DV 100 as a Framework for the Hospital Incident Command System (OrAKEL)

The Service Regulation DV 100 as an Organizational Structure for Establishing the Hospital Incident Command System

There is limited scientific research on the organizational structure of the Hospital Incident Command System. The Hospital Alarm and Emergency Planning manual by the German Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) recommends a continental staff system-based organization, as outlined in the Service Regulation DV 100, similar to military, fire, and police structures. This approach is frequently discussed at professional conferences, but evidence on its functionality in hospitals is lacking. This study aims to generate new insights into the use of a continental staff system-based Hospital Incident Command System and qualitatively analyze transition and communication processes within the command structure.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Communication; Emergency; Disaster; Crisis Response Plan
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: No interventions.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 20

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Maik von der Forst, MD, MHBA, DESAIC; Phone Number: +49 6221 56264-60; Email: Maik.Forst@med.uni-heidelberg.de

Study Locations

• Germany
  • Heidelberg, Germany
    • Recruiting
    • University Hospital Heidelberg
    • Contact: Maik von der Forst, MD MHBA DESAIC; Phone Number: 49 6221 56264-60; Email: Maik.Forst@med.uni-heidelberg.de

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population comprises all Heidelberg University Hospital staff potentially involved in the hospital incident command system

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Participation in at least one hospital incident command system (ICS) training and, if applicable, in a ICS exercise.

Written informed consent from the employee for participation in the second part of the study (semi-structured interview)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Decline of study participation

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
University Hospital Heidelberg staff eligible for deployment in the hospital incident command system; Only adult employees capable of giving informed consent are included. The study population comprises all University Hospital Heidelberg staff potentially involved in the hospital incident command system.	Other: No interventions.; This is an observational study with no interventions.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Exploration of leadership communication and dynamics during the transition from routine clinical operations to an emergency situation	Assessed through semi-structured interviews based on Grounded Theory, a systematic method for developing theories through the analysis of qualitative data	During the table-top exercise on May 26 and May 27, 2025.
Assessment of training and exercise effects within a structured (according to DV-100) hospital incident command system, including challenges, resistance, benefits, subjective participant experiences, potential improvements, and alternatives	Assessed through semi-structured interviews based on Grounded Theory, a systematic method for developing theories through the analysis of qualitative data	During the table-top exercise on May 26 and May 27, 2025.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Examination of the applicability of the traditional incident command concept in hospitals, considering a workforce largely inexperienced in continental staff system-based work.	Assessed through semi-structured interviews based on Grounded Theory, a systematic method for developing theories through the analysis of qualitative data	During the table-top exercise on May 26 and May 27, 2025.
Evaluation of participants' operational confidence	Assessed through semi-structured interviews based on Grounded Theory, a systematic method for developing theories through the analysis of qualitative data	During the table-top exercise on May 26 and May 27, 2025.
Analysis of communication behaviors within the command functions	Assessed through semi-structured interviews based on Grounded Theory, a systematic method for developing theories through the analysis of qualitative data	During the table-top exercise on May 26 and May 27, 2025.
Assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of a structured hospital incident command system	Assessed through semi-structured interviews based on Grounded Theory, a systematic method for developing theories through the analysis of qualitative data	During the table-top exercise on May 26 and May 27, 2025.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University Hospital Heidelberg
• Collaborators: Prof. Erik Popp, MD; Prof. Markus Ries, MD, PhD, MHSc, MA, FCP, FIBODM; Janna Küllenberg, PhD; Kirsten Bikowski; Hanne Schäfer, RN, BS, MS

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 29, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): April 29, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 25, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 2, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): April 6, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 11, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 10, 2025
• Last Verified: July 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Crisis Management; Hospital Incident Command System; Continental Staff System; Service Regulation DV 100; Disaster Management; Emergency Planning; Hospital Alarm and Emergency Planning; Organizational Structure; Communication Processes; Transition Processes; Healthcare Emergency Response; Civil Protection; Disaster Assistance; Incident Command Structure; Emergency Management Systems
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Disease Attributes; Emergencies
• Other Study ID Numbers: OrAKEL

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No