establish legitimacy, the earthquake in Haiti has created a public health crisis of the worst kind. And as we as a global community respond to this tragedy, its worth considering what lessons we can take away from it so that when disaster strikes again, we will be even more prepared. And with that, maybe it’s time we consider how we can actively leverage platforms like Twitter and Facebook to save lives in disaster zones.

Before proceeding any further, I’d like to remind folks that money is the most valuable assistance that most of us can provide right now. While it may feel a bit impersonal, adequate funds allow groups that are on the ground like Doctors Without Borders and the Red Cross to purchase large volumes of essential supplies without worrying about the shipping costs associated with domestic material donations. Here at iMedicalApps, you can probably guess our favorite method of donating is via text message – for more information, check out this article from the New York Times. You can also donate directly to to the American Red Cross, Doctors without Borders, and Save the Children – these are just three large humanitarian organizations with extensive experience in Haiti with relief operations underway.

As the crisis continues to unfold, one thing that has become clear is that mobile technology, particularly via internet platforms like Facebook and Twitter, have again emerged as crucial forms of communication. As CNN describes, Twitter and Facebook have long been powerful ways to spread the word about a range of topics, even giving rise to the notion of “slacktivism” (think of all the Facebook groups dedicated to Darfur but with no discernible activity besides a few posts on the message board). In this current crisis, news outlets are reporting that in many cases Facebook, Twitter, and blog sites have been the sole method of communication for people seeking to share news or request help.

In a nation where the command and control infrastructure has been devastated, a management infrastructure will be critical to saving lives. Take Doctors Without Borders, who will be deploying a number of inflatable hospitals after all of their hospitals in Haiti were destroyed. Where should those hospitals go, how will resources be distributed once they are in place, what about all the make-shift triage centers that will function where the hospitals aren’t – this is an effort to build a public health system from scratch.

If we imagine Twitter as a communications tree, it’s not hard to imagine establishing follower relationships that line up with an organizational hierarchy and various workflows in such a system. For example, consider trying to manage a distribution network for antibiotics across multiple NGO’s throughout the country. Perhaps a Red Cross central supply manager would be followed by various regional rescuers from different organizations, who would then be notified as antibiotic supplies become available. Or in reverse, perhaps the central supply manager becomes a follower for field rescuers, civilians, and anyone else willing to share information on local needs. We could also imagine similar uses for Facebook. For example, initial rescuers in each town, village, or city district could use a Facebook page to post regular updates on needs, deaths, and other essential information. Then if Doctors without Borders was in one village but the Red Cross in another, they could more effectively share information and resources because these platforms can be easily accessed by both and in a sense are “standardized”.

Now, I know this is all grossly simplified.  I can hardly even begin to imagine what its like on the ground right now, but mobile technology is one of the main reasons why we’re even getting a glimpse of the current situation.  Having spent quite a bit of time in a very large hospital, I can tell you that effective management of any healthcare setting or system is critical – being able to put the right people with the right tools in the right place at the right time is something we take for granted because it happens so easily because of the strong infrastructure in place.  After a disaster of such high magnitude, strong leadership based on effective communications and information management will undoubtedly be the difference between life and death for many. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter have proven their resilience in times of civil upheaval, natural disaster, and intentional political censorship. So maybe its time we begin thinking about how we can integrate them into disaster management so the next time something terrible strikes, we’ll be just a little better prepared.