Message from the Director

Nagoya University Hospital--Aiming to Contribute to Society

The history of Nagoya University Hospital dates back to 1852, when the Owari Vaccination Center was founded. After the Meiji Restoration, it was followed by the establishment of a temporary hospital and medical school in 1871. In 1881, the facility's name was changed to Aichi Medical School, which later became the forerunner of Nagoya University.

With the fundamental philosophy of contributing to society through medical care, education, and research, Nagoya University Hospital continually strives to implement its four core policies through daily activities: (1) providing safe and high-quality medical care; (2) fostering prominentmedical professionals; (3) pioneering next generation medical technologies and care; and (4) contributing to the community and society. We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to everyone for their tremendous support and cooperation.

In medical treatment, we diligently serves as the "last resort" for seriously ill patients with particularly complex symptoms and conditions, honoring the profound trust placed in us by the local community. Devoting our efforts to cancer treatment as a Core Hospital for Cancer Genome Medical Care, we at Nagoya University Hospital conduct cancer gene panel tests and promote personalized medical treatments based on each patient's genetic information. At the Rare Cancer Center, we have established a hotline as a point of contact for patient inquiries about rare cancers. We specialize in treating forms of cancer that have few cases and often leave many unresolved issues. In addition, having been selected as a Childhood Cancer Hub Hospital, we established the Children's Cancer Center which provides treatment of rare and intractable cancers that are difficult to treat. Transplantation therapy is another advanced medical treatment our hospital offers. In addition to providing hematopoietic stem cell transplants as well as kidney, liver, and heart transplants, we are preparing for lung transplants. Other notable programs include the Children's Heart Center, which offers advanced treatment for congenital heart disease, and the Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Center, which provides cutting-edge medical care in close collaboration with the Department of Internal Medicine and the Department of Surgery.

In 2019, Nagoya University Hospital became the first national university hospital to be accredited by Joint Commission International (JCI), an organization that evaluates and accredits medical facilities worldwide. In compliance with JCI standards, Nagoya University Hospital established The Quality Improvement Headquarter with multidisciplinary teams dedicated to continuous quality improvements in providing safe, high-quality medical care. Additionally, Japan's first department specializing in responding to unexpected situations was organized, guided by a clear, patient-centered policy that strictly prohibits avoidance, concealment, and deceit. These initiatives have been highly praised for aligning with JCI standards.

The hospital also serves as an institution for training outstanding medical professionals. As students are encouraged to participate in medical treatment, they will increasingly provide more medical care to patients under the direction of their supervising doctors. We appreciate your continued understanding and support.

Nagoya University is a research university, and promoting research is one of Nagoya University Hospital's most important roles. Designated as one of the Core Clinical Research Hospitals, Center for Advancing Translational Research (CATR), and Core Hospital for Cancer Genome Medical Care, Nagoya University Hospital is expected to develop new treatments for the next generation while providing advanced medical care. As research in the field of medical data progresses rapidly worldwide, our hospital is also promoting the use of medical data in clinical research. Furthermore, we are enhancing the functions of the Center for Advanced Medicine and Clinical Research (CAMCR) to support the advancement of this research.

Having overcome the extended coronavirus pandemic, our hospital is now getting a new start. Our entire workforce has renewed our commitment to the hospital's philosophy of contributing to society through medical care, education, and research. Thank you.

Shoichi Maruyama
Hospital Director of Nagoya University Hospital