#Japan #Tokyo #ON CALL #home medical care

Introduction

In an effort to reduce the burdensome demands on healthcare professionals during nights and weekends, on call, a Tokyo-based healthcare company, has successfully implemented its innovative service called ON CALL. From January 2024 to April 2025, this initiative collaborated with six local medical associations in Tokyo to handle on-call medical responses, resulting in an impressive 129 home visit consultations. Feedback from participating healthcare institutions indicated a notable reduction in both mental and physical stress among medical staff, validating the initiative's effectiveness.

Background and Challenges

The ON CALL initiative aims to address the increasing demand for home healthcare services in Japan, particularly as the nation faces an aging population. In recent years, the number of patients requiring at-home medical care has steadily risen, highlighting the urgent need for reliable healthcare solutions at home.

Home healthcare comprises two primary services: visiting medical services (planned and scheduled) and home visits (where a doctor responds to urgent requests). While visiting services have seen considerable growth, home visits—especially during non-standard hours—are lagging, presenting a significant challenge to the advancement of home healthcare in Japan.

Several factors contribute to this issue, including:

• - Lack of resources among physicians for 24-hour coverage
• - Aging workforce in local clinics
• - Fatigue and mental strain associated with night-time emergencies

These considerations make it difficult for clinics to create sustainable systems for home care and undermine the availability of essential healthcare resources during critical periods.

Achievements and Survey Results

on call has made strides in overcoming these challenges by partnering with six medical associations across Tokyo. A recent survey conducted among 24 participating institutions yielded valuable insights:

• - Total registered medical institutions using ON CALL: 42
• - Medical institutions that engaged in home visits: 7
• - Total home visit responses recorded: 129
• - Responses collected from medical institutions: 24

The most frequently cited benefit among participants was the significant reduction in mental and physical stress. Even establishments that did not utilize the service indicated that having access to a backup system provided peace of mind.

Testimonials from Medical Institutions

Dr. Yuichi Kubo, a Board Member of the Koishikawa Medical Association, commented on the ON CALL service, stating: