CDIM~ Prologue ~
In the previous column, we have talked mainly about wearable products made by IT technology, but this time we would like to introduce you the trends of Telemedicine (remote treatment) and other unique health management services. We will also answer why Germany can produce so many unique products and services. Please enjoy reading.
~ Trend of Telemedicine (Remote Therapy) in Germany ~
Recently in Japan, the term "Telemedicine" became widely heard. Still, in Germany, "Telemedicine" also attracts high attention. Numerous Telemedicine companies have participated in the exhibition and set up their own booths there.
When I hear the term "Telemedicine," I have the image of patients receiving good medical treatments without going to a hospital. Remember the concept of "tight" we mentioned in the previous column? In the field of Telemedicine, many devices have also been developed.
On the other hand, as a business, it is still in its creative period, and thus various business models exist. There is a German telemedicine company that has contracts with 20 doctors and has been providing 250 patients with services. The company charges a service fee to each patient, and the fee is 50 euro/20 minutes (approximately 6,000 yen).
I also spoke to a representative from another German Telemedicine company. That company did not charge patients for the service fee, but doctors instead. For each doctor, the fee is 80 euros per month (about 10,000 yen). Since more and more hospitals choose to implement "Telemedicine" to differentiate themselves from other normal hospitals, the company aims to make its service easier to be used by both doctors and patients, and thus they have created this convenient system.
"Which, or what business model will be the main one in the future?" remains a question that makes the future trend of Telemedicine noteworthy.
~ Health Management Service that Uses "Games" ~
Some companies did not seem to have any connection with the medical industry, and yet they still participated in the exhibition. One of them was a game production company. Aiming to use the power of games to promote health management, a German company called Serious Games Solution offers games to major pharmaceutical companies. Pharmaceutical companies, for example, use games as a supportive tool for the exercise management of diabetic patients. Similarly, a German company called Serrabais has developed a game that aims to restore cognitive function. Serrabais plans to sell its games to insurance companies.
Even game production companies are actively developing medical services, and thus I deeply felt the attractiveness of the medical industry.
~ How Does Germany Support Its Medical Industry ~
Why can Germany produce so many unique products and services? The reason is a mechanism called "cluster system." Germany is made up of 16 states, but there are several "clusters" that mainly serve as the administrators of each state. Those "clusters" support small- and medium-size medical equipment and medical-related service companies.
This time, we have talked to two clusters in the southern part of Germany and built relationships with them. Each cluster has more than 500 enterprises as members. Clusters provide member companies with a wide range of aids, such as bridging different companies to conduct joint research during the product development stage and helping companies that want to enter the overseas market with marketing support.
In the future, we hope to utilize the networks we have built in Germany to introduce Germany's excellent medical equipment and services to Japan.
~ About Next Issue ~
In both the 2nd and this column, we introduced a particularly impressive product among numerous products and services exhibited at MEDICA.
In the next issue, which will be the final one, I would like to shift my focus to analyze the German health care system. Also, since we have actually visited a hospital in Germany, we would also talk about our experience there. (Editor: Sugimoto)