RESUMO
BACKGROUND: In Japan, because of an increase in the elderly population, End-Of-Life care is of increasingconcern. In the future, the demand for home healthcare is expected to increase further. However, it is difficult to prepare numerous reports and to share accurate information rapidly because of the small-scale support for home medical care from clinics and visiting nursingstations, pharmacies, and various other establishments. METHOD: We used an information technology tool called the "Ohisama-system" to start our own information sharing system between doctors in different groups. Herein, we report and discuss the future issues for community medicine cooperation when usinginformation technology. RESULTS: Electronic medical records written by doctors only are not suitable for viewingand sharingwith multiple groups workingin the filed of home healthcare. A variety of detailed information that has not been described in the medical records, such as the floor plan of the home, the wishes of the family, and use of other services is important for the home healthcare team. CONCLUSIONS: The Ohisama-system is very useful for sharingpatient information to enable community medicine cooperation. However, it is also more important to maintain face-to-face communication.
