Toooo Long waiting time

See  how Long I had spent my day at the Emergency Department. Mind you this is a public hospital, specialising  in Eye and Ear.

11.00 am : 

Arrival and queuing in line for registration  and triage. ( A long queue when I had arrived. They only have 1 counter for the triage. Should have more because one patients will take a while for the nurse to ask for history and made early assessment and decision for the triage. The queue behind me getting longer and longer and people getting anxious and upset).

              

11.35 am : 

I had finally get my turn for registration, history taking and early assessment done.

Then waiting at the common waiting area. Waiting and waiting.

12.15 pm:

My name being called. An eye nurse made a second assessment. Detailing more of the history taking and medical history. Assessing my  vision and my eye pressure. Then she asked me go and wait at the common waiting area again. 

12.45 pm

My name being called again. A receptionist had asked me to wait at the consultation area. Saw only a consultant and two registrars in action. They were few doctors at the other end discussion some issues. Me and the rest of the patients waiting and waiting. 

1.15 pm. 

An ophthalmologist (I think his the senior most registrar) called my name and start examining my eye in detail. Spent quite a while he managed to make a diagnosis but seems not sure with his finding. He said need to check in side my eyes. He put some drops to dilate my eye pupil. Have to wait at least 20 minutes. Since it was a change over shift time, I have to wait for another doctor. 

Waiting and waiting and waiting.

2.15 pm

A nurse came and check my eyes put few more drops on my eye without explaining for what. But I knew it was meant  for dilating my eyes. Lack of communication, should at least say why. I should ask but a good communication is when if she want to do something to patients she should explain. Anyhow.

Waiting and waiting and waiting

Just before half past 2, few doctors for the afternoon shift came in. Start to call patients 

2.45 pm

Another nurse came and check again my eyes and put some more eye drops. Hmmmm

3.20 pm

FINALLY.... An ophthalmologist lady doctor seen me. She's very good, sharp and precise. She check in side my eyes thoroughly and detail. Actually she did questioned why checking inside my eyes is required. Hmmm, just keep quiet. (She shouldn't said in front of me. I knew the morning doctor shift, for me, he don't look confident and not sure with his finding. He even repeated the same questions to me.)

3.35 pm

Done. Came out from the consultation area. 

Once I came out from the consultation area to the main waiting area. I was shocked, it was full with people. The crowd keep on increasing. Not sure how they going to handle it.

Went to the pharmacy and bought my eye drops.

See how long I had spent my time. 4 and a half hours, slightly more. 

There were few issues here.

1. Triage counter should have more than just one counter. 

2. Communication with patients which I found the main weakness. Not just me, most of the patients around me were also restless and anxious not knowing what they were waiting for. At least explain to them instead just telling them that they have to wait for another doctor to see or something. Another 4 patients who came in the consulting area same with me were all anxious. 

3. The doctor work efficient was lacking. Some of them busy settling their morning shift ward work in the emergency clinic and took too long to finish it. This supposed not to happen. The patients mass is keep on increasing. I saw lot of registrar seeking for second opinion with the consultant but not many consultant around. May be they don't have enough doctors, should anticipate this matter. 

Now I had experienced myself with what most of the patients had gone through. Too long waiting hours. It is a main current issue in hospital services here in Australia.

(Jadi kesimpulannya, keadaan hospital di Malaysia dan kat sini tak jauh sangat berbeza dari segi servis. Sama jerr. Padahal ini negara maju sedangkan Malaysia tidak lagi. Hmmmm)