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Company health checks

By on October 1, 2009

Photo © Elena Derevstova

 

If you are a salaried employee in Japan, you will find that once a year you are required to take time off from your job to attend a local clinic to have a kenkoo shindan, or ‘health check’. This appears to be mandatory and is paid for by the company. Good idea – if you’ve got a problem surely it’s better to find it out before it causes trouble.  But does it really work like that?  

 

First of all, people of working age are probably the healthiest sector of the community, so is it worthwhile? Certainly, such health checks involve a lot of medical activity – millions of people every year undergo blood tests, chest and even stomach X-rays, echograms, etc. Surely, all those X-rays can’t be good for you. Then, the tests themselves are usually done on conveyor-belt lines, with little regard paid to personal and family history and to important lifestyle matters such as smoking and drinking. Further, the results are presented in the form of a computer print-out in a rather patronising way which can cause needless anxiety: An ‘A’ means everything is hunky-dory; ‘B’ means it’s not quite normal but there’s nothing to worry about (so you do) and better have it checked again next year; ‘C’ means you need further investigation; and ‘D’ means go and see the headmaster immediately!  By the way, what happens to the results? Are they sent just to the person concerned or is a copy sent to the employer so anyone can see one’s personal medical details in the PR department? 

 

It seems to me these kinds of check-ups, where the significance of the results is not  explained to the people undergoing the tests, are of very limited value.  

 

Perhaps it is all unnecessary. After all, the rules for healthy living are simple: Don’t smoke, don’t drink excessively, take regular exercise, avoid being overweight, and eat a healthy diet – one containing plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and cereal grains, and little or no meat.

 

Dr Gabriel Symonds is the founder and medical director of the Tokyo British Clinic which has been serving the expatriate community of Tokyo since 1992.  Comprehensive medical services are offered including 24 hour emergency cover. 

www.tokyobritishclinic.com

Tel: (03) 5458-6099. 

 

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About Dr. Gabriel Symonds

Dr. Gabriel Symonds was the director of the Tokyo British Clinic. The clinic closed down in May 2014 after serving the expatriate community for 20+ years. Dr. Symonds has retired and the Tokyo British Clinic is now closed. Dr Symonds will continue to live in Tokyo and may be contacted by e-mail over any questions concerning medical records or related matters: symonds@tokyobritishclinic.com He will be available from another address for: smoking cessation psychotherapy/counselling circumcision information Tel: (03) 5458-6099 www.tokyobritishclinic.com