In light of reviewing my mother’s health care providers. I’ve made several calls to home care providers and ICS. Most of them advise me to consult Polyclinic and thereafter, followed up and get referrals from there.
I’m going to document my search for an alternate health care provider. My every call. My every consultation.
Yesterday was a visit to CCK Polyclinic. I had to do a lot of planning.
First was visiting NHG website to understand more about CCK Polyclinic. Their opening times, peak and non-peak times, location of lifts, waiting area, wheelchair availability, etc.
I packed my mother’s discharge summary, all her medical reports and my tabulation of her meedication. All charged to meet the doctor!
Next, I got to transfer my mother from a non-lift landing unit to my car. With 2 maids at hand and my husband, they loaded her swiftly into the car, but not without sweat and utmost coordination. While my husband went to pick up my mother, I went to CCK Polyclinic at 1.30pm to take a queue number. Doctor consultation starts at 2pm. By 1.50pm, my mother was registered and we were waiting for the doctor. We were allocated a doctor at the Ground Floor, so no lift transfers or whatsoever. Preparing for a long wait, I armed my mother with extra diapers and her feeding supplies for feeding at 3.30pm. And prepared myself with newspaper and drinks.
The doctor did not arrive punctually at 2pm. Probably she ended her morning session late, I don’t know. She only start calling out the queue numbers at around 2.15pm. With 2 patients in front of me. Our turn came around 2.30pm.
The doctor took mother’s BP. I told her my purpose of the visit. She prescribed a month supplies. But I explained to her my difficulties wheeling mother in every month for medication and requested her to prescribe a longer period. Without hesitation, she prescribed for 3 months. I also asked on home care doctors and and any referrals she can provide us. Her replies were mostly a straight NO. Polyclinics do not refer home care services.
Not giving up, I pursued asking about step down care and ultimately….she agreed to refer me to the hospital. The hospital will then be able to refer to a step down care or speak to a medical social worker on other options.
Leaving the consultation room, I proceeded to the pharmacy and Room 7 for hospital referrals. All of mother’s medicine were collected except one that they do not carry. I proceeded to pay and had the shock of my life!!! I am so used to pay hundreds and thousands for mother’s prescription. At the cashier, the staff said “$51.20″!!!! Did I hear something wrong?? $51.20 for 3 months??? I have actually prepared my credit card but with this amount, I can pay via cash. I cannot believe the thousands of dollars I’m going to save every year, just on medication.
Basically, the medicine cost so much lesser due to 2 reasons. I got it from Polyclinics, which provides a subsidized rate. And on top of that, my mother is considered a senior citizen (above 60 years old) and she enjoys further subsidies!!!
I went back to Room 7 for my referrals. The staff passed me some documents and asked me to wait for her call once the appointment is fixed.
By the time I left CCK Polyclinic, its 3.20pm. I sped home cos’ mother’s feeding is at 3.30pm.
My thoughts after the whole episode…
(1) My purpose of getting cheaper precription has been met. If needs be, I shall bring mother every 3 months to follow up on the prescription. Except for that 1 particular medicine!! ARgh!
(2) Who will be her primary health care provider? Polyclinic? Hospital? Or continue with the private home care doctor? What happens if mother suffers from choking? UTI? Fever? Am I going to wheel her into the polyclinic too? We’ll see what comes out from the Hospital referral.
(3) This doctor that see my mother keeps speaking Mandarin. At first I thought she wasn’t local, but when I look at her name, very Singaporean leh!! Perhaps she is so used to speaking Mandarin to her patients there. I even over heard a doctor next door speaking hokkien. Kudos to them! That’s what public health care providers need.
But! It would be an A if the doctor is able to provide alternatives or information on home care or refer someone who know for us to speak to. Rather than “As far as I know, we do not provide home care services.” Don’t put a full stop there. Come on, you all are the first tier health care provider, filtering patients and catering to masses. Getting us referred to hospital is absolutely fine but…I somehow feel that pushing patient to the next tier (hospital) simply because there are no information at the first tier can be something to be looked into. MOH has been advocating polyclinics or even GPs to take up more responsibilities since hospital are too overloaded. This can definitely be one area.
(4) The environment at CCK Polyclinic is pretty pleasant, with greeneries, a little cafe, and airy waiting areas. They provide wheelchair and I requested one for my mother. But the problem is the staff. Can they be more pleasant please? SMILEEEEEE……=_=
Will update next when I get referred to the hospital. Let’s see what happens…..
