Will the number of doctors treating children with developmental disorders decrease? The medical field is crying out over the revision of medical fees – Mainichi Shimbun

News Highlights

The medical fee revision for fiscal year 2026 is increasing the burden on doctors in the field of developmental disorder treatment for children, leading to outcry from the front lines. Specifically, it is pointed out that while diagnosing and supporting developmental disorders requires specialized knowledge and time, the fee revisions do not adequately compensate for these tasks. This situation raises concerns about a future decrease in specialists and the maintenance of healthcare systems for children with developmental disorders in local communities. From a business succession and M&A perspective, preparedness for medical fee revisions, maintaining facility standards and dispersing investment burdens through economies of scale, and utilizing tax schemes are crucial.

M&A Medical Editorial Department's Perspective

今回の診療報酬改定が、子どもの発達障害診療の現場に深刻な影響を与えているというニュースは、医療機関経営者、特に専門性の高いクリニックを運営する方々にとって、他人事ではない。発達障害の診断・支援は、時間的・精神的リソースを多大に消費するにも関わらず、今回の改定でその評価が十分でないとなれば、医師のモチベーション低下や、新規参入の抑制に繋がりかねない。これは、将来的な専門医不足を加速させるリスクがある。例えば、地域によっては既に発達障害児の診療を担う医師が限られている状況もあり、こうした状況下での報酬改定は、地域医療提供体制の維持を困難にする。M&Aメディカルの視点では、こうした診療報酬の変動リスクを、グループ化による経営基盤強化や、将来的な事業承継戦略の中でどう吸収・軽減していくかが、喫緊の課題となる。特に、専門クリニックが単独でこの逆風を乗り越えるのは困難であり、規模のメリットを活かせるグループへの参画や、特定医療法人・社会医療法人への移行による税務メリットの活用といった、中長期的な視点での事業承継・経営戦略の再構築が不可欠となるだろう。

Points Raised by This News

• The decline in profitability of developmental disorder treatment due to medical fee revisions is increasing the burden on specialists and their risk of leaving the profession.
• There are concerns that maintaining healthcare systems for children with developmental disorders may become difficult in some regions.
• It is becoming difficult for specialized clinics to maintain their operations independently, increasing the need to strengthen their management base through group affiliation.
• Strategies are needed to build sustainable treatment systems, anticipating a future shortage of specialists.

Practical Questions Arising from This News

• In the current medical fee revision, which specific items have been reduced or inadequately evaluated, and by how much?
• Are there specific measures that clinics specializing in developmental disorder treatment can take to ensure future profitability?
• If operations become difficult, what forms of business succession, other than M&A, can be considered?

If You Feel "Should I Consult Too?"

What is the extent of the impact of this medical fee revision on the revenue of your clinic, which specializes in developmental disorders? If the revision is causing concern about management pressure, it may be time to consider options for business succession, such as group affiliation for improved management efficiency or future-oriented succession planning, before continuing independently becomes difficult. We invite you to consult with us to find the optimal solution for your clinic's situation.

M&A Medical (CentralMedience Inc.) is a business succession support service for medical corporations, hospitals, and clinics, certified by the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency as an M&A support institution. We provide comprehensive support.Success FeeWe handle consultations with strict confidentiality.Contact Us for a Free Consultation