Breaking the Silos: A National Call for Coordination, Data Equity & Shared Preparedness

When Hurricane Beryl ripped through the Gulf a year ago—shutting down power grids and sending families scrambling across state lines—it was yet another reminder: disasters don’t respect borders.

Neither do pandemics, wildfires, cyberattacks, or supply chain failures. And yet, our preparedness systems remain deeply fragmented—locked in silos across agencies, jurisdictions, and private platforms.

This is not just inefficient. It’s dangerous.

Despite billions in federal investment since COVID-19, more than half of the GAO’s recommendations for emergency preparedness remain unfulfilled. Hospital bed tracking, data-sharing, real-time situational awareness—too often, these still depend on outdated tools and duplicative reporting across states and federal agencies.

The result?

• Delays in response

• Gaps in resource allocation

• Unnecessary strain on frontline systems

• Worse outcomes for communities with fewer resources

• Lack of focus on patient outcomes beyond borders

  
  

We need an all-hands-on-deck approach.

This means moving away from isolated fixes and toward a coordinated, national framework that:

• Aligns federal and state systems

• Standardizes and democratizes data

• Treats technology as a shared public good

• Develops a less-is-more mentality; limiting personal health information

• Builds equitable infrastructure—not just for the largest health systems, but for every community

  
  

Think of it this way: we wouldn’t let each state build its own GPS or 911 system. So why do we treat disaster readiness tools like proprietary silos?

Technology must become infrastructure.

What we need now is:

• Interoperable data streams that connect health systems and responders in real-time

• Centralized utility model, free from specific vendor coding, that accepts diverse data and normalize data into a single stream of actionable information

• Open standards that eliminate duplication and reduce provider burden

• Shared dashboards that deliver a single source of truth—from rural hospitals to the federal response center

• Shared governance models to build trust across regions

  
  

Data shouldn’t be a competitive asset—it should be a collective resource. And the ability to respond quickly shouldn’t depend on a ZIP code.

The time to act is now.

Programs like the NHSN Bed Connectivity Project and legislation like S.2936 are important steps. But if we want to be truly ready—for the next public health crisis, wildfire, cyberattack, or supply chain collapse—we need to build together.

This is a national imperative.

Not 50 states.

Not 10 agencies.

One country.

One coordinated response.

Let’s break the silos.

Let’s build the public good.

And let’s make all hands on deck more than just a phrase—but a national standard.

I’d love to hear how others are working to improve coordination in preparedness, public health, or health tech. What promising models have you seen?

#PublicHealth #EmergencyPreparedness #Interoperability #HealthIT #DataEquity #DisasterResponse #Infrastructure #Policy #HealthInnovation #FederalLeadership #FEMA