For first-time patients (Request)
In accordance with the government’s policy, we ask patients who do not have a referral letter from another medical institution to agree to pay an additional fee for first-time visit without a referral letter in addition to the first-time patient fee.
- Additional fee for first-time visit without a referral letter (including tax)
- Medical examination by a doctor: 7,700 yen
- Examination by a dentist: 5,500 yen
The following patients will be considered first-time patients.
- If a patient is visiting our hospital for the first time.
- If a patient has visited Kawasaki Municipal Hospital before but returns after the treatment period has ended (patient has recovered).
Patient is considered recovered if the symptoms present during the previous visit have subsided or the treatment has been discontinued.
The decision regarding the period after the last visit, after which a patient is considered recovered, depends on a patient's disease.
When a patient voluntarily discontinues medical treatment and returns for a new visit, the dental and other medical departments will consider them a first-time patient, except in the case of mutually related injuries or illnesses.
First-time and follow-up visits are at the discretion of the doctor.
The following patients do not have to pay the additional fee for non-referred first-time patients.
- Patients arriving by ambulance
- Patients visiting outside of consultation hours (Limited to emergencies, and patients are subject to withdrawal if the doctor determines that it is not an emergency)
- Patients referred to another medical department from within this hospital
- Patients referred from within this hospital between medical and dental
- Patients who have received instructions to undergo a thorough medical examination due to the results of specified health checkups, cancer screenings, etc.
- Patients visiting on holidays and at night for emergency medical care, perinatal medical care, etc.
- Patients admitted immediately following an outpatient visit
- Patients who are clinical trial subjects
- Patients affected by a disaster
- Patients involved in occupational accidents, accidents in the line of duty, traffic accidents, self-pay treatment
- Those covered by the national government's publicly funded health care system (excluding pediatric care, single parent family medical care, severe disability medical care)
- Patients infected with HIV
- Other patients for whom the hospital director specifically recognizes the need to see in person
Letters of referral
Notes of precaution
Referred patients and patients with appointments have priority for medical treatment at this hospital. Please be sure to bring your letter of referral from a medical clinic or hospital near your residence when you visit this hospital.
*If you do not bring a letter of referral, the waiting time will be exceedingly long.
Additional fee to patients for follow-up examinations
If you continue to visit this hospital despite our written referral to another medical institution, you will be charged an additional fee along with the regular medical fee.
Additional fee to patients for follow-up examinations (including tax)
- Examination by a doctor: 3,300 yen
- Examination by a dentist: 2,090 yen
The following patients do not have to pay the additional fee for follow-up examinations
- Patients arriving by ambulance
- Patients visiting outside of consultation hours
- (Limited to emergencies, and patients are subject to withdrawal if the doctor determines that it is not an emergency)
- Patients visiting on holidays and at night for emergency medical care, perinatal medical care, etc.
- Patients admitted immediately following an outpatient visit
- Patients affected by a disaster
- Patients involved in occupational accidents, accidents in the line of duty, traffic accidents, self-pay treatment
- Other patients for whom the hospital director specifically recognizes the need to see in person
Reason/explanation for making such a request
Type of medical institution
Medical institutions include “medical clinics,” which do not have admission facilities or have 19 or fewer beds, and “hospitals,” which have 20 or more hospital beds. Medical clinics provide daily health consultation, treatment of minor diseases and disease management, and refers patients to hospitals when admission or special tests are required.
National Policy
For the purpose of providing high-quality medical care, the national government (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) is promoting the division of roles among medical institutions. Each medical institution cooperates with neighboring medical institutions for medical care according to its unique characteristics.
Role and current status of Kawasaki Municipal Hospital
As a core hospital in the region, this hospital plays a role in providing acute care (advanced, specialized medical care such as admission and surgery that is required for urgently or severely ill patients and patients transported to the hospital as emergencies) on a 24-hour basis.
However, the large number of patients currently visiting our hospital as outpatients means that along with making them wait for a long time, there is also the pressure to respond to patients needing greater urgency who require surgery or admission.
A request to patients (please have your own general practitioner.)
If you feel unwell, please first visit a medical clinic near your residence as your general practitioner.
Then, when visiting our hospital, please bring your letter of referral from the other medical institution.
If you bring a letter of referral, you do not need to pay the additional fee for non-referred first-time patients.
When the patient's condition has stabilized
When the patient's condition has stabilized after treatment at our hospital, we will refer the patient to their general practitioner, a convalescent hospital, or a recovery rehabilitation hospital, depending on the situation. (Our current average length of admission treatment is 14 days.)
However, we are always able to provide medical treatment and consultation when requested by the referring doctor.
Receiving medical treatment by a general practitioner can provide a different perspective on disease management from that of our doctors and is of great benefit for health consultation and ongoing treatment of chronic diseases. If your general practitioner feels that you need tests, admission, surgery, or specialized treatment, your general practitioner will write a letter of referral, so please rest assured.
If you do not have a general practitioner, please come to Counter 8 on the 1st floor for a referral.
We ask for your understanding in order to provide appropriate medical care to those who need it.
*Not necessarily as is stated above.
