Hospital Visits in Japan for Beginners

Posted on 04/25/2023 Last updated on 01/11/2024

Imagine being sick for the first time in a different country, away from family and friends and all of a sudden, the realization that you’re now a full fledged adult hits you like a brick on the head. Even worse, you’re sick in Japan! A country where you don’t speak the language. It’s easy for you to feel overwhelmed with all of the things you think you need to do. Questions start running through your mind at an alarming rate.

Do you need to tell them your whole medical history? Would you need a translator or do the doctors speak English? Can you just show up at the hospital or do you need an appointment etc. It’s okay, I’m here to help with all three of my hospital cards and the knowledge that comes with being on a first name basis with my doctors in Japan.

First thing, first… Make sure you have your health insurance card. Whether you’re on national or social health insurance is inconsequential. As long as you have your card, you’re starting on the road to making your hospital visit a smooth one. Without it, you would have to pay for the hospital bill out of pocket and that can be expensive! So, make sure you have your health insurance card on you.

Photo by tomasa

Secondly, depending on what type of doctor you’re trying to see, you might need to make an appointment. If you need to get tested for covid, you ABSOLUTELY NEED to call the hospital or clinic before you leave your house. This is because the hospital might be too full to handle your case at that time due to the high number of covid cases that Japan has been experiencing. Also, it’s a good idea to call before hand if you have any concerns or requests.

For example, I had to go to the Gynecologist once and called to know if they had an English speaking doctor on hand. They did! And not just that, the doctor was female but I could only see this doctor on a specific day. Any other day, I would have to be attended to by a Non-English-speaking (Japanese) male doctor. While, there’s nothing terribly wrong with that, it just made more sense to me to be attended to by a female and English speaking doctor, especially when you realize that I was going there for a gynaecological consult.

Okay! You’ve called before hand and you have your health insurance card and your residence card with you (as a foreigner, this should always be on your person anyway). Now, you can go to the hospital.

When you get there, you can request for an English speaking aide to assist you with your registration at the reception area and if one isn’t available, you can use trusty old google translate to communicate.

You will be given a form to fill. This will ask for basic information like your name and address and also minor health history questions. Fill it out to the best of your ability. You will then be asked for your health insurance card and residence card. They’ll ask for your permission to make a copy of it and return it back to you. This time, your cards will be accompanied with another card. This will be your hospital card. Remember to bring it with you whenever you go to the hospital again.

Photo by acworks

Now, you’re ready to see the doctor. If you’re lucky, the hospital has an English speaking doctor. If not, again, trusty ole google translate will come to your aid. Communicate your symptoms as best as you can and hopefully, you’re prescribed drugs that’ll make you feel better soon.

Finally, you’re free! Uhm, not really. Now you’ll have to go back to the reception area and your bill will be presented to you. Yes, you still have to pay even with your health insurance. This is because insurance only covers a portion of the bill and you’ll have to pay the rest of it out of pocket.

Don’t, worry. The bill shouldn’t be a lot. You can pay the bill using an ATM like machine that’s usually in a corner near the reception area. If you’re prescribed drugs, a prescription would also be given to you. You should take that to the pharmacy and get your drugs immediately after you leave the hospital (usually, there are pharmacies near the hospitals).

Now, you’re done. I hope you feel better soon!

Photo Credits:

Top photo: ももも2190 on PhotoAC

Additional images by tomasa and acworks