April 2016 to March 2017

Authors/Persons in charge:
Kazuko Yuuma (Chief Fellow, Institute for International Socio-Economic Studies)

 Due to the population ageing and increased introduction of costly intelligent medical treatment the payment of social welfare in Japan is now exceeding the level of 100 trillion yen in a year. The reform and evolution of healthcare system (health, medicine and nursing) is therefore, regarded as one of the most urgent and essential issues to be challenged for Japan’s sustainable growth. Under this situation “Extension of healthy life expectancy” is becoming an important key word among the public to prolong the period when we can enjoy the healthy life. Especially the remote medicine has not been properly developed or evolved due to the long period of restriction by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, but the restriction was lifted. Since then the sensors, wearable equipment, and other IoT devices are widely used and deployed in the healthcare field and AI (Artificial Intelligence) is also evolved day by day.

 It is expected that we now best utilize ICT in the healthcare service “eHealth” to promote the efficiency and quality of the care with the help of the advanced technology of IoT and AI.

 In the report we made research and study how ICT can contribute to extend the healthy life expectancy through working group meetings. We firstly studied the relevant policies and directions of the Cabinet Office, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. We then, collected the advanced domestic examples and cases where ICT are utilized such as data sharing and utilization in the healthcare platform, life support and public participation scheme for the ageing people to enhance their health and to prevent serious diseases, and incubation of private healthcare business to vitalize non-institutional services. We visited the Netherland further to collect the advanced case there such as PHR where the data is properly shared and exchanged between patients and medical experts.

 Based on these results and findings we summarized our proposals and suggestions in 5 major issues with 2 supplemental issues. We went on further to publish the concept drawing of “the contribution of ICT for the extension of the healthy life expectancy“ based on the healthy ageing image and concept chart reported in WHO “World report on ageing and health”. In this concept drawing we stress the fact that the intrinsic capacity is gradually deteriorated or declining in the progress of ageing, but the “functional ability” can be fostered and improved yet by ancillary tools and “environment” improvement and also with assistance of ICT and consequently the declining curve of intrinsic capacity could be moderate. In order to achieve such performance we concluded that ICT should properly offer 3 points, for the people to feel namely (1) easy to use, (2) sense of security, and (3) satisfaction with the results financially and non-financially.

 Finally we organize the Symposium entitled as “ Extension of healthy life expectancy in the age of IoT and AI” on 21st March, 2017 to present the issues covered in our report.