In recent weeks, messages have been circulating discouraging people from going to hospitals as they are unsafe and will raise charges because of low admission rates during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period.
Consultant vitreoretinal surgeon Dr M. Narendran, who works in a private hospital in the Klang Valley, insists hospital managements across the board have taken adequate steps to ensure the safety of their staff and patients.
The motorcycle-riding eye specialist shares his view with Twentytwo13.
“Comments have been made about avoiding hospitals as the world battles Covid-19.
We are facing trying times and we are all affected in one way or other. Everyone has been caught by surprise as experts work around the clock to address the pandemic.
While the race to find a vaccine continues, the only way to reduce transmission is to practice personal hygiene and social distancing.
We are in our 48th day of the Movement Control Order (MCO). The order has helped decrease the number of infections.
Protocols are in place at hospitals to keep patients safe and maintain social distancing. Hospitals have generally also taken proactive steps to reduce clinic follow-ups for non-urgent cases and cancelled elective surgeries (eg. cataract) during the MCO. This is, firstly, to reduce public movement in line with the order.
Elective surgeries have been deferred not because they are deemed unnecessary, but due to the standard operating procedure for patient screening, Covid testing and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). These factors must be properly formulated and implemented.
Also, most ophthalmic surgeries are daycare procedures but still come under inpatient status.
Cases of severe conjunctivitis and other eye infections sometimes require admission. Conjunctivitis requires Covid-19 testing as it is an early sign of the disease.
However, due to the cost of testing, many patients opt to defer the testing. These patients have instead been referred to government institutions.
While trauma caused by motor vehicle accidents and at the work place have decreased, we have seen an increase of eye injury incidents at home.
All ophthalmic emergencies, both surgical and medical, are attended to without prejudice irrespective of MCO or the patient’s status.
The factors spelt out above, therefore, contribute to lower admission but a safe environment.
Once the MCO is lifted, hospitals will restart elective surgeries and clinic appointments with continued safety protocols in place.
Whether a patient requires admission or otherwise remains the prerogative of the attending doctor who will use his clinic acumen and diagnostic skills to decide.
This is definitely not an arbitrary decision. Every case for admission is reviewed by the medical panel from the respective insurance provider to approve the guarantee letter (GL) for further treatment.
There are also patients requiring admissions but their applications have not been approved by their insurance providers. These patients are then referred to government institutions.
Medical practitioners maintain their ethics and thus will not deny patients the care needed.
There are claims that financial saving is healthy for the insurance industry, but whether it translates to a healthy society with lower morbidity remains to be seen.
Claims that paint the medical fraternity in bad light during such trying times are an injustice to the hospital and its dedicated team.
The medical fraternity will gladly cooperate and work with the insurance industry to provide good and effective care to our patients.
Of course there are black sheep and it’s the same with every other profession. Effective communication among stakeholders will clear ambiguities, if any.
I am sure my respected colleagues from other specialties will agree with me and I’m confident that they too have formulated protocols for admissions and elective surgeries.”
