Regarding the healthcare systems among the member nations of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Japan is characterized by medical care led by private sector without a formal gatekeeping system under universal insurance scheme. Although Japan’s system has an advantage in that medical care is covered by health insurance at any healthcare institution, challenges remain: a follow-up system has not been established for drop-out patients, and healthcare providers are not aware of their responsibility for the care of a defined population. A follow-up system for the management of chronic disease is needed for discharged patients with NCDs. As we developed our clinical practice support model, we learned from the findings of a cancer control study suggesting that a multidisciplinary meeting to establish the prioritization of community issues is one of the effective methods to facilitate gatekeeping while maintaining free access to health care (Morita et al., 2013). For example, a patient’s psychiatrist participates in such a community meeting, and each patient is followed up in a comprehensive community care system. Integrating mental health care into chronic disease management is the goal of the national project.

Since it is difficult for communities to organize meetings to share patient information due to a lack of healthcare manpower, local authorities join the community meetings that we organize for monitoring. Commencing in 2013, all 47 prefectures in Japan are required to assess local mental health care needs and to develop a healthcare strategic plan. The prefectural governments now need to integrate mental health care into their healthcare services. This policy shift prioritizing mental health care as well as NCDs (e.g., cancer, acute myocardial infarction, stroke and diabetes) is a strong incentive to promote the national project.

The Role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

The protection of personal healthcare information is extremely strict in Japan. The recent development of information and communication technology (ICT) has offered many advantages but the protection of the privacy of the healthcare provider-patient relationship is essential. In the national project, we decided to not rely on ICT to solve health and disparity issues, but to use ICT to reinforce interpersonal interactions.

Toward this goal, a “contact notebook-type” follow-up support system was developed as part of the national project, based on a patient handbook (Ito et al., 2013). All relevant healthcare information is recorded in the patient’s handbook, whereas only contact notebook information is shared on the supporting website that will be created for the community meetings. This system enables us to follow up patients, and to send information to the patients through mobile phones. The patients can also input their own information into the contact notebook. De-identified health information is also available with an ID number in the project’s ICT system.

A community website limited to certain users involved in treatment support is under construction. On this site, information can be shared among healthcare team members at multiple facilities. A medication tracking program is also under development.

The primary concepts of NCD management in this project are (a) following patients through the community meetings regarding their healthcare (including health facility visits) based on the patient handbook, and (b) sharing information through the treatment support website and mobile phones.

Development of a Comprehensive Comorbid Patient Handbook

The National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center developed a handbook called “Stroke Note” for maintaining records of stroke patients’ care from acute hospitalization to rehabilitation at home. Kumamoto Prefecture developed a similar handbook for patients with dementia and their families. Because these handbooks are in binder form, additional information is easily inserted into the handbook if and when a patient develops depression or another NCD. We are planning to create a customized patient handbook in binder form for multiple diseases, rather than different handbooks for different diseases.

The NCD Alliance Japan: Expectations

I would like to convey my following expectations to NCD Alliance Japan.

1. The establishment of chronic disease management system in each community.
For example, accumulating and sharing experiences regarding healthcare catchment areas and comprehensive management systems for multiple diseases will help improve patient management.

2. The integration of mental health care into the NCD control agenda.
Mental health care needs to be integrated into the NCD control agenda, and the involvement of mental health professionals is essential to provide the best support for comorbid patients (approx. 3% – 5% of all patients). Mental health professionals “back up” the NCD control agenda. Evaluation and collaboration among health care professionals should also be included in the integration of mental health care to as part of NCD management.

I look forward to the continuous support of and collaboration with NCD Alliance members, who share these challenges and future directions. Through a sophisticated initiative for NCD control (that is, evidence-based comprehensive treatment integrating mental and physical healthcare), we can work together for better health maintenance and the prevention of recurrence and disease progression. 

I sincerely hope that the NCD Alliance continues to be active and effective.

References
Morita T, et al. Effects of a programme of interventions on regional comprehensive palliative care for patients with cancer: a mixed-methods study. Lancet Oncology 14: 638- 646, 2013.
Ito H, et al. Creating an online patient follow-up system. Shakai Hoken Jyunpo 2531: 10-14, 2013 (in Japanese).

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