Introduction: In May 2023, the Emilia-Romagna Region experienced two unprecedented rainfall episodes, leading to severe flooding and landslides, especially in the Romagna area, its Southernmost part. This study aimed to assess the health response to the May 2023 floods in this area by identifying the main actions undertaken in response to the floods and by highlighting criticalities and lessons learned. Methods: This study was conducted in the context of a collaboration between CRIMEDIM, the Center for Research and Training in Disaster Medicine, Humanitarian Aid and Global Health, and the Romagna Local Healthcare Authority. To achieve the objective, a retrospective qualitative case study design was chosen, and semi-structured interviews were employed to gather in-depth information on the experiences and perspectives of key informants involved in the flood response. Results: Interviewees consisted of 25 key informants related to the following fields: authorities and public administration, health management, public health, primary care, social services, hospital and emergency care system, communication, and the third sector. The findings highlight the strain on the local health system, including service and infrastructure disruptions. The response strategies have been analyzed and clustered in phases (alert and activation, coordination, communication, identification of vulnerable individuals, evacuation management, surge capacity, health service delivery, logistics, and the role of volunteers), offering a comprehensive overview of local disaster response strategies. Recommendations include enhancing the interoperability of health information systems for disaster management, improving the coordination of evacuations for at-risk populations, improving the capacity to map fragile and vulnerable populations, and strengthening spontaneous volunteers. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of collaborations between local health authorities and academia for ongoing evaluations to enhance disaster response and resilience. Full authorship: Valente Martina, Del Prete Clara, Facci Giulia, Martino Ardigò, Grilli Roberto Giuseppe, Bravi Francesca, Reno Chiara, Ragazzoni Luca
Valente et al. (Sun,) studied this question.