Japanese Health Care, Part 2

This time it was my turn. Waking up on Thursday morning with a shooting pain in my right eye, probably caused by the fact that I have been falling asleep without taking my contact lens (I only wear one, in my right eye) out, I knew something was wrong and that I needed help.

I thought I would pay a visit to my local emergency room and that is what I did, with sleeping baby in tow. Arriving about 7:30am, I was told that there was no opthamologist on call and to go to the clinic area, which didn't open until 8:30am. This is the thing about Japanese emergency rooms - you must call before to see if the specialist you need is there and if not, you need to call around to see which hospital has that specialist on call.

I waited, watching as the woman behind the counter arrived and starting preparing her desk for the day. Taking a sterile wipe, she cleaned her entire desk off, moving then to the counter where patients filled out forms to clean that desk as well. In addition to pens, there were reading glasses in a little container to be used if needed - a nice touch.

At 8:30 I went up to her and explained my problem. The woman had me sit down and left for a few minutes, returning to tell me the opthamology department was very busy and I would have to wait 2 or 3 hours to see a doctor. Being with a 2 year old, I asked if I could leave and come back later. She said no, that's not the way it worked - I had to stay in the hospital. I again explained (very, very nicely) that I didn't want to disturb the other patients with a 2 year old screaming child and it would be really helpful if I could leave and come back. She left me for a few minutes and returned, saying she had discussed this with the powers that be and that I could in fact leave and come back, after first bringing my paperwork to the opthamology department. I was thrilled, not only to be able to leave, but also at having gotten them to bend the rules, which in Japan is almost impossible.

We went back home, hung out for awhile and returned at 11 am for an eye exam, a wait, a 10 minute visit with the eye doctor, a prescription, a bill for 1260 yen (about $12, which included two different kinds of eye drops). After it was all over, it was 12:40pm.

While the wait is long, I have waited in some doctor's offices in the states for that long and at least at the end of this wait..
I was done.
Finished.
No need to fight with insurance companies, no lab bills arriving in the mail, no trips to the pharmacy.

I think I like this.