Online Medical Consultation Facilities: Patients Most Prefer 'Pharmacies/Drugstores' as Usage Locations

Seed Planning Inc. (Headquarters: Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Yoshio Umeda) announced that it has conducted a survey on domestic online medical consultation services, including an questionnaire survey of 500 users and interviews with companies and local government officials, to clarify the usage intentions for online medical consultation facilities and by area, thereby revealing the current situation.

●Click here for survey details

https://www.seedplanning.co.jp/news/6266/

◆Background and Purpose of the Survey

Currently, the environment surrounding healthcare in Japan is undergoing a major turning point. Amidst the deepening structural issues such as population decline, a declining birthrate and aging population, uneven distribution of medical resources, and an increasing burden on medical professionals, ensuring the efficiency and sustainability of the medical care provision system has become a top policy priority.

In this context, the utilization of online medical consultations is attracting attention as an important means to improve access to medical care and diversify consultation behaviors.

Furthermore, with the institutionalization of "online medical consultation facilities" through revisions to the Medical Care Act, the possibilities for consultations outside medical institutions have greatly expanded. These facilities are expected to be installed in locations such as train stations, commercial facilities, offices, and public facilities, and their importance is increasing as a new consultation infrastructure that complements the traditional medical care provision system.

However, systematic information regarding the installation status, actual usage, user evaluations, and future development potential of these online medical consultation facilities is currently not sufficiently organized. Therefore, this survey focused on online medical consultation facilities with the aim of clarifying their actual situation and market positioning.

◆Survey Topics

●A comprehensive understanding of the latest market trends was gained through a survey of 500 individuals with experience using online medical consultations and interviews with 7 businesses and local government organizations.

●The survey focused on "online medical consultation facilities" institutionalized by the Medical Care Act revision, verifying usage intentions, needs by installation location, and future expansion possibilities.

◆Online Medical Consultation Service: Usage Locations for Consultation Booths

【Preferred Locations for Online Medical Consultation Booths (Overall)】

The questionnaire survey targeted individuals who had used online medical consultations within the past year and asked about their preferred locations for online medical consultation booths. The results showed that "pharmacies/drugstores" were the highest at 34%, followed by "inside the nearest or terminal station" at 28%, "do not wish to use outside home" at 28%, and "workplace" at 27%.

Pharmacies and drugstores, which received the highest support, are often located near homes, making them easily accessible. In addition, the convenience of being able to receive medicines immediately after consultation may be a factor. Furthermore, locations such as train stations and workplaces, which also ranked high, are along daily routines, indicating strong support for easily accessible places. On the other hand, a certain number of respondents answered, "do not wish to use outside home."

Regarding the system, based on the current interpretation of medical treatment regulations, operating online medical consultation facilities integrally with insurance pharmacies is generally not permitted, with exceptions only for remote areas.

【Preferred Locations for Online Medical Consultation Booths (by Area Characteristics)】

Looking at area characteristics, in urban areas, "workplace" was the highest at 35%, followed by "pharmacies/drugstores" at 32%, and "inside the nearest or terminal station" at 31%.

In urban/suburban areas, "pharmacies/drugstores" were the highest at 37%, followed by "do not wish to use outside home" at 30%, and "inside the nearest or terminal station" at 29%.

Conversely, in mountainous areas/isolated islands, "do not wish to use outside home" was high at 29%, but "pharmacies/drugstores" were 24%, "municipal facilities" were also 24%, and "post offices" were 17%.

In urban areas, the proportion of responses for "workplace" and "inside the nearest or terminal station" was higher compared to other areas, suggesting high expectations for online consultation booths as places that can be used before/after commuting or working, or during work breaks. Especially in urban areas with many office workers, there is a high affinity with locations along daily commutes and work routines.

In contrast, in mountainous areas/isolated islands, support for municipal facilities and post offices is relatively higher. In rural areas, these public facilities have a certain presence within daily life, and may be recognized as convenient options.

When considering the installation of online medical consultation facilities, it is important to consider placement strategies tailored to area characteristics, such as commuting/work routes in urban areas and local public facilities in rural areas.

This survey, online medical consultation