Online medical care is being introduced in Japan Coronavirus measures April 24, 7:21

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"Online medical care" that allows doctors to examine patients in remote locations using the telephone or the Internet. In Japan, it is being introduced as one of the efforts to reduce the risk of being infected with the new coronavirus.

The national government has decided to allow medical treatment by phone even if there is no prior medical treatment plan if the family doctor who has received multiple medical treatments from the end of February prescribes the same medicine as before.

In addition, from this month, the conventional rules that required face-to-face consultation by doctors at the first consultation were reviewed, and it is now possible to do online from the first consultation.

However, with regard to online medical treatment, the reality is that there are still many people who are not familiar with its existence and how to receive it. With the spread of the new coronavirus, some elderly people are hesitant to go to the hospital as usual because of fear of infection even if they have a chronic disease.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare is planning to bring together medical institutions nationwide that provide online medical care and make them available soon.

At the hospital that started telephone consultation

At “Moriyama Memorial Hospital” in Edogawa Ward, Tokyo, we started medical treatment by telephone on the 6th of last month, when the self-restraint of going out spread. At the hospital, when you make a reservation from a patient, you can check your medical examination number by checking the number of your medical examination ticket, etc., decide the date of medical treatment by telephone, and your doctor will take care of you on that day.

On this day, Dr. Hirofumi Noike, who is in charge of internal medicine, treated a man in his 70s with a heart disease by telephone and asked him if he had any pain or pressure in his chest or his blood pressure or pulse. I had confirmed that there was no change. Based on the overall findings, I decided that I didn't need to come to the hospital, so I issued a prescription for my medication.

Patients can go to their local pharmacy, where their prescription is sent, to pick up their medication.

Dr. Noike said, "Since the patient's face cannot be seen, there are some difficulties, but I think elderly people will be able to eliminate the anxiety of coming to the hospital."

Inquiries to the hospital centered on elderly patients, and the number of medical treatments over the telephone reached 58 last month alone.

Seigo Matsuo, director of Moriyama Memorial Hospital, said, “Some patients feel that they are afraid to go out of the house or go to the hospital, so in this situation it is a good practice for both the patient and the hospital. I think that is the case. "

In the United States, where maintenance is ongoing before the outbreak spreads

Since it is difficult to spread medical services in the vast land in the United States, online medical care was being developed before the spread of the new coronavirus.

According to the American Hospital Association, as of 2017, 76% of the 5,000 hospitals in the United States that are affiliated with the United States are providing telemedicine using online video calls.

And when the infection spreads since the last month and the medical field for treatment is tight, the federal government has relaxed regulations such as operation regarding privacy protection and expanded the scope of insurance so that doctors can easily see a doctor remotely. Since then, utilization has accelerated.

Some hospitals have switched to online medical services except for emergency outpatients in order to prevent infection of medical staff and patients.

Angel Jimenez of Western California (12) has had a sore throat and cough in February.

Since her mother, Andrea, was closed to school and refrained from going out, she made an appointment with the hospital and made Angel-kun consult herself through her smartphone for the first time.

Doctors diagnosed it as different from the symptoms of the new coronavirus infection, instructed him to prescribe medication and treat him at home, and Angel-kun's symptoms subsequently improved.

Andrea said, "When I went to the hospital, I was at risk of being infected with the new coronavirus from other people, so I chose remote treatment. I think my son's condition has improved and I think it is a convenient system. I was talking. "

Rice doctors point out problems

While doctors who are actually consulting about online medical treatment evaluate it as a measure to prevent infection to medical staff and patients, they also point out the problem that the system is not usable due to increased use.

Ms. Aeedashi, a pediatrician in Western California, works at a clinic and provides online medical examinations for children suspected of being infected with the new coronavirus.

Narisa's clinic emphasized face-to-face consultation, but due to the spread of new coronavirus infection. We started online medical treatment last month, and now more than half of all medical examinations are conducted online.

Regarding online medical care, Narita said, “If all people who are suspected of having an infection visit the hospital for medical treatment, the infection of doctors and other patients may spread, so I would like to recommend online medical treatment to these patients first. After that, I want the doctor to decide whether a visit is necessary. "

On the other hand, in the surrounding hospitals, the system dedicated to online medical treatment became unavailable due to the rapid increase in usage, and it became a situation to cope with video call systems such as smartphones, Narisa said, "Personal medical information leaks I'm worried. "

Mr. Narisa said, "In the face of a new infectious disease called the new coronavirus, it is important to recognize that it is not safe and secure to go to the hospital as before. And the hospital side understands the advantages and disadvantages of online medical treatment. After that, I would like to see the system be developed so that patients can use it with peace of mind. "

Spread rapidly in China

In China, where the new coronavirus was first confirmed, the movement to introduce online medical treatment, which allows doctors to ask questions and prescribe drugs on the Internet, has spread rapidly as hospital-acquired infections at medical institutions have become more serious. I am.

Of these, a hospital in the center of Shanghai has been conducting online medical examinations via the Internet for four years, but in February this year, the first public hospital in the city to provide online medical treatment became independent. Authorized as a hospital by the authorities.

Patients can use their smartphone's video call feature while at home to ask a doctor and prescribe medication.

In addition, using electronic money, which is widely used, you can pay medical fees and drug fees online, and you can have prescription drugs delivered directly to your home. You can also receive it at.

In this hospital, doctors were waiting in a private room, and they were inspecting patients one after another through the computer screen.

In China, online medical treatment was initially not covered by insurance, but hospital-acquired infections became more serious due to the explosive spread of the new coronavirus, and the authorities later moved to deregulate, such as allowing insurance coverage.

In response to this, the movement to introduce online medical treatment in various hospitals is rapidly spreading, and it is said that more than 5,000 patients were used in the first two weeks after starting the examination at this hospital.

Director Zhouo, the director of the hospital that provides online medical treatment, said, “If we had a mobile phone and an internet environment, we could interact with our hospital and played a major role in preventing the spread of infection and nosocomial infection.” It was