Doctors put money ahead of hypocratic creed

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Doctors slammed for not helping accident victim: AMK clinics reply

Wednesday, Jan 22, 2014
The Straits Times
By Judith Tan

SINGAPORE- She was at a gym in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8 when she witnessed an accident. She saw it looking through the large glass window in front of her.

Wanting to help, she ran to two nearby clinics to look for doctors. But, both times, she went away disappointed.

"The staff at both clinics didn't know how to react in an emergency. The doctors also didn't come out to help," said customer service officer Janice Choy, 25.

It happened last Thursday, just before 9am.

That afternoon, Miss Choy wrote a letter of complaint to the Singapore Medical Council and even posted it on her Facebook page.

It went viral within minutes, after 72 people shared the letter directly from her wall and others posted it on online forums.

Miss Choy told The New Paper: "I was at the gym when I noticed that cars had stopped along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8. It was somewhere in front of the show-flat for the new Panorama Condo.

"An elderly woman was lying on the road. It seemed she had been knocked down by a car."

Miss Choy had been at True Fitness gym, located on the fourth floor of Djitsun Mall.
She added: "I had just had Lasik done and I was able to see clearly. It was about 200m to 300m from the mall."

Wanting to help, Miss Choy immediately ran, first to the nearest Raffles Medical Clinic, at Block 722, then to another in the next block, Healthway Medical Clinic at Block 721.

"At Raffles, the staff went to the door of the consultation room and spoke to the doctor. There was a patient inside. The doctor said there were too many patients there and that he couldn't leave. He also said that if an ambulance had been called, it would be there shortly," she said.

"I didn't want to wait around so I went to the next clinic, Healthway. I doubt if the staff even informed the doctor. There were looking at each other and discussing among themselves," she said.

By then, Miss Choy said she was not only panicking but felt angry.

"I could see passers-by trying to help the woman who had been knocked down. They were not medically trained. Yet, the staff and doctors at these two clinics didn't even bother," she said.

What the clinics say

The two clinics approached by Miss Janice Choy last Thursday were part of two leading private health-care providers in Singapore.

Replying to questions from The New Paper on why its doctor at Healthway Medical Clinic at Block 721, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8 did not respond to the emergency call, the group's deputy medical director Koh Eng Hoe said the doctor at the clinic then was attending to a patient when Miss Choy entered, seeking help.

"A clinic staff was sent ahead to the scene and by the time the doctor was informed and ready to go help the victim, the staff reported back to say the ambulance had already arrived," he said.

Dr Koh, who also heads the primary care division at Healthway Medical Group, said the incident was not the first time a member of the public rushed into any of its clinics looking for help.

"There had been times when our doctors respond to such calls, taking along with them the appropriate equipment," he added.

As for the Raffles Medical Clinic at Block 222, a Raffles Medical spokesman said: "Unfortunately, the information was not conveyed accurately and in a timely fashion by our front-line staff to our sole doctor on duty. Hence, we did not respond as we should have.

"We regret that this incident has occurred and have reinforced measures to ensure appropriate response and communication by our front-line staff. We are glad that the ambulance arrived promptly and attended to the patient," she said.

Raffles Medical reaffirmed the group's commitment to attend to all medical emergencies that are presented to its clinics.

The Singapore Medical Council did not reply to queries sent by press time.

"Date: 16th Jan 2014

"Ministry of Health
16 College Road
College of Medcicine Building
Singapore 169654
Attn to Singapore Medical Council

"Regarding: Doctor refuse to leave clinic to help pedestrian lying on raod

"Dear SMC,

"On 16th January 2014, around 9am, I saw an accident from the window of the True Fitness gym, Djitsun Mall level 4. The accident happened along Ang Mo Kio Ave 8, in front of The Panorama Condo show flat. Pedestrian was hit by a car and was lying flat on the road not moving.

"Immediately I ran dwon to the nearest clinic, Raffles Medical Clinic, Blk 722 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8 #01-2825 Singapore 560722, and asked for help.

"Two complaints:

"1) Staffs are not trained to react to emergency. They did not know how to react and waited for the patient to leave from the room then inform Dr Wong Wei Mon of the accident.

"2) Dr Wong Wei Mon refused to leave clinic stating that if ambulance were called, it will arrive very fast and their clinic have too many patients, he cannot leave.

"Feeling helpless, I ran to another nearby clinic, Healthway Medical Clinic, Blk 721 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8 #01-2801 Singapore 560721, to ask for help.

"One complaint:

"1) Staff are not trained to react to emergency. They did not know how to react; they checked among themselves what needed to be done then waited for the patient to leave from the room. I told them they have to make it fast; it was a life and death on the road. However, they still did not react to disrupt the doctor on duty. I left the clinic feeling helpless again.

"It was lucky that TTSH ambulance arrived at scene within 10mins.

"My questions:

"Is Wong Wei Mon fit to be a doctor? Are the clinic staffs trained to react to emergency? Can we count o these people for our medical services?"


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