Japanese EMRs and IT in Medicine: Expansion, Integration, and Reuse of Data

Abstract

ObjectivesThe prevalence of electronic medical record in Japan varies according to the size of the hospital which is 62.5% in major hospitals, 21.7% in medium, 9.1% in small size hospitals, and 16.5% in clinics. The complete paperless system is very limited, though some major hospitals are aiming at this system. Several regional network systems which connect different platforms of EMRs, have been developing in many districts, while the final picture of a regional network has not been clearly proposed. To develop a whole electronic health record or personal health records system from the regional network data, we have several obstacles to overcome such as standardization, a privacy act, unique national health number.MethodsSome experimental trials have just been started. The reuse of the accumulated data has also just been initiated. We exploited text mining systems (term frequency-inverse document frequency method) to find similar cases and auto-audit Japanese diagnosis related group (DRG) coding by using discharge summaries.ResultsThe same or even a more extreme phenomenon of huge data accumulation is occurring in genetic research and confluence of multi-disciplines of informatics is the next step, which has an enormous accumulation of data and discoveries of the relations beyond the dimension of each informatics.ConclusionsWe need another approach to science apart from the conventional method, and data-driven approach with data mining techniques must be brought in for each field. Informaticians have new important roles as coordinators to link up numerous phenomena over dimensions.

Quality Requirements for Electronic Health Record Systems

“…Especially Japan has painful experiences with disasters like tsunamis and earthquakes; EHRS have to enable the continuity of care in these cases as well. However, the very basis for continuity of care is a unique national patient identification number [ 6 ].…”

“…Therefore, it is not only “relevant to a subject’s medical treatment but also to a subject’s health in general” [ 7 ]. Therefore, the EHR comprises health data from various CDOs and may be “expanded to a national or global scale” [ 6 ]. It is a valuable source not only for clinical research [ 8 ] but also for health service and epidemiological research, e.g.…”

The Automatic Clinical Trial: Leveraging the Electronic Medical Record in Multisite Cancer Clinical Trials

“…A simple retrieval system then extracted data in a format accessible by the central statistical center. In Japan, standardized medical record requirements will facilitate the extension of these templates to other healthcare organizations [23; 24]. Statistics from 2009 indicate that 825 major hospitals, with 400 or more beds, have implemented EMR technology in Japan and more than 60 percent of their medical records are electronic [24].…”

“…In Japan, standardized medical record requirements will facilitate the extension of these templates to other healthcare organizations [23; 24]. Statistics from 2009 indicate that 825 major hospitals, with 400 or more beds, have implemented EMR technology in Japan and more than 60 percent of their medical records are electronic [24]. As EMR technology is adopted widely across Japan, researchers suggest that the eCRFs within the EMR could replace EDC systems and would improve data quality, avoid redundant data entry and reduce costs associated with source data verification [23].…”

Information Technology in Radiation Oncology – A Brave New World?

“…Concepts like the use of signatures for the verification of documents have to be reconsidered in a rapidly changing IT-driven world, where login details and user histories theoretically provide much more detailed information (Victoroff, 2012). Other hindrances include rivaling industrial standards which will have to be overcome to be able to exploit the full potential of integrated IT solutions within larger health networks (Takabayashi et al, 2011). …”