Development and application of a large-scale disaster preparedness system in the perinatal field.

OBJECTIVE

To introduce the Perinatal Early Assessment and Communication system for Emergencies (PEACE), a dedicated internet-based system for sharing maternal and newborn health information during large-scale disaster.

METHODS

PEACE was developed by the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology (JSOG) to enable internet-based sharing of maternal and newborn support information between facilities and rescue teams in disaster areas. PEACE input rates during prefecture-scale disasters and in disaster drills were surveyed for two facility categories: centers for perinatal medical care (CPMs) and combined clinics + regional general hospitals.

RESULTS

The PEACE input rate was 60%-100% (mean 86%) for CPMs and 5%-86% (mean 47%) among clinics + regional general hospitals. After encouraging PEACE input from JSOG, the Japan Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (JAOG), and the disaster response departments of prefectural governments, input rates increased significantly from 74% to 98% in CPMs (P = 0.018) and from 14% to 80% in clinics + regional general hospitals (P = 0.020).

CONCLUSION

JSOG has established the first national system for sharing health information of pregnant women and newborns for use during disasters. The cooperation of prefectures and experience during disaster drills were critical to improving PEACE input rates.