In a move aimed at rationalizing ambulance usage, three hospitals in Matsusaka City, Japan, have decided to levy charges on emergency patients who utilize ambulance services but do not require hospitalization.
The Japanese government announced that these fees, starting in June, will amount to ¥7,700 (approximately $52) as optional medical expenses.
According to Japan’s Kyodo News Agency, Mayor Masato Takigami clarified that the objective behind this decision is to encourage residents to resort to ambulance services only in cases of utmost necessity.
He emphasized, “We don’t want people to hesitate (to call an ambulance) when they are in pain”, but we aim to maintain service quality for those who genuinely need it.”
These hospitals, part of the primary healthcare network in the region, cater to patients with severe conditions necessitating hospitalization or surgical procedures, as reported by Nikkei Asia Network.
Exempt from these fees are cases such as traffic accidents, injuries to public employees, and patients with referral letters from their doctors or those covered by national health insurance.
Ultimately, the attending physician will decide whether the patient will be charged for the services rendered.
The Matsusaka Fire Department dispatched ambulances over 15,000 times in 2018 alone. Concerns arose regarding potential endangerment of lives if the upward trend in ambulance calls persisted, imposing burdens on emergency medical services. Consequently, local medical associations and other stakeholders initiated discussions in December 2021 to explore possible measures.
They also examined the planned reform of doctors’ working methods set to take effect in April 2024, aimed at reducing physicians’ overtime hours.
In 2022, ambulance dispatches numbered 15,539, with the Matsusaka Fire Department ranking highest among similar-sized fire departments across Japan, with over 10,000 ambulance calls.
Among these cases, 56.6% were considered minor, not requiring hospitalization.
