- The "Obstetrics, Gynecology and Pediatrics Online" service allows anyone to consult with active obstetricians, midwives and pediatricians 24 hours a day, free of charge.
- The means of consultation can be selected from LINE, telephone, and other means. Some say, "I can express what I want to say because I am not in person.
- Through the "Obstetrics & Gynecology/Pediatrics Online" service, we aim to realize a society where no one is isolated during pregnancy, childbirth, and child rearing.
I want to consult with a doctor about my health condition during pregnancy, but there is no hospital nearby. During pregnancy and child-rearing, we are faced with a variety of problems, from small ones to large ones. In many cases, you want to talk to someone about it, but there is no one nearby who will listen to you, or it is difficult to go to a hospital.
The "Obstetrics & Gynecology/Pediatrics Online" service introduced here is a service that provides online answers to such minor concerns by active obstetricians, midwives, and pediatricians. We interviewed Mr. Naoya Hashimoto, representative of Kids Public, Inc. which provides "Obstetrics & Gynecology/Pediatrics Online" and a pediatrician himself, about the features of the service, the background of its development, and the vision of society he aims for through the service.
(We spoke to...)
Kids Public Inc.
Naoya Hashimoto, Representative Director (titles omitted)
Feel free to talk to the doctor about even the smallest concerns.
Editorial:First of all, can you tell us about the "Obstetrics, Gynecology and Pediatrics Online" service?
Hashimoto:The concept of this service is "peace of mind (pediatrician, obstetrician, and midwife) in the palm of your hand." The main feature of this service is that you can easily consult with pediatricians, obstetricians, and midwives on line or by phone if you have any concerns or want to discuss any problems, no matter how small.
The steps to a consultation are very simple. Enter your desired date and time on the reservation screen, enter your name and other basic information, and your reservation is complete! Then, when it is time for your consultation, you can use the tool of your choice, such as phone or LINE.
Editorial:The fact that the service is available 24 hours a day, free of charge, is also a great point for users!
Hashimoto:We believe that the standard of medical care in pediatrics and obstetrics and gynecology in Japan is very excellent. However, challenges remain. Even if physical health is maintained, many people still have room for improvement in psychological and social health. And there are disparities in these issues depending on the circumstances of each family. Behind the creation of "Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Pediatrics Online" is the desire to create a service that allows anyone to connect with a doctor equally, regardless of where they live or their social situation.
Our business is a "B to B to C" one, and by working with local governments, we are able to deliver our services free of charge to the people living there.
Editorial:I see. Can you tell us about the most important features of "Obstetrics, Gynecology and Pediatrics Online"?
Hashimoto:The most important difference compared to other services is that we have a clear track record.
Editorial:Could you please elaborate on this?
Hashimoto:In developing the service, the City of Yokohama, the University of Tokyo, and our company collaborated in an industry-academia-government collaboration to test whether providing a remote health consultation service (obstetrics and gynecology and pediatrics online) to approximately 750 randomly selected people over a two-year period from the time of pregnancy would reduce the number of people at high risk for postpartum depression. The results showed that the number of women at high risk of postpartum depression increased. The results showed a relative reduction of 33.51 TP6T in the number of people at high risk for postpartum depression. Our company had no access to the data, and the results were evaluated objectively by a third party, the University of Tokyo.
Editorial:You have solid evidence! Is there some special thought behind the verification so far, over a period of two years?
Hashimoto:I feel that there are many services and products in medtech and healthcare that "might work". However, in an industry that is concerned with health and life, which are the most important things for people, I felt that providing services without such evidence was not sincere to the users. We did not want "Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Pediatrics Online" to end up as such, so we conducted the verification.
We want to eliminate "anxiety and isolation that cannot be reached by just waiting in the hospital."
Editorial:So that was the philosophy behind it. If you don't mind, could you tell us how you came to create "OB/GYN Online" and "Pediatrics Online"?
Hashimoto:About 10 years ago, I met a child at the hospital where I worked as a pediatrician. The child was brought in by ambulance due to his mother's abuse. The mother, who had rushed to bring him to the hospital, had also become increasingly socially isolated. I had long thought about the limitations of hospital care, but this incident made me keenly aware that there is anxiety and isolation that cannot be reached simply by waiting.
Editorial:It's a sad event... Are there many similar cases in the medical field?
Hashimoto:It is a lot. Looking at the number of abuse consultation responses, the data shows that compared to the past 10 years, the number has tripled to approximately 207,000 cases. Although I believe that in some respects the environment has become more conducive to reporting compared to the past, this is still a very large number.
Editorial:What do you think are the problems behind such a situation?
Hashimoto:Child abuse is not a problem that can be simply dismissed as "bad parenting. In many cases, the parents are in a state of great anxiety and lack of someone they can rely on, and they are unable to help themselves, leading to the abuse of their children. I believe that many factors are involved, such as the nuclear family, loneliness, the still deeply-rooted male-dominated social structure, poverty, and so on.
Pediatrics Online" and "Obstetrics and Gynecology Online" were created to approach the problem of "no one to turn to," which is relatively easy to change among these services.
Editorial:So that's how it happened! What was your path to launching the service?
Hashimoto:When I was studying public health in graduate school, I helped write articles as a medical writer for a web media created by a fellow entrepreneur. There, I realized the tremendous power of the Internet to spread information, and I began to think about Internet-based services.
I started by creating a website by myself and asking for advice on line. Then, I participated in a startup program called Open Network Lab hosted by Digital Garage and found friends.
Editorial:Mr. Hashimoto, in addition to your own field of pediatrics, why did you also create a service for obstetrics and gynecology?
Hashimoto:We believe that pregnancy, childbirth, and child rearing should be supported seamlessly. I also had the opportunity to meet Shigemi, an obstetrician/gynecologist who shares the same idea. Shigemi is now the president of Obstetrics and Gynecology Online.
Editorial:What have been some of the challenges in growing the service into what it is today?
Hashimoto:Because "Obstetrics & Gynecology/Pediatrics Online" is a "B to B to C" model, it is necessary for local governments to first introduce the service, but at first it was not always easy because it was an unprecedented service.
Editorial:There is no culture of consulting doctors online, is there?
Hashimoto:What was helpful there was that we had evidence. Because we have data on measured effectiveness, I think it is easier to imagine how useful the service is and how effective it is.
Approach real problems with a screen and response that makes it easy to consult.
Editorial:I see! So that's where the evidence comes into play. Can you tell us about the questions and feedback from actual users?
Hashimoto:The questions asked varied, but the most common were "childcare advice," "how to decide whether to see a doctor when your child has a fever," "breastfeeding," "how to proceed with baby food," and so on. The most common comment we received was "It was convenient," as well as "I was able to express my true feelings on line.
Editorial:Thank you. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to make it easier for users to feel comfortable asking for help.
Hashimoto:We are making various efforts both on the medical staff side and in the way we present our services. On the medical side, the doctors and midwives who will be handling the consultation are briefed in advance on the thoughts behind the project, and are given lectures on how to convey empathy so that they can talk with the consultant with ease. The service screen itself is also designed with soft colors and simple question transitions in mind.
We want to create a society where no one is isolated in pregnancy and childbirth.
Editorial:Thank you. Finally, please tell us about the goal of "Obstetrics, Gynecology and Pediatrics Online".
Hashimoto:We hope to create a society where no one is isolated during pregnancy, childbirth, and child rearing. To this end, we would like to make the "Obstetrics & Gynecology/Pediatrics Online" service available to all of the approximately 800,000 children born each year in Japan and their parents.
We are also working on developing services that can utilize the data we have gathered so far. One of the most frequently asked questions on "Obstetrics & Gynecology/Pediatrics Online" is about medications that can be used during pregnancy and lactation. Currently, we have launched a chatbot service called "Kusuribo" to provide information on medications and guidelines for consultation.
Editorial:It is a wonderful future to have the status of being able to consult with a teacher at any time.
Hashimoto:Just as everyone receives a maternity handbook when they become pregnant, we hope to create a society where no one is inadvertently isolated by having obstetricians and pediatricians on their smartphones as a matter of course.
Editorial:Thank you very much for your time today!
After the interview
After speaking with you, I felt that "Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics Online" is a service that, in addition to the excellence of the business itself, provides a "sense of security that we can always be connected". Due to the impact of the new coronas and the global recession, today's society seems to be more divided than before. In such a situation, I felt that "being able to check with a doctor anytime you want without having to take action such as going to the hospital on your own" would make people feel more relaxed and create a positive spiral. I look forward to a future in which we can connect with obstetricians, midwives, and pediatricians anywhere in Japan, as Ms. Hashimoto mentioned.
Official website of Kids Public, Inc. which operates "Obstetrics & Gynecology/Pediatrics Online".
https://kids-public.co.jp/
(ENDS)
Interviewing and writing:Misako Tateoka
From an IT company, she switched careers to the editing and publishing industry. Currently, I work as a freelance editor and writer, editing and writing in a wide range of fields such as travel, gourmet, and social.
What is important is "to convey valuable information to readers in an interesting and easy-to-understand manner.
He has been involved in the production of numerous magazines, including TRANSIT, FRaU, and Metro Minute.
BabyTech is always stimulated by all the services and products that I wish I had when I was a child! I am always inspired by the things I encounter at BabyTech. My hobbies are traveling, cooking, and aikido.
