Research on the work load of Japanese Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support

Abstract

In Japan, clinical data of patients who receive a mechanical circulatory support device(MCSD)are recorded in the Japanese Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support(J-MACS)by healthcare providers. We investigated whether J-MACS is accepted among clinicians who work for accredited centers and manufacturers and sellers of MCSDs and whether their workload during the registration process is high using a questionnaire form. We also analyzed the access logs for J-MACS at a single accredited center to clarify the conditions of its registration process.Thirty-one clinicians from 15 centers and eight people from three companies responded to and filled the questionnaire form. Half of them answered that clinical work was frequently interrupted by this registration process. Of the respondents, 26% believed that J-MACS could be useful to improve the management of patients supported by MSCDs. Twelve(31%)people admitted that publication of the collected data should be one of the keys to keep them motivated. Many respondents felt that each question and the timings of follow-up visit forms were acceptable. However, at the same time, they believed that it was potentially useful to analyze the registry data to deliver clinically constructive suggestions rather than to drastically alter the registry items into domestic ones. According to analysis of access logs, duration of a single log-in activity was less than 10 min in 44% of all accesses.The excessive frequency of the registration process, not the time spent for a single log-in process, seemed to be an imposed burden on healthcare providers who contribute to the J-MACS registry.