Cabinet OKs penalizing hospitals that fail to provide promised beds for COVID patients

Geez, kind of late isnt it? Those extra beds would have been really useful a couple of months ago!

It's tooooooooooooooooooooooooo LATE! Many outpatients supposed to be admitted were denied and died at home.

But since agreements with local governments are to be made on a voluntary basis

I sure wouldn’t sign up to this, given that:

If the medical institutions fail to abide by the prearrangements, local governments will be able to issue advisories and orders to make them comply and disclose the institutions' names if they still do not abide by the agreements.

Where is the upside for a volunteering hospital in this sort of agreement?

Good ol’ Japan way behind the curve as usual…

What can they do to penalize hospitals? Make them pay fines? Any penalty put on hospitals will ultimately effect patients.

Local governments should have had these powers back when the system was first concieved. It's absurd that Japanese hospitals can refuse patients, especially as they are funded by patients and the government.

Like closing the barn door after the horses have escaped, but in 100 years when the next pandemic hits, we ready!

It's absurd that Japanese hospitals can refuse patients

You mean it's only in Japan ?

You mean it's only in Japan ?

Yes, only Japan.

In any hospital in the G7, it would be unethical, immoral and unlawful to refuse a patient in critical conditions.

In any hospital in the G7, it would be unethical, immoral and unlawful to refuse a patient in critical conditions.

Of course.

And now you're saying hospitals in Japan can refuse patients in critical condition.

You must have a source for that?

And now you're saying hospitals in Japan can refuse patients in critical condition.

You must have a source for that?

Injured motorcyclist returned to accident scene after hospital refuses to take him due to positive COVID test

https://japantoday.com/category/national/injured-motorcyclist-returned-to-accident-scene-after-hospital-refuses-to-take-him-due-to-positive-covid-test

Some of you don’t seem to understand the problems that hospitals are facing.

Why refuse Covid patients?

Hospital beds are full of the aged, around 75% +

Hospitals don’t want to see their (mostly) elderly patients die off due to complications from Covid.

It’s bad for business…

Why is that the Japanese are the only hospitals that aren't capable of attending covid and non-covid patients at the same time.

What's the difference with the rest of countries?

What's the difference with the rest of countries?

The vast majority of japan's hospitals are private sector, ie they act in their own self interest, not the public's interest. Yet they are overwhelmingly funded -- by the public! Our insurance premiums, tax revenue and out of pocket expenses.

So it's imagine being forced to financially support a private company -- and that company has the right to refuse you as a customer. It's more galling for hospitals, as life and death matters are involved.

Japan's national health system needs a complete overhaul.

Why is that the Japanese are the only hospitals that aren't capable of attending covid and non-covid patients at the same time.

What's the difference with the rest of countries?

Lol another one

And now you're saying hospitals in Japan can refuse patients in critical condition.

You must have a source for that?

Injured motorcyclist returned to accident scene after hospital refuses to take him due to positive COVID test

https://japantoday.com/category/national/injured-motorcyclist-returned-to-accident-scene-after-hospital-refuses-to-take-him-due-to-positive-covid-test

Critical condition?

Japan's national health system needs a complete overhaul.

100% agree with that, but being forced to support stuff you don’t use or can’t use is to be solved, how?

I would stop forcing people to support such stuff.

Others might go a different route a force people to pay even more, to provide a supply of service in excess of what is offered now.

I would put each persons share of spending in a dedicated individual health account, were it me deciding how to reform. You only spend it when you personally use it. Tax only go to ensure the accounts of those who can’t provide for themselves are adequately topped up.

> Why is that the Japanese are the only hospitals that aren't capable of attending covid and non-covid patients at the same time.

What's the difference with the rest of countries?

…

Some do but it requires organization and paying staff on those wards more money for the real or perceived risk.