Time-critical information services: update on exploratory analysis of emergency response and related e-governmental services

ABSTRACT

Time-critical information services (TCIS) is defined as the medical necessity to deliver emergency services as rapidly as possible, coupled with the dependence of these services upon accurate and timely information from multiple organizations. This paper provides a discussion of the authors' current National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded project involving TCIS, with specific reference to its use in emergency response and related e-government services. The project includes the development of a general framework for understanding and researching the end-to-end performance of inter-organizational e-governmental services and findings from an expert workshop held at the National Center for Digital Government. The TCIS invitational workshop allowed for expert (academic and practitioner) input and feedback on the TCIS dimensions and the best means for understanding their occurrence in on-the-ground emergency medical services (EMS). Workshop participants analyzed TCIS from a socio-technical perspective and provided conceptual, practitioner and methodological critiques and suggestions. Overall, participants found the concept of TCIS to be a valid model for understanding, researching, and developing e-government systems within the specific context of emergency response as well as within the broader context of time-critical services to the public. Workshop recommendations focused on the need to closely assess inter-agency and inter-organizational information exchanges along and between three levels: technical, organizational, and governance.

REFERENCES

• 1: Horan, T., and Schooley, B. (2005a). Time-Critical Information Services. Communications of the ACM. (Accepted and forthcoming).
• 2: Thomas A. Horan , Benjamin Schooley, Inter-organizational Emergency Medical Services: Case Study of Rural Wireless Deployment and Management, Information Systems Frontiers, v.7 n.2, p.155-173, May 2005 [doi>10.1007/s10796-005-1476-1]

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.6 MANAGEMENT OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS
      K.6.1 Project and People Management
          Subjects: Systems analysis and design

Additional Classification:
  J. Computer Applications
  J.1 ADMINISTRATIVE DATA PROCESSING
      Subjects: Government

  K. Computing Milieux
  K.6 MANAGEMENT OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS
      K.6.4 System Management

General Terms:
Design, Management