Japan’s Medical Accident Investigation System and Its Future Challenges

Abstract

Japan’s medical accident investigation system was enforced in October 2015 under the Amended Medical Care Act established in 2014. The purpose of the system is to promote patient safety and prevent the recurrence of medical accidents. The system does not impose legal penalties. Information on medical accidents and analyses of related data are published in the form of monthly and annual reports. The number of reports and the method used for “in-hospital Investigations” have been criticized, and 16 reform proposals have been published. Under the system, hospitals are asked to conduct in-hospital Investigations that involve collecting and analyzing data to identify the causes of accidents. At the request of medical institutions and bereaved families, a Medical Accident Investigation and Support Center（ISC）investigation is performed. About 9％ of investigations are now ISC investigations. The lack of legal penalties under the system is likely to become a problem in the future.