Governor of Kanagawa Prefecture
Today, we had the pleasure of meeting with the governor of the Kanagawa prefecture. He discussed healthcare policies and innovations that have been put in place that support the ever growing super-aged population in Kanagawa. Two concepts in particular stood out, the first of which was known as Me-byo. Me-byo is a term used to express the state between health and sickness. Many tend to treat wellness as a binary scale; with healthy on one and end, and sick on the other. By acknowledging wellness on more of a sliding scale, we are better able to develop tactics to drive people of all ages to better health outcomes. The second concept that stood out was vibrant inochi. Promoting a vibrant inochi for all citizens is one of the driving forces of the healthcare policies put in place, and helps to set an excellent example for the health and wellness. After the presentation, we were able to explore the government building, and take in the beautiful view from the rooftop.
Eric Quinn
Masters of Physician Assistant Student at UM Graduate School