The current status of emergency departments in secondary emergency medical institutions in Japan: a questionnaire survey

Toshiki Sera; Norio Otani; Hideo Bannai; Takanori Hasegawa; Takehiro Umemura; Hideki Honda; Akio Kimura

doi:10.1186/s12245-023-00513-0

The current status of emergency departments in secondary emergency medical institutions in Japan: a questionnaire survey

Int J Emerg Med. 2023 Jun 23;16(1):40. doi: 10.1186/s12245-023-00513-0.

Authors

Toshiki Sera¹, Norio Otani², Hideo Bannai³, Takanori Hasegawa⁴, Takehiro Umemura⁵, Hideki Honda⁶, Akio Kimura⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-Ku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan. seraaccm@tmd.ac.jp.
² Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, St. Luke's International Hospital, 9-1 Akashi-Cho, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo, 104-8560, Japan.
³ Division of Data Science Algorithm Design and Analysis M&D Data Science Center, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 2-3-10 Kandasurugadai, Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo, 101-0062, Japan.
⁴ Department of Integrated Analytics M&D Data Science Center, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 2-3-10 Kandasurugadai, Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo, 101-0062, Japan.
⁵ Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, 207 Uehara, Nishihara-Cho, Okina, 903-0215, Japan.
⁶ Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Yokosuka General Hospital Uwamachi, 2-36 Uwamachi, Yokosuka-City, Kanagawa, 238-0018, Japan.
⁷ Department of Emergency Medicine and Critical Care, Center Hospital of the National Center for Global Health and Medicine, 1-21-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo, 162-8655, Japan.

Abstract

Background: While emergency medicine (ER)-based emergency care is prevalent in many countries, in Japan, the "department-specific emergency care model" and the "emergency center model" are mainstream. We hypothesized that many secondary emergency medical institutions in Japan have inadequate systems. Using a questionnaire, we investigated the status of and problems in the emergency medical services system in secondary emergency medical institutions in Japan. Until date, there has not been an exhaustive survey of emergency facilities on a countrywide scale. The main objective of this study was to investigate problems in the Japanese emergency medical services system and thereby improve optimal care for emergency patients.

Results: A nationwide questionnaire survey involving 4063 facilities (all government-approved emergency medical facilities certified by prefectural governors) in Japan was conducted. Of the facilities that responded, all secondary emergency facilities were included in the analysis. Responses from 1289 facilities without a tertiary emergency medical care center were analyzed. Among them, 61% (792/1289) had ≤ 199 beds, and 8% were emergency department specialty training program core facilities. Moreover, 42% had an annual patient acceptance number of ≤ 500, 19% did not calculate the number of acceptances, 29% had an acceptance rate of ≥ 81%, and 25% had an acceptance rate of 61-80%. Pregnant women (63%) and children (56%) were the major types of patients that affected the acceptance rate. Factors affecting facilities with a response rate of 81% or higher were "hospitals designated for residency training" and "facilities making some efforts to improve the quality of emergency care and the emergency medical system" (logistic analysis, P < .001).

Conclusion: Relevant authorities and core regional facilities should consider and implement specific measures for regions and hospitals with a shortage of emergency medicine specialists and physicians (e.g., development of ER-based emergency medicine and provision of education). This study may lead to further improvement in the optimal care of emergency patients through the nationwide establishment of the proposed measures as well as through grouping and integrating the structures and systems in emergency and other medical facilities.

Keywords: Emergency care; Emergency department; Emergency medical system; Japan; Secondary emergency medical institution.