Chapter 6: Put Knowledge into Action
Health organizations started vaccinating communities quickly using out-of-the-box technology.
Tackling one of the largest public health initiatives in human history will require speed and agility. Using a single, comprehensive technology platform can help you manage all the moving parts and information quickly and securely while remaining nimble enough to scale up as vaccine availability increases and more members of your population get their shot. Publicizing your progress and sharing information as it becomes available can help build the trust needed to boost vaccination rates and make your program successful.
You’ll get other long-term benefits from upgrading technology. Operating at this scale with agility will not only help you address the challenges of the current pandemic, it can also position you to handle future large-scale crises more quickly and effectively. In addition, demonstrating your ability to meet the current challenges head-on will benefit the relationships you have with your community and foster increased trust and confidence in your capabilities.
The Chicago Department of Public Health launched its vaccine management system for the 2020 flu season and evolved it for COVID-19 vaccines. Systems starting now to address COVID-19 will be primed to address the next public health crisis, whether it’s a new pathogen, the reemergence of an old one, or something entirely different threatening the health of the public.
“ This is a unique experience, and organizations need to move past the notion of existing limitations. This is an opportunity to create a new normal. Organizations can’t be successful by returning to past service models. This is a chance to do something much bigger, much bolder, and more responsive than ever before”
Keep communities healthy once the threat of COVID-19 recedes.
- Stay connected to your community
- Enhance communication and engagement with your constituents
- Use data and reporting to manage threats to public health
