Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Health Screening Visit No 2

The day after the visit to the Specialist Hospital, Ram and I went for our scheduled general health screening visit to the community medical centre not too far away from our house. We went very early, about 7.20 am, about 40 minutes to clinic opening time. There was already a queue at the main door which was still closed. We got into the queue. The main door was opened at precisely 7.30 am. Inside the door a nurse stood by and handed out queue numbers to those already in the queue and the queue proceeded to the registration counter and placed their appointed card in the tray. Ram’s number was 46 and mine was 47. The queue numbers were used throughout the screening, consultation and medicine prescription process.

Queue numbers were called for registration at 7.45 am, 15 minutes before the official opening time. Ram and I got ourselves registered at about 8.05 am a mere 20 minutes after registration started. Our medical files were handed to us and we were to proceed to the screening rooms as indicated on the outside of our medical files. Ram had to go through two screening tests and I had to go through three screenings before we get to see the doctor for consultations. My queue number was called and I got to see the doctor at just before 9.00 am while Ram had her turn not too long after. We had our prescription filled and all done by 9.20 am. All in all we were there for 2 hours, and they were not computerized. Everything were done manually.

Comparing this process with the process Ram went through the previous day it was obvious that a serious review of the work process in the specialist hospital is needed. Computerization to improve record keeping is one thing but to improve work flow is another. Someone in that organization need to seriously look at the work flow and process if there is a desire to improve patients waiting time……

MKI Ramblings Unlimited,
Petaling Jaya.

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