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If you get sick or injured in Japan, you will need to find a doctor who speaks English and make an appointment based on the type of medical examination required. It’s best to be prepared for possible health problems that may arise during your stay in Japan, such as catching a cold, allergies, eye infections and cavities. Today we will discuss how to find a hospital or medical institution that can use English, how to make an appointment, and some simple Japanese vocabulary that you will need to explain your illness or injury.
How to find a doctor who speaks English
Even for people capable of daily conversation in Japanese, talking about medical ailments may not be easy. If you are able to find a medical institution or doctor who can speak English, you will be able to be able to undertake a medical examination in English when you aren’t feeling well.
If you are staying in a major hotel, you should be able to find an English-speaking medical institution by asking the concierge. However, if you are staying in a small-scale lodging or homestay, the information that the owner or host has may be limited, so you will end up needing to find out for yourself.
On websites such as Japan Hospital Search (http://www.japanhospitalsearch.org/search/), you can look for hospitals that offer services in English. Some hospitals are also able to serve patients in Chinese or other languages. There are also cases where large-scale medical institutions like university hospitals have an English website or inquiry service (email or phone).
Please note that in Japan, there are 2 nouns that refer to medical institutions where you can get a medical examination: a “hospital” and a “medical clinic”. The main difference is the scale or size of the facility. If it has more than 20 beds for patients, it is a hospital; if there are less than 20 beds, it is called a clinic.
In the case that you have purchased overseas travel insurance
If you are in Japan on holiday or exchange and have purchased overseas travel insurance, please check your insurance company’s website and documents. Depending on the insurance company, there may be a list of suggested medical institutions that offer services in English, so it’s worth having a look.
Japan’s medical institution system
If you are going to undertake a medical examination in Japan, you must personally decide which type of specialist you will visit according to your symptoms. First, you must determine “the type of doctor that is concerned”. For example, you should visit a general practitioner if you have a cold or headache, a surgeon if you have an injury or sprain, an ophthalmologist if you have issues with your eyes, a dermatologist if you have issues with your skin, and so on. The types of specialists are listed below in Japanese. One doctor may specialise in various areas, or one single medical institution may have a range of doctors with different specialisations.
- 内科／naika – general practitioner
- 外科／geka – surgeon
- 整形外科／seikei geka – orthopaedic or plastic surgery
- 小児科／shounika – pediatrist
- 眼科／ganka – ophthalmologist or eye doctor
- 皮膚科／hifuka – dermatologist
- 耳鼻咽喉科／jibi inkou ka – ear, nose and throat doctor
- 耳鼻科／jibika – ear and nose doctor
- 心療内科／shinryou naika – psychosomatics doctor
- 精神科／seishin ka – psychiatrist
- 泌尿器科／hinyouki ka – urologist
- 産婦人科／san fujin ka – gynaecologist
- 歯科／shika – dentist
There are also various other specialisations, such as neurologists and cardiologists, but if you are uncertain about the reason why your body is unwell, first go to the general practitioner. General hospitals and university hospitals are equipped with a range of specialists, so you can ask which specialist you should see at the reception.
Making an inquiry or an appointment for a medical institution
It is possible to have a walk-in medical examination without an appointment at your local clinic, but it is common for large-scale hospitals to have extremely long waiting times for walk-in patients, or to reject patients without a referral letter. In addition, it is generally accepted that you should make an appointment for the dentist (also called “haisha”), and that you should inquire via phone before showing up at the dentist for an emergency case.
In other words, it’s best to always inquire before going to a hospital or clinic for the first time. During your inquiry, you should mention the following points and find out if it is possible for you to have a medical examination:
- どんな症状が出ているか – what your symptoms are
- いつから症状があるか – when they started
- 自分が加入している医療保険の種類 – the type of medical insurance that you have
If you are looking to get a medical examination as soon as possible, inquire over the phone and not by email. A simple call will help you figure out the type of specialist most suitable to your needs.
Basic medical ailments in Japanese
It is assumed that you will pick a medical institution where you can undertake a medical examination in English, but there are cases where the reception staff in small clinics can’t speak English, even if the doctors can. Furthermore, while there are many medical institutions that can serve you in English in large cities, the reality is that there are few in more rural areas. When you need to inquire, make an appointment or complete paperwork at the reception in Japanese, you can ask a friend who speaks Japanese to translate for you, or memorise some simple Japanese that will be extremely helpful in medical situations:
- 痛い／itai – sore, painful
- かゆい／kayui – itchy
- だるい／darui – tired, sluggish
- 苦しい／kurushii – hard to bear
- 咳／seki – cough
- 鼻水／hanamizu – runny nose
- 熱／netsu – fever
- 頭痛／zutsuu – headache
- 腹痛／fukutsuu – stomach ache
- 風邪・かぜ／kaze – a cold
- インフルエンザ／infuruenza – influenza
- 怪我・けが／kega – injury
- 捻挫／nenza – sprain
- 骨折／kossetsu – bone fracture
- 生理／seiri – menstruation
- 薬／kusuri – medicine
- 処方箋／shohousen – medical prescription
- 注射／chuusha – injection
- 予防接種／yobou sesshu – vaccination
- 診断書／shindan sho – medical certificate
- 入院／nyuuin – hospitalisation
- 予約／yoyaku – appointment
- 保険証／hokenshou – insurance card
- 保険／hoken – insurance
- 国民健康保険／kokumin kenkou hoken – national health insurance
- 英語で診察できますか？／Eigo de shinsatsu deki masuka? – Can I receive a medical examination in English?
- 予約は必要ですか？／Yoyaku wa hitsuyou desuka? – So I need to make an appointment?
- 初診料はいくらですか？／Shoshin ryou wa ikura desuka? How much is the fee for the first medical examination?
- クレジットカードで支払いできますか？／kurejitto kado de shiharai deki masuka? – Can I pay by credit card?
FYI, dial 119 to call an ambulance in Japan.
Getting a medical examination at a medical institution in Japan
In the case that you actually need to be examined by a doctor, please don’t forget to take the following with you regardless of whether it is a hospital that can serve you in English or not:
- cash (if you can’t pay by credit card)
- your passport or residence card
- your medical or travel insurance card (detailing the name of the insurer and the insurance number)
- your Japanese health insurance card (if you have one)
- medicine that you are currently taking (if there are any)
- contact details of the place that you are staying at
- contact details of your workplace
After you arrive at the medical institution, go to the reception. They will ask if it is your first time there. If it is, you will receive a personal information form which is required to make your medical examination card. Fill in your name, address, type of insurance and other details, and hand it back to the receptionist. Some institutions will also take your insurance card at this stage. Afterwards, wait for your turn to be examined in the waiting room or other prescribed location.
The procedure for a medical examination is just about the same as many other countries: you will be called into the examining room by the doctor, and you will be asked questions or receive palpations. Tell the doctor if you have some sort of medical history, if there are any drugs that you take regularly, or if you have been taking medication recently. Depending on the treatment required and the medical examination, you may be referred to another medical institution or asked to return for a check-up a few days or weeks later.
After your medical examination, return to the waiting room again and wait to be called to the reception for the bill. Some medical institutions in Japan allow you to pick up your medication when you are paying the bill, and others give you prescription to take to the pharmacy where you are billed separately for the medication. If you receive a prescription, make sure you ask where the closest pharmacy is.
If you are at a medical institution that serves patients in English, don’t be afraid to ask questions until you have completely understood everything.