A Japanese model of disease management.

We started a disease management model, Carna, that includes two programs: one for primary prevention of lifestyle diseases and one for secondary/tertiary prevention of diabetes mellitus. These programs support the family doctor system and education for participants to allow the concept of disease management to take root in Japan. We developed a critical pathway system that can optimize health care of individual participants by matching individual status. This is the core technology of the project. Under the primary prevention program, we can perform the health check-up/ instruction tasks in the 'Tokutei Kenshin', which will start for all Japanese citizens aged 40-74 years in April 2008. In the diabetic program, Carna matches doctors and new patients, prevents patient dropout, supports detection of early-stage complications by distributing questionnaires periodically, and facilitates medical specialists' cooperation with family doctors. Carna promotes periodic medical examinations and quickly provides the result of blood tests to patients. We are conducting a study to assess the medical outcomes and business model. The study will continue until the end of 2007.