Interhospital Image Sharing for Cardiovascular Emergencies ― Results of a Nationwide Survey on Current Adoption―

BACKGROUND: The use of information and communication technology (ICT) as a strategy to improve the quality of emergency medical care is gaining attention. A survey was conducted to investigate the extent to which ICT is being used in cardiovascular emergencies. METHODS AND RESULTS: A web-based questionnaire survey targeting cardiovascular surgery, cardiology, and emergency medicine departments at 320 facilities was conducted. The survey questions focused primarily on the presence and effectiveness of image sharing between hospitals and information sharing with emergency technicians using ICT, challenges in the use of ICT, and barriers hindering ICT adoption. The adoption rates of ICT for image sharing in cardiovascular surgery and electrocardiogram transmission in cardiology were 24% and 28%, respectively. ICT implementation was evaluated as being highly useful not only for reducing time to treatment but also for improving collaboration between medical professionals both within and outside the hospital. In emergency medicine, ICT collaboration with emergency technicians was implemented at 38% of hospitals, with image sharing at the emergency scene being prevalent. In cardiovascular surgery, 29% of facilities reported that the number of non-urgent transfers decreased or decreased significantly due to ICT implementation. CONCLUSIONS: Although ICT utilization remains at 20-25%, expectations for its widespread adoption are extremely high. Conversely, concerns about the costs and differences in ICT platforms are common, and there is a desire to adopt compatible systems.