FAQ

Please start by adding us as a friend on LINE. Send us your symptoms and how long they've lasted, and we'll recommend the right option: online consultation, in-person care or Cotovia Counter. Your message doesn't need to be well organized.

We handle everyday symptoms such as colds, fever, stomach pain, injuries and skin problems, as well as feeling unwell without a clear cause. We see patients of all ages, from children to older adults. Please ask us, including whether your concern is covered.

A medical interpreter joins your consultation, so you can be seen in Japanese. You can understand medical terms in Japanese and feel confident about your care.

If the doctor decides you need tests or treatment by a specialist, we'll refer you to a suitable medical facility. If you need to go to a general hospital, Cotovia Counter helps with arranging the specialist, accompanying you and medical interpreting.

LINE consultations are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Consultation hours vary by country and location, so please contact us on LINE first. In an emergency, call the emergency services in your country.

Yes. Many people experience stress and anxiety from living abroad. Please feel free to talk to us about anything, however small. Online consultations make privacy easier, and you can talk in Japanese from home.

You can book in Japanese on LINE anytime, 24 hours a day. Besides consultation bookings, we can also help with vaccination schedules and sending documents.

You can be seen without an appointment, but patients with appointments are given priority. To keep your wait short, we recommend booking in advance.

You can change or cancel your appointment in Japanese on LINE anytime, 24 hours a day. If your plans change, please let us know as early as possible.

Yes. As a general practice, we can see your whole family at the same time. When booking, please send the names and symptoms of everyone who will be seen, not just one representative.

We adjust to your needs, whether you're busy and want to keep it short or want time to discuss several symptoms in detail. Let us know when booking and we'll give you an idea of how long it will take.

Please bring your insurance policy or card and your passport or ID. For vaccinations and infant check-ups, your child's maternal and child health handbook is required. This varies by country and location, so we'll let you know when you book.

Select “Online consultation” from the LINE menu and answer the booking questions. Once your booking is confirmed, a doctor sees you via Zoom, so you can consult in Japanese from home or the office.

At our locations in Singapore and Thailand, the last consultation starts at 9:45 pm, so you can use the service after work. For hours in other countries, please ask us on LINE.

We deliver to the place you choose, such as your home or office. At our locations in Singapore and Thailand, delivery can take as little as 3 hours after the consultation, though weather and traffic may cause delays. Depending on the country and location, we may instead ask you to collect it from a nearby pharmacy.

After the consultation, we send you an invoice on LINE. Payment methods vary by country: local bank transfer or PayNow in Singapore, local bank transfer in Thailand, and bank transfer or collection by our staff in the Philippines. If you're using insurance, please fill in and return the specified forms.

Our doctors are experienced with online consultations and will ask about your symptoms carefully, one at a time. Some patients say it's easier to talk from the comfort of home than at a clinic.

Tests such as blood tests and X-rays, procedures such as stitches and IV drips, vaccinations and health check-ups can't be done on screen. If any of these are needed, we'll guide you to in-person care or Cotovia Counter.

Cotovia Clinic is a medical facility that provides consultations and treatment in Japanese. Cotovia Counter is a Japanese-language support desk inside general hospitals abroad, offering medical interpreting and guidance within the hospital. The counter does not examine, diagnose or prescribe.

It's useful when you're not sure how to get care at a hospital, when you feel uneasy about going to a new hospital, when you want to keep waiting times short, when you want to book a general hospital appointment easily on LINE, or when you just want some advice without a full consultation.

We help in Japanese with everything from reception and guidance within the hospital to accompanying you to consultations and tests with medical interpreting, payment, collecting medication from the pharmacy and booking your next appointment. We also answer questions that come up after you get home.

A doctor sees you in person at our clinics or partner hospitals. We also cover care that can't be done online, such as blood tests, IV drips and procedures. Vaccinations and health check-ups are also available in person.

Cotovia Counter helps with arranging a specialist, accompanying you, medical interpreting and even hospital admission procedures. You don't have to handle the process alone, even at a large hospital abroad.

We have locations in Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Hong Kong. You can find a clinic or Cotovia Counter near you on our locations page.

We offer cashless service with many types of overseas travel insurance. However, eligible insurers vary by country and policy. Send us your insurance policy and your insurer's name on LINE and we'll let you know before your visit.

Not necessarily. Even under the same brand, each country has a separate company, and each has its own contract with Cotovia. An insurer accepted in one country may not be accepted in another. Please check whether it can be used in your country before your visit.

Yes. However, you need to contact your card company yourself in advance and have its partner insurer send a guarantee of payment letter to Cotovia. Please be sure to complete this before your visit.

Consultation fees and payment methods vary by country, location and type of care. Before you book, we'll explain the breakdown of costs (consultation fee, medical interpreting, system fee, medication, delivery fee and so on).

Yes. Please send us the required form on LINE. At our locations in Singapore and Thailand, sending it before your visit makes things smoother. We'll prepare it after your consultation and give it to you.

In Singapore, if you have eligible overseas travel insurance, medical interpreting is also available at no cost to you along with cashless service. Without such insurance, medical interpreting is charged. For other countries, please ask us on LINE.

Yes, we offer a range of vaccines. If you're not sure which vaccines to get and when, send us a photo of your maternal and child health handbook or vaccination record on LINE. A doctor will review it and advise you on a schedule.

The timing, types and number of doses can differ between Japan and the local country. Cotovia has its own chart comparing the Japanese and local schedules, and we adjust so you can follow the same flow as in Japan.

Your maternal and child health handbook is required. Without it, we can't check the vaccination record, so vaccinations can't be given if you forget it. We'll return the handbook to you after the consultation before you go home.

Vaccinations can't be given if you have a fever of 37.5℃ or higher or other signs of illness, if you have had allergic reactions or anaphylaxis in the past, or if the doctor decides it isn't appropriate. If you had a cold with fever within the past 1 week, please let us know on LINE so we can check in advance.

We offer check-ups at 3–4 months, 6–7 months, 9–10 months, 1 year, 1 year 6 months, 3 years, before starting preschool and before starting school. They include checking growth and nutrition, measuring height, weight, head and chest circumference, and advice on parenting. The 3-year check-up includes a urine test.

Yes. We also see children, and children and their parents can be seen together. When booking, please send the names of everyone who will be seen.