September 12, 2022
PHC Corporation
MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies Inc.
Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd.
Confie Inc.
TaqTik Health Inc.
TOKYO, September 12, 2022 – PHC Corporation (hereafter, PHC), MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies Inc. (hereafter, MEDIROM), Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd. (hereafter, Mitsubishi Estate), Confie Inc. (hereafter, Confie), and TaqTik Health Inc. (hereafter, TaqTik Health) to launch an innovative pilot program in Tokyo designed to improve access to quality healthcare at home. The program will combine health data tracking tools with virtual appointment technology to test the effectiveness of telehealth to help people manage their health remotely.
The COVID-19 situation has led many people in Japan to avoid in-person medical check-ups, which may put them at increased health risks, including for preventable conditions. This pilot program is designed to ensure that patients continue to receive needed care, by collecting vital health information from wearable devices, sending alerts about any unusual data, and helping patients set up appointments and consult with doctors, all without needing to leave home.
Pilot program participants will include residents of seven Mitsubishi Estate Group-managed condominiums in Tokyo (18 households total). For 3 months, participants will wear MEDIROM’s MOTHER Bracelet*1 activity tracker, which can collect vital health data such as heart rate and calories burned without any recharge required. With participants' consent, the data will be sent securely to global health consultant TaqTik Health, which will analyze the data for any unusual readings. Participants who receive health notifications can then request a health consultation via PHC’s cloud-based electronic medical record system Xirapha Karte*2. The health consultation will be conducted online with a doctor registered at Confie, using PHC’s portable, virtual care device Teladoc HEALTH*3.
The pilot program will measure a range of factors including the need for virtual health check-ups, the effectiveness of the program in connecting patients to care, and any changes in participant health resulting from access to these interconnected technologies. PHC and the other companies involved in this partnership plan to apply to improving future residential healthcare services.
Program Outline and Each Company’s Role
[Outline of the Pilot Program]
■Period: Monday, September 12, 2022, to Sunday, December 11, 2022
■Location: Mitsubishi Estate Group’s 7 condominiums located in Tokyo
■Participants: The Parkhouse residents (a total of 18 households)
■Product Overview:
＜PHC’s Virtual Care Device Teladoc HEALTH＞
The concept of Teladoc HEALTH*3 is to provide “Virtual healthcare that can be delivered easily anytime from anywhere.” Teladoc HEALTH is a virtual care device that can be used remotely enhancing the communication between doctors and patients and supports team medicine. The Mini Tabletop model used in this pilot program, is portable and equipped with technology including a high-resolution camera capable of 19x zoom, which will support health check-ups by connecting residents with doctors online.
＜MEDIROM’s MOTHER Bracelet＞
MOTHER Bracelet is the world’s first*4 activity tracker that does not require battery recharging. Equipped with cutting-edge technology developed in collaboration with Silicon Valley, it generates electricity from the temperature difference between body and ambient air. Since recharging is not required, there is no downtime and data loss. Five basic types of healthcare data (steps, quality of sleep, calories burned, heart rate, and body temperature) can be recorded with this single device.
*1 https://mother-bracelet.com/
*2 https://xirapha.jp
*3 www.phchd.com/jp/bx/telehealth
*4 An activity tracker that does not require recharging using the Seebeck effect according to ESP Research Institute, July 3, 2021.
[Company Profiles]
About Medical Information Systems (Medicom) Business Unit, PHC Corporation
Established in 1969, PHC Corporation is a Japanese subsidiary of PHC Holdings Corporation (TSE 6523), a global healthcare company that develops, manufactures, sells, and services solutions across diabetes management, healthcare solutions, life sciences and diagnostics. The Medicom Division active in the healthcare IT business of healthcare solutions launched the first medical-receipt computer in Japan in 1972. Since then, it 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
About MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies Inc.
Medirom, a holistic healthcare company, with its leading brand Re.Ra.Ku® operates 309 therapeutic massage studios nationwide (as of July 31, 2022). In 2015, MEDIROM entered the healthcare tech business, with their in-house developed app Lav® offering health guidance and wellness improvement programs approved by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan. In 2020, the company released world-first in tech devices industry fitness tracker that do not require recharging under the brand name MOTHER Bracelet®. The tracker popularity raised a record-breaking 56.1 million yen on the cloud funding platform Makuake. Currently, the product commercialization and services expansion are in progress, with the ultimate goal to enter BDig Data analysis and Health Economics and Outcomes Research utilizing the vast amount of health data accumulated over the 20 years since the company establishment.
For more information, visit：https://medirom.co.jp/en/
About Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd.
Established in 1937, Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd. (“MEC”) has a long history of excellence as one of the largest comprehensive real estate companies operating a global spectrum of businesses in diverse fields related to real estate. MEC focuses on a wide variety of high-quality projects such as office buildings, residences, industrials, and outlet malls throughout countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and Asian countries such as China, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand. MEC’s core mission is to contribute to society through urban development, providing a holistic environment for people to work, live and enjoy a habitat enriched with dynamic components and opportunities. While leveraging and enhancing its strength, MEC aims to realize sustainable corporate value enhancement through its steadfast commitment to creating attractive urban environments designed for anticipation in the change of times and magnifying lifestyles.
For more information on Mitsubishi Estate Group, please visit：https://www.mec.co.jp/index_e.html
About Confie Inc.
Confie Inc. provides Medivisor®, a professional matching platform that links doctors with businesses. Companies can use this platform to request specialty doctors with expertise in healthcare business for interviews, supervision and consultations to promote their new businesses, product development, and sales/marketing in the healthcare field. Medivisor® also supports operations for new business projects. Confie Inc. will promote healthcare business and create value through linking doctors with businesses so that people will be more accessible to “Medical Care” and to contribute to the society.
https://confie.co.jp/
About TaqTik Health Inc.
TaqTik Health is a venture company founded in 2016 and headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, that supports remote healthcare through medical treatment and consultation. The company is primary engaged in supporting medical consultations overseas and in distant locations, and in managing patients’ health conditions using sensors.
https://www.taqtik.io/
Media contact
Telemedicine Solution Dept., Medical Information Systems (Medicom) Division, PHC Corporation
E-mail: pj-telehealth-support@ml.phchd.com
Public Relations Dept., MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies Inc.
Email: press@medirom.co.jp
Public Relations Dept., Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd.
Tel: 03-3287-5200
Confie Inc.
Email: info@confie.co.jp
TaqTik Health Inc.
Email: info@taqtik.com