Wondering where Expats go for their health care?

[mgrayson001]

Wondering where Expats go for their health care?

Does the company provide you with a list of doctors to go with or do you do your own research, and pick the doctor yourself?

What influences your decision (e.g., cost, travel, reputation, etc)?

[baloo]

Combination. The Company had a list of approved doctors so I started there. In the end I found that the local Doctors are ok for minor things and dishing out anti-biotics like they are going out of fashion.

In the end we decided to pay a premium for our own private health insurance and the family is going to the doctors and specialists we feel most comfortable at. Strangely, they tend to be the doctors that are geared towards expats.

Another reason for getting our own insurance was the ridiculous confusing system here or co-pay, limits etc. We just wanted the reassurance that when someone gets sick, we don't have to worry about anything other than getting well asap knowing that insurance is covering everything.

[Fat Bob]

Company doctors mainly, luckily Raffles Clinics are included in that list. I then chat with the doc to find out where to send me should I need any further work.

And yes, I have my own medical insurance, my work one is pretty shit and my private one is quite comprehensive with only a little co-pay (max SGD3k I think, which I can take out of my CPF should I need to).

[Spike]

Local clinics are ok for coughs and sneezes and if you want a sweetie jar full of antibiotics, which they will happily give you for the common cold even though they are totally ineffective in treating a cold (called 'flu' by the locals because they've probably never had genuine flu). If it's anything more than a sore throat or a boil on the bum go straight to an Consultant at one of the hospitals. Raffles hospital is unimpressive, except for their marketing. In a short stay for salmonella poisoning they tried to give me someone else's drugs. Mount Elizabeth is better by far.

If you wrench a muscle or ligament and need physio I highly recommend the sports injury clinic at Changi General Hospital. They fixed my wobbly knee last year and I'll be back there this week with a wrenched shoulder.

The good thing about Singapore is that you don't have to get a referral from a GP to go and see an expert. You just pick a Consultant, phone up his/her clinic and make an appointment.

[mgrayson001]

Thanks for the postings,

How do you pick a consultant for seeing a specialist? Meaning, what ways influence your choice?

Also, which private health insurance did you choose?

[Fat Bob]

NTUC Income have a reasonably priced one.

And you may find a consultant through word of mouth.

[baloo]

I went with IHI BUPA. For every adult insured they will insure a child for free. Max 3 kids per household I think.

[Spike]

NTUC Income have a reasonably priced one.

And you may find a consultant through word of mouth.

Likewise, NTUC have the most reasonable premiums with plenty of options with respect to excess. You can pay premiums from your CPF and also pay extra to override your excess and effectively be 'fully comp'.

If you want Consultant recommendations try this board. Among the members, we've suffered from most ailments from sinusitis to piles!

[baloo]

Speaking of sinus operations, I go back under the knife next Tuesday. I can't wait....

[Spike]

Speaking of sinus operations, I go back under the knife next Tuesday. I can't wait....

Ouch...good luck Baloo.

[canuck]

thoughts with you, hope all goes well

[mgrayson001]

What happened, if you don't mind sharing?

Anyway, I hope all goes well Baloo.


I am curious about consultants, as I never heard of this before? Are they health consultants?

[Tas]

think the term health consultants covering a bit of territory in this thread and getting confused going by your last post.

1) I think the consultants with respect to insurance, you're likely talking about Insurance Brokers, in this case Health Insurance - a profession that's been around for decades for all types of insurance
2) then there are medical specialists, who are qualified to treat specialty ailments.

[backintheuk]

I have been meaning to write about the "care" at Raffles Hospital which would have been very useful to me when deciding where to have treatment.

I did not have insurance and therefore costs were important. I was quoted 1315 Singapore Dollars plus GST to remove a verruca, the final bill was 4,000. The length of time I was told it would take to complete treatment was 5 weeks but due to incompetent staff and procedures and infection setting in it took more than 5 months before it was comfortable to walk on it.

I wrote to the hospital to complain and due to their lack of response eventually took court action (the small claims system being very cheap and similar to the UK). A refund of 1,000 Singapore Dollars was forthcoming but as this left a shortfall I wrote to the Minister of Health who was disinterested.

Given the above I would obviously advise not to use the hospital at all and especially if you do not have insurance. Staff are obviously very used to insurance companies signing off bills without checking their escalating charges for treatment that in my case should have been straightforward and relatively low cost.

[Spike]

I generally avoid Raffles. I was admitted there once and the nurse tried to give me someone else's medication. I saw she was looking at a different name on her medications sheet and I insisted she read it again. Had I not noticed the error I would have been given the wrong medication. The nursing care in general was not good.

I had surgery at Mount Elizabeth in 2002 and the care and attention to detail was much more thorough and professional. I always go there for any specialist needs. I have a friend who runs a clinic there and he will recommend the best person to see depending on which bit of the body needs repairing.

[slinky]

Wow, that is really bad about wrong meds, Spike! I was at Mt. E last week and every time someone came in to give me meds they asked me to tell them my name and date of birth before they gave it. I'm guessing that's a good system so long as the patient is awake and aware.

[expat yorkshire]

I was in Malaysia once seeing the company doctor because I had an an eye infection. He prescribed eye drops but when i picked up the meds I noticed it said ear drops . I took it back and they just crossed out the word ear and wrote on the word eye .

[Pinklepurr]

That is really bad Spike, that shouldn't happen anywhere.

I thought it was bad enough when I was in Raffles for day surgery and they forgot about me. I was in the door that morning, surgery done and then I was in recovery on the day bed, which was OK because I was groggy and quite liked the peace and quiet, but they only checked on me twice for the whole day and then when everyone else had gone home around me and I was still there at 5pm I was beginning to feel a little lonely. So I wandered out to the desk where there was a gaggle of nurses chatting away,to ask what I should do and if I could I go...and they just stared at me and one said, oh we didn't realise you were still here you can go any time. They truly had forgotten me, they were all packing up for the day and if I hadn't been feeling really out of it I would have spoken my mind about it but instead I got dressed and went to find a taxi home hoping that all was OK as they didn't do any final checks or anything.

Can't knock the surgery that was done though, it was excellent and the follow ups were good as well, but that was the specialist and his crew more than the hospital. They at least rang me that night and the following morning to check all was as it should be which made me feel a little better.

[baloo]

I rate Raffles hospital highly. At least as good as Esposito Santon, Hubbers, and the Swiss Butcher.

[Spike]

I was in Malaysia once seeing the company doctor because I had an an eye infection. He prescribed eye drops but when i picked up the meds I noticed it said ear drops . I took it back and they just crossed out the word ear and wrote on the word eye .

But can you hear better through the infected eye now?

[Fat Bob]

Some ear drops are suitable to be used as eye drops, and vice versa. However, some are not.