Would You Believe It - TTSH change of appointments now incur a $10 charge!

[micah4]

Agreed that it's rather steep, like the ERP fine! There's nothing on their website too about this
Confirm with another receptionist?
But tough if it's implemented and you have an erratic schedule. Did you check with other hospitals? Change to one that's more convenient?

Hi Zichar, this has nothing to do with "erratic schedule" and "convenience". I think you've missed the point totally.
My mum is on long-term outpatient Specialist care at TTSH and there are scheduled appointments like quarterly or bi-monthly. The next appointment is always pre-scheduled in advance. Todate for the last few years we have been able to keep to appointment dates, but only this time, a re-scheduling had to be made. I requested the change more than a week prior to that appointment, so that gives them sufficient time for whatever is needed. But I was surprised when I was told that they are charging $10 admin fee for the change.

 

[Gymrat76]

micah4, as you mentioned, appointments are scheduled way in advance.. sometimes 6 months to a year in advance. Hence, many of the slots are already fully booked months in advance.

Simply giving a week's notice is usually not sufficient, as the hospital would:
1. Probably lose the slot you just vacated, as for some clinics a week's notice may not be sufficient to find anyone to slot in
2. Do some creative jig-saw puzzle rearrangement to accommodate your mother to ensure she doesn't need to wait months for another appointment, or that she has sufficient medication to last until the next appointment

By imposing a $10 admin charge, they discourage whimsical changes (though *some* cases are genuine), but overall it should improve timeliness of appointments for the general patient population (your mum's included). You win some, you lose some. Everyone always complains about long appointment wait times etc, but they are also not happy when the hospitals try something to improve.

 

[edutilos-]

I do concur with you on that. And I did ask the receptionist and her reply was that it was across the board. It's no charge only when it is initiated by the Doctor/Specialist. In my case, I gave notice more than a week as the need had arisen only then. I told her what was my mum's situation and why the need to change, but she said it is an across the board charge.

Well bro, I don't know about you, but if you are the receptionist, are you usually given any liberty to waive such charges, unless there have been clearcut definitions on the following and more?

1) For what situation to waive
2) What evidence required to waive, if any
3) Procedures for waiving (level of approval, etc)

You are asking the wrong person, I would like to think. It is not unlike the case mentioned by Sim Wong Hoo here (particularly NUTS #5 on the missing CD and Creative and his staff): Singapore Election Watch: No U-Turn Syndrome (NUTS)

I can't quite agree with his suggested antidote of empowerment because it places unnecessary responsibilities on ground staff which frankly, isn't fair because they aren't given equitable compensation for such. Nonetheless, it is an astute observation and it may be exactly what is happening here. My suggestion is to take the trouble, and write to a higher authority - or ask nicely to meet them. There is nothing that can't be solved without reason - and I would think that it is hard policy-wise to tell people that they have to fork out a fee "because the rule says so" even if there are genuine circumstances. One has to keep in mind that changes are often implemented for a reason (and not really as what some would have you believe, because there are too many people too free to dream up new things to implement).. And sometimes the application is intended for an overall effect, which can sometimes have undesirable consequences to the smaller groups.

Of course, some people may say, "siao, why go to so much trouble just because of $10?" It is precisely this mentality that results in a lot of complaints with nothing being done. Of course if everybody just keeps quiet, pays the $10 fee, or just rants about it on random forums, nothing gets done. The people who need to know may never get to know about the intricate problems (depending on whether they are or are not on Clubsnap)!

If everyone takes the trouble to give feedback properly today, instead of jumping around in a frenzy whenever something isn't perfect, the world will be a better place. Failing that, then of course, we're all entitled to our little frenzies. In any case, here are the possible avenues that you can try: http://www.ttsh.com.sg/contact-us/

The service quality address would probably be most applicable in this case: patients_relations_services@ttsh.com.sg

Cheers!

 

[Zichar]

Hi Zichar, this has nothing to do with "erratic schedule" and "convenience". I think you've missed the point totally.
My mum is on long-term outpatient Specialist care at TTSH and there are scheduled appointments like quarterly or bi-monthly. The next appointment is always pre-scheduled in advance. Todate for the last few years we have been able to keep to appointment dates, but only this time, a re-scheduling had to be made. I requested the change more than a week prior to that appointment, so that gives them sufficient time for whatever is needed. But I was surprised when I was told that they are charging $10 admin fee for the change.

So I did, sorry. Didn't mean any malice. Had a hypothetical situation in my mind and pinned it on you, i.e. a person with a busy and erratic schedule will certainly have trouble making it for appointments, incurring many $10 charges.
I do know that specialist outpatient clinics can be an exercise in anarchy!

 

[Merlion Singa]

look at this way.. when change date from A to B.. is actually better as slot A is opened up and other patients that are more critical can use the A date

Err... why not ??

If you change your date from date A to date B.... didn't you just deprive another person of one of those dates ?? :think:

 

[diver-hloc]

look at this way.. when change date from A to B.. is actually better as slot A is opened up and other patients that are more critical can use the A date

And if Slot A only open up during the last minute ?? Like... 1-2 hour before the appointment ??

And the amount of Admin work that had to be done to call up other patients... and what the others patients had to stop doing inorder to come early...

 

[dreaming]

And if Slot A only open up during the last minute ?? Like... 1-2 hour before the appointment ??

And the amount of Admin work that had to be done to call up other patients... and what the others patients had to stop doing inorder to come early...

if it involves appointment for the elderly, it is not between he/she. it is the caregiver that escort he/she to hospital. Sometimes the caregiver can't applies annual leave to accompany parents to hospital, and nobody to stand in. No choice, have to change appointment.

 

[ricohflex]

look at this way.. when change date from A to B.. is actually better as slot A is opened up and other patients that are more critical can use the A date

Humans are not machines. Each person has different sickness, cause, medical history, etc... The specialist got to read the medical file.

So if your logic applies, then others can make appointments with you and always cancel them at the last minute and not apologise. They boldly say that now the appointment time slot is free and in fact they have BENEFITED you and you can now use that time slot to do something else.

 

[diver-hloc]

if it involves appointment for the elderly, it is not between he/she. it is the caregiver that escort he/she to hospital. Sometimes the caregiver can't applies annual leave to accompany parents to hospital, and nobody to stand in. No choice, have to change appointment.

I could agree with that... but is the welfare of your love ones not worth $10 ?? And don't forget that even if it is a sudden problem that you have to change date..... it would still mean admin work for the hospital and staffs.... not forgetting that it deprived another person of your spot. I rather the health department spent more money on lowering healthcare than spent it on Administration work.

 

[diver-hloc]

Double post.... :sweat:

 

[brapodam]

How about setting a specific time frame where someone can change the appointment without paying any admin fees? For instance, if you change the appointment a week/2 weeks before the appointment, you will not be charged, as they can probably fit in another patient who more urgently needs that slot. I believe this is a more flexible system than the current one.

 

[edutilos-]

How about setting a specific time frame where someone can change the appointment without paying any admin fees? For instance, if you change the appointment a week/2 weeks before the appointment, you will not be charged, as they can probably fit in another patient who more urgently needs that slot. I believe this is a more flexible system than the current one.

Still doesn't address the genuine last minute boh pain change cases.

 

[brapodam]

Still doesn't address the genuine last minute boh pain change cases.

boh bian what, if look at it on a case by case basis, needs too much work already

 

[Oly5050]

Its not a penalty. Its an admin charge. There are people actually employed to do this work and it takes time to reschedule.

 

[brapodam]

Its not a penalty. Its an admin charge. There are people actually employed to do this work and it takes time to reschedule.

Sure, there are people paid to do it. But such costs should be hidden somewhere else in the bill, like within the consultation fees or something, especially since changing of appointment dates seems to be a basic service people would expect.

NTUC also got hire cashiers. Do they charge you admin fee for the cashier to serve you? No, they don't. They earn money when you buy their stuff, and the cashier is there as a basic service. They pay their cashiers through their profits.

 

[dreaming]

it another case of using Tax payer to build a public service facilities and at the end of the day, make us pay for the service charges here and there

just like transportation , use Tax payer money to build track , buy bus, subsidise operating cost. lease to private operator then charge us with ever increasing increasing fares rate ...

last would be road.. use Tax payers money to build road, expressway, carpark etc, then charge private owners for ERP, car parking season, COE

 

[auron]

please see your MP, and write to Gan Kim Yong and post his reply here....

 

[Berkins]

Wtf .....ten bucks??&%#&*

 

[Oly5050]

Sure, there are people paid to do it. But such costs should be hidden somewhere else in the bill, like within the consultation fees or something, especially since changing of appointment dates seems to be a basic service people would expect.

NTUC also got hire cashiers. Do they charge you admin fee for the cashier to serve you? No, they don't. They earn money when you buy their stuff, and the cashier is there as a basic service. They pay their cashiers through their profits.

Thats the point. The costs are not hidden in the bill. If you want then everyone can pay for it. In this case, only those who change appt pay for it. So if u dun change, u dun pay for it and u dun subsidize those who keep changing appointments. There are tons of instititions who charge us admin fees. Eg LTA. For every company tat u quote that dun charge, i can quote one that charges.

 

[Gymrat76]

When you subsidize something, supply will never be enough to meet demand. Healthcare is the perfect example.

Don't want waiting times and $10 admin charges, then go to a private hospital, I'm sure they don't charge anything for appointment changes