Peritoneal dialysis care by using artificial intelligence (AI) and information technology (IT) in Japan and expectations for the future

In 2022, the government approved the telemedicine system for peritoneal dialysis (PD) in Japan in the form of medical fees. In 2000, we completed a telemedicine system for PD using an automatic peritoneal dialysis (APD) machine. We have published several papers and obtained international patents, but it was impossible to spread them. In recent years, the use of the internet and the spread of COVID-19 have led to the recognition of the importance of telemedicine, leading to the approval of medical fees for telemedicine in PD treatment in Japan. This change is believed to indicate the future direction of PD medicine. However, the current systems are still inadequate. They are difficult to use, and it is difficult for older patients to master their use. Therefore, we hope to develop a system that is easy to use, even for older patients. The new system is a wristwatch or mobile phone monitoring system for blood pressure, heart rate, partial pressure of oxygen, and electrocardiogram. However, development competition for such a mechanism occurs worldwide. Soon, the use of telemedicine in home medical care is expected to become a common practice. It is expected that the telemedicine system, which has been approved for patients using APD in Japan, will also be available for patients undergoing PD other than APD and patients undergoing home hemodialysis in the future. One important feature would be cooperation among doctors, nurses, clinical engineers, medical care teams, and primary care physicians. Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and information technology (IT) are expected to significantly expand PD medical care in the future. This review is focused on the use of AI and IT for PD medical care in Japan and expectations for the future.