Feasibility Study of the Floating Medical Support System to Operate as a Dialysis Treatment Center

This paper presents a feasibility study for a floating medical support system, and describes its basic concept with regards to the installation location, its primary function and patient capacity. In 2011, Japan experienced a major catastrophe: the Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami. After the tsunami struck, overland transport routes were cut off, and consequently emergency supplies and people requiring medical attention could not be transported very efficiently. Many hospitals and other emergency facilities were destroyed or were operating with reduced capabilities during this period, meaning victims could not receive treatment within a reasonable timeframe. Therefore, we need to consider emergency facilities, particularly for medical support, which are resilient and versatile for use in such situations. Floating bases for disaster relief and support ships are already available for deployment along coastal regions or on rivers near affected areas. A medical support floating base has also been proposed, which is called the Medi-float hereafter, in preparation for the anticipated Tokyo Inland Earthquake. The original proposal was deemed inadequate in terms of its choice of deployment area, and its maximum capacity for patients. The objectives of this paper are to decide the Medi-float’s primary function, the location where it should be installed, and to determine its capacity and a floor plan which adheres to the relevant regulations. It is determined that the primary function of the Medi-float should be as a dialysis treatment center during normal operation and primarily for the treatment of crush syndrome patients during a disaster. A location in Sumida ward is chosen for the installation area. In the floor plan, the Medi-float has 55 beds in dialysis treatment rooms. Also, there are areas of open space in the Medi-float to be used for coordinating the distribution of emergency supplies. The maximum capacity for patients is approximately 5,300 people, and the Medi-float can treat up to 130 patients with crush syndrome every 2 days. There is estimated to be around 106 patients with crush syndrome around the installation area in the event of a major earthquake. Therefore, this study clearly demonstrates the usefulness of the Medi-float.© 2016 ASME