JM Integral Completes Hiroshima Prefecture's Demonstration Project on Telemedicine and Online Medication Guidance

JM Integral Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Taishi Izumi), a supporter of regional healthcare DX, has completed its consulting services for the demonstration project on telemedicine and online medication guidance using ICT, implemented by Hiroshima Prefecture. This project aimed to verify the effectiveness and operational methods of online medical consultations and online medication guidance in remote areas and home healthcare settings where medical resources are limited. Specifically, demonstrations were conducted for four patterns: utilization of online medical consultations in mobile medical rounds, utilization of online medical consultations in doctor dispatch connecting remote medical base hospitals and remote clinics, utilization of online medical consultations in home healthcare, and utilization of online medication guidance in home healthcare. Our company, in collaboration with demonstration facilities and related organizations within the prefecture, consistently handled the introduction support, trial operation, questionnaire survey, and compilation of findings for online medical consultations, etc. The knowledge gained through this project has been organized into four types of 'guides' and related materials that medical institutions can refer to when introducing online medical consultations at their own facilities, and has been published by Hiroshima Prefecture.

■ Overview of the Project

In Hiroshima Prefecture, ensuring medical access in remote and home healthcare settings has become an urgent issue due to the increase in medical demand from an aging population, the uneven distribution of doctors in urban areas, and the lack of transportation in depopulated areas. To address these challenges, the use of online medical consultations is expected from the perspectives of reducing the burden on patients associated with hospital visits, reducing the burden on doctors associated with travel, and flexible utilization of medical resources. Hiroshima Prefecture implemented the 'Demonstration Project on Medical Treatment and Medication Guidance Using ICT' in fiscal year 2025 to expand the use of online medical consultations, etc., at medical institutions within the prefecture. The purpose of this project was to conduct demonstrations according to the usage scenarios such as remote medical care measures and home healthcare, and to horizontally deploy the obtained knowledge to medical institutions, thereby creating an environment conducive to the introduction and utilization of online medical consultations.

■ Four Demonstration Patterns

In this project, four demonstration patterns were set according to local circumstances, and the effectiveness and operational methods of online medical consultations in each medical setting were verified.

[Pattern A] Utilization of Online Medical Consultations in Remote Mobile Medical Rounds
We verified an operation where a doctor provides online consultations from a medical institution during mobile medical rounds in remote areas, and a nurse accompanies the mobile medical vehicle to assist with the consultation on-site. As a D to P with N type online medical consultation in the field of mobile medical rounds, we confirmed an operational method that leads to securing patient consultation opportunities and reducing the travel burden on doctors.
Cooperating Facility: Shobara City Saijo City Hospital (Remote Medical Base Hospital)

[Pattern B] Utilization of Online Medical Consultations in Doctor Dispatch to Remote Areas
For medical consultations conducted by dispatching doctors from remote medical base hospitals to remote clinics, we verified an operation where the dispatched doctor provides online consultations from the dispatching medical institution, and a nurse at the destination medical institution assists with the consultation on-site. As a D to P with N type online medical consultation that complements doctor dispatch, we confirmed an operational method that contributes to maintaining the medical care system at remote clinics.
Cooperating Facilities: Public Sera Central Hospital (Remote Medical Base Hospital) / Public Kui Clinic; City of Miyoshi Central Hospital (Remote Medical Base Hospital) / Miyoshi City National Health Insurance Kawanishi Clinic (Remote Clinic)

[Pattern C-1] Utilization of Online Medical Consultations in Home Healthcare
We verified an operation where, when a patient's condition changes after hours in a group home, a doctor provides an online consultation from a medical institution, and a nurse from the group home or visiting nurse station assists at the patient's side. As a D to P with N type online medical consultation in the home healthcare setting, we confirmed an operational method that complements home visit responses.
Cooperating Facilities: Ochikubo Surgical Cardiology Clinic, Yuyu Town Eba Visiting Nurse Station, Group Home Tomatoebanishi

[Pattern C-2] Utilization of Online Medication Guidance in Home Healthcare
We verified an operation where, when a patient's condition changes after hours in a group home, a pharmacist from a pharmacy provides online medication guidance. We confirmed an operational method where the pharmacy and group home collaborate to provide medication guidance online according to the patient's condition and medication status.
Cooperating Facilities: Suzuran Pharmacy Funairi Store / Group Home Tomatoebanishi; Suzuran Pharmacy Itsukaichi Kannon Store / Group Home Nadeshiko Itsukaichi

■ Our Implementation Details

In this project, our company supported each demonstration facility from the introduction of online medical consultations and online medication guidance to the implementation of the demonstration, from three perspectives: institutional, technical, and operational.

① Institutional Support
We provided advice on the institutional aspects of online medical consultations and online medication guidance. Specifically, we supported guidance on the online medical consultation training conducted by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, notification to the Regional Bureau of Health and Welfare, and organization of medical fee billing.

② Technical Support
Regarding the ICT equipment necessary for implementing online medical consultations, we provided loans as needed, and conducted equipment connection tests and mock medical consultations based on the medical workflow of each facility.

③ Operational Support
We supported the organization of work procedures for each profession necessary for actual operation. Specifically, we provided end-to-end support including setting target patient profiles, formulating medical workflows, preparing patient explanation forms and consent forms, creating online medical consultation manuals, reading through manuals, trialing consultations, conducting questionnaires for doctors, patients, and related parties, and organizing improvement points.

◯ Previous press release on this project
'JM Integral awarded contract for Hiroshima Prefecture's Demonstration Project on Medical Treatment and Medication Guidance Using ICT'
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000027.000136007.html

■ Knowledge and Results Obtained Through This Project

Through the four demonstration patterns of this project, specific utilization possibilities and operational considerations for online medical consultations in each scenario were organized. This knowledge has been systematized into four types of 'guides' that medical institutions can refer to when introducing online medical consultations at their own facilities, and has been published by Hiroshima Prefecture.
Various guides created in this project

Additionally, a set of materials actually used in each demonstration, including overall manuals, equipment operation manuals, patient consent forms, demonstration scenarios, explanatory flyers, in-facility evaluation questionnaires, patient questionnaires, and illustrations of auscultation points, has been organized. Furthermore, a project report summarizing the verification results of this project, 'Consulting Service Project Report on the Demonstration Project for Medical Treatment and Medication Guidance Using ICT,' is also published on the same page.

This ensures that the efforts of the facilities that participated in the demonstration project are not just isolated cases, but provide a foundation for other medical institutions in the prefecture to refer to according to their own circumstances and consider and implement the introduction of online medical consultations.

▶ Hiroshima Prefecture Official Page 'About the Fiscal Year 2025 Online Medical Consultation and Online Medication Guidance Project'
https://www.pref.hiroshima.lg.jp/soshiki/54/onlineshinryoujigyou7.html

■ Future Prospects and Potential for Development within the Prefecture

The guides, related materials, and project report published by Hiroshima Prefecture are expected to be used by medical institutions, pharmacies, visiting nurse stations, etc., within the prefecture to