Available 24/7 for Easy Inquiries: Hamada Hospital Launches Owl-Themed AI Concierge "Chachamaru" — Instant Answers to Questions on Reservations, Fees, Checkups, and More

Hamada Hospital (location: Chiyoda City, Tokyo; hospital director: Namemi Yamamura), a medical institution affiliated with Central Medience Co., Ltd. (head office: Minato Ward, Tokyo; representative director: Ryutaro Nakagawa; hereinafter "our company"), has launched an AI-powered inquiry and consultation concierge service featuring an owl character named "Chachamaru" on its official website starting today, June 29, 2026 (Mon). Patients and their families can now access hospital-related information anytime, 24/7, via smartphone or computer.

Background and Objectives

Since its founding in the Meiji era, our hospital has carried forward approximately 130 years of history and tradition, continuously evolving to provide advanced medical care aligned with the times, while striving to deliver the best possible treatment and build a comprehensive support system for women. To further enhance convenience and advance medical digital transformation (DX), we have introduced the friendly owl-themed AI concierge "Chachamaru" with full support from Central Medience Co., Ltd.

1 Providing Around-the-Clock Consultation Support

Previously, our hospital responded to various patient inquiries via phone calls and front desk services during clinic hours. However, improving accessibility during times outside regular hours or on holidays—when phone lines are often difficult to reach—has been a challenge. To address this, we have created a service that allows users to instantly ask questions whenever they arise. Basic inquiries such as reception hours, access methods, and reservation procedures can now be answered immediately, regardless of time.

2 Expectation of Improved Phone Accessibility

By enabling some inquiries to be handled via chat in addition to phone calls, we aim to reduce the burden and waiting time for patients trying to reach us by phone. Simultaneously, we expect this will alleviate congestion at the hospital’s phone lines and reception desk, making it easier for patients to get through.

What Can the AI Concierge "Chachamaru" Do?

When visiting our hospital’s official website, the owl character "Chachamaru" appears in the lower right corner of the screen. Accessible from both computers and smartphones, Chachamaru is not just an automated response tool but an interactive assistant designed to support each patient individually, offering the following main functions:

・Information on departments, reception hours, holidays, access, and fees

・Guidance on booking appointments or calling the appropriate department based on medical specialty

・Navigation to relevant pages within the hospital’s website

・Personalized conversations using the user’s name

● Why You Can Use It with Confidence

Because this chat service is used in a medical setting, Chachamaru has been designed with top priority on accuracy and safety.

・It cannot answer questions about information not published on the official website.

・It cannot provide medical diagnoses or prescriptions.

・It delivers accurate information regarding medications and related topics.

・It respects patient privacy.

Comment from the Project Manager, Yuki Kubota, Manager, AX/DX Promotion Department

Our company, which developed and designed "Chachamaru," actively applies AI to improve operations at medical institutions, leveraging deep on-site understanding gained through a wide range of healthcare businesses. Our Medical AX Promotion Department provides end-to-end support for medical institutions’ AI Transformation (AX) and Digital Transformation (DX), from identifying challenges to planning, implementation, and operation. "Chachamaru" is one example of these initiatives.

As AI application in healthcare is still in its early stages, our goal is to securely implement the latest AI technologies and create environments where reduced workloads for medical staff lead to improved quality of care and greater focus on patient needs.

For "Chachamaru," we prioritized development for safe, sustainable daily use in real clinical settings—emphasizing attentive listening while maintaining security. The system is designed to avoid AI-specific hallucinations (fabricated responses), ensures safety by refraining from diagnosis or prescription, and enables cost-effective, sustainable operation. Moving forward, we will continue promoting AI applications that support both medical professionals and patients.

〈Hamada Hospital, Medical Foundation Obata-kai〉

Location: 2-5 Kanda Surugadai, Chiyoda City, Tokyo

Medical Departments: Obstetrics and Gynecology, Infertility, Pediatrics, Breast Medicine, Women’s Athlete Clinic, Human Dock and Health Checkups

URL: https://obatakai.or.jp/

〈Central Medience Co., Ltd. Company Overview〉

Company Name: Central Medience Co., Ltd.

Location: 8F SOUTH PORT Shinagawa, 2-12-32 Konan, Minato Ward, Tokyo

Representative Director: Ryutaro Nakagawa

URL: Central Medience: https://centralmedience.com/