Japan Association for Medical Informatics

[AP1-E1-2-03] Technical Support for Rapid Replacement of Face-to-face Events with Online Events due to the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study from Kyushu University Hospital

*Shunta Tomimatsu1,2, Kuriko Kudo1, Tomohiko Moriyama1, Shintaro Ueda1, Yasuyuki Hirai3, Shuji Shimizu1 (1. Telemedicine Development Center of Asia, Kyushu University Hospital, Japan, 2. Graduate School of Design, Kyushu University, Japan, 3. Faculty of Design, Kyushu University, Japan)

Information and Communication Technology, Technology Implementation, COVID-19


There are many studies addressing how to shift events from face-to-face to virtual under a pre-planned schedule. However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, rapid replacement of face-to-face events with online events was required at Kyushu University Hospital in Japan. There is limited research on how to accomplish this type of shift in events and no specific guidance exists for making necessary changes. This study aimed to fill this gap in knowledge by evaluating the characteristics and technical support needs of 62 administrative and educational events (25 grouped events) organized by 15 university departments between March and May 2020. We also distributed open-ended questionnaires to the departments that received technical support for their events. Technical support services comprised professional support services and equipment/system support. Three of the most frequently required support services were equipment/system support, on-site support, and venue arrangement. More than half (9/16) of administrative events included individuals from outside of the university, while those that were limited to individuals within Kyushu University also included multiple departments. Results also indicated that a physical “headquarters” room was important to many departments, despite the potential risk of disease transmission. Although online events are relatively simple for large numbers of people to access, they require a large amount of technical support, including technical management and direction.