The healthcare revolution.(Healthcare)

The rise of the 'medical mall'

Japan's demographic problems are putting pressure on the healthcare system and the government seems to be endlessly chasing its own tail in its efforts to implement secure financial and organizational solutions. For example, in making more funds available for care of the elderly it has been sharply criticized for poor performance on quotidian care functions such as child delivery and ER. A Fire and Disaster Management Agency survey of last year reported 14,387 cases in which patients in ambulances were refused admittance to institutions more than three times before finally being accepted. Behind this lies a worrying shortage of doctors which puts even greater pressure on financial resources and is ultimately a threat to any citizen requiring medical attention; the OECD average doctor per people ratio for industrial nations is 3:1000, Japan falls below this with a ratio of only two doctors per 1,000 people and comes in at 27th out of 30 for industrial nations.

However, the market has responded to the problems and some Japanese companies are bringing new techniques and practices to the table in order to create viable healthcare alternatives. The future of healthcare in Japan looks to be one of improvement and innovation. Dissatisfaction with the level of medical service and the government's funding woes has provided…