Life Cloud Research Consortium

* This laboratory has been completed.

URLhttp://lifecloud.sfc.keio.ac.jp/
Director
Contact
Contact: Murai Laboratory
Tel:ext. 54225

Objectives

The aim of this consortium is to establish and popularize the “life cloud” platform: a cloud system to store health and medical information, accumulated throughout the life of the user in various formats. This will allow people to review their past data and receive knowledgeable advice. In order to achieve this, we will develop a standard format that can digitally store records currently kept in analog form, such as prescription record books, maternity handbooks, health checkup results, and medical test results, as well as measurable data, such as blood pressure and body weight.
We will also design the architecture for a dependable platform in order to securely maintain such data and provide a variety of services to users. Furthermore, we intend to construct a solid business model for the sustainable operation of the platform.

Research Period

Three years from 2012 to 2014. However, this period may be extended if necessary.

Research Areas

We will promote research activities in this consortium that cover the general areas shown below.

1. Architecture

We will establish the architecture for a “cloud” platform that holds health and medical information. With consideration given to compliance with the standards stipulated by the national government or international institutions, we will allow users to securely input and maintain a wide variety of information, view the information, and receive proposal services.

We will conduct specific activities in the immediate future that focus on the following information.

  • Medical and prescription information: Information related to medical diagnoses received at medical institutions, including doctors’ electronic charts, and records of medicine prescribed in medical institutions dispensaries will be stored on the platform. This will allow medical institution staff to browse patients’ medical and prescription records, with their permission, resulting in a medical service of a higher quality.
  • Care and nursing information: Information related to the care and nursing services received at nursing and medical institutions will be stored on the platform. When different care or nursing staff are involved with the care of one patient, they will be able to share information, with the patient’s permission, resulting in an improved facilitation of services.
  • Health information: Information, such as health checkup results conducted by local governments and companies, immunization records, measurable data, such as body weight and blood pressure, and records of supplement and food consumption, will be stored on the platform. This will allow medical institutions to refer such information, with the patient’s permission, resulting in the improved quality of medical services.

As the aforementioned information is important and confidential, we will put an emphasis on the following points with regard to the design and technological development of the platform:

  • Self-information control: Technological developments will be applied to allow information holders to control access to their information in order to prevent leakage from the platform without their permission.
  • Dependability: Technological developments will be applied to the platform so that users will be able to depend on the platform not breaking down even when used broadly and consistently.
  • Universal: Technological developments will be applied to allow multiple platforms to liaise with each other when similar platforms exist, and let users input data from a variety of information sources and receive information through a diversified array of media.

2. Sustainable operational model

In order to initiate and maintain the operation of the platform, it is essential that a smooth and harmonious human network is autonomously constructed between diversified stakeholders, and that all stakeholders receive some kind of merit.

We will analyze existing activities related to PHR (Personal Health Records) and EHR (Electronic Health Records) and establish an operational model of a sustainable platform, through applied research, including interviews to stakeholders.

We will put a special emphasis on the following as a common focus on all the aforementioned information.

  • Incentives: In order to enable sustainable operation of a platform, it is essential for those users who hold medical, nursing or health-related information to have a valid reason for inputting information onto the platform. It is also necessary that each stakeholder receives clear benefits from browsing information on a platform.
  • Operational model: Costs must be borne when sustaining the operation of a platform, and such costs should be controlled less than incentive. Therefore, we will establish a system in which the various stakeholders involved are responsible for costs autonomously, dispersively and cooperatively.
  • Legal system: It is possible that situations that do not comply with current legal systems may arise when storing medical, nursing or health-related information on a platform and making it available to users. Therefore, we will embody the merit of the platform to create a legal environment that will allow for sustainable operation of the platform.

Researchers, managers and professors

Jun MuraiDirector Dean/ Professor, Faculty of Environment and Information Studies
Miki Akiyama Associate Professor, Faculty of Environment and Information Studies
Jin Nakazawa Associate Professor, Faculty of Environment and Information Studies
Kaoru Tounaka Health Center
Keiko Okawa Professor, Graduate School of Media Design
Emi Miyachi Senior Visiting Researcher, Keio Research Institute at SFC
Yuka Honda Project Research Associate, Graduate School of Media and Governance
List
研究者
研究所に
寄付をする