Tokyo, Japan - Rakuten announced a new feature for its health management smartphone app, Rakuten Healthcare.
The feature allows users to easily record the results of their annual health checkups by scanning documents with their phone's camera using optical character recognition (OCR) or manually entering the data.
The app, launched in October 2022, allows users to track metrics such as steps, calories burned, weight, and BMI and compare their health check numbers to standard ranges.
It displays the data in list views and graphs to help visualize health status and changes over time.
The screening participation rate in Japan is 69.6%, with the under-40 demographic showing lower-than-average participation.
Early detection of disease risks can help optimize healthcare spending.
The company plans to promote the feature to individuals looking for an easy way to manage their health, and companies and municipalities are looking to increase employee participation.
Users who upload their screening results will also be entered into a drawing for Rakuten Rewards points.
The free app has over 1 million downloads and is part of Rakuten's vision to leverage technology.
The new medical data collection feature brings Rakuten one step closer to its goal of developing the app into a comprehensive healthcare super-app that facilitates services such as prescription refills and online medication counseling.
