Doctors in HK
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Doctors in HK
Went for a check up today at my Queens Rd Central based docs (Western Doc).
Last visit resulted in the discovery - you have low thyroid - here's some meds, come back in 6 weeks for another test.
6 weeks later - latest research is that everyone is suspect of mercury poisoning. So another blood test and potentially more "treatment".
A similar story has been going on for the past 18mnths re collesterol and other stuff.
Does anyone else in HK get the feeling that they are either the latest participant in a medical fad for which you have the privilege of funding or at the very least an unwitting participant in a medical research study ?
Last visit resulted in the discovery - you have low thyroid - here's some meds, come back in 6 weeks for another test.
6 weeks later - latest research is that everyone is suspect of mercury poisoning. So another blood test and potentially more "treatment".
A similar story has been going on for the past 18mnths re collesterol and other stuff.
Does anyone else in HK get the feeling that they are either the latest participant in a medical fad for which you have the privilege of funding or at the very least an unwitting participant in a medical research study ?
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Eat less sushi - that's where the mercury comes from - heavy metals gather at the bottom of the ocean, and all that...never mind what comes down the Pearl River...
Jokes aside, I agree. The medical profession (expats) catering for expats in HK is a nest of bloodsucking vampires, hell bent into maximizing their profits. Just like some other company we hear so much about.
I've had a few experiences with them and they consistently remind me of English dentists or African mechanics: make sure that perfectly good things will break so the customer will be back.
SOP is to prescribe hugely expensive and time-consuming tests, and conveniently ignore that you can get the same result in 5 minutes and at no cost using the old ways.
The local doctors were not much better: most of them will diagnose you without proper tests, and then prescribe something. If it does not work, they will prescribe something else. Poltroons...
My health is generally good so I don't have to deal with these leeches often. However, when I need I talk to a Chinese Traditional Medicine practitioneer, and for most things he will sort me out with some roots and suchlike - not for infections of course, but for the rest they work amazingly well. Which kind of makes sense, since they have been at it for 3000 years..
Jokes aside, I agree. The medical profession (expats) catering for expats in HK is a nest of bloodsucking vampires, hell bent into maximizing their profits. Just like some other company we hear so much about.
I've had a few experiences with them and they consistently remind me of English dentists or African mechanics: make sure that perfectly good things will break so the customer will be back.
SOP is to prescribe hugely expensive and time-consuming tests, and conveniently ignore that you can get the same result in 5 minutes and at no cost using the old ways.
The local doctors were not much better: most of them will diagnose you without proper tests, and then prescribe something. If it does not work, they will prescribe something else. Poltroons...
My health is generally good so I don't have to deal with these leeches often. However, when I need I talk to a Chinese Traditional Medicine practitioneer, and for most things he will sort me out with some roots and suchlike - not for infections of course, but for the rest they work amazingly well. Which kind of makes sense, since they have been at it for 3000 years..
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Yes, from my long time in Hong Kong I think that you have to treat the medical profession with some skepticism. Some of the medical staff are the best in the world but there are a considerable number who need to keep the cash flowing into their MHOs or they will be thrown out of the practice for not bringing in the dollars. Similar to the Legal soaps that we can watch from America.
Offering quasi medical advice about risks that are about 10 to the minus six compared to being run over by a bus is one way of raising revenue. Offering to remove wisdom teeth from adults and kids who have no problem with them is a way that the dental profession can join in.
If you have a slight uneasy feeling that you are being offered treatments that you don't need, then go to another very different doctor for advice. It may cost you, as the best way to get good advice is to go to a medical practice that is outside the Cathay panel of doctors. That way you know that they cannot make a bundle out of CX, so you will probably get a straight answer.
I go to a practice that were thrown off the panel by the manager medical because they would not reveal patients details to CX and would not reveal their charging structure. That gave me confidence that I would get impartial advice, albeit at a price.
A bit like aviation really. Some doctors used to fly Adam Air before it folded. Would you have?
Offering quasi medical advice about risks that are about 10 to the minus six compared to being run over by a bus is one way of raising revenue. Offering to remove wisdom teeth from adults and kids who have no problem with them is a way that the dental profession can join in.
If you have a slight uneasy feeling that you are being offered treatments that you don't need, then go to another very different doctor for advice. It may cost you, as the best way to get good advice is to go to a medical practice that is outside the Cathay panel of doctors. That way you know that they cannot make a bundle out of CX, so you will probably get a straight answer.
I go to a practice that were thrown off the panel by the manager medical because they would not reveal patients details to CX and would not reveal their charging structure. That gave me confidence that I would get impartial advice, albeit at a price.
A bit like aviation really. Some doctors used to fly Adam Air before it folded. Would you have?
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hhmmm
No names to be named. It would be unethical and wrong to do so.
So fundamentally it comes down to establishing trust with your GP. And we are such a commercially motivated cynical lot now aren't we (and not just in HK) ?
Seems to be that unless you are (a) a medical professional able to argue such issues based on knowledge or (b) prepared to argue against your GP based on second or multiple opinions (of which each opinion is probably different and would cost you), you have to blindly trust your GP or try to empower yourself with as much knowledge as possible to discuss the GPs diagnosis. Given that you are not a medical expert, all this opens up are more questions in which you are can be blindsided by yet more terminology ad nauseum. We all have our professions/keep it a black art etc.
This is a lot of work. But then can you afford not to do this ?
Is this paranoia or healthy real world skepticism ?
How do you quantify trust in a GP ?
Does there exist a "dashboard" of general medical status that gives YOU the indication of whether you're below or above the "glideslope" in such medical matters ?
Ps nothing to do with CX administration or its lack thereof.
No names to be named. It would be unethical and wrong to do so.
So fundamentally it comes down to establishing trust with your GP. And we are such a commercially motivated cynical lot now aren't we (and not just in HK) ?
Seems to be that unless you are (a) a medical professional able to argue such issues based on knowledge or (b) prepared to argue against your GP based on second or multiple opinions (of which each opinion is probably different and would cost you), you have to blindly trust your GP or try to empower yourself with as much knowledge as possible to discuss the GPs diagnosis. Given that you are not a medical expert, all this opens up are more questions in which you are can be blindsided by yet more terminology ad nauseum. We all have our professions/keep it a black art etc.
This is a lot of work. But then can you afford not to do this ?
Is this paranoia or healthy real world skepticism ?
How do you quantify trust in a GP ?
Does there exist a "dashboard" of general medical status that gives YOU the indication of whether you're below or above the "glideslope" in such medical matters ?
Ps nothing to do with CX administration or its lack thereof.
Last edited by kluge; 10th Dec 2008 at 16:00.
Hong Kong is an interesting place. It houses people from all professions and all parts of the world. Also residing in Hong Kong are some of the worst professionals who have escaped malpractice suits or other sanctions in other jurisdictions or those who are actively interested only in making money. The financial sector springs readily to mind here.
But, in all fairness, in Hong Kong there are some of the very best qualified and skilled doctors in the world, both westerners and locals. A little bit of research will allow you to avail yourself of extremely good health-care (just make sure your company picks up the tab).
If you can't afford the Hong Kong price for your ailment, take the next flight out to a country that has lower medical fees.
But, in all fairness, in Hong Kong there are some of the very best qualified and skilled doctors in the world, both westerners and locals. A little bit of research will allow you to avail yourself of extremely good health-care (just make sure your company picks up the tab).
If you can't afford the Hong Kong price for your ailment, take the next flight out to a country that has lower medical fees.
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Indeed Flexible, if HKG is too expensive then with reference to finding medical services abroad, my HK doctor goes to Thailand for his personal medical needs. He is content with the professional service and finds the cost much less than HK.
And there are many more than Bumrungrad if you are looking there. Google is your friend but personal recommendations help too. I cannot help there.
Casual aside. Have you ever thought that Bumrungrad sounds like a Russian city with a public health problem?
And there are many more than Bumrungrad if you are looking there. Google is your friend but personal recommendations help too. I cannot help there.
Casual aside. Have you ever thought that Bumrungrad sounds like a Russian city with a public health problem?
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Guys - you're both missing the point. It is not about fees.
It is about trust and how you qualify it.
Bumrungrad is very efficient and very professional with quality health care. As you probably know it is much cheaper than hK. Meds are approx 25% cheaper from there for the same or equivalent (not knock off) brands.
It is about trust and how you qualify it.
Bumrungrad is very efficient and very professional with quality health care. As you probably know it is much cheaper than hK. Meds are approx 25% cheaper from there for the same or equivalent (not knock off) brands.
