Surveys Aimed at General Citizens of the US and Japan About Their Attitudes Toward Electronic Medical Data Handling - 10 Years Change, Before and After Covid-19.

OBJECTIVES: To clarify the views of the general population of two countries (US and Japan), concerning handling of their medical records electronically, disclosure of the name of disease, secondary usage of information, compiling their records into a lifelong medical record, access to their medical records on the internet, questionnaire filling for delicate history, comprehensive consent for laboratory results, chart and genome profile, and AI use in diagnosis and explanation. METHODS: The authors contacted people nationwide in the United States at random via Random Digit Dialing (RDD) in 2008. Same questionnaire plus some new items were surveyed in 2022 by mail invited web entry. The authors had also surveyed people in Japan in 2007 and 2017 using same questionnaires sent by mail. RESULTS: In US, accessing own chart by internet became accepted (positive 52% to 61%) and popular in these 14 years. Japan showed small change, as regional medical record sharing is yet to come. About medical records in un-identifiable manner to be used for the purpose of medical error precautions, infectious disease measures and device/drug developments, in US, positive answers are constantly low, even for infectious disease prevention like CoVID-19. About preference to compile medical record into one file as a lifelong medical record, sharp contrast was observed. US people became favor of lifelong record (46% to 71%), while Japanese people decreased (76% to 57%). As for comprehensive consent, Japan positive answers are more than US for all situations, except if genome profile is included. US answers are almost same, even genome profile is included. About AI (artificial intelligence) application to healthcare, both US and Japan survey showed best preferred is "Doctor may use AI and everything, and explains in person". Japanese people largely prefer explanation in person, while US showed small preference.

Medical Image Sharing in Japan.

This paper reports the history, background including politics, current status of Japan's health imaging study and other information sharing. Its realization was slow until the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) started paying digital image storage at the same rate as films in 2008. Information sharing was initiated in early 2010s, which was before vendors became ready for Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) cross-enterprise document sharing (XDS), with the result that most of 34 large regional sharing systems are in non-standardized protocol. One standardized example is the Hamamatsu area where inexpensive online PDI (portable data for imaging) was introduced.

The International Academy of Health Sciences Informatics: 2021 Update.

OBJECTIVES: To summarize the activities of the International Academy of Health Sciences Informatics (IAHSI) in 2021 and welcome its 2021 Class of Fellows. METHODS: Report on governance, strategic directions, newly elected fellows, plenary meetings, and other activities of the Academy. RESULTS: As in 2020, all of the Academy's activities were carried out virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, new Board members were elected. Strategic activities in data standards and interoperability and in mentorship moved forward. A new class of 26 Fellows was elected, bringing the total membership of the Academy to 204 Fellows from all regions of the world. In addition, a virtual plenary meeting was held. CONCLUSIONS: The Academy has continued to pursue its role as the honorific society globally for biomedical and health informatics. Expansion of strategic activities and membership will continue moving forward.

The International Academy of Health Sciences Informatics (IAHSI): 2020 Report.

OBJECTIVES: To summarize the major activities of the International Academy of Health Sciences Informatics (IAHSI) in the 2020 time period and to welcome its 2020 Class of Fellows. METHOD: Report from the members of the Academy's Board. RESULTS: Due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, both Plenary meetings in 2020 had to be organized as virtual meetings. Scientific discussions, focusing on mobilizing computable biomedical knowledge and on data standards and interoperability formed major parts of these meetings. A statement on the use of informatics in pandemic situations was elaborated and sent to the World Health Organization. A panel on data standards and interoperability started its work. 34 Fellows were welcomed in the 2020 Class of Fellows so that the Academy now consists of 179 members. CONCLUSIONS: There was a shift from supporting to strategic activities in the Academy's work. After having achieved organizational stability, the Academy can now focus on its strategic work and so on its main objective.