Seeing a medical professional in a foreign country is always a challenge. First you have got to have the right paperwork. Then find out how they “do it” over here. With a bruised foot refusing to heal from a tournament a month ago and pain in the rib and right hand from the last tournament I thought I would let a doctor check on me before doing any more full contact.

As with most things over here a Japanese hospital is very organised. In Japan that usually means that there is a lot of people working all over the place to make sure everything goes smoothly. First thing you do here is fill out a form, then sit and wait. Turns out it would be a lot more sitting and waiting on this day.

If you have trouble filling out your form, don’t worry. There is man especially assigned for the task of helping people filling out the form. From the look of him I would say he was a volunteer. Elderly man, no hospital uniform, a man with that senior dignity thing around him that can be seen in many places here in Japan.

Now, I was sent to the “sports” department of the hospital since my problems were sports related. In the form I had to check whether I was a pro, amateur or hobby athlete. I checked hobby. Once there I sat down waiting to see the doctor. The waiting was for a good hour so there was time over for some paperwork.

This hospital issues ID-cards to all patients when they come for the first time. Nothing wrong with that, seen that before in other counties too. Only this is Japan, so it was more than just an ID. After getting the card they take your picture in a photo booth. The machine gives you four small pictures to be used for your visit. One should be attached to the card, making it your photo ID for this hospital. The other three photos should be given to the nurse, so that she can attach them to different papers in your file. Why, I asked. Well, just to make sure nobody gets mixed up, was the answer.

Finally it was time for my brief encounter with the doctor. Where does it hurt? Ok, there, there and there. So, We will do an X-ray on you. Come back with the prints. On your way to the X-ray. That was it.

Made my way to the X-ray station. Guess what? Sit down and wait. But this station was as efficient as the assemble line at the Toyota factory. Three doors marked 1,2 and 3 was between the corridor and the X-ray machine. An assistant made sure that there was always a new patient in one of the doors as soon as one got out. Behind the door was a very small dressing room. I took of my shirt as instructed and waited for my name to be called. As I could hear the X-ray machine go to work on the other side of the door the light flickered in my little booth! This happens in my house when I use my laser printer, but in a hospital? Anyway, I was soon called in and had three X-rays done in a jiffy. Out, sit and wait for the prints.

Back at the doctors I sat down waiting again. Took a peek of my prints. Cool to see your own skeleton hand! Looked all-right to me. Found another funny thing in my file that I was carrying with me. In the section were the doctor is to fill out the results of the treatment there were three options to be checked: 1. Patient cured. 2. Patient left hospital uncured. 3. Patient died. What? Died?! I am sure all hospitals in the world have this, but it’s only in Japan where they actually would allow the patient to even see the D-word in his own file.

Doctor time again! Nothing broken. Bruised ligaments in hand and foot that will heal. Might be painful. Want painkillers? No thanks. Bruised rib soon healed. Call me if it gets worse. Thank you and good bye.

Time to pay. Sit down and wait. Cost 5000 yen. Will be refunded through insurance. All done in under four hours.

Technorati Tags: medical, professional, doctor, Japanese, hospital, X-ray, broken, Bruised, ligaments

Related articles:

Articles

Why white people like Japan.

K-1 WORLD MAX 2007

Home

Back in Japan!