So in Japan, employees are required to do a Health Check for their employers. So that is the first thing. In Japan your medical records are not protected for privacy. That - and they are actually shared with your employer - I kid you not.This is such a big deal that many people prepare for this as if it were an exam - and make no mistake - you do get a grade. I got a D.
Employers can actually use results to say that you are not able to do your job. Now I have never experienced this or met anyone where this has happened, but it is a real thing. Because of this, people prepare. I have an adult student who didn’t eat for almost a week in preparation. Some people quit drinking ahead of time. It is a big deal.
This year I had to do one. And although I do not approve of the lack of privacy and the results being shared with your employer it is quite something.
My experience included a FIT test, a urine test, bloodwork, a chest x-ray, an ECG, an abdominal ultrasound and a follow up with a doctor. It could have included a stomach scope (no way - horror stories shared) and a mammogram (had one in Canada). At the end of it all, it cost me 10 bucks!
So I did get a few A’s and B’s and a couple of issues to follow up on but overall I did indeed score a D. For example, I have high blood pressure (not too bad) and it is treated with medication (perfectly controlled) and I got a D for that? And of course - my weight - big fat D! LOL!
But really, my experience with Japanese healthcare has mostly been very positive. I noticed a rainbow symbol at the Kamikawa Hospital at my last appointment and I asked my friend Nicky about it. She didn’t know what it was so I translated it. Basically it translates to “you are safe to be yourself here”. That is quite significant for a small town in Japan. Japan does NOT have a stellar record with LGBTQ laws - at all.
Doctors seem to be “leveled” in Japan and appointments are patient-led. For example, when Mark’s blood pressure was elevated, he had to ask for medication from the doctor - the doctor didn’t initiate the idea.
But man, if you are diligent, they will take good care of you in this country. Also, although you have to pay 30% of your healthcare costs, if you do not make much money, there is actually a limit to how much you will have to pay. Nobody goes bankrupt in Japan over healthcare costs.
Remember my first month here? I was able to have a CT Scan down the hall from my doctor’s office on the same day as my appointment! I waited 18 months in Alberta! And what was going on with my sinuses was no longer happening when I had the appointment.
ALL school kids have a health check at the beginning of the school year. They weigh and measure children and also test their hearing and eyesight. Every year.
I was terrified to spend 2 days in a hospital not speaking the language well at all. And it was fine - everyone bent over backwards to communicate and care for me. Mothers still spend a week in the hospital when they have a baby. Most of the time is spent resting and teaching.
Why is it that Mark and I go to the hospital every three months and do blood work as well? Because all of your levels are tracked every 3 months before prescriptions are refilled. And although it has been annoying it has really been interesting to track our results to our habits over the previous three months leading up to the testing.
So now we head back to Canada… where I expect the biggest change will be WAITING. But at least I won't get any more D’s!!
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