Prescriptions and Medication
In accordance with guidelines set by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare on the separation of clinic and pharmacy, our hospital issues “external prescriptions” for any medication that you are prescribed and will self-administer. “External prescriptions” are prescriptions that must be filled at a pharmacy external to this hospital.
If your doctor prescribes medication, the department where you had your consultation will issue you the prescription, and you will take this to the pharmacy of your choice in order to have it filled.
If you receive a prescription
First, check your name on the prescription to make sure it is accurate. Then, simply take the prescription directly to the pharmacy of your choice to have it filled and for payment. Several pharmacies have branches located near the hospital.
Note: All prescriptions are valid for four days. Make sure you have it filled within four days of receipt. You should also bring any social insurance-related cards or certificates that you have with you to the pharmacy, as this could dramatically affect the price of your prescription.
What is “separation of clinic and pharmacy?”
In order to insure fairness in the marketplace for prescription drugs and give consumers choice, guidelines set up by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare recommend that hospitals issue prescriptions which are then filled by the patient (or their representative) at the external pharmacy of their choice. Ashikaga Red Cross Hospital abides by these guidelines. This concept offers several benefits to consumers:
Medication Details
| Pharmacies generally provide detailed descriptions, cautions and information about possible side-effects to consumers
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Waiting Time
| By spreading consumers out over more pharmacies, waiting times are reduced
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Consumer Choice
| Consumers can freely have their prescriptions filled at the pharmacy of their choice
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Medication Management
| By centralizing their medication purchases at one pharmacy, their treatment can be monitored effectively for redundant prescriptions or possible drug interactions
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Internal Prescriptions
In a small minority of cases, certain medications may be prescribed to be filled at the pharmacy within the hospital. Following your consultation and payment for your treatment, if you have an internal prescription a receipt for it will be printed by the payment terminal together with your payment receipt. Take your prescription receipt to the pharmacy window (marked with “薬局”) on the 1st floor to receive your medication. Make sure you double-check the name on the prescription you receive.