Anyone that has lived in another country knows that the systems can be quite different from back home. The medical systems are definitely one of them. So what do you do if you are sick in Japan and how does one go to the doctor here?
Health Insurance
There are different types of health insurance in Japan, but basically, you will need either Social Health Insurance or the National Health Insurance for any kind of visit to a medical institution.
Types of Medical Institutions
As with any developed country, there is a wide range of medical services and institutions, but as this is meant to be an overview and a starting point, not a directory listing, this is not an exhaustive list.
GP Clinics
These clinics are found everywhere. In city centres, residential areas and near train stations. You can either walk in, or make an appointment. Many of these private clinics accept online bookings, but some still don’t, so a phone booking would be the way to go in those cases.
The medical issues that the clinics can attend to really depends, as they either specialize in internal or external medicine, so do call them first to make sure that they can help.
ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) Clinics (耳鼻科)
There are a good number of ENT clinics around and they are great if you need treatment for a sore throat or stuffy nose. Walk-ins are pretty common but you can always try to book an appointment before you go.
Dental Clinics(歯科)
Dental clinics are a common sight, though do make sure that you check whether what you want to have done is covered by Health Insurance as not everything is. Generally these are appointment based so either book a slot online or give them a call beforehand.
Eye Clinics (眼科)
There aren’t as many eye clinics as GPs, so it’s probably best to search for one on the internet or get recommendations. They usually accept Walk-in appointments but call them to check.
Women’s Clinics aka Gynecologists (産婦人科)
They tend to be quite busy to it is best to make an appointment before you go. Many of them accept Online reservations these days, but phone reservations are also fine.
And Ladies….the chair moves! It can be quite scary the first time if you are not expecting or used to it. But it is fine!
Podiatry Clinic(足病)
Podiatry does not seem to be a recognized medical specialty in Japan, so instead of Podiatry Clinics, many people either go to Orthopedic Clinics or Sports Clinics. Probably best to start with an internet search and go from there.
Hospitals(病院)
It is generally much easier to get an appointment with a referral letter, than by just trying to walk in. But, if it is an Emergency, it would be better to either dial 119 for an ambulance or contact Tokyo ER if you are in Tokyo.
Just turning up at a hospital can even get you turned away if you get there outside their main operation hours. Yes, you read that right. You might get turned away. If in doubt, call 119 or #7119 FDMA. Those in Tokyo can contact Tokyo EMS
If you cannot find a hospital when you are ill or injured, contact the Medical Information Services for Foreigners at 03-5285-8181 (Tokyo only). They offer support in English, Chinese, Korean, Thai and Spanish.
Mental Health Clinics (心療内科)
Matcha and GaijinPot have compiled some information so do check out their sites for information.
More information on Health and Medical Services can be found at GaijinPot Health
If you know anyone that might find the information here helpful, please share it with them.
Photo Credit: Medical vector created by pikisuperstar – www.freepik.com