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Series: Digital Heathcare Vol. 1

What is Community-Based Healthcare through Decentralized Medical Functions and Enhanced Professional Collaboration?

In Japan, one of the first countries to become a super-aged society, efforts are underway to establish a community-based healthcare system that improves patients’ quality of life (QOL) while ensuring the sustainability of the medical system. In this series, we will introduce the growing importance of regional healthcare collaboration against the backdrop of the decentralization of medical functions, as well as the Sysmex Group’s initiatives in digital healthcare aimed at achieving a better healthcare journey.

Series: Digital Heathcare Vol. 1

Contents

Transitioning from Hospital-Based to Community-Based Healthcare

Medical functions provided by healthcare institutions can be divided into four stages: the advanced acute phase, acute phase, recovery phase, and chronic phase.

The Four Medical Functions Provided by Healthcare Institutions
 
In the past, Japan generally operated on a hospital-based healthcare system, where all medical services from advanced acute care to chronic care were provided within a single hospital. Currently, due to improvements in living conditions, advancements in medical technology, and changes in the population structure, acute diseases such as infections have decreased, while chronic diseases like cancer and cardiovascular diseases are on the rise. 
 
In response to these changes in disease patterns1 and the rising costs of healthcare, it has become important to transition to a community-based healthcare system. This involves hospitals, community clinics, nursing facilities, and home care services dividing roles according to treatment stages and working to support patients’ healthcare journeys. 
 
Healthcare Journey for Chronic Diseases
 
1   Disease patterns: Refers to the types, frequencies, and distribution patterns of diseases within a specific region or population.

What Is the Decentralization of Medical Functions?

One of the measures being promoted in Japan to achieve sustainable community-based healthcare is the decentralization of medical functions. Specifically, this involves the specialization and decentralization of medical services: acute care, which requires significant resources, is concentrated in core hospitals, while routine medical needs are addressed at the community level and home medical care and nursing services are enhanced to support chronic care. 
 
Advancements in medical technology are also accelerating the decentralization of healthcare delivery. For example, chemotherapy is increasingly provided as outpatient treatment, and dialysis can be performed at home, improving convenience for patients.
 
Reruired Number of Beds Function Due to Decentralization of Medical Functions
In Japan, it is estimated that approximately 300,000 hospital beds will shift to home care by 2025 compared to 2015.

Why Is Regional Healthcare Collaboration So Important?

From acute care to recovery, chronic, and home care, as the specialization and decentralization of healthcare institutions involved in the patient’s healthcare journey progresses, strengthening collaboration among various professionals—such as doctors and nurses in acute care hospitals, local medical practitioners, and visiting nurses—becomes increasingly important. One solution that is gaining attention for this challenge is digital transformation (DX) in healthcare.

Sysmex’s Digital Healthcare Initiatives

In June 2020, Sysmex established D’PULA Medical Solutions, a joint venture with OPTiM Corporation that specializes in AI and IoT. This initiative aims to accelerate the commercialization of digital medicine to support next-generation medical care and diagnosis. They have released a nurse-to-nurse collaboration app that facilitates cooperation between hospitals and visiting nursing, using digital technology to support patient-centered care.
 
“Together for a better healthcare journey” is the long-term vision of Sysmex. How will they contribute to people’s healthcare journeys through DX? In the next story, we will introduce D’PULA’s efforts to realize sustainable community-based healthcare through collaboration systems between hospitals and communities at the forefront of regional healthcare.
 

Next Story

Contributing to Sustainable Community Healthcare through Digital Technology
- Nurse-to-Nurse Collaboration Enhancing Patients’ Innate Strength -

In Vol. 2 of the “Digital Healthcare” series, Seiki Okada, President of D’PULA Medical Solutions, a Group company of Sysmex, introduces D’PULA’s current efforts to realize sustainable community-based healthcare through collaboration systems between hospitals and communities.

Column: Understanding Visiting Nursing

This service involves nurses and other healthcare professionals visiting the homes of individuals who require medical care and are bedridden or unable to act independently. The goal is to provide care and support for medical treatment at home, in line with the wishes of the individual and their family, to maintain and improve health and QOL. It encompasses everything from prevention to end-of-life care, including medical care such as IV drips and injections, bed sore prevention, medication management, and rehabilitation, all under the direction of the primary physician.

Home-visit care, which aims to support independent living and prevent the need for long-term care, differs from visiting nursing in terms of the services and the insurance coverage available in Japan.

 

The increasing number of visiting nursing users in Japan

 


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