Study on Disaster Medical Response During the Great East Japan Earthquake Disaster Based on Essential Elements of Information – Nine Days at Iwate Prefecture from Hyperacute Phase to Subacute Phase –

Abstract

During the Great East Japan Earthquake Disaster, the medical team’s responses in Iwate Prefecture Disaster Emergency Operations Center experienced various difficulties, especially during the first 9 days. In this paper, we propose to objectively reveal problems of response activities from the viewpoint of operational information processing by the After Action Review, focusing on the activity logs in the time series (chronologies). By using Essential Elements of Information (EEI) as a framework of our analysis, we clarified the gap between the task that should be performed and the actual conditions in the operation of Japan Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT), from the hyperacute phase to the subacute phase of medial responses.

Challenges Faced by Medical Rescue Teams During Disaster Response: A Systematic Review Study

“…14 Coordination problems have emerged as the most common challenge faced by medical rescue teams in the studies included in this research. 15–17 The lack of coordination among various organizations involved in disaster response poses significant challenges in terms of the overall effectiveness of medical rescue and is evident at different operational levels, spanning from local to national and international contexts. 18 The absence of a centralized plan and the inflexibility of emergency plans prevent the establishment of a unified organizational structure.…”

“…23 Last, both a review and a cross-sectional study have reported that inadequate leadership and delays in obtaining permission for the deployment of medical rescue teams significantly diminish the overall effectiveness of interventions. 15,19…”

“…23,28 The disruption of information networks and the absence of a system that can collect information as expected lead to further delays in the efforts of rescue teams. 15 In addition, the disruption of information networks can also limit access to a patient’s medical history or treatment requirements. When considering the importance of data collection in disaster situations, information management and communication become crucial.…”

“…14 Coordination problems have emerged as the most common challenge faced by medical rescue teams in the studies included in this research. [15][16][17] The lack of coordination among 16 The problems faced by three government disaster response teams of Ankara city during the Marmara earthquake-1999 response…”

“…The challenges that arise, particularly in areas such as water, sanitation, hygiene, and vector control, pose a risk for medical rescue teams in conjunction with the existing limited resources. [14][15][16]32 Inadequate toilets, washing and bathing facilities, adverse weather conditions such as darkness and cold, and improper waste disposal are other issues affecting the health of medical rescue teams. 22,30,32 Moreover, medical rescue teams are hindered by the stressful, dusty, and noisy conditions in their rest areas.…”