When the TO-40 Mild Sanso, the first membrane-type therapeutic oxygen concentrator to be manufactured in Japan, was made available to the public, it cost around the same amount as a new car. As patients of respiratory diseases often go in and out of hospital care, many could not justify the huge cost of the device when they may not need it for a long stretch of time. As a result, HOT devices only sold several hundred units when they were first available for purchase, even though many patients recognized the benefits of having these devices for home use. The Association of Respiratory Disease Patients, an organization formed in 1982, soon began lobbying across the country for the Ministry of Health and Welfare to approve oxygen concentrators for provision under Japan’s national health insurance.

By 1983, the issue had come to media prominence, featuring in national news broadcasts. Doctors added their support to the voice of lobbyists, expressing how important this form of treatment was for patients. Just two-and-a-half years after its introduction to the Japanese market, therapeutic oxygen concentrators successfully gained coverage under national health insurance, giving patients across the country access to treatment that would otherwise have been too costly.

In 1991, Teijin took their network to a new level, introducing a 24-hour monitoring system for HOT devices through telephone landlines. This system began the supply of constant data on oxygen density and machine function, allowing Teijin members to react to any malfunction and collect data which allows doctors to accurately advise on the treatment of individuals. By 2010, the system had advanced to include a mobile network, making it possible to reach remote locations such as islands and mountainous regions where landlines are unreliable. As many users of HOT devices are elderly and often live alone, this network also fulfills an essential role as a monitoring system. If any issue is reported, Teijin members are able to quickly contact the patient and advise them on what to do.

The monitoring system is also equipped for emergency situations such as earthquakes, as an oxygen concentrator cannot function during an electrical blackout. The Disaster Mapping Assistant Partner (D-MAP) automatically identifies patients inside a disaster area, such as any earthquake above seismic 5 intensity, and sends notifications to Teijin Pharma members to alert them. In the recent Kumamoto Earthquakes, the work of checking patients was started within minutes of each of the two tremors and successfully completed within around 24-hours of both. All of these developments have added value to the original product over time, enriching the lives of patients of respiratory diseases.