High health cost in Singapore has led to many bad consequenc
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High health cost in Singapore has led to many bad consequences.
I was in hospital recently and I witnessed a father who discharged his son for fearing of his inability to pay the medical bill as he has no Medisave.
I have also witnessed a foreign student who is also very worried about the high medical bill and requested for a discharge.
We are C Class patients.
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C class also can't afford, should be F class
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The father is an odd job labourer and he earns only a few hundred dollars a month. The daily cost of a C class ward is $27 (bed) + $13 (Treatment) + approx $20 to $60 (lab charges and Medication) = approx $100 per day.
The foreign student is not receiving any subsidy as he is a foreigner and he is charged as a private patient. His bill comes to a few thousands of dollars in just 2 to 3 days stay.
Please do not think that the medical cost is cheap in Singapore even it is in C Class ward.
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true, not cheap, can die can not get sick
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even with medisark, there are so many limitations to how much we can take out.
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Originally posted by alwaysdisturbed:
even with medisark, there are so many limitations to how much we can take out.
Medi-whatever.... they're all an illusion..Look at it this way; those money are only good for the last few days of our lives, & the eventual funeral...
A friend of mine, his mother who works as church cook, received about $500+ in WIS but $400+ went into CPF & Medisave leaving her with only $170 hard cash.
You tell me, what the fark that is...?? Suplement who you tell me?
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Originally posted by HyperFocal:
Medi-whatever.... they're all an illusion..Look at it this way; those money are only good for the last few days of our lives, & the eventual funeral...
A friend of mine, his mother who works as church cook, received about $500+ in WIS but $400+ went into CPF & Medisave leaving her with only $170 hard cash.
You tell me, what the fark that is...?? Suplement who you tell me?
I read a heart bypass is cheaper in Malaysia n last time went to KL, taxi driver mentioned many Sporean went there for medical treatment esp the Malaysian heart centre.
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malsysia better and cheaper, malaysia boleh, singapore tak boleh tahan
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Has the high health cost led to the shortage of staff in hospital or employment of less qualified or insufficiently trained staff ?
The link to the health discussion forum in channelnewsasia "My mum was hospitalized recently due to dengue and to our horror, we discover for ourselves the quality of the Mount Elizabeth hospitalization service which would have killed her if we had not been cautious."
The url link is http://forum.channelnewsasia.com/viewtopic.php?t=127972
My mum was hospitalized recently due to dengue and to our horror, we discover for ourselves the quality of the Mount Elizabeth hospitalization service which would have killed her if we had not been cautious.
On the 3rd and 4th day of hospitalization from high fever, my mum's condition became worse. This was when we had the horrific experience from the hospital staff. Each time I returned to the hospital, I discover that my mum was not being monitored for her condition. The nurses were not aware whether my mum has taken her meal and medication or that she was having diarrhea. They were also unaware of her pains or complications arising from the dengue fever complications.
My mum was weak and semi-conscious from high fever initially and her condition got very much worse. She was barely able to speak and was unconscious most of the time. We saw that the nurses were unaware of her conditions, did not chart her progress, and did not check on her. My mum would have died as she was a case of dengue fever with complications. Patients with her similar conditions had died. If not for our own efforts to monitor her, we would have lost her to the hospital service which we were willing to pay dearly for.
When my mum was having diarrhea and I returned to the hospital to discover that myself, I asked my mum what happened and she mumbled in her weak condition that the nurses only took her to the toilet and left her there after she rang the bell. My mum had to clean herself every time in her weak condition. For information, my mum could hardly walk and was shaking badly.
My mum has existing high blood pressure and diabetics which she takes medication for. Upon the doctor's instruction, the nurses were to instruct us not to administer my mum any high blood pressure medication on 13 Nov 07 while no family were not around in hospital. The nurse did not check my mum's medication but asked my mum, who was semi-conscious to sort out the medication herself. I returned to the hospital a few hours later to find my mum taken the medication she was not supposed to take. She also has her pack of medications lying around her bed and has 'passed out' while trying to pack them. I looked at the medication and found that she has also packed aspirin which could have jeopardized her condition into her medication box. The next day, my mum's blood pressure dropped below the normal range due to the medication at 97/64.
On 15th Nov Thursday 9pm, my younger sister found the nurse giving my mum an overdose of medication as the previous administration had not been charted on my mum's patient records.
On 4 other occasions, the nurses forgot to administer my mum necessary medication until we rectified the situation. (*Once, her diabetic medication, twice her high blood pressure medication, and another her cough syrup)
On 21st Nov morning, mum asked a nurse to assist her to sit up in bed. The nurse rudely replied, " Auntie, I don’t have the strength to pull you up." she walked away and mum assumed she went out to ask for assistance. She did not return to help mum further.
20th Nov 8pm. my sister found that the diabetic medication is not administered at all even though the rest of the medication has been administered
18th Nov 10pm. Mum high blood pressure went up to 170/110. The nurse said she will call the doctor for advice but did not. I approached the nurse station and the nurse asked me to speak to the head nurse instead. The head nurse then called the doctor.
19th Nov 10am. Doctor came at 9.30 to see mum. She prescribed mum to resume her high blood medication atenolol. I passed our supply of atenolol to the nurse immediately. I approached the nurse station at 10am. The message had not been passed down to administer the medication.
On the day of admission at the A&E, the nurse (unknown name) who took my mum's blood for testing spilled blood over the floor. Her method for drawing blood is unnecessarily painful as described by my mum.
During my mum's hospitalization, a Philippine nurse came to take my mum's blood for tests daily. I witnessed her as very clumsy. She poked my mum 3 times on the second morning, once on her elbow and shifting the needle around under her skin, another on the back of her hand and another near her wrist. The then decided to draw blood from my mum's finger. During the 4 days which I were aware of her taking blood, she dropped the cap of the tube on the floor, always forgetting and reaching for things from the trolley, and I had to hold the cotton over my mum's wound every time. Worst of all, blood never failed to spill over the floor and bed sheets. My mum would wince with unnecessary pain during her lengthy process.
On 16 Nov 07 afternoon, I found some plastic wrap drenched in carrot sauce in the lunch served to mum. My mum has false teeth and could have swallowed and choked on the wrap given her condition at that time. For information, we asked for soft food due to my mum’s condition.
One nurse (GW) came over one day at 3pm and ask my mum if she still needed a certain pink tablet medication called Nexium. My mum was in semi-conscious condition for some days and was not fully aware of the medication taken. Therefore, my mum did not understand what she said. So I asked the nurse what the drug was for, she said it is to aid digestion. I said my mum was not taking any drug to aid digestion. She then said it was for the bloated feeling on which I said again that the medication was in liquid form. She became frustrated and told me off saying she was asking my mum. My mum guessed and asked if it protected the stomach from the medication. GW then said yes. Since we said my mum has been eating some food and we did not know if she still needed the medication, GW said she would take the drug off. My sister later said that the drug was prescribed because my mum was having low platelet counts due to dengue and was prescribed the drug to protect the stomach from bleeding during food and medication.
The next day, GW forgot to administer cough syrup at dinner time and I went to ask for it at 8pm. She came in with the cough syrup and asked my mum how long the effect of the syrup usually last. Due to the last experience, GW refused to ask me who was there right then when I was in a better position being there at the hospital most of the time. She left immediately after my mum said she did not know.
On 20Nov 07 evening, the nurse forgot my mum's evening dosage of Glipizide, until my sister asked the nurse for it.
First and most important of all, the staff should be monitoring the conditions, not coming in to ask my mum only when she got better. This happened to be after we made complains to the hospital customer service of the happenings. This applied to everything from medication to my mum’s progress.
Secondly, my mum was in semi-conscious condition for the first week but GW insisted that my mum replied her questions. Her actions would have further complicate mum’s conditions and killed her. When GW decided for the doctor whether to administer the drug without understanding the purpose of the mediation, she almost caused internal bleeding in our mum. She also should not be randomly presuming what the medication was for. Medications were also often forgotten.
Thirdly, patients would have choked on foreign particles in their soft diet.
How unconcerned of the patients can it be at this private hospital?
If my mum had been alone, a spinster or widow with no children or maid to look after her, she would have died from negligence in Mount Elizabeth hospital and her death reasons covered up as dengue fever complications. No one would discover that she had diarrhea, painful bloating in her abdomen or choking due to bloating in her lungs. She would have died from overdose (cough), wrong administration (high blood pressure medication) and under administration (high blood, nexium, glipizide) of drugs.
Shandy SooThere is another case reported in ST Forum. The url link is http://www.straitstimes.com/ST+Forum/Online+Story/STIStory_223485.html
Family waiting for answers over dad's passingMY FATHER, Low Chye Lian, 71, was warded at Singapore General Hospital on March 3 after being referred to it by a polyclinic. The initial diagnosis was that he had an ulcer in his stomach and his liver was failing. He was treated and the doctors assured my family that my father could be discharged soon. But five days later, we were told he had to stay back after he came down with jaundice. On March 12, after the doctor drew out his stomach fluids for tests, his condition worsened. He started to vomit and had diarrhoea. He could not eat or drink and requested to see a doctor at 6pm. Even after pressing the emergency button several times, no doctor or staff nurse came to attend to his condition.
It took four hours and much pleading before the nurse gave him painkillers. The doctor arrived at about 10.35pm, but as he was not the doctor in charge of my father's case, he said he could not explain the reason for my father's worsening condition. He could only make arrangements for my father's doctor in charge to see him the next day. He assured me that my father would be all right.
At about 6.20 the next morning, we received a call from SGH to inform us that my father was sent to the Intensive Care Unit. When we reached the hospital, we were told that my father's heart stopped beating when a doctor was taking blood samples at 6am. A professor then informed us that my father had cancer which my family members were not told before. The professor had no answer as to why my father's condition suddenly worsened and told me that further investigations would be needed.
All we want is to know why my father died after spending 10 days in the hospital. According to the coroner, the cause of my father's death was a heart attack. Ten days before he died, he was normal, having just enjoyed his overseas holidays not too long ago. The hospital has not agreed to my family's request to meet and explain what happened. He died on March 13. We are still waiting for answers.
Low Chee Siong
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My sister in law counsin died after heart bypass in Singapore General Hospital and was billed with a $300k bill. May I ask what kind of society is Singapore and its associated General Hospital made of? Is it a business like organisation from the Government to the hospital? We may be wondering if we are lucky to be Singaporean or not?
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just went to A&E for fever. $90. of which, the cost of the medicine itself is only $4.20.
and btw, the "medicine" are paracetylmol and vitamin C. i can prescribe those to myself at guardians.
scam.
rgding heart bypass, according to times magazine, it is even cheaper to do in india. (don't worry, you are not really compromising the quality, as the cheaper price still mean alot in indian terms.)
there, you don't stay in a hospital ward.
you stay in a 4 start hotel with a nurse by ur side.
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in most country, the government will try to support its citizens on basic necessities while taxing on unnecessary luxuries.
Singapore for some reason like to tax its citizens on the basic necessities whlie granting benefits to the rich to enjoy unnecessary luxuries.
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Originally posted by kangyk:
My sister in law counsin died after heart bypass in Singapore General Hospital and was billed with a $300k bill. May I ask what kind of society is Singapore and its associated General Hospital made of? Is it a business like organisation from the Government to the hospital? We may be wondering if we are lucky to be Singaporean or not?
300K!!!
If me, rather die cause will never afford to pay!
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Will it improve the quality of life when things get more and more expensive?
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Originally posted by Gutentaginator:
Will it improve the quality of life when things get more and more expensive?
well.... Singapore is known for its high cost of living. I personally think that also means low standard of living, not to mention the quality!
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Originally posted by deathmaster:
just went to A&E for fever. $90. of which, the cost of the medicine itself is only $4.20.
and btw, the "medicine" are paracetylmol and vitamin C. i can prescribe those to myself at guardians.
scam.
rgding heart bypass, according to times magazine, it is even cheaper to do in india. (don't worry, you are not really compromising the quality, as the cheaper price still mean alot in indian terms.)
there, you don't stay in a hospital ward.
you stay in a 4 start hotel with a nurse by ur side.
got extra service a not
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Originally posted by deathmaster:
just went to A&E for fever. $90. of which, the cost of the medicine itself is only $4.20.
and btw, the "medicine" are paracetylmol and vitamin C. i can prescribe those to myself at guardians.
scam.
rgding heart bypass, according to times magazine, it is even cheaper to do in india. (don't worry, you are not really compromising the quality, as the cheaper price still mean alot in indian terms.)
there, you don't stay in a hospital ward.
you stay in a 4 start hotel with a nurse by ur side.
but it's an indian nurse..
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Originally posted by deathmaster:
just went to A&E for fever. $90. of which, the cost of the medicine itself is only $4.20.
and btw, the "medicine" are paracetylmol and vitamin C. i can prescribe those to myself at guardians.
scam.
rgding heart bypass, according to times magazine, it is even cheaper to do in india. (don't worry, you are not really compromising the quality, as the cheaper price still mean alot in indian terms.)
there, you don't stay in a hospital ward.
you stay in a 4 start hotel with a nurse by ur side.
You are abusing the A&E and you are complaining about the price? Accident and Emergency is meant for people who have heart attacks or got hit by a car or was involved in something totally unexpected. You are tying up the healthcare staff's time by abusing it when they could see someone who have a more urgent problem.
When I was in Singapore back then , I was admitted to the hospital ward via A&E for suspected appendicitis - it appears that they do not charge IF it is an actual EMERGENCY.
If you have a fever next time , take a paracetamol, turn on the fan and drink alot of water. Like you said , it is so much cheaper. If your fever hits 39.0 c and refuses to go down after 1 hour, you vomit blood or have a seizure, then I say that is an emergency.
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If you guys want to talk about rising medical costs leading to whatever ( I know that there is rising medical costs everywhere) , please keep those news clippings about Mount Elizabeth or Gleneagles out - those are totally privatised hospitals who charge a premium for services or else it defeats your purpose in arguing for healthcare for those who really cannot afford it. They are also private enterprises who want to maximise profits and the government has no control over how they operate as long as they abide by the regulations.
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Originally posted by Ahm97sic:
High health cost in Singapore has led to many bad consequences.
I was in hospital recently and I witnessed a father who discharged his son for fearing of his inability to pay the medical bill as he has no Medisave.
I have also witnessed a foreign student who is also very worried about the high medical bill and requested for a discharge.
We are C Class patients.
I don't sympathise with foreign students. If they want to study in Singapore, they or their sponsors better have private health insurance covering the time they study in Singapore.
I sympathise with locals who cannot afford the treatment in the C class ward and I do agree that they need help.
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Agrees with fymk on most parts. Singapore's medical bills are expensive, but its not totally unaffordable. My Mum was recently diagnoised with Leukaemia and I've learnt from my recent visits and interactions with other patients that many poor Singaporeans are getting very good medical attention. Many patients with cases similar to my mum for example, could only afford to pay C class, which carries a 75% subsidy, but the hospital will find one reason or another to bump them up into B class wards at C class price so they can be more comfortable. My mum, has been bumped into B1 and even A ward for various reasons. There is plently of compassion within SGH and is not as cruel as many forumers had portrayed.
Hospital generally adopt a treat first and pay later rule. My mum has received 2 months plus of treatment and has not received a bill yet. Even when the bill comes, it specifies that you pay when you are convenient. No doubt they will take actions to get their money back, but it is not beyond humanitarianism. There is also a social network in Singapore that can afford financial assistance such as the "Clan Society", various illness has their own social help network, the usual meet the MP and such. I've partake in volunteer work every now and then and hence I do know the existence of such groups and its not that there are not enough to go around to help, but those who need help are often also the ones who are ignorance of the existence of these groups.
If you are seriously in need of medical help, go get it. Seriously, the money problem can be left later. If you are healthy and able to, get an insurance, it really helps.
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anyway, i felt pitiful for Singaporeans like us to suffer without much social help from the government. henceforth, i would like to make a point to the health ministry to relook at the cost of medicine, treatment. we would like to change the paradigm of that we can die but we cannot fall sick because of the medicine and treatment.
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Originally posted by fymk:
If you guys want to talk about rising medical costs leading to whatever ( I know that there is rising medical costs everywhere) , please keep those news clippings about Mount Elizabeth or Gleneagles out - those are totally privatised hospitals who charge a premium for services or else it defeats your purpose in arguing for healthcare for those who really cannot afford it. They are also private enterprises who want to maximise profits and the government has no control over how they operate as long as they abide by the regulations.
generally true but unfortunately nowadays some of the procedures at gahmen hospitals are more expensive than private hospitals!
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Originally posted by eagle:
got extra service a not
got special. nurse and patient.
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Originally posted by fymk:
You are abusing the A&E and you are complaining about the price? Accident and Emergency is meant for people who have heart attacks or got hit by a car or was involved in something totally unexpected. You are tying up the healthcare staff's time by abusing it when they could see someone who have a more urgent problem.
When I was in Singapore back then , I was admitted to the hospital ward via A&E for suspected appendicitis - it appears that they do not charge IF it is an actual EMERGENCY.
If you have a fever next time , take a paracetamol, turn on the fan and drink alot of water. Like you said , it is so much cheaper. If your fever hits 39.0 c and refuses to go down after 1 hour, you vomit blood or have a seizure, then I say that is an emergency.
so, would you call sustained fever, hovering around 38 C and above for more than 1 week as emergency? my gp called me to ask me go A&E for blood test, in case tio dengue.
over at a&e, doc den say is viral fever, which will last for 14 days. wth....