Japan Online Medical Consultation Facilities Association Releases "Complete Guide to Online Medical Consultation Facilities (20 Chapters)" Fully Compliant with Revised Medical Practitioners' Act — First Comprehensive Practical Guide in Japan Based on MHLW Primary Sources

The Japan Online Medical Consultation Facilities Association (JTFA), located in Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, with Representative Director Masatoshi Ishikawa, has released the "Complete Guide to Online Medical Consultation Facilities [Fully Compliant with the 2026 Revised Medical Practitioners' Act]" (20 Chapters) free of charge on its official website. This guide is fully compliant with the revised Medical Practitioners' Act which came into effect on April 1, 2026.

Background to the Publication: With the revised Medical Practitioners' Act (Article 2-2, Paragraph 2 of the Medical Practitioners' Act) enforced on April 1, 2026, "online medical consultation facilities," where patients can receive consultations outside their homes, have been legally positioned as "medical care provision facilities" alongside hospitals, clinics, and midwifery centers. Consequently, a regulatory system has been established, marking a significant advancement from conventional guideline operations. This includes an obligation for establishments to notify the prefectural governor (within 10 days of establishment), an obligation to comply with online medical consultation standards (5 equipment standards) stipulated by ministerial ordinance, and subjection to on-site inspections and corrective orders. However, comprehensive explanatory materials serving as practical guidelines for the new system were not adequately prepared. Many businesses considering introduction in locations such as train stations, retail stores, hotels, local government facilities, and workplaces had expressed a need for concrete requirements, procedures, and standards. To address these practical demands, the Association has published this guide as the first comprehensive practical explanatory document in Japan, based on primary sources such as the revised Medical Practitioners' Act, the Medical Practitioners' Act Enforcement Order, the Medical Practitioners' Act Enforcement Regulations, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare notifications, materials distributed to the Social Security Council Medical Division, and parliamentary supplementary resolutions.

Main Structure of the Guide (20 Chapters): Chapter 1: What are Online Medical Consultation Facilities? (Definition and Differences from Clinics) / Chapter 2: Background of the Revised Medical Practitioners' Act / Chapter 3: Online Medical Consultation Standards (Elevation from Guidelines to Ministerial Ordinance) / Chapter 4: Requirements for Establishers / Chapter 5: Role and Responsibilities of Operators / Chapter 6: Notification Flow (Within 10 Days of Establishment) / Chapter 7: Duties of Managers of Utilizing Medical Institutions (Suitability Confirmation) / Chapter 8: Notification by Medical Institutions Conducting Online Medical Consultations / Chapter 9: Transitional Measures (Until End of March 2027) / Chapter 10: Corrective Orders and Penalties for Violations / Chapter 11: Subsidies and Support Systems / Chapter 12: Points to Note by Business Type (8 Business Types) / Chapter 13: Certification System / Chapter 14: Equipment and Supplies Requirements / Chapter 15: Compliance with Security and Medical Information Safety Management Guidelines / Chapter 16: My Number Card Health Insurance Compatibility (Home Consent Acquisition Type) / Chapter 17: D to P with N (Nurse-accompanied Type) / Chapter 18: Differences from Mobile Clinics and Medical MaaS / Chapter 19: Overseas Examples (US, UK, Nordic Countries) / Chapter 20: Frequently Asked Questions

Public Page: The "Complete Guide to Online Medical Consultation Facilities" is available free of charge. The website also provides related content such as checklists, a glossary, and explanations of related provisions.

Future Developments: Starting with this guide, the Association will continue the following initiatives: Expansion of industry-specific guides (sequential publication of detailed explanations for each industry type, such as railway operators, hotels, convenience stores) Full-scale operation of the JTFA certification system Continuous updates of notification windows and subsidy information for local governments nationwide Compilation of the second edition of this guide, reflecting feedback from utilizing medical institutions, facility operators, and users.