The out-of-hours line at Tokyo Medical and Surgical Clinic

Why it is on the list

Tokyo Medical and Surgical Clinic was opened in 1951 by a British surgeon and an American physician for the diplomatic community, and has been at its present site opposite Tokyo Tower since 1976; the doctors who practise there own it.¹ They trained in the US, the UK, Australia and New Zealand.² The clinic has six full-time doctors and five full-time nurses, its own laboratory, X-ray, ultrasound and surgical suite, and an English-speaking pharmacy in the same building.³ When it is closed, the out-of-hours line puts you through to one of its doctors, who decides whether to see you at the clinic or remotely; adults and children are seen, with rapid tests and medication on site.⁴

It is the wrong call for anything that needs blood tests or imaging after hours: the laboratory and radiology are closed then.⁴

How to get it

Call +81 50 5530 9997. The line runs 5.30pm to 9pm on weekdays, 12.30pm to 9pm on Saturdays, and 9am to 9pm on Sundays and public holidays.⁴ A consultation, at the clinic or remote, is JPY 27,500; tests, medication and long consultations cost more, the bill is settled the same day, and tax-free billing is not offered out of hours.⁴⁵ A consultation at the clinic is not always possible; the doctor may offer a remote one instead.⁴ The clinic is outside Japanese National Health Insurance; insurers such as BUPA International, CIGNA International and International SOS Japan can bill directly with a guarantee of payment sent to gop@tmsc.jp.⁵ In clinic hours, 9am to 5pm on weekdays and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays, call +81 3 3436 3028.²

Discretion

The clinic is on the second floor of the 32 Shiba Koen Building, opposite Tokyo Tower, with the pharmacy in the same building, so a visit ends with the medication in hand.²³ A remote consultation means the patient need not leave the hotel.⁴