A matrix of the functions and organizations that ensure continued healthcare services in a disaster

Purpose: Japan is one of the most natural disaster-prone countries in the world. In the case of a natural disaster or mass casualty incident, a large number of injured people are likely to go to hospitals, which need to provide more services at such times. Thus, it is necessary for various bodies – such as hospitals, municipalities, medical associations, pharmaceutical associations, and trade associations – to collaborate. For example, coordination among multiple hospitals is important when transporting patients to another hospital if they cannot be examined at the first one. There is a pressing need to establish an Area Disaster Resilience Management System for Healthcare (ADRMS-H) to increase medical resilience. In order to develop an ADRMS-H and ensure that continuous healthcare is provided during calamities, it is necessary to clarify the functions (which we have already explained) and coordination that organizations must perform. Since medical care needs change by the hour during disasters, so do the functions that guarantee ongoing healthcare. This study aims to create a matrix of functions ensuring continued healthcare services in a disaster and relevant organizations to understand each one’s role and how they relate to each other. Methodology/Approach: We used the case of Kawaguchi city in Saitama Prefecture, Japan as an example to illustrate related organizations needed to fulfill the functions for ensuring continued healthcare services. Next, we created a matrix of the functions and organizations. Findings: This study identified related organizations such as municipalities, hospitals, medical associations, and trade associations in Kawaguchi city. Since functions for ensuring ongoing healthcare change by the hour, so do the organizations, whose transformations we analyzed by the hour. Originality/Value of paper: The results of this paper can help people understand how related organizations work together during disasters; in light of this, it will be possible to develop a model for an ADRMS-H in terms of coordination among organizations.