I am not an avid fan of clinics. That has worked very well when I was in Australia. I did not need to see a doctor for a cold just to get an MC. I only go to the clinic when I know that something is getting serious, such as a fracture after my heroic attempt at the ice skating rink.
Recently, I had to go to the clinic here. It was high time I looked for a GP whom I can visit for some continuity of care. I decided to select a clinic in the nearby HDB shops, thinking that proximity will help when I am really sick. Besides, I felt strongly that HDB doctors should be of similar standards to 'posh-ier' ones who charge you more for the soft lighting and plush sofas that I do not need.
The doctors I went to were late both times. On one occasion, the doctor was a locum but I still saw her. The wait was 1.5 hours long on a Friday evening, and there is no 'appointment' system other than getting a number when the clinic opens. On the Monday morning I went, there were 40 patients in the queue by 9am. Is it too hard to book patients by appointment slots? Or is it because people only fall sick on the day and they just need to see one asap? In Melbourne, only Saturdays are meant for 'walk ins', people do make appointments for their visits. Perhaps I should analyse which system makes more operational efficiency. As a patient, I just know a 1.5-3 hours wait is not a situation I would like to be caught in. (I do suspect that most people send a family member to 'take a number'). I do admit, I felt caught between the kerfuffle of whether a popular restaurant should allow reservations, or do it ala Chin Chin who only takes walk ins. While Chin Chin has a bar to sit and sip an aperitif while waiting, I had the option of aimless circles in a small local supermarket before checking in again.
Anyhow, I know I should be glad that I get to see a doctor on the day itself, which is in some way, a rarity in Australia.
The other observation was how much scribbling a doctor does here. There is no computerised software, and hence I spent about 40% of the short consultation time watching her do copious amount of scribbling, in silence, trying to peer over became a the futile attempt of deciphering bad doctor's handwriting.
Talk to me doctor.. talk to me! It would be really nice to have a real face-to-face consultation and not a Masterchef 'guess the ingredients in the soup' challenge, where the contestants takes a sip of the soup, pauses thoughtfully, leaving the audience to momentarily read between the lines of 'was that barley or quinoa?'.. and then pronounces a verdict.
Maybe the GP clinics can take try to apply for a similar technology grant for a clinic software as our car-number plate maker interviewed by the Economist.
http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21577108-manufacturers-struggle-city-state-changes-its-economic-model-bashing-metal-bashers
(Ironically I have been advised by my local friends to go to 'posh-ier' clinics to get a better patient experience)
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