Lessons from Partial Hospital Evacuations after the 2016 Central Tottori Earthquake

Objective: This study investigated the reasons, timing, procedures, and priorities of evacuations implemented by hospitals after the 2017 Central Tottori Earthquake to determine whether the evacuations were conducted appropriately. Methods: We collected patient and hospital data from the Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) coordination headquarters at the Prefectural Office. Requests for the transfer of 13 patients were analyzed. Results: The 13 patients were evacuated at night over seven hours, during which aftershocks occurred and falling debris was a high risk. We determined that none of the affected regions had emergency needs. Therefore, patient transport could have been conducted the following morning by bus and helicopter. Furthermore, patient transport could be efficiently carried out without physicians accompanying the patients. Nonetheless, consideration should be made regarding the handling of patient issues while in transit. Where a high number of patients are transported, hospitals would need to request the assistance of DMAT and Self-Defense Forces units earlier. Conclusions: Although all patients were successfully evacuated without incident with a few DMAT, It took for 7 hours to transfer 13 patients So hospitals should consider transporting patients during the day if there is no risk of building collapse. Hospitals should also prepare a plan for evacuation priority before the next disaster.