About the NDB

The National Database (NDB) is a database used by the MHLW for research and analysis to prepare, implement, and evaluate the Medical Care Expenditure Regulation Plan based on “The Act on Assurance of Medical Care for Elderly People Article.” This database contains two elements: 1) claims information issued by medical institutions to medical insurers and 2) information on specific health checkups and health guidance. The NDB is used by ministries, agencies, and local governments to conduct research and analysis to prepare plans for optimizing medical expenses, promoting measures based on objective evidence to improve medical services quality, and other purposes. A part of the NDB data is also provided to researchers after undergoing a rigorous review to conduct analysis and research that benefits the promotion of measures based on accurate evidence aimed at improving the quality of medical services, as well as analysis and research to contribute to the development of academic research.

Claims information issued by medical institutions to medical insurers

Japan has a universal health insurance system, and medical insurers pay a portion of the medical expenses according to the patient's co-payment ratio. A claim is a statement of medical fees issued by a medical institution to a medical insurer for insurance medical treatment.

A claim includes information such as the name of the insured disease, the content and cost of tests performed, the content and cost of procedures (medical procedures, care by medical personnel, etc.), the content of prescriptions, and the cost of drugs. On the other hand, it does not include the results of tests performed at medical institutions or medical conditions recorded in medical records. The NDB is limited to information related to the payment of medical expenses.

Specified health checkups and specified health guidance

The specified medical checkups and health guidance are for people between the ages of 40 and 74. They are also called metabolic syndrome checkups and are conducted to detect the risk of lifestyle-related diseases, which increase with age, and encourage people to visit medical institutions and receive health guidance as necessary. The current database stores information on medical examinations of persons insured under National Health Insurance.

Although the NDB has limited data from one

aspect of actual medical care, these databases can be used to analyze the dynamics of national diseases, medical costs, and prevention and quality of medical care. Such information is vital for the development of a better healthcare system for diseases in Japan.