Job Discussion Forums

[Franzferdinand]

Hi everyone. I am in the process of applying for an ALT position in Japan (I'm not there yet) and I am looking for advice on health.

I guess this question has been asked a million times before, so apologies for that, but I came across this blog on another site http://injapan.gaijinpot.com/2012/01/28/the-worst-case-scenario-5-simple-steps-that-could-save-your-life-l/ and it got me to thinking about a few things.

I have a pre-existing medical condition, and it is quite important that if anything happens to me the doctor/emergency services etc know about my health details.

So I guess my question is, how do I go about making sure that my health records are transferred somehow from my doctor in my home country to the health system in Japan. I guess with an ALT position this would be the national health service in Japan, but the information I have received has been a bit sketchy on that so far to say the least!

Does anyone have any experience of dealing with this kind of situation, and if so, I would really appreciate any tips or links to useful info.

Thanks guys.

[bobbysix]

Bear in mind that most ALT positions will not pay for your national health. Interac likes to put ALTs on Global Healthcare, which is a private health insurance company. They don't give coverage for pre-existing conditions. You could go to the city hall and get cover that you would have to organize and pay for by yourself. Japanese national health do cover for pre-exisitng conditions.

[Franzferdinand]

Thanks bobbysix, that is good info. How about making sure that the national health from city hall has my medical records? Do they ask you to bring them, or fill out a form or something? I would really appreciate any advice or experience that anyone in Japan has had with this. All comments gratefully received

[seklarwia]

Interac doesn't force you to join the private health insurance. I just said, "No, thanks." and signed up for NHI at my yakusho when I picked up my ARC. Interac just asked me to confirm that I had NHI and that was that.

In my experience, I've found that there isn't a central medical database like we have in the UK (where hospitals and doctors can pull up your record with just your name and DOB). Hospitals here all run independently so every time I've visited a hospital or clinic for whatever reason, I've had to fill out a registration-type form each time (I've never visited the same place twice).

And no, the city hall asks only for your ARC/reg cert when you sign up for NHI; no medical records needed.

[Franzferdinand]

Thanks very much Seklarwia. My condition is potentially pretty serious. I am fine most of the time, but if it flares up, or I get into an accident or something, it is really important that the doctors know about it. Is it worth getting on one of these health record websites? I am going to bring a letter from my GP outlining my condition, and my special needs in case I need treatment in Japan, but I am not sure if this will be enough.

[seklarwia]

I'm not going to ask you to share the private details of your condition (although if you are willing, it might be helpful - perhaps there is someone who either has or knows someone who has the same or similiar condition and can tell you how they deal with the situation).

If it's something quite common perhaps you should find out whether there is a card or something that you can carry around with you in case the worse should happen whilst you're out and about; like in some countries people with diabetes, etc can wear medical pendants that hospital staff and paramedics are trained to look for and recognise on sight.

If it's a condition that you will be able to recognise the warning signals in time to get to a local clinic, then perhaps it will be enough to just bring your records (and a translation) and register with a clinic so that they, at least, will be aware of your condition should you need to seek treatment. Although I hear that doctors in Japan may be reluctant to simply take records at their word; they may want to run their own tests and diagnose you for themself... and I don't know how it is in larger cities, but in the places that I've lived, the opening times of some smaller clinics have left a lot to be desired.

In any case, if I had a condition that could quickly turn life threatening, I'd probably make sure that I got a medical letter in the local language, make a few copies and carry one on my person at all times, leave one by my front door (in case I needed to call out an ambulance) and give one to a speaker of the local language that a hospital would be likely to contact in case of emergency (which in Japan would probably be a person's employer for many foreigners without local next of kin).

[Franzferdinand]

Thanks for putting so much time into such a good reply. It is a long term condition with a long history, so I hope that clinics in Japan are able to register all the details because obviously they are pretty important. Does anyone know if there is a national database of medical records in Japan, or is it just the case that each clinic keeps records just of their patients?

[rxk22]

[Franzferdinand]

That does not sound promising, but thanks for the warning. I think I will look into the online health record options, and get as much information from my doc at home as I can. Thanks guys.

[rxk22]

[Franzferdinand]

LOL, nice one. I commend you on your knowledge of history sir

[rxk22]

[G Cthulhu]

[natsume]

I was very lucky in Japan. I was taking meds for hypertension and a thyroid condition when I arrived, and when I settled with a GP, he wanted to find out and diagnose for himself, which I think you can count on. It is a good thing he did, because it turns out I had been misdiagnosed for years, and was on the wrong kind of medication. He sent me to a specialist who spoke English and is a member of the Endocrinological Society of America who attends conferences in the states at least twice a year, so I was in good hands. It took about three years to resolve, and now I am in complete remission. I also had to see another specialist last year. again, American educated, spoke English. Granted, the hospital where I saw both has an excellent reputation in this prefecture.

My GP has been kind and thorough in a way that I have not seen with my doctors in the states. Well, all but one. So, Japan is not necessarily a medical nightmare, as some paint. (I don't deny people's bad experiences, but people seem to be able to have bad experiences everywhere.)

[rxk22]