Abstract
The “digital health technologies,” including telemedicine, has been anticipated as a means to address the seemingly contradictory challenges: “improving healthcare quality” and “containing healthcare costs.”
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, telemedicine has rapidly proliferated as a powerful measure for infection control.
However, as the current situation indicates a gradual stabilization in the pandemic, it is crucial to reconsider the significance of online healthcare beyond the scope of infection control.
In the context of Japan, facing a declining population, the optimization of healthcare becomes indispensable, and the utilization of telemedicine stands out as a powerful candidate as a means to achieve efficiency in healthcare.
The development of medical devices, including Software as a Medical Device (SaMD), that can be utilized in telemedicine is also progressing, with expectations that the digitization of healthcare will accelerate in the
future.
On the other hand, to promote the digital transformation of healthcare, it is imperative not only to focus on technological development but also to urgently enhance the digital literacy of both healthcare providers and patients.
