Structured decision-making for the management of a biological fieldable laboratory during outbreaks: a case for European Union Civil Protection Mechanism (EUCPM)

Abstract

Fast on-scene deployment of an analytical laboratory capacity to help contain an outbreak of infectious disease requires setting up an appropriate policy framework and a range of operating procedures to ensure efficient support to decision-making, as well as the optimal engagement and use of dedicated resources. This work focuses on fully autonomous deployment when the mobile capacity operators themselves need to make decisions and implement all the operational functions (OFs), from basic needs like provision of equipment, power supply, food and accommodation for the staff, to complicated procedures like logistics of transportation and supply chain. A model of the identity and structure of specific decision-making requirements for a generic deployment of laboratory capacities was built from the real experience during specific deployments of the operators and managers of the Belgian capacity Biological Light Fieldable Laboratory for Emergencies (B-LiFE). Self- and external assessments were conducted and lessons learned successively reviewed after each deployment by B-LiFE laboratory operators and managers and observers in the framework of European demonstration projects and joint exercises. The result was consolidated by integrating the assessment of European Commission-appointed certifiers during the certification procedure of B-LIFE as a self-sufficient module of the European Medical Corps, namely the European modules exercise “Modex” in April 2017 (Revinge, Sweden) followed by the “ModTTX 4” Table-top in May 2017 (Bruges, Belgium). A complete and updated set of Fieldable Laboratory operational functions is presented, including their contents, cross-links, inter-dependencies, information needs for implementation, and related decisions.