Letter to Columbia Asia

Columbia Asia Sdn Bhd

No. 1, Lebuh Puteri

Bandar Puteri Puchong

47100 Puchong

Selangor

Tel: 03.8064.8688 Fax: 03.8064.8788

Dear Sir/Madam,

My Visit to Columbia Asia Medical Center Puchong [CAMCP]

I came to CAMCP today at 6:45am to seek medical treatment on diarrhoea and sore throat. The medical officer attended to my case was Dr. T Saravanan. Some of the unpleasant experiences that I encountered while at CAMCP:-

1. There is no clear sign of entrance to outpatient section of CAMCP. Or, CAMCP does not handle outpatient?

2. No one presence at the registration counter when I walked into the emergency ward. I had not been sleeping that well, due to diarrhoea; thus walking around to seek for assistance in a premier medical center was totally unacceptable

3. I was attended by a Malay gentlemen for the body temperature, BP & heart rate check; immediately next to me was a group of nurses and medical aids in the private chat. At the same time, the nurses also corrected the Malay gentlemen on how to handle the BP reader that was used on me. Aren’t medical aid should be trained before getting in contact with patient? Being charged at premium prices, but with government hospital treatment?

4. Privacy should be a key in your medical center. While CAMCP emergency unit might be quiet as there wasn’t any case while I was there, I think I deserve some privacy and quietness while my BP and heart rate are being checked [nurses on loud private chat]. Some suggestions:-

» Pull the curtain

» Stop the chat and assist the patient first

5. Got to be better patient consultation if charges are going to be high. I am doubt whether Dr. T Saravanan has examined my sore throat correctly. What could probably be seen clearly in a distance of 3 feet? I am concern whether I have been diagnosed and prescribed accurately. Furthermore, I am not sure whether the medical officers at CMACP are trained to ask the following questions related to cold, flu & diarrhoea?

» Have you been travelling to Indonesia or countries with Bird Flu? I have not been to Indonesia but I have been in contact with a client who just got back from Indonesia few days ago

» Allergy to any medication? This part is not in the registration form either

» Any one else in your family or work place that might have the same sickness?

Diarrhoea is both acute and severe as a common cause of death in developing countries [source: Wikipedia]. I am wondering why Dr. T Saravan did not offer me an injection that stops diarrhoea.

6. Clear Instruction after consultation and prescription. I was sitting at the “patient sofa” after Dr. T Saravanan completed the “consultation”. There was no clear instruction on where I should be waiting next, where is the payment counter [although registration is the place, but it does not have cashier signage] and pharmacy

I choose CAMCP over Sunway Medical Center mainly of the traffic jam & toll charges at that time. Supposedly, I might made a wrong choice.

My first visit to CAMCP, would probably be the only.

Kind Regards,

Tan Soo Liang