The quality of doctors and hospitals in Tokyo is regularly debated by many, and few can ever completely agree on respective level of ability. That’s not to suggest that the ability of physicians in Tokyo is hit-or-miss, but many have complained that the level of care available in Japan is not on par with what they have experienced in their home country.
While some doctors are connected to hospitals, many others have small stand-alone private practices that are unaffiliated with Japanese medical facilities. House calls are generally unheard of in Tokyo – this goes for many of the smaller clinics that operate within the city as well.
A good percentage of doctors can speak some level of English, although most cannot speak enough of the language to effectively communicate with their patients. Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Medical Information Center, which can be contacted at 03-5285-8181, helps to bridge the language barrier gap by providing interpretation service in English and other languages over the phone. Difficulties with the language is one of the largest reasons why expat patients tend to seek medical care from the international hospitals and clinics operating within the market.
