Organizational Structure of the Health Care System
Public-administered financing through numerous schemes
Delivery is highly fragmented/decentralized
Low current integration, though many regional disease-specific efforts to integrate care between local clinics and hospital specialists (e.g. Chiba for diabetes)
Recent incentives introduced to increase primary referral to specialists as a means to stimulate systemic integration
Most healthcare delivery in medical private sector
8,943 hospitals; 18% public
98,609 clinics; 5% public