ASOURCE Times

Gradual progress in reforming doctors' working practices

Regarding the work style reform for doctors, related organizations and the media have been conducting surveys on the current situation since the system came into effect in April 2024. On September 11, the National Conference of Deans and Directors of Medical Schools conducted a survey of the main branches of university hospitals nationwide on the situation after the revised law came into effect and published the results.
(Reference: National Conference of Deans of Medical Schools website)
https://ajmc.jp/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240911_1_press.pdf)

The survey found that compared to the previous survey (conducted in July 2022), the number of doctors whose average weekly working hours were less than 50 hours had increased from 41.5% to 49.6%, and that efforts such as task shifting and the introduction of team systems have led to a gradual reduction in working hours. The survey also noted that many university hospitals stated that work style reforms would affect research, and noted that many respondents said that in addition to increasing the number of doctors, it was necessary to promote ICT to improve the efficiency of education and research.

Government support such as task shifting

Even in hospitals other than university hospitals, the introduction of task shifting and team systems, and the use of ICT are said to be important means of promoting work style reform for doctors, and the government is also taking measures to support these efforts.

The latest trends in national policy can be clearly seen by looking at the outline of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's fiscal 2025 budget request, which was published at the end of August.
(Reference: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare https://www.mhlw.go.jp/wp/yosan/yosan/25syokan/dl/gaiyo-02.pdf)

12.2 billion yen has been allocated to "Promoting work style reform for doctors and medical professionals," but this is what the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has requested of the Ministry of Finance, so the government budget proposal that will be decided by the Cabinet in December after negotiations with the Ministry of Finance will be the final government proposal. Therefore, the amount may fluctuate, but the requested budget is generally realized.

In addition to providing subsidies for securing medical personnel and establishing systems to reduce the working hours of doctors in service, measures related to task shifting include promoting a training system for nurses performing specific procedures.

The option of becoming a foreign nursing assistant

There is a need to advance operational reforms through the promotion of team medical care, the use of ICT, and task shifting through further advancement of the specific procedure training system. I believe that if individual medical institutions proceed with such initiatives, they will not only comply with the system of work style reform for doctors, but will also increase management efficiency and employee engagement, leading to higher quality medical care.

In addition to these efforts, I would like to present the idea of securing foreign nursing assistants. As tasks are shifted from doctors to medical professionals such as nurses for specific procedures, it is also important to create an environment where nurses can concentrate on tasks that utilize their expertise. In addition, the need for nursing assistants is increasing as patients age.

In the nursing care industry, both the public and private sectors are working to secure foreign nursing care workers. Recently, they have been accepting foreigners from India, where I was stationed at the embassy, and I am also working on this. As some medical institutions are doing, why not try to secure foreign nursing assistants (such as those with specific skills) in hospital wards as well?