Emergency Medical Transport under Strain: Can Casual Utilization of Ambulances be Curbed?

Editorial

15:16 JST, April 24, 2026

To safeguard emergency medical care, the casual utilization of ambulances by people with minor symptoms must be curbed. To prevent abuse, charging a fee in such cases might be an option to consider.

Last year, there were 7.69 million ambulance dispatches nationwide, transporting 6.76 million people. Both figures were slightly lower than the previous year, but compared to a decade ago, both dispatches and transports have increased by more than 1 million cases.

Improving the emergency medical system is essential for protecting people’s lives. In reality, however, half of the people transported by ambulance to hospitals had minor symptoms. Some people even called an ambulance for small cuts or simply because they could not sleep.

Under these circumstances, lives that could be saved will be lost. Although the central and local governments are urging people to use ambulances appropriately, it cannot be said that it has produced sufficient results.

To reduce the burden on emergency medical teams, an increasing number of regions are deploying “daytime emergency medical teams” that operate only during the day on weekdays when transport volumes are high.

The central government is encouraging the use of the “#7119” telephone consultation service, where those who are unsure about whether to call an ambulance relay their symptoms and receive advice. The number of consultations in fiscal 2024 reached 2.45 million, and the service is expected to expand to 39 prefectures by the end of this fiscal year.

However, it is also necessary to consider in advance how to deal with the situation if the strain on emergency medical services is not resolved even with such efforts.

Last year, the figures for both dispatches and transports in Ibaraki Prefecture declined more than 5% compared to 2024. This is a remarkable figure, given that many local governments saw increases or decreases of only around 1%. Behind this is the fact that the prefecture and other entities began collecting in December 2024 the fee that is charged to patients who choose to go to large hospitals to treat minor symptoms.

Under this system, people who call ambulances for nonurgent symptoms and are transported to major hospitals are required to pay the hospital at least ¥7,000 in principle, just like those who visit hospitals without a referral letter. This suggests that the measure has had some effect in curbing the casual utilization of ambulances.

This measure appears to be viewed as effective even within the emergency medical field.

Three hospitals in Nagasaki City are reportedly set to launch similar initiatives starting in July. There are also cases in which hospitals are independently collecting such fees.

However, the original purpose of collecting such fees is to alleviate the concentration of patients at large hospitals. Some point out that this places a heavy burden on doctors who must determine whether a patient has minor symptoms, and that differing responses depending on the region and hospital pose a problem.

While the central government works to further promote the “#7119” service, it is also important to conduct a thorough investigation into how many hospitals nationwide are charging fees from people with minor symptoms.

A thorough debate is essential regarding whether it is appropriate to effectively charge for ambulance services, which should be free.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 24, 2026)