Bridging Japan's battle-tested healthcare DX expertise with the rapidly evolving hospital markets of Southeast Asia.
I am an independent healthcare and life science consultant based in Japan, operating under IWATSUKI.Co. With over 15 years across pharmaceutical marketing, medical device sales, CRO/CSO operations, and hospital digital transformation, I work at the intersection of clinical operations and technology.
My practice is hands-on: I design strategies, build the deliverables, and stay until implementation is real. Recent engagements include a full digital transformation roadmap for a specialized ophthalmology hospital — from staff workflow interviews and EHR vendor evaluation to AI-powered appointment systems and board-level proposals.
I also develop digital tools directly: a pharmacy questionnaire app for Japanese dispensing pharmacies (with regulatory CSV export), a drug interaction AI checker, and operational task management systems deployed for hospital clients.
Through my affiliation with OPExPARK, I connect with a network of neurosurgeons and surgical video platform operators across Japan — a unique bridge for Southeast Asian institutions seeking Japanese clinical knowledge transfer.
End-to-end digital transformation for clinical facilities — workflow analysis, EHR selection, vendor management, staff change management, and board-ready proposals.
Go-to-market strategy, KOL engagement, speaker programs, and medical education for pharmaceutical and medical device companies entering or scaling in Japan.
Hands-on build of healthcare web apps, AI-integrated tools, and clinical workflow systems — from prototype to deployed product.
MHLW medical information security guideline compliance (Ver. 6.0), BCP documentation, and operational policy frameworks for Japanese healthcare institutions.
For Southeast Asian companies seeking to partner with, source from, or benchmark against Japan's healthcare system — market intelligence, introductions, and advisory.
Via OPExPARK: access to Japan's neurosurgeon community, surgical video content platforms, and specialist networks for clinical knowledge exchange programs.
Led a comprehensive DX engagement for a specialized eye clinic group (Shozan-kai Medical Corporation). Conducted structured staff interviews to map workflow bottlenecks and single-point-of-failure risks, evaluated EHR vendors including AI integration feasibility with Fujitsu, and assessed appointment system providers (Doctor Cube, TellMe Eye). Delivered a 22-slide board proposal and a staff interview infographic, with an HTML-based task management system deployed on GitHub Pages.
Designed and co-developed a tablet-based patient intake app for Japanese dispensing pharmacies. Features include first-visit/return-visit modes, pharmacist PIN-lock view separation, Claude API voice transcription (resolving iOS Safari Web Speech API incompatibility), and NSIPS v1.06-compliant CSV export for integration with pharmacy management systems including MEDIXS.
Supported a small hospital in achieving compliance with Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare medical information system security guidelines (Version 6.0). Produced an Excel compliance checklist, BCP Word document, and a 20-article operational management policy aligned to official MHLW templates. Designed for practical implementation rather than checkbox compliance.
Built and launched "くすり飲み合わせナビ," a consumer drug interaction checker using a two-agent Anthropic API architecture (Claude Haiku for cost efficiency). Deployed on Render (backend) and GitHub Pages (frontend), with A8.net affiliate monetization and full Google Analytics and Search Console integration.
Japan navigated its own hospital digitalization challenge years before most of Southeast Asia. The lessons — from EHR standardization politics to staff resistance management and vendor lock-in pitfalls — are directly transferable.
As Thailand, Vietnam, and neighboring markets accelerate their healthcare DX agendas, the gap between aspiration and execution is where consultants add the most value. I bridge that gap with real implementation experience, not frameworks borrowed from textbooks.
The most valuable thing I can offer Southeast Asian hospital leaders is not advice about what to do — it is the scar tissue from having done it, in one of the world's most demanding healthcare regulatory environments.
I am currently accepting new consulting engagements in Thailand and Vietnam. Initial consultations are complimentary. Let's discuss your hospital's digital transformation priorities over a 30-minute call.