Co-Creation Program Case Study: Regional Healthcare Solutions Utilizing Generative AI

Website:https://jpn.nec.com/

First of all
At the BIRD INITIATIVE, we had the opportunity to support the "NEC Healthcare Generative AI Co-Creation Program," which explores new approaches to regional healthcare. In this case study, we spoke with Mr. Makoto Fukui from NEC to learn about the background of the program, the initiatives undertaken, and the future outlook.

01Background

Q: First, could you tell us about your career so far? (BIRD Shimada)

Mr. NEC Fukui:Joined NEC in 1993 and was responsible for municipalities, government agencies, medical institutions, and private companies in the sales department. While gaining broad experience in the IT industry, developed an interest in healthcare and later shifted to a dedicated medical sales role. Has been involved in the healthcare and medical field for approximately 30 years.
Until about five years ago, my main focus was on hospital information systems—specifically, electronic medical records. However, considering Japan's aging population and demographic shifts, I began to think that achieving sustainable regional healthcare requires solutions that go beyond hospitals and take a broader view of the entire community. Since around 2018, I have been involved in new business development, dedicating the past five to six years to driving new initiatives.

Q: What role do you currently play in your department? (BIRD Shimada)

Mr. NEC Fukui:I belong to the Healthcare & Life Sciences Business Division, which is part of the Global Innovation Business Unit (GIBU). My mission as a strategic lead in the healthcare sector is to expand existing businesses while creating new ones and to explore ways to generate synergy between the two.
Existing businesses already have an established market and customer base, so the focus is on steadily increasing sales and revenue. On the other hand, new businesses still lack a clearly defined customer profile and value proposition. Therefore, we are exploring how to combine NEC’s technology and customer base to create viable business opportunities while advancing investment and research & development.

02Background of the Healthcare Generative AI "Co-Creation Program"

Q: Could you tell us the background leading to the launch of the "Healthcare Generative AI Co-Creation Program"? (BIRD Shimada)

Mr. NEC Fukui:At the beginning of last year (2024), with the practical implementation of ChatGPT, I strongly felt that the era of generative AI had truly arrived. As large-scale global investments progressed, data showed that approximately 19% of these investments were directed toward the healthcare sector, revealing immense potential. However, healthcare is a highly regulated industry, making it challenging to introduce AI features that directly assist in diagnosis or treatment due to legal constraints. Therefore, we started by integrating generative AI into NEC’s existing electronic medical record (EMR) business to enhance its value. In fiscal year 2023, we launched Japan’s first implementation of generative AI in electronic medical records, introducing hospital-focused services aimed at supporting doctors' workflows and improving operational efficiency. This initiative led us to expand our perspective beyond hospital efficiency to address the broader question: "How can we enhance the sustainability of regional healthcare as a whole?" With aging populations and healthcare workforce shortages, regional healthcare faces numerous challenges. To tackle these issues, in fiscal year 2024, we launched the "Healthcare Generative AI Co-Creation Program", aiming to explore broader and more innovative solutions.

03Expansion to Regional Healthcare as a Whole

Q: Since you started seeing results from integrating generative AI with electronic medical records, you have now shifted your focus to regional healthcare. This program involves not only NEC but also around 30 participants, including medical institutions and healthcare IT vendors. Could you explain the reason behind this collaboration? (BIRD Shimada)

Mr. NEC Fukui:There are two main reasons for this. First, the challenges in regional healthcare vary greatly from one region to another. For example, the scale of hospitals, patient numbers, and the number of doctors are entirely different between Tokyo and rural areas. Even within Hokkaido, the needs and issues in Sapporo are very different from those in Nemuro. Because of this, it was essential not to come up with solutions solely from NEC's perspective but to collaborate with healthcare professionals in each region to develop solutions together.
The second reason is that our business is supported by the cooperation of regional partner companies. Whether it's from existing ICT services to new generative AI technologies, the voices of our partner companies are crucial for our growth. Therefore, we invited both medical institutions and partner companies to join the program, combining on-the-ground insights with the potential of technological innovation. This approach allowed us to leverage both practical expertise and cutting-edge technology in a collaborative manner.

04The Potential for "Co-Creation" Revealed in Workshops

Q: In the workshop, participants first learned graphic recording (graphical note-taking) and then worked on conceptualizing ideal services for regional healthcare. How did it go in practice? (BIRD Shimada)

Mr. NEC Fukui:I have realized that it’s important not only to discuss challenges verbally but also to write them down and visualize them. Moreover, when we use graphic recording to visualize the information, the way it’s communicated to others is completely different. It’s easier to advance discussions and share insights compared to just using text. This was my second experience with this method, and I felt once again how effective it is. Now, in regular meetings, I find myself drawing on the whiteboard more frequently to share ideas visually.

Q: After conceptualizing the service using graphic recording, you created a project guideline and read it aloud at the beginning of each workshop. How did that approach work? (BIRD Shimada)

Mr. NEC Fukui:It was very effective. As the workshops progressed, the themes and focus areas gradually changed, but by reading the core objectives and criteria aloud at the start of each session, everyone was able to stay aligned in the same direction. Moreover, it wasn't just the leader reading; participants took turns reading aloud, which allowed them to reaffirm their mission. Each time, we were able to notice areas where we hadn’t yet achieved our goals, which created a cycle for improvement and applying those insights to the next steps. I thought that was a great aspect of the process.

Q: What are your thoughts on how the workshop was conducted? (BIRD Shimada)

Mr. NEC Fukui:During the workshop, we switched teams several times, and that turned out to be very beneficial. When one team passed on ideas to another, there was a slight "shift" in perspective, but adding new members brought fresh viewpoints, creating a synergistic effect. Furthermore, mixing diverse expertise—such as healthcare professionals, nurses, and IT sales experts—allowed each team to develop its own unique approach. As a result, I believe we were able to create more realistic and innovative business plans.

Q: After that, you proceeded by discussing business models, competitive advantages, business steps, and marketing strategies, while incorporating assignments. How did that go? (BIRD Shimada)

Mr. NEC Fukui:In typical settings, such as between healthcare institutions and IT vendors, or between clients and contractors, there are rarely opportunities for everyone to share opinions on an equal footing at the same table. However, this time, because we had the shared goal of "improving regional healthcare," even healthcare professionals took the initiative to conduct competitive analysis. As a result, we had very constructive discussions. Thanks to this, the ideas became more concrete and were successfully compiled into a solid business plan, which is a significant achievement.

05The Potential Revealed by the Business Plan

Q: In the end, five business plans were created. How do their contents compare to your initial expectations? (BIRD Shimada)

Mr. NEC Fukui:It seems that each plan has a strong sense of feasibility and reliability. In regional healthcare, it’s not enough to expect results five years down the line; the field demands quick social implementation. Reflecting this reality, the plans show a strong sense of urgency and speed in their approach.
In NEC’s business development process, this workshop took us through the "Generate" and "Ideate 1" stages. From here, we will narrow down which plans to prioritize and move toward the "Ideate 2" stage, leading to PoC (Proof of Concept). The transition into this next phase is progressing smoothly. In fact, if all goes well, we plan to start PoC in the fourth quarter of 2024, with a final decision on productization or direction by the end of the fiscal year. I feel that the fact that the ideas we’ve developed are directly linked to the next steps is a very positive outcome.

Q: How has the response been from the medical institutions and IT vendors who participated in the program? (BIRD Shimada)

Mr. NEC Fukui:The healthcare professionals are very positive, with many expressing a desire for quick implementation, saying "We want this to be implemented as soon as possible." We share that goal and aim for rapid social implementation as well. Additionally, it’s important to communicate the outcomes of our discussions externally, so we’ve been sharing updates and insights with the public as well.「https://wisdom.nec.com/ja/feature/healthcare/2024121901/index.html」It would be wonderful if the hospitals participating in this initiative were recognized in their communities as being involved in such cutting-edge efforts.

06Collaboration with the BIRD INITIATIVE and Future Outlook

Q: Once again, could you tell us why you decided to partner with the BIRD INITIATIVE? What factors were the deciding points? (BIRD Shimada)

Mr. NEC Fukui:In the past, when conducting business creation workshops with other companies and medical institutions, there were cases where the process was driven by the "tool" itself. Participants were mostly taught how to use the tools, and it ended up becoming a mere "filling-in-the-blanks" exercise. However, healthcare professionals are not looking to become experts in tools—they want to solve problems. When we partnered with BIRD, the approach was different. Instead of over-explaining the details, the attitude was more about "let’s try it first." They provided just the essential guidance and then allowed the participants to think for themselves. As a result, everyone took an active role, which led to a variety of innovative ideas. This approach was well-received not only by NEC but also by the medical institutions and partner companies involved.

Q: Were there any other points that left a strong impression on you? (BIRD Shimada)

Mr. NEC Fukui: The biggest takeaway was the sense of "unity" we were able to create. In typical settings between medical institutions and companies, there’s often a hierarchical structure, with clients and contractors. However, in this workshop, we were able to work together as equals and truly felt that we were co-creating the service. I believe this was a result of consistently reviewing the assignment sheets at the beginning of each workshop and reaffirming "why we were gathering" each time.

Q: Looking ahead, are there any expectations you have for BIRD? (BIRD Shimada)

Mr. NEC Fukui:This time, we combined the unmet needs of regional healthcare with the uncertain element of generative AI, which made for a very challenging theme. I believe that the intersection of "unsolved societal issues" and "technologies that are not yet fully mastered" will continue to grow in the future. The flexible frameworks and approaches, like those of BIRD, that encourage participant initiative are especially effective for tackling such complex challenges. I hope that BIRD will apply this approach to solve a wide range of societal issues moving forward.

Q: Finally, could you share your thoughts on the program through this experience? (BIRD Shimada)

Mr. NEC Fukui:NEC, medical institutions, and partner companies—three groups that don’t usually engage in discussions together—challenged an unknown area, and we achieved more concrete outputs than we had imagined. I believe this is one of the strengths of BIRD’s approach. I hope that moving forward, this method will be applied in various fields to foster new business creation and contribute to solving societal challenges.

BIRD Shimada：Thank you very much. As BIRD INITIATIVE, we also aim to leverage the insights gained from this co-creation program to accelerate business creation and the resolution of societal challenges for more companies. We truly appreciate your valuable time and conversation today.