Omohibito Inc. Releases Strategic Report on Operational Realities and Structural Bottlenecks in Community Comprehensive Support Centers

Omohibito Inc. (Headquarters: Nakano, Tokyo; CEO: Moe Kaneko) has published the research report titled "Community Comprehensive Support Center Operational Reality Report: 31 Operational Issues and 5 Root Causes." Conducted as part of Toyohashi City’s Future Industry Creation Grant project in Aichi Prefecture, this report organizes the heavy operational workload of these centers as a pressing social issue. By structuring 31 issues across 11 domains and identifying 5 root causes and 3 causal chains, the report provides a visual framework for local government officials, media, and healthcare professionals. The focus is not on promoting corporate achievements, but on visualizing the industry's structural realities.

■ Report Positioning
Community Comprehensive Support Centers serve as the primary entry point for elderly support, covering consultation, rights advocacy, and care prevention. There are 5,451 centers nationwide, with 72.2% operated under contract. While issues like increasing consultations and heavy documentation burdens are widely recognized, public resources that structurally organize these root causes are scarce. This report aims to be a foundation for discussion among local governments, operators, and tech providers.

■ Survey Overview
- Subject: Omohibito Inc. (Toyohashi City Grant Project)
- Methodology: On-site observation, interviews with 5 specialists (nurses, social workers, care managers), comparative hearing with 3 centers, and cross-referencing 18 public documents.
- Analysis: 6-axis approach including business processes, stock/flow, and structural vs. operational factors.

■ Key Findings (1): 31 Issues Across 11 Domains
The survey identified 31 issues spanning from consultation intake to budgeting. Billing and benefit management accounted for the most (6 issues), followed by human resources and organization (4 issues). Challenges are not isolated but permeate daily communication, records, and training.

■ Key Findings (2): 5 Root Causes
Analysis revealed five fundamental causes. The top two—"FAX/Paper Culture" and "Lack of Flow Management"—impact 15 out of 31 issues (approx. 48%).
- RC-1: FAX/Paper Culture (Impacts 8 issues)
- RC-2: Absence of Flow Management (Impacts 7 issues)
- RC-3: System Design Constraints (Impacts 5 issues)
- RC-5: Lack of Standardization (Impacts 4 issues)
- RC-4: Budget Rigidity (Impacts 3 issues)

■ Key Findings (3): Three Causal Chains of Dysfunction
1. FAX Dependency: FAX culture leads to inconsistent formats, preventing data import and forcing manual cross-checking and triple-entry, resulting in long work hours.
2. Flow Absence: Lack of workflow management leads to individualized knowledge, making it difficult to train new staff and causing high turnover.
3. Coordination Overhead: Dependence on phone/FAX creates a cycle of missed calls, delaying record creation and reducing time for actual community care.

■ Alignment with National Data
13 of the 31 issues were confirmed as nationwide industry standards. While 97.7% of centers have basic systems, only 2.1% use AI, and 73.6% report feeling unskilled with ICT. The data suggests that while systems are widespread, they have not yet lightened the workload significantly.

■ Major Proposals: Standardization Before Tools
The survey concludes that introducing individual tools does not solve systemic burnout. Omohibito tried five tools (AI chat, auto-scheduling, etc.), but their effects remained local without standardized operations. The priority should be:
1. Visualization: Inventory business lists, frequency, and criteria.
2. Standardization: Define procedures, exceptions, and handovers.
3. Trial: Implement small-scale improvements.
4. Embedding: Incorporate into daily routines via morning meetings and reviews.

■ Recommendations for Local Governments
Governments should shift from supporting individual center efforts to designing common infrastructure. This includes pooling budgets for shared workflow management and tracking metrics like billing processing time and turnover rates before and after implementation.