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Background <p>Mass casualty incidents (MCI) are of significant public health concern. Most health facilities in developing countries often struggle to be fully prepared for MCI. MCI preparedness among other factors involves important processes like communication among staff on the emergency response team, patients, and the public; and the coordination of emergency care services delivery. In this study, we explored staff experiences at a district-level university hospital in Ghana regarding communication and coordination during MCI.</p> Methods <p>We conducted an exploratory descriptive qualitative study at a University Hospital between August 2024 and February 2025. We collected data through in-depth interviews. We used a purposive sample of 15 hospital staff. The interview sessions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. We analyzed the data using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis and reflexive thematic analysis approach (2021).</p> Results <p>A total of 15 participants (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, medical laboratory scientist, and administrative staff) were interviewed. Thematic analysis of the data revealed two major themes (communication and coordination) and six sub-themes. The communication sub-theme encompassed internal and external communication as well as communication challenges. The coordination sub-theme comprised decision-making and leadership structures, human resource mobilization, and teamwork and support roles. Internal communication was mostly done through hospital landlines and mobile phones whereas external communication was achieved through Mutual Aid Agreements with other hospitals. Communication challenges included being unable to reach other wards on the landlines and the feedback received about the unavailability of beds at the external facilities. There was no clear leadership structure, leading to ad hoc decision-making by the senior-most medical officer on duty. However, teamwork within the emergency unit was effective during MCIs management. Human resource mobilization was done through staff redeployments from other wards to the emergency unit during patient surge.</p> Conclusions <p>Despite good teamwork and fast mobilization of human resources during MCI, the findings of this study identified gaps in communication networks and absence of designated leadership structures. Implementing standardized communication protocols, clearly defined leadership structures, and improving coordination mechanisms between hospitals may enhance emergency care delivery during MCIs.</p>

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Communication and coordination during mass casualty incidents: experiences of staff from a district-level university hospital in Ghana

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年8月1日

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  • Adwoa Gyamfi,
  • Akosua Benewaa Antwi,
  • Jacob Tetteh,
  • Victoria Bam,
  • Veronica Millicent Dzomeku,
  • Charles N. Mock,
  • Emmanuel Nakua,
  • Christian Amoah,
  • Osei Kwame Wusu-Ansah,
  • Kwame Adjei Akrasi,
  • Peter Donkor

摘要

Background

Mass casualty incidents (MCI) are of significant public health concern. Most health facilities in developing countries often struggle to be fully prepared for MCI. MCI preparedness among other factors involves important processes like communication among staff on the emergency response team, patients, and the public; and the coordination of emergency care services delivery. In this study, we explored staff experiences at a district-level university hospital in Ghana regarding communication and coordination during MCI.

Methods

We conducted an exploratory descriptive qualitative study at a University Hospital between August 2024 and February 2025. We collected data through in-depth interviews. We used a purposive sample of 15 hospital staff. The interview sessions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. We analyzed the data using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis and reflexive thematic analysis approach (2021).

Results

A total of 15 participants (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, medical laboratory scientist, and administrative staff) were interviewed. Thematic analysis of the data revealed two major themes (communication and coordination) and six sub-themes. The communication sub-theme encompassed internal and external communication as well as communication challenges. The coordination sub-theme comprised decision-making and leadership structures, human resource mobilization, and teamwork and support roles. Internal communication was mostly done through hospital landlines and mobile phones whereas external communication was achieved through Mutual Aid Agreements with other hospitals. Communication challenges included being unable to reach other wards on the landlines and the feedback received about the unavailability of beds at the external facilities. There was no clear leadership structure, leading to ad hoc decision-making by the senior-most medical officer on duty. However, teamwork within the emergency unit was effective during MCIs management. Human resource mobilization was done through staff redeployments from other wards to the emergency unit during patient surge.

Conclusions

Despite good teamwork and fast mobilization of human resources during MCI, the findings of this study identified gaps in communication networks and absence of designated leadership structures. Implementing standardized communication protocols, clearly defined leadership structures, and improving coordination mechanisms between hospitals may enhance emergency care delivery during MCIs.