The field of public health is becoming ever more complex in recent years. In Japan as in other countries, urgent efforts are being made to reform the healthcare system. But medicine will not be able to address the issues alone—the situation requires an interdisciplinary response involving collaboration with other fields.

Increasing healthcare cost is a serious problem that is common to all developed countries. The U.S., where healthcare expenses as a percentage of GDP are the highest in the world, is experimenting with a new concept called “Accountable Care.” Could this also be a ray of light for Japan?

As far as terminology is concerned, I believe “medical engineering” is more appropriate. What precision engineering entails, however, is a scholastic field that strives to create some form of functionality, and this was part of the original intent behind the discipline. Thus, some of the activities we engage in come under...