Efficient Health Information Management Systems Using Wireless Communications Technology to Aid Disaster Victims

Abstract

Japan is an earthquake-prone country, and disasters have a devastating effect on the lives of residents in stricken areas. Shelters can be constructed in order to secure the physical safety of residents, but there are no such provisions for the shock of experiencing a disaster, losing property and friends, and transitioning to an unfamiliar life in a shelter, all of which can lead to mental disorders. Caretakers such as medical doctors and nurses who are dispatched to disaster sites also face difficulties in the disruption of communications and transportation, thus a system able to secure efficient health management in those facilities is also required. This paper proposes a health information management system that utilizes mobile phone cameras and mark-sensing cards to improve recovery conditions in disaster-stricken areas.

Designing a model of patient tracking system for natural disaster in Iran

“…A component derived from the model in the present study regarding technology theme was the use of PDAs in triage and secondary triage of the patients in the scene by rescuers and emergency medical services team, identifying the patients, taking photographs of the patients for subsequent identification, monitoring vital signs, recording the patients’ main complaints and vital information, medical care, and status of evacuation from the scene, mapping for planning for the scene, observing and rapidly transferring the resources to different zones. This is consistent with wireless medical system for triage of advanced aid disaster network,[ 31 ] study of three groups of Washington's public health and prehospital emergency services supported with National Medical Library,[ 25 ] electronic patient record at John's Mercy Medical Center at the USA,[ 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 ] Wireless Internet Information System for Medical Response in Disasters in common project of University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology Funded by the National Library of Medicine,[ 18 44 ] Patient at a Glance and Emergency Vital Signs Tracking’ project in England,[ 32 ] Disaster and Mass Casualty Information Management System collaborating with Tokyo Electronic Systems Corporation in collaboration with the Osaka General Medical Center of the Osaka,[ 27 ] project on information-support solution in Emergency Medical services of Fukuoka Medical Association. [ 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 …”

Climate change and eHealth: a promising strategy for health sector mitigation and adaptation

“…Table 2 provides examples of promising eHealth adaptation strategies, and describes their potential benefits and limitations. These strategies include the use of telemedicine and mobile technology in anthropogenic and natural disasters ( 60 – 63 ), provision of point-of-care diagnostic tools ( 64 ), strengthening of public health surveillance using mobile technologies, and promoting knowledge, awareness and preparedness among the public, volunteers and health workers in regions with large burdens of disease ( 65 – 67 ).…”