January 7, 2021
PHC Corporation
TOKYO, January 7, 2021 - PHC Corporation (headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, hereafter PHC, President: Kyoji Morimoto) announces the release of new software*1 for their medical-receipt system for medical institutions and pharmacies that links the online health insurance verification system and the IC Card Reader with the Facial Recognition System*2 developed by Panasonic.
Scheduled to be introduced in March 2021, online health insurance verification*3 is a new system making it possible for healthcare providers in Japan to confirm health insurance qualifications online. It connects medical institutions and pharmacies with Health Insurance Claims Review & Reimbursement Services and All-Japan Federations of National Health Insurance Organizations, automatically checking insurance qualifications of IC cards (Individual Number Cards*4) or the health insurance cards presented by patients. Introduction of the system allows medical institutions and pharmacies to streamline reception procedures such as entering health insurance information, prevent health insurance verification errors when patients present non-valid health insurance cards, and also reduce medical expense refunds caused by errors.
The new software eliminates the need to purchase the dedicated health insurance verification device required by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s standard method. Using IC cards and facial authentication card reader, patient health insurance qualifications and identity can be confirmed on the screen of a medical-receipt system, allowing even clinics and pharmacies with limited space to easily adopt online health insurance verification. The software can be linked with electronic medical record (EMR) and medication history systems. After obtaining patient consent, medical institutions can view screenings and prescription data on an EMR system, and pharmacies can view prescription data on a medication history system, achieving greater precision and safety for diagnostics, medication and dispensing by avoiding duplicate or contraindicated drugs from being prescribed*5.
Comparison between Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Standard Method and Medicom All in One Method*6
In addition, responding to the financial support policy*7 announced by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare to promote online healthcare insurance verification, PHC signed a service contract*8 today with Nippon Telegraph and Telephone East Corporation (NTT East) relating to the system’s introduction. Through this collaboration that takes advantage of NTT East’s vast network, PHC intends to accelerate line installation and system introduction at customer sites.
PHC Corporation is a Japanese subsidiary of the PHC Group, a global healthcare company that develops, manufactures, sells and services solutions across diabetes management, life sciences and diagnostics, as well as providing healthcare services. The latest dedicated software by PHC aims to accelerate the introduction of the online health insurance verification system, as well as promote greater utilization of PHC’s medical-receipt systems.
Takayuki Otsuka, Corporate Officer and co-head of the Healthcare Services Domain of PHC Holdings Corporation says, “Through our system linkage with the online health insurance verification system and Panasonic’s IC Card Reader with Facial Recognition, we will provide better services for patients and healthcare professionals, and work to speedily pave the way for the introduction of the online health insurance verification in March 2021. We also expect that this foundation for online health insurance verification will lead to the development of a health database that helps us to realize improvements in the patient experience in new areas such as telemedicine and electronic prescribing. As we aim to become the leading provider of best-in-class precision and digital solutions in healthcare services in Japan, we will continue to contribute to better healthcare with more efficiency and high-quality through new services and system linkages.”
*1 www.phchd.com/global/phc/news/2020/0805
*2 www.phchd.com/jp/medicom/onlineinfo/cardreader (Japanese website)
*3 Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare website: Introduction of online health insurance verification (for medical institutions/pharmacies and system vendors)
www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/newpage_08280.html#hokensho1 (Japanese website)
*4 Individual Number Cards: IC card printed with the bearer’s name, address, date of birth, sex, My Number (Individual Number), and ID photograph, etc. This card will identify patients’ health insurance verification.
www.kojinbango-card.go.jp/en-kojinbango/
*5 Software functions for browsing screenings are to be available by end of March 2021 and provided to medical institutions. A software function for viewing prescription data is expected to be available and provided to medical institutions and pharmacies before service starts. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare is expected to start the prescription data browsing service in October 2021.
*6 “Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Standard Method” and “Medicom All in One Method” are PHC’s original terms.
*7 www.mhlw.go.jp/content/10200000/000699906.pdf (Japanese website)
*8 Service contract under discussion with Nippon Telegraph and Telephone West Corporation.
About PHC Holdings Corporation
Incorporated in 2014, PHC Holdings Corporation is a global healthcare company with subsidiaries including PHC Corporation, Ascensia Diabetes Care Holdings AG, Epredia, and LSI Medience Corporation. Committed to its corporate mission, “We contribute to the health of society through our diligent efforts to create healthcare solutions that have a positive impact and improve the lives of people,” the company develops, manufactures, sells and services solutions across diabetes management, life sciences, diagnostics and healthcare services.The PHC Group’s consolidated net sales in FY2019 were 272.6 billion yen with global distribution of products and services in more than 125 countries.
www.phchd.com
About Medical Information Systems (Medicom) Division, PHC Corporation
Established in 1969, PHC Corporation is a Japanese subsidiary of the PHC Group, a global healthcare company that develops, manufactures, sells, and services solutions across diabetes management, life sciences, diagnostics, and healthcare service businesses. Committed to its corporate mission, “We contribute to the health of society through our diligent efforts to create healthcare solutions that have a positive impact and improve the lives of people,” the company offers value-added products and services to customers in over 125 countries. Since developing and launching the first medical-receipt computer in Japan in 1972, the Medicom Division has worked to improve medical services for patients and work efficiency for healthcare professionals by providing electronic medical record systems and other healthcare IT products and services under the Medicom brand.
www.phchd.com/jp/medicom/about (Japanese website)
Media contact
Corporate Communications Group
PHC Holdings Corporation
+81-3-6778-5311