A stint in hospital anywhere can cause anxiety, but even more so when it occurs in an unfamiliar country. Non-Japanese patients’ main worry is about the ability (or inability) of medical staff to speak English and, therefore, communicate effectively about something as important as personal health.
The level of English spoken in hospitals in Tokyo varies widely. Therefore, it is unsurprising that many patients who need to undergo non-urgent procedures choose to go home for these.
However, if you do end up in hospital during your time in Tokyo, rest assured that the level of care you will receive is generally the same as in any other developed country.
I ? Word Understanding
stint ? time spent at a particular activity
undergo ? to experience / to have
II ? Have Your Say
Here are some differences cited between Japan and UK hospitals:
1. The length of hospital stay is longer in Japan than in the UK
– this could mean Japan give extra care to patients, but on the other hand, this is also means extra income for the hospital
2. More tests are given in hospitals in Japan
– this results to early detection of any disease and therefore early treatment is possible
3. Japan is very conservative in giving pain medications. More pain relievers are readily available in the UK.
4. In Japan, doctors are mostly not available on holidays making it difficult to find a hospital in case of emergencies during these days.
237 Hospitals: UK vs Japan – Length of stay, language, birth, kids and pain relief
