Health Care System Reform and Measures against Lifestyle-Related Diseases

-A Keynote Lecture of the JSHSS Symposium, "Metabolic Syndrome Examinations and Health Guidance Programs, and Cases of Practice in Regions and at Work" on July 21, 2006-

Abstract

The major issues in the health care system reform in 2006 include the health insurance system, reform of the medical care system, measures against lifestyle-related diseases, revision of the long-term care insurance system, and rationalization of medical expenditure for each of these. Among these issues, measures against lifestyle-related diseases seem to have focused on diabetes, various studies and programs of which have been conducted; Diabetes Prevention Study (DPS) in Finland, the National Health Insurance Health Promotion Model Project in Japan, etc. The Standard Medical Examination and Health Guidance Program (tentative version), proposed by the Health Service Bureau of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in July 2006, presents the goals of medical examinations and health guidance, while pointing out the skills required of health guidance providers. In this article the author describes the background and goals of new strategies to combat lifestyle-related diseases in the health care system reform in 2006.