"Non-face-to-face care also helps the environment. Because patients do not have to drive to the hospital, carbon emissions are reduced."
On the 24th at Seoul National University College of Medicine in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Nangkaku Masaomi, dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Tokyo (professor of nephroendocrinology), said, "When a patient living in the countryside travels by car to receive treatment at a city hospital, that much carbon dioxide is emitted," and added, "If patients receive remote care, carbon emissions are reduced because they do not need to travel." He also said, "Medical waste such as needles used when patients visit hospitals is also reduced."
As the term suggests, non-face-to-face care is consulting with a doctor and getting a prescription without meeting in person, using smartphone video calls or an app (application). Medicines are purchased at a nearby pharmacy or delivered by courier. As countries around the world enter super-aging societies, non-face-to-face care for older patients with limited mobility is drawing attention.
A super-aging society as defined by the United Nations (UN) is when people ages 65 and older account for 20% or more of the total population. An aged society is 14%, and an aging society is 7% or more. Korea is a super-aging society, with people ages 65 and older accounting for 20.3%. Professor Nangkaku said, "In the West, including France and the United States, it took 100 years to transition from an aging society to an aged society, but it took only 24 years in Japan and 18 years in Korea," adding, "In a situation where Asia is aging rapidly and life expectancy is increasing, non-face-to-face telemedicine can be a good solution."
Professor Nangkaku, a nephrologist who graduated from the University of Tokyo College of Medicine and an authority on telemedicine, served as president of the International Society of Nephrology. He gave a presentation on sustainable telemedicine at the 2025 Asia Telemedicine Society (ATS) conference held that day at Seoul National University College of Medicine. The Asia Telemedicine Society is an academic group officially launched this time, with more than 10 countries participating, including Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The inaugural president is Kang Dae-hee, a professor at Seoul National University College of Medicine.
Japan has been gradually expanding non-face-to-face care since 1997. Because it has many islands and frequent earthquakes, there are times when patients have difficulty going directly to hospitals. In 2018, health insurance began to be fully applied to non-face-to-face care. Currently, patients use non-face-to-face care regardless of region.
Professor Nangkaku said, "Not only in rural areas but also in large cities, telemedicine such as internal medicine and dermatology is widely used." He added, "This was shown in a survey on telemedicine of 4,000 patients and healthy individuals and 6,000 medical staff," and said, "People living in large cities are mostly young and familiar with IT (information and communications) technology, so they can save time otherwise spent going to the hospital in their busy daily lives."
Professor Nangkaku explained that in Japan, even patients with diabetes can manage themselves at home without going to the hospital. When patients send their blood sugar, blood pressure, and weight via a smartphone app, their condition is evaluated according to the standards of the Japan Diabetes Society and the results are sent by email. Professor Nangkaku said, "If patients upload photos of their meals, we advise on eating habits and even check their exercise status." If any abnormality is detected in a patient's health, medical staff are notified.
In Korea, telemedicine was temporarily allowed in 2020 due to COVID-19 and in 2023 shifted to a pilot program. Recently, discussions on legislation have been taking place. However, there are also concerns about telemedicine, especially among practitioners who run clinics. They say it may be less effective than when patients and doctors meet in person for treatment.
Professor Nangkaku said, "There may be people who oppose the new flow in medicine, but non-face-to-face care can instead solve inequality issues surrounding access to care," adding, "It is the path we should take for patients and the environment."
According to market research firm Precedence Research, the size of the global non-face-to-face care market is expected to grow from 148 trillion won in 2022 to 1,283 trillion won in 2032. However, there are hurdles to overcome for non-face-to-face care to enter patients' daily lives. Some older people may find technologies such as smartphone apps difficult. Professor Nangkaku said, "Non-face-to-face care is a way for patients to escape spatial and time constraints, so we need to develop methods that older people can also use easily."