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Review
. 2019 May 13;20(5):170-179.
doi: 10.1002/jgf2.252. eCollection 2019 Sep.

Building primary care in Japan: Literature review

Daisuke Kato  1 , Hikohaku Ryu  2 , Tomoki Matsumoto  3 , Kazuhiro Abe  4 , Makoto Kaneko  5 , Mezhen Ko  6 , Greg Irving  7 , Robin Ramsay  8 , Masatoshi Kondo  9
Affiliations
Review

Building primary care in Japan: Literature review

Daisuke Kato et al. J Gen Fam Med. .

Abstract

Japan's health system is well known for achieving one of the world's highest life expectancy with universal health coverage. However, the country now faces challenges of a rapidly aging population and changes in patterns and burden of disease. Primary care is an important component of a well-functioning health system. In Japan, primary care services are provided in both the community and hospital settings. The distinction between primary and secondary care may not always be clear. This review is based on the framework from the 2015 WHO publication on primary care systems in Europe. Our aim is to describe the journey of primary care in Japan, with its past, present, and future as a valuable addition to the academic English literature. We also hope that this article would inspire readers outside of Japan who might face similar issues in their respective countries.

Keywords: Japan; healthcare system; primary care; review.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have stated explicitly that there are no conflicts of interest in connection with this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The community‐based Integrated Care System Model Quoted and partially modified from reference35
Figure 2
Figure 2
The number of universities adopting Chiiki‐Waku system and students in it
Figure 3
Figure 3
The number of first year medical students
Figure 4
Figure 4
The number of physicians in Japan
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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    1. OECD . OECD reviews of health care quality: Japan 2015. Paris: OECD Publishing; 2015; p. 43–78.
    1. Kringos D, Boerma W, Hutchinson A, Saltman R. Building primary care in a changing Europe case studies.Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe; 2015; p. 1–304. - PubMed

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