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Author Zeno Franco; Chris Davis; Adina Kalet; Michelle Horng; Johnathan Horng; Christian Hernandez; Karen Dotson; Andrew Yaspan; Ajay Kumar; Bas Lijnse
Title Augmenting Google Sheets to Improvise Community COVID-19 Mask Distribution Type Conference Article
Year 2021 Publication ISCRAM 2021 Conference Proceedings – 18th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management Abbreviated Journal Iscram 2021
Volume Issue Pages 359-375
Keywords (up) Logistics, face masks, Google Sheets, modular software, community engagement
Abstract Face mask scarcity in the United States hindered early infection control efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Areas with a history of racial segregation and poverty experienced differential COVID-19 death and morbidity rates. Supplying masks equitably and rapidly became an urgent public health priority. A partnership between a local manufacturer with available polypropylene fabric and the Medical College of Wisconsin, which had the capability to assemble and distribute masks, was formed in April, 2020. An improvised logistics framework allowed for rapid distribution more than 250,000 masks, and later facilitated hand-off to other organizations to distribute over 3 million masks. Using an action research framework three phases of the effort are considered, 1) initial deliveries to community clinics, 2) equitable distribution to community agencies while under “safer at home” orders, and 3) depot deliveries and transfer of logistics management as larger agencies recovered. A multi-actor view was used to interrogate the information needs of faculty and staff remotely directing distribution, medical student volunteers delivering masks, and the manufacturer monitorng overall inventory. Logistics information was managed using Google Sheets augmented with a small SQLite component. A phenomenological view, toggling back and forth from the “socio” to the “technical” provides detailed insight into the strengths and limitations of digital solutions for humanitarian logistics, highlighting where paper-based processes remain more efficient. This case study suggests that rather than building bespoke logistics software, supporting relief efforts with non-traditional responders may benefit from extensible components that augment widely used digital tools.
Address Medical College of Wisconsin; Medical College of Wisconsin; Medical College of Wisconsin; Marquette University; Medical College of Wisconsin; Medical College of Wisconsin; Medical College of Wisconsin; Code for Milwaukee; University of Muenster; Netherlan
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Virginia Tech Place of Publication Blacksburg, VA (USA) Editor Anouck Adrot; Rob Grace; Kathleen Moore; Christopher W. Zobel
Language English Summary Language English Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 978-1-949373-61-5 ISBN Medium
Track Disaster Public Health & Healthcare Informatics in the Pandemic Expedition Conference 18th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management
Notes zfranco@mcw.edu Approved no
Call Number ISCRAM @ idladmin @ Serial 2339
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