The destruction caused by the earthquake and tsunami has lately dominated the headlines. The damage in Japan seen in the news barely scratches the surface, as many long term issues remain hidden beneath the imagery of physical damage throughout the affected areas. We are well aware of the shortage in medical care, with hospitals and clinics being destroyed, scarce resources to treat those desperate for care.

Another major issue is the proper medical treatment of the elderly and sick, much of which will have to be done without any of the patient medical records, which perished in the disaster. The medical profiles of the people in danger remain unknown, and medical teams sometimes hesitate in treating people since they are unaware of the logistics regarding special medical conditions, leading to greater complications.

The importance of having a digital medical records system to provide the backup brings to light the urgent need for many countries, including the United States to continue accelerating the transition to electronic medical records (EMR). IDC’s Health Insights research manager Janet Chiew stated, “Imagine the enhanced effectiveness and savings in resources if rescue parties and medical teams are aware of the profile of people in danger, put on standby the necessary equipment and drugs for those chronically-ill, and quickly identify those with special medical conditions upon rescue. This can be possible if the information is made available via a national EHR (NEHR) [system].”

Japan is developing a health information exchange (HIE) system, and they have a similar EMR landscape similar to the U.S; with adoption being done in certain areas, and gaps in many others. The entire Asia-Pacific region is investing lots of capital in healthcare information technology and are actively developing effective EMR technologies. While many of the same obstacles we face here in the U.S. exist there as well (IT talent, and the investment of lots of time and money for medical organizations), the commitment is high to streamline their entire medical information systems to better deliver patient care.

Medical care in disasters such as the recent events in Japan has the opportunity to bring to light the urgency and long term value of having a fully digitized medical records system. Countless lives can be saved, many treatments can be more efficient and accurate, and medical teams can have the right tools and resources to deliver the best diagnosis and treatment possible, even in the face of a huge catastrophe.