A woman took to social media after a difficult experience when her husband was brought to the emergency department of Sengkang General Hospital due to a suspected ligament tear on his shoulder.
After fasting for 12 hours, no tests or scans had been scheduled for him, and neither was he given a bed, but waited in the observation ward.
They then transferred to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where “after short 6hrs” the husband was already in the ward. More importantly, doctors had already performed the necessary tests on him and had made arrangements for emergency surgery.
“If we had continue stay at Sengkang, I think my husband arm gone case alr. No ward nvm, at least let the test/scan running, not leave patient hanging for so long,” wrote Vicky Xiaoshuang on the COMPLAINT SINGAPORE Facebook page on June 3.
She also wrote that her husband was not given painkillers in a timely manner and that one nurse had rudely told him, “if you cannot wait, just take out yr tag and you can go”.
“Dear missy, we are not here waiting to buy food for you to easily say (cant wait just go), we are here in pain waiting for freaking straight 21hrs,” she added.
In response to Ms Xiaoshuang’s post, Sengkang General Hospital said it had been in touch with the family to address their concerns.
“We have investigated the matter and the patient had received appropriate care during his hospital stay with us. However, we acknowledge that communications could be improved,” the hospital said in a June 20 Facebook post.
It also wrote about its high patient load on June 1 and 2, when Ms Xiaoshuang’s husband was there, adding that patients who had less urgent conditions had a longer wait time.
“We can understand the frustration with the long wait for a bed and fasting time, and we had already placed the patient on the priority queue for a bed. As the patient chose to leave the hospital, no procedures were done,” the hospital added.
However, Ms Xiaoshuang commented on the post to say that the other issues she raised had not yet been addressed.
“You’ve yet to reply my 2nd email to give an explanation for our main concerns. Still waiting,” she wrote, including the nurse’s remarks, which she felt were uncalled-for.
“Totally understand how busy hospital can get but what my husband went through was absurd. Simply cant get over the fact that his arm could have been amputated and unwanted remarks from that nurse. But contradictory also have to thank that nurse for that remark which made my husband gave up waiting at SKGH and went to TTSH otherwise can’t imagine the consequences we have to bear.” /TISG