Medley's Approach
Initiatives in Response to
COVID-19
In response to the challenges arising from the spread of COVID-19, Medley implemented a wide range of initiatives.
Projects Supporting Access to Reliable Medical Information
Through its online medical encyclopedia MEDLEY, Medley continues to disseminate medical information.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Medley participated in a project launched by a group of experts to help people access reliable information.
At the time, circumstances were changing rapidly and information of varying reliability was circulating widely, making it difficult for people to obtain up-to-date and trustworthy information.
This project leveraged Google's Question Hub to identify "unanswered" search queries related to COVID-19—keywords indicating gaps in accessible information. Medical content addressing these queries was then created and published on MEDLEY by a group of experts, primarily practicing physicians.
Multifaceted Use of Online Medical Consultations
By utilizing online medical consultations, patients can receive care from their homes or other locations, reducing travel time, waiting time, and the risk of infection.
At the time, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare issued special regulatory relaxations to prevent the spread of infection, enabling broader use of online medical consultations.
In response to this growing social need, Medley promoted the adoption of services such as CLINICS and implemented collaborative initiatives with local governments, medical institutions, and corporations.
Free Online Mental Health Consultations for Pregnant and Postpartum Women
In collaboration with the Saitama Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Medley provided free online mental health consultations for pregnant and postpartum women related to COVID-19. These consultations were conducted at seven medical institutions in Saitama Prefecture, including Saitama Medical University Hospital.
During the pandemic, many women experienced significant anxiety regarding pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare. They were supported by staff with expertise in mental health within the field of obstetrics and gynecology.
Pilot Program for Online Visits for Hospitalized Patients
To prevent the spread of COVID-19, hospitals imposed restrictions on in-person visits, resulting in hospitalized patients being unable to see their families for extended periods.
To address this issue, Medley collaborated with Kanagawa Prefecture to conduct a pilot program for online hospital visits.
Support for the Adoption of Online Medical Consultations in Elderly Care Facilities
For residents of elderly care facilities and accompanying caregivers such as care managers, traveling to medical institutions and waiting in clinics during the pandemic posed increased infection risks, creating barriers to continued treatment.
To address this challenge, Medley worked with medical institutions to establish systems and environments enabling online medical consultations at elderly care facilities in Okinawa Prefecture.
Maintaining Healthcare Systems and Continuity of Care on Remote Islands
Physician shortages are particularly acute on remote islands. If healthcare workers became infected with COVID-19, essential medical services could no longer be provided, posing a critical risk to regional healthcare systems.
For patients as well, travel to medical institutions and waiting times increased infection risks and hindered continuity of care.
To address these challenges, Medley collaborated with Yonaguni Town and the Yonaguni Town Clinic to establish systems and environments enabling all residents of Yonaguni Island to receive online medical consultations.
Free Provision of Systems Enabling Rapid Online Medical Care for Home-Based Patients
In response to the rapid spread of COVID-19 and the growing number of patients recuperating at home, Medley partnered with NTT DOCOMO, INC. and NTT Communications Corporation to provide systems enabling medical institutions to promptly deliver online medical consultations via video calls.
As regional collaboration is essential for supporting home-based patients, Medley also worked closely with medical associations and local governments in response to their requests.
Recruitment Support for Public Health Nurses at Local Governments
As COVID-19 cases increased, public health centers nationwide faced severe capacity constraints. The government set a goal of increasing the number of public health nurses responsible for infectious disease control to 1.5 times the current level by the end of fiscal year 2022.
However, recruitment by local governments proved challenging. To support these efforts, Job Medley, Medley's healthcare and long-term care job platform, provided assistance with recruitment processes such as job posting creation and waived success-based recruitment fees for public health nurse placements.
Free Online Facility Tours for Long-Term Care Facilities
Facility tours posed infection risks not only for prospective residents and their families but also for existing residents and staff, leading many facilities to restrict in-person visits.
At the same time, facility tours are essential for choosing a care facility, creating a significant challenge for both prospective residents and facilities.
To address this issue, Kaigo no Honne launched an online facility tour service in collaboration with care providers. A dedicated webpage was also created, allowing users to search for facilities offering online tours and smoothly apply for tours.