July 4, 2017 Western Pacific Publication

The Vanguard of Community-based Integrated Care in Japan: The Effect of a Rural Town on National Policy

Japan has the largest percentage of elderly people in the world. In 2012 the government implemented a community-based integrated care system which provides seamless community helahtcare resources for elderly people with chronic diseases and disabilities. This paper explains the establishment and outcomes of Japan´s first community-based integrated care system in the rural town because the history of Mitsugi could inform policy making in other countries with aging populations. 

March 3, 2022 Western Pacific Publication

Community-Based Integrated Care Units: Intermediate Care Units for Older Adults in Japan

Demographic changes caused by the global aging of the population are leading to increased medical and care costs. Several models of care that avoid admission to general acute care hospitals, increased medical costs, and poor outcomes after hospitalization are being explored. Ribbink et al. reported on the subacute care unit (SCU) in Spain and the acute geriatric care hospital (AGCH) in the Netherlands as intermediate care units that provided an alternative to admission to a general hospital. In the present letter, we introduce the characteristics and outcomes of community-based integrated care units (CICUs) in Japan, which function as intermediate care units.