Can eHealth Reduce Medical Expenditures of Chronic Diseases?

The objective of this research is to evaluate empirically the effectiveness of eHealth in Nishi-aizu Town, Fukushima Prefecture, based on a mail survey to the residents and their receipt data of National Health Insurance from November 2006 to February 2007. The residents were divided into two groups, users and non-users, and sent questionnaires to ask their characteristics or usage of the system. Their medical expenditures paid by National Health Insurance for five years from 2002 to 2006 are examined. The effects were analyzed by comparison of medical expenditures between users and non-users. The interests are focused on four chronic diseases namely heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, and strokes. A regression analysis is employed to estimate the effect of eHealth to users who have these diseases and then calculate the monetary effect of eHealth on reduction of medical expenditures. The results are expected to be valid for establishment of evidence-based policy such as reimbursement from medical insurance to eHealth.