Business Opportunities in the Healthcare Market
Healthcare represents a new field where Murata can make good use of the electronic technology and know-howit has developed over the years. The New Business Development Department is responsible for the incubation and launch of business activities in fields requiring completely new products or involving new markets and customers for Murata, a task that the company's existing organization for electronic component business is not designed to handle. Our first goal is to find business opportunities for electronics in the healthcare market. We aim to apply Murata's electronic technology to processes in medical care that previously cost much time and money to achieve easy availability and low cost. I believe that measurement technology that allows consumers to keep a lifelog and technology that communicates measurements regarding the environment in which they live will contribute to home/personal healthcare. In addition to developing a business using the technology we already have, we aim to develop new technology in the creation of a comprehensive business model.
Home healthcare and personal healthcare
“Home healthcare” and “personal healthcare” both refer to health control and nursing care activities performed at home. The home/personal healthcare environment is characterized by the interconnection of various IT equipment and measuring instruments for personal health and disease control at home. With its rapidly aging population, Japan faces the urgent need to reform its medical care funding structure and medical care system. This is why home/personal healthcare is seen as a promising area. Home/personal healthcare programs and services are being upgraded in other advanced countries, too. Continua Health Alliance (a related article), an international organization aimed at improving the quality of home/personal healthcare, is establishing networks that connect various medical equipment and health control services.