TY - JOUR T1 - Systems thinking for health emergencies: use of process mapping during outbreak response JF - BMJ Global Health JO - BMJ Global Health DO - 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-003901 VL - 5 IS - 10 SP - e003901 AU - Kara N Durski AU - Dhamari Naidoo AU - Shalini Singaravelu AU - Anita A Shah AU - Mamadou Harouna Djingarey AU - Pierre Formenty AU - Chikwe Ihekweazu AU - James Banjura AU - Benoit Kebela AU - Adesola Yinka-Ogunleye AU - Ibrahima-Soce Fall AU - Womi Eteng AU - Mohamed Vandi AU - Charles Keimbe AU - Anwar Abubakar AU - Abulazeez Mohammed AU - Desmond E Williams AU - Margaret Lamunu AU - Sylvie Briand AU - Jean Claude Changa Changa AU - Etienne Minkoulou AU - Dan Jernigan AU - Demba Lubambo AU - Asheena Khalakdina AU - Ibrahim Mamadu AU - Ambrose Talisuna AU - Albert Mbule Kadiobo AU - Amara Jambai AU - Bruce Aylward AU - Michael Osterholm Y1 - 2020/10/01 UR - http://gh.bmj.com/content/5/10/e003901.abstract N2 - Process mapping is a systems thinking approach used to understand, analyse and optimise processes within complex systems. We aim to demonstrate how this methodology can be applied during disease outbreaks to strengthen response and health systems. Process mapping exercises were conducted during three unique emerging disease outbreak contexts with different: mode of transmission, size, and health system infrastructure. System functioning improved considerably in each country. In Sierra Leone, laboratory testing was accelerated from 6 days to within 24 hours. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, time to suspected case notification reduced from 7 to 3 days. In Nigeria, key data reached the national level in 48 hours instead of 5 days. Our research shows that despite the chaos and complexities associated with emerging pathogen outbreaks, the implementation of a process mapping exercise can address immediate response priorities while simultaneously strengthening components of a health system. ER -