1. Plus91 Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
Title: Learnings from Japan: National Health IT Networks are required
Authors: Nrip Nihalani
http://www.plus91.in
http://technology4doctors.blogspot.com
Learnings from Japan: National Health IT
Networks are required
by Nrip Nihalani
Source: Technology for Doctors (http://www.technology4doctors.blogspot.com)
The past few days have involved almost all of us praying for Japan which was ravaged
by a severe earthquake and tsunami. Japan's most powerful earthquake in 140 years
struck the north-east coast on March 11th 2011, triggering a massive tsunami leaving
behind many homeless and stranded. (Information and Situation Report from WHO)
As we continue praying for hope in Japan, we are also learning all we can about how
disasters can impact the way we live and seek to improve. Sadly, Japan now faces severe
logistical problems and with the latest news on the mishap at a nuclear reactor, the
situation only seems to be getting worse. While Japanese officials have more pressing
issues on their hands, a problem that will arise as time progresses will be that those left
alive may find themselves without their medical records. Natural disasters wipe out
everything — including paper medical records as well as computer and communication
networks.
In this time of national crisis, it would have certainly been helpful for Japan to have a
robust Healthcare IT network in place. A collaborative one where it is easy to share
data, which is securely backed up redundantly in multiple locations that would leverage
geographical diversity as a means of countering nature’s unpredictability: Geographical
Division Multiplexing if you please;
While Japan does have a Healthcare IT strategy setup, with benefits and stimulus funds,
it is relatively new and yet to mature. Health data digitization and Electronic Record
Keeping is still in its infancy. Japan does not boast of large scale Electronic Medical
Record coverage.
Wouldn’t any country ride out disasters better with health data sharing in place? This
should be taken as a wakeup call as well as a learning lesson by all nations which haven’t
yet devoted time and money to setting up Nationwide Health IT Infrastructures.
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©2006-2011 Plus91 Technologies Pvt. Ltd

2. Plus91 Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
Title: Learnings from Japan: National Health IT Networks are required
Authors: Nrip Nihalani
http://www.plus91.in
http://technology4doctors.blogspot.com
India for one must be looking at learning from this. Having a Nationwide Health IT
Strategy should be treated as important as a Tsunami Alerting System (TAS). Purists
will argue that a Nationwide Health IT System is not intended for alerting and helping
contain situations like the TAS. And they are not completely wrong.
In many cases it has been observed that long term benefits are eventually forgotten.
Instead, this concept of “Long Term benefits” must be replaced with Pre-planned Goals
which must be “Sought” on maturity of a model. Now, any system can provide a set of
benefits directly on implementation, and an additional set when it has matured.
Similarly, the use case of using a Nationwide Health IT System for predicting and
alerting requires a certain amount of usage at first. A sophisticated and mature
Nationwide Healthcare Network built using technology can identify the emergence of
possible pandemics. Trends in symptoms can help identify risk areas, and collaborative
diagnosis can help is sharing treatment plans and improving them.
One must understand that if maturity of a network is required for additional goals and
since that takes time, one must seek to implement early.
Links of Interest
WHO Page on Environmental Health in Emergencies
WHO page on Myths and Realities in Disaster Situations
About Plus91:
Plus91 is a Healthcare Technology firm developing Innovative High Quality Solutions
for the Indian Healthcare Industry. These vary in complexity from Simple Practice
Management Suites to complicated Telemedicine Enabled EMR's. Plus91 is defining
what the next generation of Healthcare needs to be. Maximized across locations, people,
solutions and verticals; we cater to a growing mass of people in an integrated and ever
changing environment.
Permalink: http://technology4doctors.blogspot.com/2011/03/learnings-from-japan-national-health-it.html
©2006-2011 Plus91 Technologies Pvt. Ltd

3. Plus91 Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
Title: Learnings from Japan: National Health IT Networks are required
Authors: Nrip Nihalani
http://www.plus91.in
http://technology4doctors.blogspot.com
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Permalink: http://technology4doctors.blogspot.com/2011/03/learnings-from-japan-national-health-it.html
©2006-2011 Plus91 Technologies Pvt. Ltd