Over the last three years the Claremont Graduate University, in collaboration with the University of Minnesota, has investigated the time-critical nature of emergency medical services (EMS) and the implications for information systems that support these services. This proposal aims to extend this work by exploring conceptual model development for time-critical information services generally and EMS specifically and convening a workshop of interested researchers. The motivation for this study and workshop is to improve the public welfare through a better understanding of how IT and organizations interact to deliver time-critical services such as emergency medical services.
Intellectual Merit
While there is a burgeoning literature on digital government processes, to date, there has been minimal attention to the time-criticality dimension of information services. This research and workshop will develop a foundation for conceptual and empirically-based tools that can improve scientific understanding about how information and organizational systems interact to facilitate and/or thwart the delivery of time-critical information services. From a methodological perspective, the project will explore how both qualitative (e.g., ethnographies) and quantitative (e.g., simulation) methods can aid in understanding end-to-end performance of e-government services.
Broader Impacts
The project findings are aimed to improve the performance of time-critical egovernment services. This information can serve a broad range of policy makers (including transportation, health care, public safety, and emergency management) and increase general understanding of information technology and organizational dynamics associated with time-critical information services. By increasing the time-responsiveness of services such as EMS, the aim is to benefit a broad range of citizens from diverse racial, income, and ethnic backgrounds.
