ABSTRACT
The purpose of this report is to discuss the restart of the Cancer Salon at our hospital in FY2021, which was resumed under the COVID-19 pandemic. First, we conducted a survey of intentions regarding the restart. A questionnaire survey was conducted from December 2020 to January 2021, and responses were obtained from those who had participated in our salon by mail, from the hospital website, and from posters. Based on the results, we decided to produce videos, which were distributed four times during the fiscal year. The contents were messages from the staff, lectures by multidisciplinary professionals, and relaxation by a psychologist. After the restart, a questionnaire survey was conducted. As for results, the number of responses was 73, and the majority of respondents were in their 50s and 70s, female, and cancer patients at our hospital. 81% of the respondents had participated in this salon before. The popular format was face-to-face, followed by video viewing, and the popular contents were lectures, relaxation, meeting peers, and interaction with medical staff. Based on the results, we decided to distribute videos. As of September, for the restart of the salon, the number of views was 406 for messages from health-care professionals, 158 for lectures, 1007 for relaxation #1 and 743 for relaxation #2. As for the post survey, the number of responses was 14, with the majority of respondents being in their 40s, female, and cancer patients at our hospital. 100% of the responses were “good/somewhat good” and the most common response was “the change of how to maintain the mind”. It can be said that the program was appropriate. In addition, it is considered that the restart of the salon contributed to increased recognition of the salon, connections in difficult face-to-face situations, and stress management. Based on the current content, we would like to structure a peer support function via online and a hybrid format after resuming a face-to-face program.
ABSTRACT
Background: Telemedicine can be performed using a conventional videophone or web conferencing system. Then, joint lesions can only be observed and inferred from two-dimensional images, and it is difficult to perform accurate joint assessments, which is essential for the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Objectives: To develop the next-generation online telemedicine system utilizing mixed reality for RA. Methods: We have developed a system that can assess joints accurately in three-dimensions images in real-time, using Azure Kinect DK (depth sensor)/ HoloLens 2 (headset), which are mixed reality technologies, and Teams (online interview/chat) provided by Microsoft. Furthermore, by applying artificial intelligence (AI), we plan to implement additionally to this system 1) a function to quickly catch and automatically evaluate the patient's anxiety and changes in facial expressions at the time of examination, 2) a function to record dialogue with the patient in chronological order, 3) a function to support the detection of swollen joints, and 4) function to automatically analyze the questionnaire. Results: This system remotely connects a rheumatologist in the Nagasaki University Hospital (Nagasaki City, urban area) and a patient with RA and a non-rheumatologist in the Goto Central Hospital (Goto Island, rural area). A three-dimensional hologram of the patient's hand projected in front of a rheumatologist. Using this system, we are able to evaluate joints more accurately than using a conventional videophone or web conferencing system. Conclusion: It is expected that this system will enable remote medical care specializing in rheumatology, which is standardized at a high level even in areas without rheumatologists such as remote islands and remote areas. This system remotely connects Nagasaki City and Goto Island, but due to the performance of the system, it is not limited to these areas and it is possible to connect rheumatologists to any area that can be connected to the network. It is also effective for the purpose of avoiding the risk of infection during long-distance hospital visits under the epidemic of COVID-19 infection. (Figure Presented).
ABSTRACT
Background: We report the progress of our support program activities (“Cancer Salon Rainbow”) in the last 6 years and consider the future direction. Methods: The cancer salon is opened to the public and conducted once a month in our hospital. The program consists of mini-lectures, relaxation, and interaction among the participants. In FY2019, the program also included a time to think about ACP. A questionnaire survey was conducted at each session. Results: The salon has been held 60 times from April 2014 to February 2020. Each annual numbers of participants were 369, 283, 376, 495, 389, and 299, respectively. Participants included many repeaters. They mainly consisted of cancer patients in our hospital and their families. A high percentage of them were women by sex, 60's by age. Main cancer patients were newly diagnosed within 5 years < over 5 years by periods after diagnosis, breast cancer by site (43 % other than 5 major cancers), and under treatment. In FY2019, their purposes of participation were mainly reported “acquisition of professional information” 67%, “taking relaxation” 54%, and “meeting peers”, “exchanging information based on actual experience” 45%. 74% of them answered that they have changed after participation, “The way of thinking about cancer” 73%, “The way of thinking about life” 66%, and “How to deal with others” 54%. Conclusion: The number of participants and the rate of evaluations have been steady. The useful program, activated their self-management and peer-support function, changes they felt after the participation as well might be factors. In the future, first, in response to their voices, we are considering the restart of the salon in the era of COVID-19. Second, according to their needs, we will provide proper information, relaxation, and promotion of peer support continuously. Finally, we aim at creating the salon where new participants with more various backgrounds can participate.
ABSTRACT
In many local regions, the population is decreasing because of outflow of young people to city areas and the declining birth rate and aging population, so a tourism promotion is expected as a method of regional activation. But it is difficult to invite tourists to a minor local region by a common tourism promotion. Further the tourism industry must response to COVID-19 and large-scale natural disasters that have frequently occurred in recent years. In this study, we propose a bicycle tourism system using LPWA communication helping to travel around tourist destinations safely and efficiently. Basics of the bicycle tourism system was developed and investigated the possibility and usefulness. © 2020 IEEE.
ABSTRACT
Aim: We present the study protocol of a multicenter, retrospective observational study that aims to investigate the efficacy of the actual treatment (the efficacy of conventional and Kampo medicines) of patients with mild to moderate or suspected coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Methods: This study is designed as a multicenter, retrospective observational study. Outpatients and inpatients will be recruited from Japanese hospitals. The inclusion criteria are as follows: having or suspected to have COVID-19, mild to moderate COVID-19, symptomatic, ≥20 years of age, male or female, able to communicate in Japanese, and treated with conventional and Kampo medicine. The exclusion criteria are: unable to provide informed consent due to dementia, psychosis, or psychiatric symptoms, severe COVID-19, or determined unsuitable for this study. The sample size is set at 1000, as this number of people can be treated at the collaborating medical institutions during the study period. Results: The main outcome is the number of days without fever, with a body temperature of less than 37°C. The secondary outcome is set at common cold-like symptoms other than fever (fatigue, cough, shortness of breath, sputum, diarrhea) and severity of illness and hospitalization up to 14 days after the visit. Trial registration: The trial was registered in the University Hospital Medical Information Network (Reservation No. UMIN000041301) on August 4, 2020. Conclusion: Our study will explore the contribution of conventional and Kampo medicine in the treatment of patients with mild and moderate COVID-19.