Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare to support implementation of cloud-based electronic medical records, considering security certification system and subsidies

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare plans to support medical institutions that introduce ``cloud-type'' electronic medical record systems that manage medical treatment details over the Internet using external servers. In addition to creating a system within this fiscal year in which the ministry certifies systems with excellent countermeasures against cyberattacks, subsidies will be provided to medical institutions that introduce them in fiscal 2027.

Medical DX command tower organization launched to promote the spread of electronic medical records

Electronic medical records are systems that manage medical treatment details, test results, etc. as electronic data and can be shared within medical institutions. As of June this year, the adoption rate was 72.6% for clinics and 73.5% for hospitals with 199 beds or less. The government has set a goal of introducing it in almost all medical institutions by 2030.

Currently, in large hospitals with over 200 beds, where the adoption rate is over 80%, the ``on-premises'' model, where information is managed on servers installed within the hospital, is the mainstream. While it has the advantage of being able to flexibly set data input methods depending on the type of business, it has also been pointed out that it also has disadvantages, such as the increased risk of cyber attacks because multiple external companies are involved in maintenance and operation.

On the other hand, cloud-based services are centrally maintained and operated by the service provider, making it easier to implement security measures and reduce operating costs.

Therefore, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare certifies cloud-based systems that meet standards regarding security measures. Certified systems will be posted on the ministry's website to encourage clinics and other clinics to adopt them, and large hospitals will be encouraged to migrate from on-premises systems. The plan is to subsidize some of the installation costs.