99.1% intake rate for emergency patients
A simple philosophy underpins everything that happens at Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital — a hospital should be a place that those in urgent need can always rely on, no matter what the circumstances. “As Kobe’s flagship hospital, our duty is to be a place where people can seek medical aid even when others turn them away,” explains President Ryo Hosotani. “We place top priority in offering quality emergency medical services and advanced healthcare for the people of Kobe.”
President Hosotani, committed to delivering advanced health services
With the rapid ageing of society in Japan, the number of patients requiring emergency medical services is on the rise. Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital boasts an astonishing 99.1% take-in rate for emergency patients brought by ambulance — a remarkable achievement given the shortage of medical professionals in Japan. In 2017, as many as 35,000 people were admitted to the hospital’s emergency room, and the hospital has been ranked first in Japan for four consecutive years for emergency care in an assessment by the Japanese government.
While many hospitals turn away patients displaying mild symptoms, Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital makes a point of examining everyone, regardless of how light their symptoms may appear. The hospital’s paramedics consider this approach to be crucial for identifying life-threatening symptoms before a condition becomes irreversible. “With over 40 years of experience or providing emergency care, we are extremely proud of our achievements,” says Hosotani.
The hospital is currently embarking on new initiatives to provide healthcare that meets the needs of all. “In Japan, there is an increasing emphasis on providing all needed healthcare within the local community. As a municipal hospital, we thus have a responsibility to offer non-profitable medical services or other services specified by the state,” explains Hosotani. “In addition, due to our merger with the Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation Hospital (IBRI) last year, we have a renewed mandate to spearhead clinical research.”
Kobe’s flagship hospital for its citizens
The hospital already leads the health industry in Japan in terms of the number of patients who receive state-of-the-art treatments, such as endovascular surgery for conditions affecting blood vessels and blood circulation in the brain, stem cell transplantation for blood conditions and personalized cancer treatment. In particular, it has the first hybrid operation room specifically for cerebrovascular treatment in Japan.
“The main driving force behind our hospital’s development has been exceptional teamwork,” says Hosotani. “Extraordinary power is unleashed when staff are motivated to work collectively towards a common goal.”