Developing a Healthcare Transformational Leadership Competency Framework for Disaster Resilience and Risk Management

Climate change-induced hazards increasingly threaten healthcare systems worldwide, amplifying the frequency and severity of disasters and their adverse health effects. This necessitates fortified healthcare leadership and resilient systems capable of delivering quality care amidst escalating environmental challenges and emphasises the need for standardised competency frameworks to enhance disaster readiness and response. As healthcare organisations face evolving challenges, cultivating transformational leadership competencies becomes essential for building adaptive, resilient, and effective disaster management strategies.

This conceptual paper addresses the research question: "How can healthcare leaders' competencies be developed to support healthcare disaster resilience and risk management?". It employs Transformational Leadership Theory and the author’s previously published ‘APRRA Model’ to develop a competency framework for healthcare disaster resilience. Methods include literature review, comparative analysis, and synthesis, aiming to construct a transformative leadership model. Analyses explore societal relationships and the influence of fixed conditions, while synthesised frameworks clarify dimensions and relationships.Eight ‘domains’ of competencies were identified, in addition to other ‘transferring skills.’ The domains were analysed regarding their component competencies and were broadly classified into knowledge, cognitive and interpersonal skills, and attitudes. This classification is proposed as a ‘Healthcare Transformational Leadership Competency Framework’ (HTLCF) for disaster resilience and risk management. The HTLCF supports leaders in navigating complexities, anticipating risks, and facilitating collaboration, communication, and accountability, leveraging their transformative agency. Recommendations associated with the framework include developing a standard disaster curriculum and enhancing academic and continuous training to strengthen disaster preparedness and response efforts.