title: Long-term care insurance and market for aged care in Japan: focusing on the status of care service providers by locality and organisational nature based on survey results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this paper is to examine the status of care service providers by locality and organisational nature.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaires were sent to 9505 home-based care service providers registered in the databases of 17 prefectures. The prefectures were selected according to population size.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Numerous for-profit providers have newly entered the aged care service market and are operating selectively in Tokyo, a typical example of a metropolitan area. Furthermore, both for-profit and non-profit providers have suffered from a shortage of care workers and difficult management conditions, which tend to be more pronounced in Tokyo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The market under long-term care insurance was successful in terms of the volume of services, but most providers were sceptical as to whether competition in the market could facilitate quality care services.
authors: Faculty of Policy Studies, Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Makoto
authors: M
authors: Kubo
mesh_terms: D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D003132:Commerce; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D059033:For-Profit Insurance Plans / Q000458:organization & administration; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006280:Health Workforce / Q000458:organization & administration; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D007564:Japan; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D008389:Marketing of Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009939:Organizations, Nonprofit / Q000458:organization & administration; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: health-care market; health-care providers; health-care sectors; home care service; long-term care insurance