Google Forms‒based disaster communication system for outpatients undergoing dialysis

Abstract

[Background] Establishing a reliable system to confirm the safety of dialysis patients during disasters is necessary. However, no system specifically designed for this vulnerable population currently exists； current practices rely on the use of a combination of existing communication tools. [Objective] This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a Google Forms‒based safety confirmation drill for dialysis patients. [Methods] Five sessions were conducted spanning the five‒month period from September 2025 to January 2026 for outpatients undergoing maintenance dialysis at our hospital to evaluate response rates and sustained response rates over three consecutive sessions. [Results] The highest response rate was 75.6％, with a median (IQR) of 69.0％ (64.3‒73.8％). The sustained response rate was 63.6％. [Conclusion] Although the use of ICT‒based systems depends on respondents’ ICT literacy, the results suggest that, with appropriate support systems and management, an effective and efficient method to confirm the safety of patients undergoing dialysis during disasters is possible utilizing ICT‒based communication tools.