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TOKYO — Transcosmos has partnered with Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences to help overhaul pharmacy operations as Japan braces for a projected pharmacist shortage by 2040, the company said March 10. The deal points to a broader shift in the BPO industry, from back-office support to frontline healthcare operations.
The agreement, titled “Partnership Agreement on Promoting Pharmacist Operational Transformation to Address the 2040 Problem,” will focus on streamlining pharmacy work, easing labor shortages and studying new service models in community healthcare. It also includes joint development of education programs combining pharmaceutical training, digital transformation and BPO skills.
The partnership comes as Japan faces mounting pressure from an aging population and a shrinking workforce, trends expected to strain healthcare services over the next 15 years.
“We are delighted with this partnership agreement … which aims to transform pharmacists’ operations to address the 2040 Problem,” Satoshi Takayama, corporate executive officer at Transcosmos, said in a company statement. He said the company plans to apply its digital transformation and BPO expertise to help address challenges in community medical services.
Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences President Yoshihiro Mimaki said the partnership will support education and research focused on operational efficiency, labor shortages and talent development in a changing healthcare environment.
Transcosmos, ranked No. 192 in the OA500 2025 by Outsource Accelerator, operates 185 bases across 36 countries. The move suggests healthcare could become a larger growth area for BPO firms as labor shortages push providers to redesign how care is delivered.
For Transcosmos, the deal opens a new front for BPO: not just cutting costs, but helping redesign how healthcare is delivered.
Tags: Transcosmos, healthcare BPO, pharmacy operations, pharmacist shortage, Japan healthcare, healthcare outsourcing, digital transformation, community healthcare