Yoshida Hospital

Yoshida Hospital (吉田病院) is a medical institution located in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan, established in December 1981 and operated by the Keiyukai Medical Corporation (医療法人社団慶友会). It is a general hospital offering a broad range of clinical departments, including internal medicine and its subspecialties (gastroenterology, cardiology, respiratory medicine, nephrology, endocrinology, palliative care), surgery, orthopedics, urology, psychiatry, ophthalmology, radiology, rehabilitation, and dentistry/oral surgery. The hospital was incorporated as a medical corporation in November 1989, moved to its current site with a new building in August 1991, and in December 2006 abolished its long-term care beds while expanding general beds from 232 to 263. Yoshida Hospital became widely known during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020–2021, when it experienced a large in-hospital cluster in Asahikawa, drawing national attention and prompting a request for Japan Self-Defense Forces nursing support. The hospital remains an active healthcare provider in the region.

Yoshida Hospital was established in December 1981 in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan. In November 1989, it was incorporated as a medical corporation, forming the Keiyukai Medical Corporation (医療法人社団慶友会). In August 1991, the hospital constructed a new building at its current location and relocated there. In December 2006, it abolished its long-term care beds and increased its general beds from 232 to 263. The hospital provides a wide range of clinical departments, including internal medicine and its subspecialties, surgery, orthopedics, urology, psychiatry, ophthalmology, radiology, rehabilitation, and dentistry/oral surgery. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Yoshida Hospital became the center of a large in-hospital cluster in Asahikawa. On November 6, 2020, nine inpatients and staff were confirmed infected and the hospital was designated a cluster. On November 9, 2020, one infected inpatient died, marking the first COVID-19 death at the hospital and in Asahikawa city. By November 23, 2020, ten additional staff and inpatients were confirmed infected, bringing the cumulative total to 104, exceeding 100 in-hospital infections. On November 25, 2020, the hospital formally requested Asahikawa City to dispatch the Japan Self-Defense Forces. On December 9, 2020, Self-Defense Forces nurses dispatched at the request of Governor Naomichi Suzuki arrived and began support activities. On December 10, 2020, four new infections were confirmed, bringing the cumulative total to 201, exceeding 200 in-hospital infections. On December 21, 2020, the Self-Defense Forces nurses withdrew. On December 1, 2020, Chairperson Yoshida Ryoko published the course of the infection spread on the hospital's website, expressing gratitude for support from other hospitals while criticizing the responses of Asahikawa City, the public health center, and Asahikawa Medical University Hospital; she revealed that the city had rejected requests for Self-Defense Forces dispatch on grounds that the hospital did not meet 'public nature' and 'non-substitutability' criteria, that transfer coordination requests to the Asahikawa public health center were not fulfilled, leaving many patients in the hospital, and that Asahikawa Medical University Hospital withdrew all part-time doctors dispatched to Yoshida Hospital at the same time as the cluster occurred. This spread on social media and caused a stir. On January 18, 2021, with no new infections for two weeks, the hospital judged the situation to be converging and resumed all outpatient services except rehabilitation after about two and a half months; a total of 216 people had been infected, of whom 39 died. On January 31, 2021, the cluster was declared over.

• Yoshida Hospital established.

• Incorporated as a medical corporation; Keiyukai Medical Corporation founded.

• New building constructed at current location and hospital relocated.

• Long-term care beds abolished; general beds increased from 232 to 263.

• COVID-19 cluster recognized; 9 inpatients and staff infected.

• First COVID-19 death at the hospital and in Asahikawa city confirmed.

• Hospital formally requests Asahikawa City to dispatch Self-Defense Forces.

• Self-Defense Forces nurses arrive and begin support activities.

• Self-Defense Forces nurses withdraw.

• All outpatient services except rehabilitation resume after about two and a half months.

• COVID-19 cluster declared over.

A regional general hospital in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, providing multi-specialty inpatient and outpatient care under the Keiyukai Medical Corporation.

• General hospital services

  Inpatient and outpatient care across multiple clinical departments.

1. 1Yoshida Hospital - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2吉田病院 (北海道) - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org
3. 3Yoshida Hospital Official Websitekeiyukai-group.com