Rinsho Shinkeigaku (Clinical Neurology)

Symposium 3

IT Network establishment for neuropatients

Koji Abe, M.D., P.h.D.1), Shinichiro Uchiyama, M.D.2), Etsuro Matsubara, M.D, Ph.D.3),Shin-ichi Muramatsu, M.D.4), Naoki Atsuta, M.D.5), Kazuo Kitagawa, M.D., Ph.D.6), Yasuyuki Iguchi, M.D., Ph.D.7), Hiroaki Ooboshi, M.D., Ph.D.8), Ryuji Kaji, M.D.9) and Yasuo Terao, M.D., Ph.D.10)

1)Department of Neurology, Okayama University
2)Department of Neurology, Tokyo Women's Medical University
3)Department of Internal Medicine III, Oita University, Faculty of Medicine
4)Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Jichi Medical University
5)Department of Neurology, Nagoya University
6)Department of Neurology, Osaka University Hospital
7)Department of Neurology, The Jikei University School of Medicine
8)Department of Internal Medicine Fukuoka Dental College Medical & Dental Hospital
9)Department of Neurology, Tokushima University Hospital
10)Department of Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo

On March 11, 2011, big earthquake and subsequent gigantic tsunami killed more than 20,000 peoples in Tohoku area of Japan. Neurological patients were one such victim because they are usually very vulnerable to such a huge tragedy due to their physical disability including artificial ventilator-support. On occasion of the last tsunami, most cases showed "all or nothing" to lose life or to survive, and there were only a little cases who needed emergency surgical treatment. In the very early period, some neurological patients required electric power to keep their life-supportive ventilator at evacuation house or even at home. In a week to a couple of months, many neurological patients needed continuous supply of their daily drugs which are essential to keep themselves in steady physical conditions and even for keeping their life. Japanese Neurological Society (JNS) began to establish an emergent assistant network system from January 2012 in an attempt of supplying materials, drugs and energy power to neurological patients who require both under a very early period after any natural or political disaster and a later period. For example, JNS is going to apply IT system to connect distant but safer hospitals which accept emergent patients from the center of disastrous place. JNS may also send emergency medical team to the disastrous place to save neurological patients by passing necessary medicine and materials or moving patients to safer hospitals. JNS will make such a tentative program public on our website to collect many other constructive opinions from general member of the society and neurological patients. After getting those opinions, JNS made up the exact team for this purpose after general meeting of JNS on this May 2012. Based on this team, disaster-mimic trial will be performed in Tokyo, Shizuoka, and Kochi where the next big disaster is going to hit the cities.
Full Text of this Article in Japanese PDF (720K)

(CLINICA NEUROL, 53: 1155－1158, 2013)
key words: natural disaster rescue network, Japan Neurological Society, IT technology

(Received: 31-May-13)