The Use of Telemedicine and Drones in Rural Clinics on Remote Japanese Islands

Area of Science:

• Healthcare technology
• Remote healthcare systems
• Island medicine

Background:

• Geographical isolation and resource limitations challenge healthcare on remote islands.
• Telemedicine and drone technology offer potential solutions to improve healthcare delivery in these areas.

Purpose of the Study:

• To survey the current status of telemedicine and drone utilization in rural clinics on remote Japanese islands.
• To compare the adoption and interest in these technologies between smaller and larger remote islands.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire survey was conducted in 2022 among all rural public clinics (RPCs) on remote Japanese islands.
• Data from RPCs on smaller islands (population <1000) were compared with those on larger islands (population ≥1000).

Main Results:

• Out of 89 surveyed RPCs (40% response rate), 24% utilized telemedicine, with significantly higher adoption on smaller islands (41%) versus larger islands (7%).
• No RPCs currently use drones for drug or specimen transfer, but 37% expressed interest in drug transfer and 34% in specimen transfer.
• Interest in using drones for specimen transfer was higher on smaller islands (43%) compared to larger islands (24%).

Conclusions:

• Rural clinics on smaller remote Japanese islands demonstrate higher telemedicine usage compared to larger islands.
• There is a significant interest in adopting drone technology for medical logistics, particularly for specimen transport, on smaller remote islands.
• Tailoring the development of telemedicine and drone applications based on island population size is crucial for enhancing healthcare in remote Japanese island communities.