title: Toward a collaborative model of pandemic preparedness and response: Taiwan's changing approach to pandemics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Over time, as newly emerging infectious diseases have become increasingly common and more easily spread, it has become clear that traditional response mechanisms have proven inadequate to the task of prevention and control.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore whether enhanced cooperation with local government and community institutions can effectively supplement traditional state-centric public health epidemic responses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Drawing on Taiwan as a case study, we assess the role of the whole-of-society approach to epidemic response as arises from the collaborative governance literature. The approach calls for enhanced cooperation, trust building, resource sharing and consensus-oriented decision making among multiple levels of government, business, non-profits, and the public in general.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Taiwan case illustrates the benefits of the whole-of-society approach. Enhanced cooperation between state, local government and non-state institutions, particularly neighborhood committees, has resulted in a strengthened, holistic epidemic preparedness and response infrastructure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Taiwan case provides evidence that by implementing the whole-of-society approach to pandemic preparedness and response governments can enhance their ability to manage future outbreaks. We recommend that governments beyond Taiwan's borders seriously consider adopting this approach.
authors.affiliation: Department of Political Science, State University of New York, New Paltz, NY 12561, USA. Electronic address: schwartj@newpaltz.edu.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Disease, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; National Yang-Ming University, School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: myyen1121@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Muh-Yong
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Yen
mesh_terms: D002959:Civil Defense / Q000458:organization & administration*; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003659:Decision Making, Organizational; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration; D006076:Government; D006285:Health Planning; D006801:Humans; D009939:Organizations, Nonprofit; D058873:Pandemics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D017149:Private Sector; D011635:Public Health Administration; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D013219:State Government; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Taiwan; collaborative governance; pandemic preparedness