Japanese doctors, hospitals and pharmacies

[misa.j]

Pharmacies are located to near hospitals because people usually go to the hopitals first to get prescriptions from the doctors, which makes it inconvenient for someone who is used to just walk in to the pharmacies to get medicine they want.
A lot of Japanese people, especially elderly, don't mind going to a big hospital where they have to wait for hours to see a doctor for less than half an hour.

In old days, your family doctor would come to your house when they were called, I don't believe that's happening in the U.S. anymore either.

[Maciamo]

Pharmacies are located to near hospitals because people usually go to the hopitals first to get prescriptions from the doctors, which makes it inconvenient for someone who is used to just walk in to the pharmacies to get medicine they want.

Yes, but why not just have the pharmacy inside the hospital then ? I have been to hospitals in England, belgium and Spain and everytime there was a pharmacy inside.

Until a few years ago, practically 100% of prescription medicines were dispensed by the doctor/hospital and you got the prescription filled under the same roof where you got examined. The problem with this was that the area of which medicines to prescribe was the prime area of the national health care system that doctors could abuse to inflate their incomes. In an effort to address the problem of doctors overprescribing, the government loosened the rules and made prescriptions portable. You can get them filled at any pharmacy, so (in theory) the doctor has no financial incentive to load you up with pills and nostrums you don't need.

Hmm, funny because almost everytime I or my wife went to see a doctor in Japan (for a cold, flu or the like), we ended up with a huge list of medicines to buy, most of which were not necessary (eg. medicines for sore throat and fever when I don't have either of them, and antibiotics, which I need even less).
I guess they have some kind of arrangement with the pharmacy next door.

Many of the places in Aobadai have a pharmacy in the drugstore. Usually a seperate counter.

Well, maybe those where you live have, but among the 3 drugstore near my station, only one has a pharmacist (although only medicines without prescription), one has a lookalike pharmacist but for Kampo (漢方) only, and the last one doesn't have any medicine.

[DoctorP]

Yes, but why not just have the pharmacy inside the hospital then ? I have been to hospitals in England, belgium and Spain and everytime there was a pharmacy inside.

All of the hospitals that I have been to have a pharmacy inside. But it is only open during "normal" hours. After hours and emergency prescriptions must be filled outside the hospital. But as was stated earlier there are usually a couple of places just outside the hospital doors.

Hmm, funny because almost everytime I or my wife went to see a doctor in Japan (for a cold, flu or the like), we end up with a huge list of medicines to buy, most of which are ot necessary (eg. medicines for throatache and fever when I don't have either of them, and antibiotics, which I need even less).
I guess they have some kind of arrangement with the pharmacy next door.

They do issue out quite a lot of unneeded meds, but I just refuse the ones that I don't want/need. As for the pharmacies having an arrangement? Usually they do. I know that many of the smaller clinics you see, actually the pharmacy next door is owned by the doctor (but run by someone else). THis way once the doctor retires, he has something else padding his income. Actually pretty smart, but nothing says that you must use that pharmacy...most people I know go to a pharmacy near their home to get scripts filled!

[Ewok85]

Interesting that doctors control the flow of wear people get their medicine.. This could be a conspiracy for human guinea pig testing where people test the drugs and if they show good results the doctors report the findings. Interesting...

So close to the mark and you just don't realise it...

But why do you need a real pharmacy when most drug stores have an attending pharmacist?

Having a pharmacist does not mean they can fulfil prescriptions.

I can't understand the trouble with finding a pharmacy. The drugstore variety typically stands out like a sore thumb. The ones which have an actual pharmacist and handle dispensing prescription medicines are also pretty easy to spot.

The big chain drug stores tend to not carry prescription drugs, but many of the smaller drug stores do have a counter within the store for fulfilling prescriptions.

.... Which I think is more or less what you said...

They do issue out quite a lot of unneeded meds, but I just refuse the ones that I don't want/need.

I keep them, and the wife sorts them out and gives them to me if I get sick

Got enough medical-grade iron supplement and antibiotics to start my own pharmacy at home I think...

[GaijinPunch]

Yes, but why not just have the pharmacy inside the hospital then ?

Well, most doctor's offices in Japan work this way, and is a completely effed up system if you ask me. I went in for a sore throat one time, and walked out with 7 (yes --- SEVEN) types of medication. It's in the doctor's interest to sell you lots of medication... most often placebo. IMHO -- the pharmacy and doctor shouldn't even know each other.

Hmm, funny because almost everytime I or my wife went to see a doctor in Japan (for a cold, flu or the like), we ended up with a huge list of medicines to buy, most of which were not necessary

Uh... guess I should've read a little further.