How this work at Japan? (Hospital)

4 comments

1. Many hospitals take referrals or will add a introduction fee if you go there first so I suggest going to a clinic first. Depending on your symptoms and issues, you should choose what specialist you need but in general, a naika 内科should be ok. You can use byoinnavi.jp to search for clinics in your area.

2. Generally you would go to a specialist clinic and they will handle it. They can refer you to a hospital if they think it’s necessary.

   If you go directly to a hospital without a referral, it will cost an additional ~5,000 yen non-referral/introduction fee.

3. As noted, you need a referral or you have to pay extra if you go to a “proper” hospital without a referral letter. They will most likely send you to a GP, run some basic tests, and if they are not sure reschedule you to see someone in gastro.

   The best thing is to find a clinic near you that deals with IG issues And go from there.

   Obviously, if it is an emergency, call an ambulance—they are free.

4. As others have said, you can go straight to a general hospital but they will be surprised that you don’t have a referral. You can pay the no-referral fee and sit down for an hour or two until the doctor can see you.

   Or more usually you go to a local 内科 (Naika) – Internal Medicine Clinic and get treated there and possibly referred to a hospital. I believe they will call the hospital and set up an appointment for you if they can’t handle the case themselves.

   Some pointers/vocab:

   1. 内科 (Naika) – Internal Medicine Clinics: These general clinics often serve as the first point of contact for many patients. The physicians here can provide an initial diagnosis and, if necessary, refer you to a more specialized clinic or hospital department.
   2. 免疫アレルギー科 (Men’eki Arerugī-ka) – Immunology and Allergy Departments: For specific immunoglobulin-related issues, especially allergies or primary immunodeficiencies, departments or clinics specializing in immunology and allergies would be the ideal choice.
   3. 血液内科 (Ketsueki Naika) – Hematology Departments: For disorders related to the overproduction of immunoglobulins, such as Multiple Myeloma, one would seek expertise in a hematology department of a larger hospital.
   4. 大学病院 (Daigaku Byouin) – University Hospitals: Japan boasts several reputable university hospitals, such as Tokyo University Hospital, Kyoto University Hospital, and Yokohama City University Hospital. These institutions often have specialized departments and experts in rare and complex diseases.