It turned out that LINE, a major communication application company, will launch a service that consistently performs everything from online medical treatment to medicine delivery.
While the spread of online medical care is sluggish, the entry of communication apps with many users is likely to affect the expansion of usage.
LINE has been working on online medical care using apps since years ago.
According to the people involved, in addition to medical treatment, we will start a new service that will consistently perform online, from medication guidance to home delivery.
Other companies are also working on such services, but in many cases medical care and medication guidance are separate services, and LINE seems to aim to improve convenience by consistently providing them in the same app. increase.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has been aiming to spread online medical consultations and other services as part of its efforts to strengthen its medical care system.
However, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, about 15% of all medical institutions offer online consultations, including telephone consultations, and less than 1% of prescriptions are prescribed.
Under these circumstances, the entry of LINE, which has approximately 90 million users in Japan, is likely to affect the expansion of usage.
What is the current state of online medical care?
Various companies, from major companies to start-ups, have entered online medical examination and medication guidance services, but many apps have appeared, and problems such as difficulty in understanding and convenience remain.
Major dispensing pharmacy chains have been promoting online medication guidance.
There are various applications used for services, such as those operated in-house and those operated jointly with other startup companies.
In addition, multiple start-up companies have also entered the field of online medical care with apps developed by them.
In some of these cases, there are cases where medical care and medication guidance are provided in separate apps, leaving problems such as confusion for users due to the mixture of various apps and convenience that cannot be completed with a single app. rice field.
On the other hand, the number of users of online medical examinations and medication guidance is increasing in the seventh wave of the coronavirus pandemic, and the need for such services is increasing. is going to be intense.