Current state and challenges of multidisciplinary collaboration by fire defense headquarters in Japan: A nationwide cross-sectional survey

Abstract

Aim: The role of emergency medical service personnel has recently shifted, necessitating fire defense headquarters to engage in multidisciplinary collaboration with community organizations. However, evidence of this collaboration is limited. This study aimed to investigate the current state and challenges of multidisciplinary collaboration between fire defense headquarters and long-term care, welfare, and health organizations in the community. Methods: A web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2023 among fire defense headquarters in Japan to examine their collaboration with long-term care, welfare, and health organizations, as well as the challenges encountered during collaboration. Descriptive statistics were used for numerical data, and a qualitative descriptive method was applied to text data. Results: A total of 529 participants, constituting a response rate of 72.9%, were enrolled in this study. A total of 445 (84.1%) fire defense headquarters collaborated with long-term care, welfare, and health organizations. The most common collaborating organizations were public health centers (62.5%), community comprehensive support centers (54.6%), and municipal departments of long-term care (40.0%). Challenges of collaboration included “cannot contact organizations during nights and holidays” and “cannot obtain patient information from organizations due to privacy reasons.” Conclusion: Fire defense headquarters and community organizations should continue fostering collaboration, addressing challenges, and adopting best practices, which will help define the role of fire defense headquarters within local collaborative frameworks.