[Who manages medical machines and tools in the home? Control of these medical devices is difficult under the cost containment plan of the health insurance system].
In 1978, on the 30th anniversary of WHO, Dr. H. Maller who was the Secretary General said, "Down with HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE" in the elderly social welfare. Since then, many kinds of sphygmomanometers and blood sugar testers have been produced and sold on a commercial basis. However, there is no one controls the quality standards of these devices. Eighty practitioners from all over the country tested the blood pressure of 13,000 patients, using 6 kinds of electric sphygmomanometer, such as MATUSITADENKOU EW-252, MATUSITASANGYOU ZH881-A, OMURON HEM703C, SHARPE NB-650, TERUMO ES-P100 and TAKEDA MEDICAL US-731. Results of the examination were not good. Fifty to 75% of the devices were accurate, but difficult for many patients to use. Data from blood sugar testers, ANTSENSE, GULTEST, GULCO. SYSTEM and GULUCOTEX, were compared. In one test, there was a 110 mg/dl difference between ANTSENSE (it's constantly high) and GULCO. SYSTEM (it's generally low); the difference was 33.7mg/dl on average, but no accidents have happened. Recently, to economize health insurance costs in Japan, the government has cut the fee paid for biochemical devices. As a result, we are concerned that incorrect management of these machines and tools may occur.
Nakamura
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Nagasaki-ken Medical Association.
D015190:Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards; D003363:Cost Control; D004389:Durable Medical Equipment / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D004868:Equipment Failure; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics*