Original article published in Newsweek on March 4th, 2022. Written by the Worldfolio

Automation to ensure the correct medication
Automation is increasingly empowering health providers to offer better services, including increased efficiency
and better patient management. Japanese manufacturer Tosho is leading the way in Japan with its range of
automated solutions and is now looking to break into international markets.
Today, healthcare providers theworld over are using automation
to meet goals such as reducing
medical errors and improving
diagnostic capabilities. They areeven using it to help improve patient compliance, driven by massive amounts of patient data. The
benefits of robotic process automation (RPA) to the health sector
were made particularly clear during the COVID-19 outbreak, as theglobal healthcare workforce became stretched to cope with thedemands of the pandemic. As aresult, technological research andconsulting firm Gartner estimatesthat around 50% of healthcare
providers plan to invest in RPA
in the near future.
In Japan, Tosho Inc. – which has
been involved with facilities andequipment for hospitals ever since
its foundation in 1971 – is one suchcompany proving an indispensable
partner for healthcare professionals with its range of customized
automated medicine dispensing
solutions. A perfect example ofTosho’s automated solutions canbe found in the field of oncology,
explains Yoshihito Omura, thecompany president.
“When pharmacists are preparing for the medicine to be administered to the patient, if they
put a higher dosage than what isrequired, it could pose a serious
or even fatal risk to the patient.
In this respect, pharmacists haveto consider the age and weightof the patient in their assessment and adhere to the scheduleof medications in administering

TOSHO user

the appropriate dosage,” he says.
“Our company has a number ofautomated machines and we havedeveloped software to monitor
and check all schedules and procedures. We have a system that could
be customized for every patient’sneeds. In other words, we offer a
total pharmacy solution with themachines that we provide.”
A company that provides both
hardware and software solutions,Tosho’s core business is a dose
dispensing machine called Xana,
which automatically prints out
the name of the patient, QR code,

Dose center

Dose dispensing pouchand the medicine to be administered, providing a convenient wayof dispensing as well as safely
catering to older people and patients with disabilities.
“We are developing new machines in the Xana product line, on“The big difference between
an IPO company and a family
company is that you canformulate a strategy froma long-term perspective
without worrying about
immediate profits.”
Yoshihito Omura,President, Tosho Inc.

which we are currently conductHaving already expanded toing market research to assess parts of Europe and Asia, Tosho is
how much potential there is for now targeting the United States
this product internationally,” says market. “We started penetrating
Mr. Omura. “Due to the COVID-19 the U.S. market five years ago andpandemic, healthcare profession- it would be beneficial for us if we
als now need to do their medicine could expand even further. We
preparation in a shorter period of must promote that our machines
time because they need to provide have a better way of dispensing
more care to the patients. More drugs. We already have distribuand more Japanese healthcare tors as well as OEM partner comservices are now using automa- panies and we are now growing
tion for dispensing
and establishing ourmedicine so thatfacilities there.”pharmacists, nursThe Tosho presies, and other healthdent concludes:care professionals“Through our soluhave more time fortions we want topatient care.”provide value toCurrently, Toour customers andsho only offers its
improve people’s
pouch dispensing
health. The big difmachines in interference between an
national markets
IPO company and abut has other prodfamily company isUniversal Feederucts such as IV drugthat you can formudispensers which it is hoping to late a strategy from a long-term
launch in the future. In Japan perspective without worrying
and other parts of Asia, Tosho about immediate profits, and you
caters predominantly to hos- can make employees, cooperatingpitals. However, it is currently companies, and society happy.
looking to target more hospi- Our focus as a family businesstals internationally despite each is the happiness of our workers
country having its own regu- as well as the happiness of ourlations, which inevitably poses partners. We would like to conchallenges for expansion. In or- tribute more to the end-users
der to cater to these country spe- such as the patients, hospitals,cific regulations, collaboration and pharmacies. The meaning ofwith local companies is often the companies’ existence is notpursued. “We need to be flexible based on profits.”enough in terms of our software,
products, handling negotiations,and cooperation – and that iswhat we try to do within ourwww.tosho.cc/en
industry,” says Mr. Omura.