What is your opinion on Dr Susan Lim's case
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The case where the doctor charged millions to a Bruneian royal family member.
At first....I thought what she did was horrible....
But then.....
Actually if the 2 parties agree on something...then....it's a transaction......just like any other...
There are lots of people selling overcharged / overpriced products and services everyday too......but there are some willing buyers who are willing to purchase them or see the value in them......
Even things such as seminars and trainings, in my opinion are mostly overpriced....but we see there are willing participants......rich people or companies......
It seems that they both agree on it....the Bruneian royal member definitely didnt think money was an issue.....the one who complain is probably some sort of comptroller or auditor inside.....and he complaint after the royal is deceased......
The doctor did charge very expensive price.....but the Brunei royal is a willing buyer....
If there is anyone / anything to blame, I blame feudalism.
Feudalism messes things up.
The Bruneian royal member didnt think money was an issue because as a royalty, money is free to flow like water tap for her. The palace also settle everything and obey.
Palace didnt complain and kept paying. Only after the royal is deceased, the unhappy comptroller / someone, finally spoke up.
So actually whose fault is this ?
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钱是万�之首
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she noe how to chop carrot head.
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What's wrong?
Charge 24 mil. Cannot meh.
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yah its true.....
but there are many such happenings around...everyday....in all sorts of transactions.....
I think if you have the opportunity maybe youll do the same thing too.....
Actually even as a doctor / someone in medical profession......Im not sure what she did is unethical......because she is not fleecing a poor man living in HDB visitting a polyclinic........she is not doing that....she is not making anyone become poor......she is charging very high price to a very rich willing customer.........
The one who complaint is the comptroller / auditor inside the Bruneian palace.
Finally in my opinion I blame feudalism.
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The Oath
I SWEAR by Apollo the physician, and Aesculapius, and Health, and All-heal, and all the gods and goddesses, that, according to my ability and judgment, I will keep this Oath and this stipulation- to reckon him who taught me this Art equally dear to me as my parents, to share my substance with him, and relieve his necessities if required; to look upon his offspring in the same footing as my own brothers, and to teach them this art, if they shall wish to learn it, without fee or stipulation; and that by precept, lecture, and every other mode of instruction, I will impart a knowledge of the Art to my own sons, and those of my teachers, and to disciples bound by a stipulation and oath according to the law of medicine, but to none others. I will follow that system of regimen which, according to my ability and judgment, I consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous. I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel; and in like manner I will not give to a woman a pessary to produce abortion. With purity and with holiness I will pass my life and practice my Art. I will not cut persons laboring under the stone, but will leave this to be done by men who arepractitioners of this work. Into whatever houses I enter, I will go into them for the benefit of the sick, and will abstain from every voluntary act of mischief and corruption; and, further from the seduction of females or males, of freemen and slaves. Whatever, in connection with my professional practice or not, in connection with it, I see or hear, in the life of men, which ought not to be spoken of abroad, I will not divulge, as reckoning that all such should be kept secret. While I continue to keep this Oath unviolated, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and the practice of the art, respected by all men, in all times! But should I trespass and violate this Oath, may the reverse be my lot! -
http://singaporepropertyresources.com/2010/07/19/the-coke-story/
The Coke Story
Monday, July 19, 2010 22:07
There were once 3 cans of coke.
Identical cans. And they were buddies at the factory line since they were produced one after another.
As they waited for the day for them to be packed, Coke A, Coke B and Coke C stayed silent and looked visibly worried about their future.
True enough, the next day, Coke A, B and C were all packed into different cartons and sent off from the factory.
Coke A ended up in a supermarket, like NTUC Supermart.
Coke B ended up in a HDB coffeeshop in Toa Payoh.
Coke C ended up in a 6 Star Hotel.Everyday, Coke A stayed on top of the shelf, watching his other new found Coke friends being taken away one by one. The turnover was pretty fast as throngs of shoppers visited NTUC everyday. Apparently, NTUC didn’t depend on the Coke sales for business survivial, but it did help draw crowds with the Coke promotion at $0.60 per can. Coke A was eventually sold one day.
Coffeeshop Coke B soon realised that his value seemed higher than other Coke friends in the supermarket. The coffeeshop owner listed his price as $1.20 per can. Everyday, this old “aunty” with a pouch wrapped around her waist would go around the lunch crowd with a familiar three-word sales pitch – “Ai Lim Mai?” (meaning Want a drink? in Hokkien). Her voice would unmistakably pierce through the deafening din of the lunch crowd with a high pitch “Coke Jit Gong” whenever an oder was placed. Coke B was sold eventually, with a plastic cup – full of ice – served.
Coke C was luckier as he seemed to be staying in an impeccably tidy bar counter at the six star hotel. However, he was bored. He sensed a lack of interest from the few folks who gathered sparsely on few occassions – especially so when his price tag was listed at $7 per can. He soon realised why. It wasn’t a coffeeshop aunty who served the customers drink with the three-word sales pitch “Ai Lim Mai”. Over here, there were tall slim attractive young ladies dressed in high slit cheong-sum placing the Cokes by the side of the customers, kneeling down and gently opening the cans for them and pouring into sparkling wine-glass. Then they would finish off the service routine with a “Enjoy your drink , sir” and sashayed away. The customers seemed very pleased enjoying the ambience and paying $7 for a can and watching the ladies in cheong-sum.
I wonder which can of Coke are we selling?
Aparently, there is a market for all three. In some market, the sales go by volume. In others, the sale trickles but the sale quantum is big enough to make business sense. We align ourselves with the type of Coke market that we are most comfortable with. Apparently, we can’t sell a 6 Star Hotel Coke using a coffeshop method or vice-versa. Our packaging has to be right from all angles. Unfortunately, some of us just don’t realise it.
I also wonder which can of Coke are we?
We probably are manufactured from the same factory. The 6 Star Coke is no different from the NTUC Coke. They taste the same. Then why is the 6 Star Coke commanding 10 times the value?
Unlike Coke, we have a choice of destination.Everyone of us has the potential of commanding the price of a 6 Star Hotel Coke.
That’s the end of my Coke story that I shared with my new agents this morning.
~ PK SOH
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the worst marketing motivation strategy is to use non living thing to motivate living thing like humans...sorry, but I dun think you can get very far in your business or commmanding. the next thing yr guys/gals will laugh over it is "Siao boss, use coke as us, chay"
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i thought she looks and smiles like a vampire...
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Originally posted by Veggie Bao:
The case where the doctor charged millions to a Bruneian royal family member.
At first....I thought what she did was horrible....
But then.....
Actually if the 2 parties agree on something...then....it's a transaction......just like any other...
There are lots of people selling overcharged / overpriced products and services everyday too......but there are some willing buyers who are willing to purchase them or see the value in them......
Even things such as seminars and trainings, in my opinion are mostly overpriced....but we see there are willing participants......rich people or companies......
It seems that they both agree on it....the Bruneian royal member definitely didnt think money was an issue.....the one who complain is probably some sort of comptroller or auditor inside.....and he complaint after the royal is deceased......
The doctor did charge very expensive price.....but the Brunei royal is a willing buyer....
If there is anyone / anything to blame, I blame feudalism.
Feudalism messes things up.
The Bruneian royal member didnt think money was an issue because as a royalty, money is free to flow like water tap for her. The palace also settle everything and obey.
Palace didnt complain and kept paying. Only after the royal is deceased, the unhappy comptroller / someone, finally spoke up.
So actually whose fault is this ?
Doctor is a good job earn millions like our politicians. -
a matter of professional ethicate
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没医德？
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maybe neber watch ....
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Its not a willing seller or willing buyer situation, or money is no issue.
The Bruneian royalty did not bother about the bill. He did not expect any subsidy, he also don't mind paying a premium. He went in, expected the best treatment, knowing he can pay the cost. He expected and is willing to pay a reasonably high price.
The doctor took advantage of the situation and went ballistic.
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Originally posted by mancha:
Its not a willing seller or willing buyer situation, or money is no issue.
The Bruneian royalty did not bother about the bill. He did not expect any subsidy, he also don't mind paying a premium. He went in, expected the best treatment, knowing he can pay the cost. He expected and is willing to pay a reasonably high price.
The doctor took advantage of the situation and went ballistic.
Wait a minute.....let us think in this way.....
I understand what you mean, the doctor is an opportunist and she went crazy in overcharging. This one I agree.
But see.....
The patient agreed to it.
How is this different with top lawyers who charge hundreds of dollars per hour, or seminar trainers who charge thousands of dollars, or consultants who charge tens of thousands for corporate advice.....etc etc......
If Im not wrong, I read a line in newspaper which said the doctor already told the patient that her services is going to cost $200000 per day. And the patient says "why you worry the Palace will pay"
Since the both parties agreed.......actually there is no issue.....like I sell a pair of shoes to you for $50 or I can sell it to you for $500....and lets say you say "never mind $500 or any price I will pay" so I indeed sell it to you $500......where is the problem here.....
You see the problem only arise because the payer, or the structure of the payer....is complicated.....
What I mean is........as a royalty member, actually the money is not really her personal money. Someone inside, maybe a comptroller or an auditor, feel unhappy.
Actually for some time the unhappy person kept quiet and obey.
Only after the royal is deceased, then he spoke up and complain.
So in my opinion the issue / problem is located at the internal Bruneian side. Thats why I say it's complicated structure because of the Feudalism system. The money is not really clear whether it is the patient's personal money or not. Some other person is unhappy. Something like that.
For instance in the shoe example above. Lets say I sold you the shoes for $500. Then you went home and your wife is angry. So the wife complain to the shoe store and ask for a discount or even to return the shoe. Or even say I am a conman. But actually this is not my fault. I have already sold you the shoe for $500 which you agree. The problem at home is your internal issue, how can you bring it up to me. It is between husband and wife issue.
True ?
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What makes you thing the royal patient agreed to it.
The royalty just didn't ask, or even see the bill.
The doctor should have charged accordingly without subsidies or discount.
If the hospital rate for one stick of cotton bud is $10.00. The doctor should charge $10.00, unless subsidies apply. If not, it should be $10.00 for kings, queens, princes, Bill Gates or Carlos Slim Helu. She should not see the gullibility of the rich patient and charge $100,000.00
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A SPECIALIST who treated surgeon Susan Lim's patient sent a bill for $400. She marked it up to $211,000 when she billed the Brunei High Commission here.
Another doctor charged $500, but Dr Lim bumped that up to $93,500. Yet another bill for $3,000 was raised to $285,100.
These and several other revelations of how Dr Lim charged her patient - a woman member of Brunei's royal family - for treatment by other doctors were made in the High Court yesterday by Senior Counsel Alvin Yeo.
Representing the Singapore Medical Council (SMC), he cited the allegedly inflated bills to show there was a case for a disciplinary committee to launch an inquiry against the doctor.
Dr Lim is fighting the SMC's decision to appoint a second disciplinary committee to investigate an accusation by the Health Ministry here that she overcharged her Brunei patient, Pengiran Anak Hajah Damit.
The patient, the younger sister of Brunei's Queen and a cousin of the Sultan, had breast cancer and died in August 2007. Dr Lim treated the woman from 2001 until she died.From Straits Times, "Surgeon's $24.8m bill landed her in the soup". (23/02/11)
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The doctor is too greedy.
Thats all.
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if the royal family did agree to the fees then why are they in court? the doctor must have a pre-signed contract to safeguard herself right?
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its good to review and regulate professional fees of all walks....
there is a need to benchmark such fees...be it royalty or public....different but reasonable scale