Overview

Optimal medical care rooted in the local community
We see three main problems in community medicine. These are 1) insufficient early identification & testing, which leads to illnesses being overlooked 2) lack of timely intervention, when chances to initiate proper treatment of worsening disease are missed and 3) wasteful spending, which worsens local finances due to duplicated or otherwise unnecessary medical services. By solving these issues, C3 works to optimize community-based healthcare.

3 Key Community Healthcare Issues

あらゆる地域が抱える３つの課題
あらゆる地域が抱える３つの課題

C3 Combines 3 Key Aspects
to Solve Community Healthcare Issues

IT/Data Tools
Japan’s adoption of electronic medical records is starting to increase, but if data is not shared among local medical institutions, it is impossible to grasp what care patients are receiving. Emerging apps and other technologies do allow for patients themselves to share this data with providers, but usage is sparse. C3 helps to identify the data necessary for disease management and improved treatment, and builds collaboration among stakeholders to implement local solutions. Did this lead to early detection? Did that contribute to the prevention of complications? We help verify questions like these so that ever better programs can be initiated.
Community Networks
One reason why regional medical cooperation is not progressing is the lack of cooperation among stakeholders such as doctors, co-medicals, and pharmacists. Even though these needs are real, it is extremely difficult for busy healthcare professionals to spend time building these extended networks. At C3, we support the key players in industry, government, and medical care to design regional cooperation in specific disease areas. We also invite local governments, health insurance groups, physicians & pharmacist associations to participate. By utilizing these networks, transfer of care between hospitals and clinics becomes smoother, and more attentive medical services can be provided.
Sustainable Financial Models
As Japan’s population ages, the increasing number of sick elderly patients could lead to the financial collapse of the country. In order to slow the progression of diseases, specialists should give advice from an early stage, then share patient data with a network of cooperating providers in the community. This will provide optimal medical care in terms of both treatment and total cost. However, under the current medical system, in many cases medical institutions that collaborate in such a way to reduce total cost may actually lose revenue for their own facility. C3 provides an innovative mechanism to help incentivize doctors to focus on explaining preventive measures, arranging consultations with specialists, and counseling patients on the selection of appropriate drugs.

Current Projects

Early detection system for central nervous disorders / mental illness

Due to mental illness, an increasing number of people stay at home and suffer from unemployment. While most patients develop symptoms between the ages of 14 and 24, the delay in flagging and identifying them properly allows the disease to worsen and interfere with the patient’s social life. To solve this problem, C3 has started to develop an early detection system using AI. By visualizing the symptoms, we can prevent deterioration and support smooth patient rehabilitation.

Frailty and osteoporosis prevention program

Frailty is a syndrome that reduces the vitality of the mind and body and makes even daily life difficult, and osteoporosis makes bones brittle. Both are much more likely to occur as one gets older. And when an elderly person with osteoporosis breaks a bone, he or she often becomes permanently bedridden. C3 is working on the promotion of bone density screening and other measures both to prevent these conditions, and also to help people who have broken bones from falling into frailty, so they can continue their healthy lives.

Supporting women’s health
KENKO WOMEN!

C3 wants to create a place where women can feel free to discuss problems such as premenstrual syndrome, menopause, breast cancer and osteoporosis. That’s why we started KENKO WOMEN! to run seminars by medical and nutrition experts, “Dokodemo Workshops” to hold events at companies and schools, and “Personal Counseling” to consult with experts individually. We will continue to support women’s health through these connections of wisdom and knowledge.
“KENKO WOMEN！”

Optimize medical expenses by utilizing generic drugs

Is there any way to economically support community medicine? Through trial and error, C3 created our “Medical Expense Optimization” project. By switching from novel drugs to cheaper generic versions (including biosimilars), patient burden can be lessened, and hospital drug and medical costs paid by health insurance associations can be reduced. In our system, doctors who introduce generic drugs can receive incentives from the shared savings enjoyed by the healthcare system. This initiative was positively recognized by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s “Gray Zone Elimination System.” If you are interested in optimizing healthcare costs in your area, please contact C3.