日本直販 and 日本介護医療センター will enter into a business partnership and begin testing a service in Osaka City that refers 日本直販 members and their families for advice on care facilities. Telephone and web pathways will be established to provide an initial point of contact for consultations.
Finding a care facility involves a large amount of information and time constraints on decision-making, making it important to establish an initial point of contact for consultations on finding a care facility. 日本直販 announced a business partnership with 日本介護医療センター on this basis. A survey by LIFULL介護 found that consultations with care managers were used most frequently and that people often felt anxious during the process. 日本直販 plans to establish consultation channels based on the characteristics of its members.
Under the partnership, 日本直販 will establish an initial consultation channel and smoothly connect people with specialists. When a 日本直販 member, family member or other person wishes to consult about a senior care facility, 日本直販 will refer them to 日本介護医療センター. Telephone and web pathways will be established to reduce the initial difficulty of not knowing where to seek advice. 日本介護医療センター will handle consultations using its expertise in care support.
The pilot operation will be rolled out to 日本直販 members in Osaka City. The intended users include not only members themselves, but also family members and acquaintances who need advice on care facilities. The start date and operating procedures may change depending on the status of the pilot.
日本直販 aims to provide guidance that is easy to follow even for people who are not comfortable with digital services, drawing on its operating capabilities in call centres and its “talk-to-someone” help desk. Going forward, it plans to consider expanding the regions covered and the methods of providing guidance, while expanding services for seniors as a comprehensive services company.