Abstract
This research employed an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design, beginning
with qualitative research followed by quantitative research. The conceptual frameworks were
implementation research and outcome assessment using the RE-AIM framework. The
objective of this study was to explore strategies for implementing geographic information
innovations to support emergency medical services, disaster response, and home care visits
in alignment with the decentralization of the public health mission under the Chiang Rai
Provincial Administrative Organization.
Two groups of participants were purposively selected: 53 stakeholders in disaster
response and 425 vulnerable individuals or caregivers from Mueang District and Mae Sai
District in Chiang Rai. The study was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of
the Chiang Rai Provincial Public Health Office, Ministry of Public Health (COA 149/2567), and
conducted between December 2024 and September 2025. Data were collected through
interviews, observations, and document reviews. All steps involved content analysis and
triangulation, presented in narrative form. The quantitative phase used questionnaires
analyzed with descriptive statistics. Data from the spatial database system and geographic
location indicator maps were processed using ready-made software programs and presented
narratively.
The findings identified eight strategies to drive policy implementation for the effective
utilization of innovations: (1) development of infrastructure and technology systems, (2)
enhancement of personnel capacity, (3) integration of Geohealth data and interagency
coordination, (4) application of innovation in emergency medical services, (5) strengthening
disaster preparedness through innovation, (6) upgrading home visit systems for both postdisaster and routine conditions, (7) establishing mechanisms for public participation, and (8)
formulating regulations and standards.
The disaster response command center web application, named the Geohealth -
Emergency Operations Center (G-EOC), was developed as part of the project. Its scope
included: (1) designing the incident command center web application, (2) designing the UX/UI
for the disaster management platform, (3) creating a system to facilitate big data analysis, (4)
developing additional features to complete the system, and (5) establishing the Geohealth
system to support the emergency operations center. Evaluation results from both participant
groups indicated that all features of the G-EOC were highly beneficial (M = 3.87–4.80).
Policy recommendations at the regional health level include: (1) integrating G-EOC
with emergency response planning and home visits by identifying at-risk communities and
areas with limited access to health services, thereby prioritizing home visits during both
routine and post-disaster situations; and (2) establishing indicators along with monitoring and
evaluation frameworks to assess performance and support continuous operational
improvement.
