Established Chiropractic Clinic with 150 Daily Visitors Achieves 'Near-Zero' Wait Times | Shiokawa Chiropractic in Ginza, Tokyo Enhances Efficiency and Patient Satisfaction via Automated Payment Machines

The clinic-use automated payment machine 'Temasak', provided by Kawanishi Berkmed Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture), a company engaged in DX-related businesses for the medical industry, has been introduced at Shiokawa Chiropractic (Chuo-ku, Tokyo).

Wait times for accounting drop to "near-zero" at a clinic that receives about 150 patients a day.

Shiokawa Chiropractic, an established chiropractic clinic in Ginza, has significantly streamlined its accounting operations by introducing automated payment machines. They successfully reduced cash management errors and lessened the burden on staff, earning high praise from patients who appreciate being able to "leave without waiting."
This article details the background of the implementation and its actual effects.

By introducing the 'Temasak' automated payment machine, accounting wait times were reduced from 7-10 minutes prior to implementation to less than 1 minute.

■ Challenges before implementation: Accounting was a bottleneck for the high number of patients

The clinic sees about 150 patients per day and features a fast-paced medical system with a treatment time of about 20 minutes per session.
However, the traditional over-the-counter accounting faced the following challenges:

- Handling cash and processing cards took time
- Congestion due to waiting for checkout
- Increased burden of closing registers and managing cash
- Anxiety regarding human errors such as change mistakes
- Challenges in accommodating cashless payments

In particular, realizing a speedy accounting process that matched the turnover rate of the treatments was a major issue.

■ Decisive factors for introduction: "Ease of operation," "Support system," and "Cost balance"

Two 'Temasak' automated payment machines were installed.
While comparing multiple options, the clinic emphasized the following three points:

- Easy to operate and user-friendly for staff
- Reliable support system after implementation
- Balance between features and price

As a result of considering actual operational scenarios, the introduction was decided based on:

- Clarity of operation
- Abundant payment methods
- Convincing pricing

■ Effects after implementation: Achieved near-zero wait times and reduced staff psychological burden

After introducing the automated payment machines, the workflow of accounting operations improved significantly.
Previously, cash handover and card payment operations required a lot of time, but these are now automated, greatly improving the speed of accounting processes.

Furthermore, with the elimination of counting mistakes and change errors associated with cash handling, staff have commented:
"We can now concentrate on our duties without worrying about human errors."

The reduction in mental burden has given staff more capacity to attend to patients, leading to improved hospitality quality.

[Measurement of Accounting Operation Effects]
Before Implementation / After Implementation
- Accounting wait time: 7-10 minutes/person -> Under 1 minute/person
- Register closing work time: 11-20 minutes/day -> Under 5 minutes/day
- Discrepancy frequency: 4+ times/month -> 2-3 times/month
- Overtime work: 5-20 minutes/person/day -> 21-40 minutes/person/day

* Reception staff: 2 people, Outpatients: 121-150 people/daily average
* Evaluation as of February 2026 by clinic staff (Implementation: July 2024)

[5-Point Evaluation of Challenges in Reception Accounting Operations]
Before Implementation / After Implementation
- Staff shortage: 3 (Neutral) -> 2 (Don't feel much)
- Length of accounting wait time: 4 (Feel somewhat) -> 1 (Don't feel)
- Register closing, cash management: 5 (Feel strongly) -> 3 (Neutral)
- Discrepancy, cash handling mistakes: 4 (Feel somewhat) -> 2 (Don't feel much)
- Cashless payment: 5 (Feel strongly) -> 1 (Don't feel)
- Reception service/hospitality quality: 4 (Feel somewhat) -> 2 (Don't feel much)

* Evaluation criteria for challenges: 5-point scale from "1: Don't feel" to "5: Feel strongly"
* Evaluation as of February 2026 by clinic staff (Implementation: July 2024)

■ Patient reactions: "Glad to be able to leave without waiting"

Easy operation allows patients to complete accounting by themselves. Installing two units doubled the turnover rate. (Left: Cash accepted type / Right: Cashless payment only type)

In a clinic with fast treatment turnover, shortening accounting time directly links to patient satisfaction.
After the implementation, patients can check out with almost no waiting time, and many voices have been received such as:
"It is helpful that the checkout finishes quickly."
"I'm glad I can leave without waiting."

In particular, the improvement in time efficiency is highly praised by patients who visit between work or while on the move.

■ Director's comment: "Freed from anxiety over cash management, enabling peace of mind in operations"

Masashi Shiokawa, Director of Shiokawa Chiropractic
The biggest advantage I feel is that staff no longer have the opportunity to handle cash directly.
In the past, staff manually handed over cash and calculated change during register operations, which inevitably carried the risk of errors. The introduction of the automated payment machine has eliminated this, freeing us from anxiety over human errors in accounting.