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


micah4

New Member
Sep 14, 2005
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Talk about increasing medical bills...now made worst by administrative charges. According to the receptionist I spoke to, the admin charge is regardless of whatever reason you (the patient or relative) have, as long as you and not the doctor/specialist are the one who initiates the change. :thumbsd:

Edited...brought forward here some of my replies below, as most people do not read through the long thread :)

... 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.

On the other hand, "Change of Appointment" had always been part of "Service" or accepted as part of Service of a company. It looks like that service culture is going to change in order to contain abuse. But abusing a service is found everywhere, there will always be some bad eggs within a basket. So are the good eggs going to be punished too?

Changing appointments is part and parcel of an Appointment system. Abuse is bound to happen anywhere. Now it is looking like with a stroke of hand, in wiping out abuse (if indeed, this is the reason), a charge is slapped on everybody good and bad. By charging for it, the Service provider is effectively saying "No more Service for changing of appointments". "Change of Appointments" is now like medicine or consultation.

And if the precedent is set by a Government hospital...other private institution would want to do the same...then what are we faced with.

On TTSH website, under Change of Appointment, there is zero mention of charging. Right now, we are seeing another instance of lack of transparency or is it a case of some "hero" somewhere trying to prove something.

We don't know if this is specific to TTSH or other hospitals and polyclinics and worst, GPs are practising this!

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Spree86: "Was the appointment randomly allocated to you or did they consult you beforehand? The last time I brought my mum to a specialist at TTSH, the counter staff confirmed the date with us before putting down the date for the next appointment."
No, it is always an "agreed" date in advance. But who can foretell if any unforeseen circumstances will or will not force a change in appointment? That is why all organizations with an Appointment System in place recognize the need for change. TTSH even has phone numbers and a webpage assigned specifically for "Change of Appointment".

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.
 

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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:
 

they should credit us $10 back if the doctor/specialist are the one changed the appointment..

no, when we change to Date B, they will check if there is enough SLOT or not. Hence, it will not deprive other person
 

May be there are just too many people wanting to change appointments, making the hospital so busy doing this admin work. Charging for it may deter people from doing so and lessen the admin work.
 

Yes and no correct method. it will be good to test it out. dun kill a system which yet to launch. it may work.
 

what if hospital put aeroplane? sometime they schedule your appointment on sat or sun. when u reach there they will say no doctor on sat and sun, they ask u to go home. i kanna before, my friend also kanna before.
 

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:

I see, so if you have an elderly with chronic sickness with established schedule with a specialist (on long term care) you don't mind paying $10 everytime when need arises and have to change date due to unforeseen circumstances...is that what you're saying??
 

May be there are just too many people wanting to change appointments, making the hospital so busy doing this admin work. Charging for it may deter people from doing so and lessen the admin work.

I did ask and it is an across the board charge! So this means that even the legitimate gets penalised for having to change appointments!
 

Talk about increasing medical bills...now made worst by administrative charges. According to the receptionist I spoke to, the admin charge is regardless of whatever reason you (the patient or relative) have, as long as you and not the doctor/specialist are the one who initiates the change. :thumbsd:

o_O, i think i rather pay $10 to the hospital than the ERP.
 

I see, so if you have an elderly with chronic sickness with established schedule with a specialist (on long term care) you don't mind paying $10 everytime when need arises and have to change date due to unforeseen circumstances...is that what you're saying??


If I have an elderly with chronic sickness... $10 is the least of my problem... If I could settle all problem with $10... I'll be a happy man.
 

I did ask and it is an across the board charge! So this means that even the legitimate gets penalised for having to change appointments!

Just for a test, please write an official complaint to the Health Minister. Please publish his reply to you, here in Clubsnap. He may have a legitimate reason.
There could be irresponsible people who willy-nilly change appointments often.
 

If I have an elderly with chronic sickness... $10 is the least of my problem... If I could settle all problem with $10... I'll be a happy man.

Your reply makes no sense at all!
 

Just for a test, please write an official complaint to the Health Minister. Please publish his reply to you, here in Clubsnap. He may have a legitimate reason.
There could be irresponsible people who willy-nilly change appointments often.

Thought of doing that...I might pose that at their facebook page.
 

Talk about increasing medical bills...now made worst by administrative charges. According to the receptionist I spoke to, the admin charge is regardless of whatever reason you (the patient or relative) have, as long as you and not the doctor/specialist are the one who initiates the change. :thumbsd:

Perhaps it is a way to discourage people from changing appointments. Some people change last minute, and then the slot is empty... And no one goes and the slot is wasted. Maybe if you see it from that angle?

I suspect if you can provide a legitimate reason for change of appointment, it can be waived?
 

Perhaps it is a way to discourage people from changing appointments. Some people change last minute, and then the slot is empty... And no one goes and the slot is wasted. Maybe if you see it from that angle?

I suspect if you can provide a legitimate reason for change of appointment, it can be waived?

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.

On the other hand, "Change of Appointment" had always been part of "Service" or accepted as part of Service of a company. It looks like that service culture is going to change in order to contain abuse. But abusing a service is found everywhere, there will always be some bad eggs within a basket. So are the good eggs going to be punished too?

Changing appointments is part and parcel of an Appointment system. Abuse is bound to happen anywhere. Now it is looking like with a stroke of hand, in wiping out abuse (if indeed, this is the reason), a charge is slapped on everybody good and bad. By charging for it, the Service provider is effectively saying "No more Service for changing of appointments". "Change of Appointments" is now like medicine or consultation.

And if the precedent is set by a Government hospital...other private institution would want to do the same...then what are we faced with.

On TTSH website, under Change of Appointment, there is zero mention of charging. Right now, we are seeing another instance of lack of transparency or is it a case of some "hero" somewhere trying to prove something.

We don't know if this is specific to TTSH or other hospitals and polyclinics and worst, GPs are practising this!

==
 

Was the appointment randomly allocated to you or did they consult you beforehand? The last time I brought my mum to a specialist at TTSH, the counter staff confirmed the date with us before putting down the date for the next appointment.
 

Was the appointment randomly allocated to you or did they consult you beforehand? The last time I brought my mum to a specialist at TTSH, the counter staff confirmed the date with us before putting down the date for the next appointment.

No, it is always an "agreed" date in advance. But who can foretell if any unforeseen circumstances will or will not force a change in appointment? That is why all organizations with an Appointment System in place recognize the need for change. TTSH even has phone numbers and a webpage assigned specifically for "Change of Appointment".
 

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?