Hemodialysis Record Sharing: Solution for Work Burden Reduction and Disaster Preparedness

BACKGROUND: After the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, backup systems for clinical information were launched in Japan. The system in Miyagi Prefecture called the Miyagi Medical and Welfare Information Network (MMWIN) is used as a health information exchange network to share clinical information among various medical facilities for patients who have opted in. Hospitals and clinics specializing in chronic renal failure require patients’ data and records during hemodialysis to facilitate communication in daily clinical activity and preparedness for disasters. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to facilitate the sharing of clinical data of patients undergoing hemodialysis among different hemodialysis facilities. METHODS: We introduced a document-sharing system to make hemodialysis reports available on the MMWIN. We also recruited hospitals and clinics to share the hemodialysis reports of their patients and promoted the development of a network between emergency and dialysis clinics. RESULTS: In addition to basic patient information as well as information on diagnosis, prescription, laboratory data, hospitalization, allergy, and image data from different facilities, specific information about hemodialysis is available, as well as a backup of indispensable information in preparation for disasters. As of June 1, 2021, 12 clinics and 10 hospitals of 68 dialysis facilities in Miyagi participated in the MMWIN. The number of patients who underwent hemodialysis in Miyagi increased by more than 40%. CONCLUSIONS: Our backup system successfully developed a network of hemodialysis facilities. We have accumulated data that are beneficial to prevent the fragmentation of patient information and would be helpful in transferring patients efficiently during unpredictable disasters.