Preparing for hospital admission
If a doctor decides after examining you in an outpatient clinic that you require treatment as an inpatient, the decision will be made to admit you to hospital. When attending the outpatient clinic, please try to come with someone who knows your symptoms well, such as a parent or guardian, if possible. If you are receiving public assistance when the decision is made to admit you to hospital, please contact the Welfare Office.
What to bring when you are admitted to hospital
- Toiletries and other items for washing and bathing
- Plastic cup
- Towels
- Tissue paper
- Feminine sanitary products
- Slippers or other indoor shoes
- Nightwear
- Ordinary clothes
- Underwear
- Please make sure your name is on all of your belongings.
On the day of admission
When you arrive, please go to Hospital Admission Desk 1 and complete the hospital admission paperwork. You do not need to pay a deposit. A doctor will explain to you (and your parents or guardians) the type of admission and things you should know about your stay in the hospital, and give you a copy of the Information for Admission to Hospital.
What to bring for the hospital admission paperwork:
- Personal seal (hanko)
- Health Insurance card
- Medical Certificate for the Aged
- Patient card (if you have a Matsuzawa Hospital patient card)
- Please inform the Hospital Admission Desk 1 if there are any changes to your address, your parent’s or guardian’s name, your health insurance card, or other details after admission.
During the hospitalization
Staying with patients in hospital and doing laundry
Patients admitted to Matsuzawa Hospital are cared for by the nursing staff during their treatment, and thus no one needs to stay in hospital with them. However, family members are requested to do the patient’s personal laundry (card-operated washing machines are available within the hospital).
Spending money
In principle, patients are responsible for looking after their own spending money; however, if patients are incapable of managing their own finances, it can be handled by Hospital Admission Desk 1. Money kept by the hospital will be managed as appropriate. Family members are requested to make sure the patient has an adequate amount of spending money so that it does not run out. Please address all inquiries about spending money to Hospital Admission Desk 1.
Shopping Card
All patients admitted to this hospital are issued a shopping card containing an IC chip free of charge.
This shopping card can be charged with money from the patient’s spending account and used to purchase goods and services needed while staying in hospital. This is a cashless system that eliminates the need to use actual money. The shopping card can be used for the following goods and services:
- Using the public telephone and laundry facilities on the ward.
- Purchasing goods and services on the ward, such as personal laundry, diapers, hair products, newspapers, and deliveries from the hospital shop.
- Purchasing goods at shops, restaurants, and vending machines outside the ward.
Communications
You are free to communicate with family and friends by letter or postcard.
Public telephones are available on each ward, and can be used by patients at any time.
After consultation with parents or guardians and other family members, communications may be restricted at the doctor’s discretion, depending on your condition.
Day release and overnight release
Should you and your family so wish, with the permission of your doctor, it may be possible for you to spend some time outside the hospital, possibly including overnight stays.
In some cases, a doctor may instruct you to spend time outside the hospital as part of your treatment strategy, including overnight stays, for the purpose of practicing or preparing for discharge from hospital.
Cost of hospitalization
The costs of hospitalization are calculated according to various types of health insurance. You do not need to pay a deposit.
You will be notified of your hospital bill for the current month when a payment notice (invoice) is issued around the middle of the following month. Please pay this at Payment Counter 4 by the end of that month.
Please pay your entire outstanding hospital bill on the day you are discharged.
A basic fee for hospital treatment will be charged even while you are on overnight release.
If your co-pay for your hospital bill exceeds a certain amount in a single month, you may not have to pay the excess amount. Please contact your health insurer if you need to know more about this system.
Discharge from hospital
When you are discharged from hospital, first go to Hospital Admission Desk 1 and complete the discharge paperwork. You will need your personal seal (inkan). Please close your spending account for reimbursement of the balance at Hospital Admission Desk 1 and pay your hospital bill at Payment Counter 4.