not covered by the National Health Insurance<\/strong> in Japan!<\/p>\nYou can easily find clinics with Japanese English-speaking doctors by doing a simple Google search. They usually have the website, or part of it, in English, and inform if they accept the NHI or not.<\/p>\n
How to Go to the Doctor in Japan \u30fc Making an Appointment<\/h3>\n
From personal experience, most of the doctors in Japan have a booking system in their website or by sending an email to them. This helps with the language barrier. You can use Deepl to translate in case the staff doesn’t speak English.<\/p>\n
Doctor Visit<\/h3>\n
Clinics require documents like ID (Residence Card, My Number Card, Passport), as well as your Health Insurance Card, so don’t forget to bring it with you!<\/p>\n
It is also a common practice to wear a mask in waiting areas to prevent the spread of illness.<\/p>\n
Payment<\/h3>\n
Something else to consider is the payment. Recently, many clinics have accepted other payment methods, like credit cards or apps. However, a considerable amount of clinics still only accept cash (genkin), so be prepared! The visit is usually paid at the end, after talking to the doctor and going through the procedures.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/onecoinenglish.com\/hireme\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/15838939830_d111331d47_o-600x400.jpg\")
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Prescriptions (\u51e6\u65b9\u305b\u3093 \u30fc shohousen)<\/h3>\n
If prescribed medication, you can usually fill the prescription at a pharmacy near the clinic or hospital.<\/p>\n
Be careful!<\/strong> Prescriptions have a due date, meaning you have to buy the medicine within a time after your doctor’s visit.<\/p>\nIf there is no specific date on the prescription, generally, for most medications, a prescription is valid for 30 days<\/strong> from the date of issue.<\/p>\nHowever, it’s essential to note that controlled substances and certain specific medications may have stricter regulations, and the validity period for those prescriptions could be shorter<\/strong>.<\/p>\nIf you forget to buy the medication, don’t worry.<\/p>\n
You have two options:<\/strong> contacting the doctor and letting them know what happened, you’ll have to drop by the clinic to get an updated prescription. Or, visiting the affiliated pharmacy (usually near the clinic) and they will call the doctor to confirm your prescription!<\/p>\nI had a similar situation in the past and luckily, I was able to do the second option in a pharmacy near my house.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/onecoinenglish.com\/hireme\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/img_2-2.jpg\")
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Conclusion + Emergency Numbers<\/h3>\n
We hope this article helped your visit to the Doctor in Japan smoother. And to finish, here are some emergency numbers in case you need them (let’s hope you don’t!):<\/p>\n
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