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90% of University Hospital Doctors Exceeded 160 Hours of Monthly Overtime
According to the media, the medical care system is in danger of collapsing due to the spread of coronavirus. Moreover, work in the medical field since the coronavirus outbreak has been rumored to be a major social issue, with monthly overtime work surpassing 160 hours (1,920 hours per year) for 30% of hospital doctors and 90% of university hospital doctors. In addition, there is also data* including about 30% of hospitals with emergency facilities within this situation.
Our company understood that in this situation, while it is a problem for medical institutions, this is also a major problem for patients who may be unable to receive the appropriate medical care. By listening to the opinions of doctors and nurses, we promoted work reform for healthcare professionals through the power of technology.
- *Source:
Visualization of Various Work Tasks Changes the Way of Working
Hospitals as workplaces are relatively large and are places where many specialists gather. There, working medical professionals cover a wide range of duties. While dealing with the complexities of diagnosis, treatment, and all sorts of managerial tasks, there is also time for self-improvement and a diversity of work content. Moreover, in a field where people’s lives are dealt with on a daily basis, prioritizing the patient in front of them over managing their own work style has pervaded the field.
Therefore, our company is working on a solution that automatically visualizes complex working systems that could understand and manage suitable working hours for healthcare professionals. By gathering healthcare professionals’ work information and streamlining management, duties in the medical field can be reduced and shifts can also be adjusted appropriately. In this way, we aim to reduce the turnover rate of healthcare professionals, and as a result, continue providing safe and secure medical service to consumers.
Reform Expectations Within the Medical Field
In response to our company’s expected plan to play a role in facilitating work reform for healthcare professionals, hospital officials have voiced the following thoughts:
“Since the largest number of nurses can be used effectively in the hospital, it might be easy for other types of occupations to develop.”
“Because the work system that’s already in place will just be expanded, we can start using it with few burdens.”
“I feel it’s a good fit since the functions for physicians were released in advance.”
“I have high hopes for the medical system that will be built with a large company like Fujitsu sincerely listening to those in the medical field.”
Developers Combating “Defeat and Pressure in the Medical Field”
Behind our efforts for work reform in the medical field, we already have achieved actual results in the medical field with the electronic medical record system and work management system for nurses. Regarding the apprehension around the medical field’s pressure becoming a societal issue, we asked developers to detail their struggles for the release.
“I was in charge of product development projects. As stated in the media, overtime work by physicians for the year surpassed 1,920 hours as of now, and the improvement of upper limit regulations beginning in 2024 has become a societal issue. Furthermore, the burden on doctors and nurses due to the coronavirus crisis has increased and the situation has become even more strained. With this issue in mind and the desire to contribute to society, we released this product in April 2021. There were hardships in product development, but I’m proud that our team could work together to release a good product. We will continue searching for solutions to problems in the medical field.” (Division Solutions Department, Iida)
“I was project leader for product development projects. There were two main development goals:
- Strengthen solutions for work reform
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Functional enhancement and integration from the conventional work management systems for nurses
- *Conventional products “HOPE Nurse Scheduler” and “HOPE Nurse Planner”
We examined the screens and specifications to see whether customers who used the two conventional products could make exchanges smoothly. and developed the system with functions to strengthen work reform in mind.” (Division Solutions Department, Nojima）
From the words of two people engaged in development, we can see that apprehension about the pressures within the medical field is a social problem, and the struggles around the release have come to be known.
Medical Services Demanded in the Post-New Normal Era
From now, we plan to gather a range of services and functions within the group and expand the services for a detailed response to the 24-hour, 365-day work styles that are characteristic of physicians and nurses. Supporting work reforms and solutions to the problem of overtime work for healthcare professionals will benefit the consumer as well. In this post-new normal era, online diagnosis and treatment is common and telework is here to stay. Through support for work reform in the medical field, Fujitsu aims to contribute to stability in the field and bring about better medical services for consumers.
Supporting work reforms for healthcare professionals and medical service stability
“FUJITSU Healthcare Solution HOPE Time Reformer”
The work of healthcare professionals, which requires an extremely high degree of specialization, is diverse. The HOPE Time Reformer centralizes and manages overtime work and the various salaries that differ based upon the complex work of the different types of occupations and duties. In this way, we will support comprehensive work reform in medical institutions including resource management for healthcare professionals.
Through allowing healthcare professionals to work in a more suitable environment, Fujitsu aims to help reduce the turnover rate, prevent the collapse of the medical care system due to understaffing, and as a result, allow consumers to continue receiving safe and secure medical services.
