糖心视频

Human resource development and medical innovation based on multilateral collaboration through practical project education

*This initiative was supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology from 2008 to 2010, and has continued as an initiative of Aoyama Gakuin University and Kitasato University since 2011.

Program Overview

Kitasato University and Aoyama Gakuin University University worked together on the theme of "Human resource development and medical innovation based on multilateral collaboration through practical project education." The background to this is that in today's Japanese society, there are a number of issues related to the medical system, such as problems with the medical economy amid a declining birthrate and aging population, problems with the social security system surrounding medical services, the bankruptcy of medical institutions, problems with the supply and demand of medical institutions and medical professionals, and delays in the development and introduction of new drugs in Japan (the so-called drug lag). In addition, there is a growing demand for the quality of medical care, including patient satisfaction, in the medical field. Despite these increasing needs related to medical care in society, in Japan, perhaps because the medical field has been very independent and closed, there have been few active attempts to solve these problems through collaboration with other fields.

This new initiative, in which Kitasato University, which encompasses a variety of fields related to life sciences, and Aoyama Gakuin University which encompasses the fields of humanities and social sciences, science and engineering, and information science, will work closely together in both education and research, aims to present solutions to various social problems related to medical care, in other words, healthcare solutions, and to provide the right human resources in these fields through education.

Representative: Professor Hiromasa Inatsumi School of Social Informatics

Program implementation report

Regarding the consideration of initiatives at both Aoyama Gakuin University and Kitasato University, the executive boards of both universities held "Management Meetings" on October 6, 2009 (Fri), March 8, 2010 (Mon), and December 7, 2010 (Tue) to discuss the matter. In addition, the two universities jointly hosted the following events as a forum to publicly present this initiative: Special Seminar "Considering the Future of Healthcare and Society" (January 24 (Sat) and January 26 (Mon) - 30 (Fri), 2009: approximately 450 participants in total), Symposium "The Language of Hospitals" (January 22 (Fri), 29 (Fri), and 30 (Sat), 2010: approximately 80 participants in total), Symposium "Foreign Nurses: Future Prospects" (September 26, 2010 (Sat): approximately 140 participants), and Symposium "Clinical Research and Medical Ethics" (December 22, 2010 (Wed): approximately 80 participants).

Regarding research projects common to both schools, (1) as an initiative to create a healthcare information search system in cooperation with citizen groups in Zushi City, a database is currently being created; (2) as an initiative to expand regional medical care and hospital-clinic collaboration, the issue of facilities for severely disabled children is currently being addressed in collaboration with Sagamihara City, and various other issues will be addressed in the future; (3) as an initiative to improve hospital operations using a hospital bill nonpayment risk model, the issue will be raised in some way in the future; and (4) as an initiative concerning healthcare in an aging society based on the results of a survey of citizen needs in Zushi City, a regular meeting was held locally.

In the 2010 academic year, we incorporated content related to this initiative into courses offered at Aoyama Gakuin University, including: (1) conducting mathematical analysis of medical and hospital management data in a seminar in School of Social Informatics; (2) conducting a series of lectures on healthcare solutions in a special lecture in the same faculty; and (3) exploring communication issues in medical settings in a seminar in the Faculty of School of International Politics, Economics and Communication.

Program Outcomes

The educational content realized through this initiative has already been decided in the curriculum planning to be incorporated into the educational content of multiple faculties and graduate schools at Aoyama Gakuin University from 2011 onwards. Specifically, (1) mathematical analysis using medical and hospital management data will be implemented as a seminar assignment in School of Social Informatics, (2) the content of the Healthcare Solutions Lecture will be incorporated as a special lecture in School of Social Informatics, and (3) communication problems in the medical field will be incorporated as a seminar assignment in the Department of International Department of International Communication of School of International Politics, Economics and Communication. Further development of teaching materials and content is expected to continue between faculty members of Aoyama Gakuin University and Kitasato University, making it possible to realize this as "routine work in education."

Furthermore, regarding the research projects common to both universities, as described in the program implementation report, it is expected that research and survey systems will continue to be implemented by researchers from Aoyama Gakuin University and Kitasato University, making it possible to truly realize "routine research work."

The continuation of these routine educational and research initiatives was also discussed at the management meeting of the executive boards of both universities on December 7, 2010 (Tuesday). It was reaffirmed that the purpose of this collaboration is to cultivate human resources through education that leverages the unique characteristics of both universities, and guidelines for its implementation were presented.