The ambulance service in Japan is pretty fast. You'll probably get immediate help in whatever emergency. The problem would be the hospitals. Unlike in most countries, hospitals in Japan (in Hamamatsu, at least) seem to shut down on weekends.
(More on Visiting a Doctor in Japan, here)
One of my friends had a vehicular accident last Saturday. It wasn't super serious. Just a few scratches on her scooter and a swollen foot. Still, it's painful. A police officer helped her get off the road while waiting for another friend with a car to take her to a hospital. When the friend-with-a-car came, my friend was ready to have whatever surgery is needed. (She's over the top like that.) She didn't know that the closest aid she could get is a wrap around her ankle. And this is after she visited 3 major hospitals. Yes, they had to go to three hospitals just so a first-aid can be administered.
This is why they had to go to three hospitals:
Hospital 1: "Sorry, this is not an emergency hospital. We cannot give you anything- not first aid, not pain relievers, not even water. And no, we don't know any other hospital around the area."
What kind of hospital is this- no ER and no knowledge of other hospitals?
Hospital 2: "Sorry, we don't have any doctor to see you. It's a Saturday!"
What kind of hospital is this too- no doctors?
Hospital 3: "The only thing we can do is bandage your ankle. Our x-ray technician is not here. It's a Saturday!"
Okay, at least they have first aid which my friend could have also done to herself.
I can't understand why hospitals here are like these. Take note that they are hospitals and not clinics. It's just ironic to me that company employees and even teachers work as often as they can, weekends included, but not doctors. How odd can that be? And because of this, make sure to reserve all your medical emergencies in Japan on weekdays!
For more on seeing doctors and other medical stuff in Japan, check the following links:
http://www.tofugu.com/2010/01/22/in-japan-you-visit-a-scary-japanese-doctor-12-times-a-year/
http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/05/pregnant-in-japan-how-to-find-doctor.html
http://mylifeasagaijin.blogspot.jp/2008/07/seeing-doctor-in-japan.html
http://japanvisitor.blogspot.jp/2012/11/male-japanese-doctors.html
(More on Visiting a Doctor in Japan, here)
One of my friends had a vehicular accident last Saturday. It wasn't super serious. Just a few scratches on her scooter and a swollen foot. Still, it's painful. A police officer helped her get off the road while waiting for another friend with a car to take her to a hospital. When the friend-with-a-car came, my friend was ready to have whatever surgery is needed. (She's over the top like that.) She didn't know that the closest aid she could get is a wrap around her ankle. And this is after she visited 3 major hospitals. Yes, they had to go to three hospitals just so a first-aid can be administered.
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| Japanese traditional doctor. Maybe my friend should have gone to one instead! credit: http://www.tofugu.com/2010/01/22/in-japan-you-visit-a-scary-japanese-doctor-12-times-a-year/ |
This is why they had to go to three hospitals:
Hospital 1: "Sorry, this is not an emergency hospital. We cannot give you anything- not first aid, not pain relievers, not even water. And no, we don't know any other hospital around the area."
What kind of hospital is this- no ER and no knowledge of other hospitals?
Hospital 2: "Sorry, we don't have any doctor to see you. It's a Saturday!"
What kind of hospital is this too- no doctors?
Hospital 3: "The only thing we can do is bandage your ankle. Our x-ray technician is not here. It's a Saturday!"
Okay, at least they have first aid which my friend could have also done to herself.
I can't understand why hospitals here are like these. Take note that they are hospitals and not clinics. It's just ironic to me that company employees and even teachers work as often as they can, weekends included, but not doctors. How odd can that be? And because of this, make sure to reserve all your medical emergencies in Japan on weekdays!
For more on seeing doctors and other medical stuff in Japan, check the following links:
http://www.tofugu.com/2010/01/22/in-japan-you-visit-a-scary-japanese-doctor-12-times-a-year/
http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/05/pregnant-in-japan-how-to-find-doctor.html
http://mylifeasagaijin.blogspot.jp/2008/07/seeing-doctor-in-japan.html
http://japanvisitor.blogspot.jp/2012/11/male-japanese-doctors.html
