【Clinic Survey】68.7% of Clinics Have Received Patient Feedback on 'Wait Times'

HERO innovation Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture; Representative Director: Yoshiyuki Hirano), a company engaged in medical digital transformation (DX) services, has conducted a nationwide survey titled 'Survey on Hidden Operational Burdens in Clinic Management' targeting clinics across Japan.

The survey results revealed that 68.7% of clinics have experienced patient feedback regarding 'wait times,' and 47.4% feel challenged by 'interruptions in daily operations due to phone calls.'

Additionally, numerous challenges were identified in new patient acquisition, search engine visibility, and DX adoption, highlighting that non-clinical administrative burdens have become a significant management issue in medical settings.

## Survey on Hidden Operational Burdens in Clinic Management

- Background of the Survey

Amid accelerating population aging and healthcare staff shortages, clinics are increasingly expected to serve as pillars of local healthcare.

At the same time, clinics must manage a wide range of tasks beyond medical services, including appointment scheduling, phone inquiries, patient communication, website management, and patient acquisition strategies.

To better understand the daily challenges faced by clinics and to improve future services and support systems, HERO innovation conducted this survey.

- Summary of Survey Results

① 'Wait times' are the top issue affecting patient satisfaction

'Wait times' were the most frequently reported patient complaint, with 68.7% of clinics indicating they have received such feedback.

This highlights that wait time management is a critical business challenge, impacting both patient satisfaction and internal operational efficiency.

② Nearly half of clinics report operational disruptions due to phone calls

The most common operational challenge cited was 'frequent phone calls interrupting front-desk duties,' reported by 47.4% of respondents.

For clinics operating with limited staff, phone handling can increase employee workload and reduce the quality of patient care.

③ Websites have become established patient acquisition channels

Over 70% of clinics confirmed observing patient visits originating from their websites.

This indicates growing importance of websites and web marketing for public outreach.

However, clinics also face challenges in website management:

- Websites left unmanaged (18.8%)
- Poor search engine rankings (17.5%)
- Inability to update information (15.6%)

④ Growing interest in DX, yet challenges remain

39.6% of clinics responded that they 'do not want to fall behind other clinics in DX adoption.'

Additionally, many clinics reported challenges in appointment management, patient intake processes, and reducing in-clinic congestion, underscoring strong demand for DX solutions in healthcare settings.

- Detailed Results Published on a Dedicated Website

This survey revealed various realities regarding clinic operations, including website management, patient communication, appointment and intake procedures, patient acquisition, and DX adoption.

Detailed results and analysis of each survey item are available on a dedicated webpage.

Survey Results Special Page

- Emerging Challenges in Clinic Management Revealed by the Survey

The survey shows that clinic challenges extend far beyond patient acquisition.

Key issues include:

- Improving patient satisfaction
- Reducing wait times
- Streamlining phone call handling
- Optimizing appointment and intake processes
- Website management
- DX adoption

These challenges are not isolated but are closely interconnected with patient experience, staff workload, and operational efficiency.

- HERO innovation’s Initiatives

HERO innovation supports comprehensive optimization of clinic operations.

To date, the company has provided nationwide clinics with:

- Website creation and management support
- SEO optimization
- Web-based appointment systems
- Web-based patient intake systems
- Automated change dispensers
- AI-powered voice input for electronic medical records

In November last year, the company launched the integrated 'MEDISMA' brand, unifying these services. In response to the challenges identified in this survey, HERO innovation goes beyond mere tool provision, offering solutions tailored to real-world medical settings to simultaneously improve patient satisfaction and operational efficiency.

Moving forward, the company will continue refining its services based on feedback from medical institutions, contributing to solving clinic management challenges and advancing regional healthcare.

【Service List】

- MEDISMA Reservation: Web-based appointment system maximizing patient acquisition and operational efficiency
- MEDISMA Intake: Reduces wait times and improves diagnostic efficiency
- MEDISMA Register: Automated change dispenser and cashless payment system
- MEDISMA AI Clerk: AI-powered automatic medical record creation
- Clinic-Specialized Website Creation: Over 4,000 websites created for medical institutions
- Dental-Specialized Website Creation: Patient acquisition-focused websites for dental clinics

View Details

- Survey Overview

Survey Name: Survey on Hidden Operational Burdens in Clinic Management
Target: Clinic staff nationwide
Method: Online survey
Valid Responses: 154
Conducted by: HERO innovation Co., Ltd.

## About HERO innovation Co., Ltd.

Since its founding in 2013, the company has aimed to make healthcare more convenient through AI and IT, and more understandable through creative solutions, ultimately enabling safer and easier access to medical services. The company promotes MEDISMA (Medical Smart), a medical DX initiative aimed at establishing new standards in clinic management and operations. It offers a wide range of services, including web development, patient acquisition and advertising cloud platforms, web-based appointment and intake systems, and automated billing and payment systems. With over 10,000 cumulative service implementations in medical institutions (as of FY2025), the company has established itself as an industry leader.

Company Name: HERO innovation Co., Ltd.
Headquarters: 3F, Tenjin Futatabi Building, 3-1-1 Tenjin, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture
Representative: Yoshiyuki Hirano, Representative Director
Founded: February 14, 2013
Business: MEDISMA Marketing, MEDISMA DX
URL: https://hero-innovation.com/
Keywords: