I am relatively new to Tokyo, so apologies if the answer should be obvious to veterans:
I’ve been working with my GP and coach back home (US) and we want to get specific bloodwork done.
I have been told by a Japanese friend that i’d have to go to various individual specialists for a broad range of tests. Are they all siloed and family doctors just not a thing?
Any (private or NHI) clinics in Tokyo where one can request thyroid, lipid, hormone, metabolic panels at once?
Thanks in advance for helping me settle this.
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Here’s my guess from past experience… If you want anything more done than the yearly annual check up and want to have it paid for by NHI or shakaihoken, you have to have specific symptoms for the test to be ordered. And “family doctors” won’t usually do it, theyll send you to a specialist.
But I think if you want to pay out of pocket, they will order whatever test you want.
I had thyroid, hormone, and at least part of a CMP done recently based on symptoms at a family doc. All covered. Just talked to him about why I wanted the couple extras and how they tied in. Now, would that be possible with any degree of regularity? I’m not sure.
Those are all things you can get any larger naika (gp) clinic in Tokyo. In fact, except the thyroid and hormone tests, the metabolic panels are usually covered by a normal physical. Outside of a physical, for NHI to cover it you need to have a reason for those tests though. Not just “I want this”.
TLDR; Pick a naika clinic and go. They all can do what you’re asking as long as you have a reason for it
At my last health check, the clinic (Tokyo Midtown) had a list of blood tests I could choose to pay out of pocket for, in addition to those covered by my insurance.
Most naika (basically PCP) clinics can get this done for you. Just specify which tests you want them to add.