It is not emergency unless you are dying – Local hospital’s A&E

Hi everyone.

I am extremely tired and i think i am suffering from Fatigue.

The past few days were really challenging and i am really really drainned.

Firstly, i would really like to thank God  that Mum is feeling ok but i believe she can feel better.

I believe the hospital she stays in can be more responsible in providing safer and satisfying services.

Trust me, if i were to write down my experience with Singapore General Hospital, i might really include some unsightly crude words.

Really, pardon me.

But i was really really appalled by the service of sucha huge organization.

Thus i copied the feedback my little sis wrote to the hospital. You will also get a better idea as she is very detailed in writing this feedback.

We doubt it helps but we are waiting for the Hospital’s response.

Here you go:
About 2 weeks ago, I brought my mum to A&E after being referred by my family doctor due to her severe pain and internal bleeding of her right knee.

I can understand the waiting time, but not for the explanation and ambiguous diagnosis.

She was given a X-ray and was told to discharge shortly after being prescribed some painkillers, and we were told that if the pain occurs again, she may come in to A&E and see the doctor and following by warding my mum.

2 weeks later, my mum is still in pain and the painkiller doesn’t seems to be working either, so we brought her in to A&E again, as instructed, to see doctor and be warded for further investigation.
We were then being denied to let my mum to be warded.

The second time she went to A&E, the doctor just took 2 tubes of blood without telling us why, so we asked.
After gotten the answer, we were told to wait outside, and shortly after, my mum was told to discharge, with the cannula still plastered over at my mum’s brachial artery.

I felt that this shouldn’t be what a hospital should be doing, with the ambiguous explanation and service given. Nothing was done except being prescribed the same painkillers again and drawing out of 2 tubes of blood.
We have been rather patient with the staff till we realize we are just been told to wait aside again and again without telling us the reason again. To be discharged with the same painkillers again, which we have informed the doctor that the medicine aren’t doing anything for my mum;

1)same medicine was given again
2)the cannula is still plastered at my mum’s vein
3) Doctor did not explain anything or even diagnose her anything, all she did was based on the previous report to explain to us which we think that it doesn’t make any sense at all.

We supposed that A&E is a department where the patient will be further investigated, with clear instructions and diagnosis and explanation before one can be discharged, as the pain is not being made up, is urgent and requires immediate intervention and attention to the patient.
I believe the service can be made better.
I am writing this not only for my mum, and also hope that the quality and service can be improvised to build a better environment for all patients.

Honestly, if you want to hear from me, i would suggest that you should go to a private hospital if you are sick and if you can afford it. Many told me that i shouldnt complain because this is a government hospital to begin with, because they subsidize on the fees, their services will therefore be discounted  too.

I really understand this  is how it works. But this is Singapore. You do know which BIG shot visits this hospital whenever he is sick right?

Even if we cant be treated fairly and equally, i thought the basic level of service should be met.
The MOs (that attended to us) were young kids and they cant even speak properly and clearly (their replies were always “DONT KNOW”), some cant even speak proper English, some took patient’s blood without informing (even my GP can do better) some behave like very lost students when asked about patient’s conditions (fyi, they freaking shrugged away)

I understand that these Medical Officers have to start somewhere and we have to give them chances to, but at the expense of our patients? Really?

A&E means Accident and Emergency and having MOs like them around is really dire. I am not here to judge their skills and professions but they do not even possess basic courtesy? 1 of the MOs even snapped sarcastically at us.

Even my Malaysian colleague is shocked at what i went through, she said that she always thought that this kinda situation only exist in Malaysia.
Honestly, me too. I have never knew this can happen in Singapore.

Really feel so stressed running around to hospital n home with Sis, we are so tired. It doesnt help when the service at the hospital is at its lowest.
I am now considering various Insurance policies because i am really terrified with the experience i had  this time. If we can afford, or if the insurance policy we buy is flexible, i will go straight to a private hospital (touchwood! but i am saying if we are sick in future) anytime.