In response to recent real world events impacting public health and medical services, The Yale New Have Center for Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response (YNH-CEPDR) has developed a methodology for collection and analysis for after action reporting of response operation effectiveness. This process has been implemented to multiple real-world events including the 2009/2010 H1N1 response activities. This method utilizes the US Department of Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) doctrine for the collection of response information, analysis and development of After Action Reports.

In this session, participants will be introduced to data collection methods that include a combination of onsite response evaluation by subject matter experts applying a set of established operational response objectives, targeted web-based surveys collecting both qualitative and quantitative data regarding public health and medical staff opinions regarding response operations and achievement of objectives. Also introduced will be focus group interviews to determine response successes, opportunities and recommendations for improvement. This session will also provide an overview on the utilization of additional data sources including situational status reports, press releases, incident action plans and meeting minutes. In additional to providing a framework for developing a comprehensive After Action Report for a real-world response, this process can yield data that can be used to enhance ongoing response operations as well as to support anticipated response operations, such as applying lessons from one pandemic wave to the next. During the session, participants will be provided an opportunity to discuss their process for evaluating real-world events and to identify how this methodology can be integrated into their organization's response evaluation activities.