The Clinic of All Cheats
Last week I had an argument with a doctor (mind you); which would have gone all #CDM25 brouhaha, had someone else other than myself happen to be there and record the scenario. It was like Kiki’s road bully, medical version.
Have you ever entered a clinic because you were feeling slightly under the weather, but exited with a whole bag of medicines that you actually don’t need; costing you a bomb?
I stand by the law that citizens of the world can not simply purchase medicines. But does that mean doctors can simply ‘sell’ us medicines like they are food, just because they are doctors? This is a story about a clinic that NO one should go to.
5 p.m. on a thirsty Thursday evening. Feeling slightly unwell. Walked into Clinic Solaris where an argument between a French family and a clueless nurse was going on – the poor angmoh‘s bill added up to RM458 and the nurse wanted to charge her an additional 3% tax for using the credit card.
In my life, I’ve never heard of a clinic bill that costs 458 bucks.
In French accent: “This is my fourth time here, I used my credit card before and I’ve never been charged for tax! Why now?”
A simian looking man with a stethoscope hanging around his neck made a special appearance to try out his sophistry skills. “Our accountant just told us recently that there has been a charge if you use cards.”
French lady stormed into the dispensary like a boss to check on the processing fee. The man asked if she is a doctor and told me to follow him. In his room he questioned me impatiently. No eye contact. Kept scribbling with his long simian arm.
Can’t stop staring at his turban and unruly beard. Had he not been a doctor, I would have mistaken him for a cobbler. Tried not to stereotype. Made my own decision to NOT pay for medicines like the French mother – not HERE. Done with consultation. Got a bunch of ‘clinical answers’ a.k.a. bullshit I had Googled beforehand.
Outside the French was still standing. Her sadness and frustration filled the air. I asked the clueless nurse “How much is my bill?” 88 ringgit, she said, as she packed a bunch of yellow pills for me.
“What’s that for?”
She murmured. The odious so-called doctor came out to play nurse; telling me the Mother of All Jokes – “This is to replace the good bacteria after we killed the bad bacterias.” Ridiculous.
Told him I don’t want them and I only need my necessary medications. He pushed a sliding glass door, reached out for a box and threw it on the table, telling me to try his new recommendation.
“What is this? I said, I don’t want anything else! How much are these? (referring to the actual medicines)”
Nurse told me they cost RM58. Told her I only want to pay for consultation so she asked for RM30. Took out two RM20 notes and the doctor said the most unpalatable thing:
“Actually now is after 5 o’clock. There is a 5% extra charge for that so you’ll have to pay RM45.”
“But she just said 30.”
“Don’t you know about this? Your government said after 5 p.m. there is a 5% extra charge for…”
“No, I don’t know about that.” The idiot thinks he can coerce me just because he can’t sell me his useless medications. Peeked into my wallet. Saw a red RM10 note. Thanked God for standing by me. Kept my other RM20 note in an obvious manner and told the idiots I only have 3o.
The cantankerous man didn’t give up. “So you think you can just walk in here, WASTE my time, and pay me like that?”
Swallowed my curses. “I’m sorry. It is no wonder your clinic is so empty.” Thew 30 bucks on the counter and started to make a move.
“I intend to keep it empty!”
“Oh yeah? Well, good luck.”
The next day I walked into a pharmacy and bought the exact medication I needed. The pharmacist doesn’t seem to know her shit very well either, but lucky I do, and I can’t stop thinking why the hell didn’t I just do that at the first place.
Here’s a piece of my advice:
If you have a family doctor, good for you. But know that times and people change.
If you find a new doctor, read about your illness’s symptoms, causes, and treatment options beforehand. Don’t try to be your own doctor, but be smart about it. A doctor comes with less bull when they realize their patients know their shit.
There are many doctors out there trying to sell unnecessary medications to patients so that they can earn more money, rather than caring for your body. It’s all a bloody business.
Stay healthy, be wise, and of course – Don’t go to Clinic Solaris.
My thoughts exactly! But i also think that some people can be so clueless about their body and in the end, worsen everything.(and then blame anyone else for anything== #truestory )
i know right! macam-macam ragam =.=
My husband had a persistent cough and decided to get some cough medicines as the ones from the pharmacy didn’t seem to work. The bill came to RM85 and he’s still coughing after 3 days of the clinic’s meds
hi Hanniz, sorry to hear that. make sure you don’t purchase a whole bunch of other medicines he doesn’t need! a typical case is pain killer, Panadols… you get the idea. take care xx
It seems that your experience has been quite unfortunate but what is more unfortunate is that for some reason you are under the impression that medical and pharmacological knowledge can be acquired by doing some superficial reading. If that was the case then doctors wouldn’t need 6 yrs or more to get through med school. How would a non professional know “what is needed” or not? Just for the information of whoever is reading this, panadol is more than “just” a pain killer. It serves to reduce inflammation which is pretty much what is going on in any cough, flu or whole lot of other infections. If it was that easy to google and make a quick trip to the pharmacy then there wouldn’t be any need for doctors or clinics. Physicians are not GOD’s to offer treatment and guarantee a 100% quick recovery. If a cough stays longer than “googled” then there could be a number of reasons for that. And the best mode of action would be to go back to the clinic to assist the doctor with more information and “allow” him/her to help you recover.
I am not saying that your experience could not have been better but your remarks seem unfair to me. And all of them about the doctors appearance and turban was not necessary. which may or may not have leaned a little bit on the so very sensitive racial side.. which only you would know for sure.
If you assume that you provide online perscription and give medical advice based on what little you have read or googled then you are seriously making yourself comfortable in unfamiliar territory that you have no business talking about.
There is something called “descending infection” in most cases of upper respiratory infections that makes it possible to predict that a flu and a sorethroat will most likely end up with a cough.. so yes, it is possible to predict. We can do that from spending a little bit of time in med school.. Actually we earned that.
Hi kj, FYI, on top of Googling, i also spoke to my favorite doctor on the phone (who happens to be a great Singh lady) & she gave me the exact name of medicine i need. Because my schedule doesn’t permit me to drive to Bangsar, i went to the nearest one available; which is Clinic Solaris.
This doctor wanted to sell me FOUR times more the dose i required, plus 2 extra unnecessary medications. i did go all the way to Bangsar on the weekend to verify with the lady doctor, & she was shocked – too.
Thanks for sharing your 2 cents, but i do not appreciate you assuming & judging the way i write. I’d love to see what you’d do had you been in my shoes.
By the way, 5% is RM1.50. And if it was a rule so strict, then his nurse shouldn’t have said RM30 at the first place.
Peace.
Thanks for replying Teh.. Peace and understood.
i think you should lodge an official complaint to malaysian medical council. This “so call dr” truly has no medical ethics. drop an email, to the council, let them do the job….if not…more and more people will get cheated…
🙂 get well soon !!
thanks Maya! thing is… i’m not sure if the Malaysian medical council will bother with my complaint. Sigh, i think there are many clinics out there like that. T____T
Well, just lodge a complaint to the council. At least you do your part. Why should bother if the will really take any action.
Actually, 5% of RM30 is only RM1.50. Total should be RM31.50, not RM45… Further proof that he’s a conman, whether or not he knows his maths.
i’m glad u mentioned! my mother was doing the math while doing the dishes just now & we really LOL-ed. XD oh well… *shakes head*
Actually if you check the law and rules governing clinics in Malaysia, they are allowed to charge a 50% surcharge after stipulated clinic hours. So a 50% surcharge on RM30 gives you a total of RM45.
You can lodge a report at our medical board. I had a doc who gave me cough meds for my throat inflammation and I argued that I don’t have a cough.. he selamba looked at me and said.. u’ll eventually get a cough.. wow, he can predict what I’m getting next?? I only go to trusted ones now even if i have to pay more for consultation because there are too many dodgy ones out there
Wow, it’s time to start reading basic medical books so that we roughly know what is the doctor trying to do – treat or con…
Errant doctors and clinics must be shamed!! Bravo!!
Been to that clinic before for fever and I was charged about RM150. It’s bloody daylight robbery.
RM150 FOR FEVER?!?!? O_O I hope you managed to at least claim from your company… 😡
MMA (dr) and MPS (pharmacist) is the useless association / society in malaysia. No matter what you report, those bunch of people only interest on their own politics, they wont care what we want.
Lodge report also no use, the only way is make it ‘RED’ via fb.
hahaha! wee siang… unfortunately i do believe that too, to a certain extent. sigh! but i think i’m gonna try & see what happens.
I have to appologise if that was the experience of going to the doctor. I op for independence between pharmacy and doctors surgery, and not run together to max business. Many of us go into this practice to help and not to milk society.
i’m happy to hear that. we need more good doctors in this world, & in this country. especially specialists, & honest pharmacists, too.
As a financial planner, I advise both consumers and corporates to get private medical cards and group employee benefits. There are many unscrupulous doctors out there, that just want to charge exorbitant fees and charges. To protect ourselves, we have to buy our medical insurances. We are truly at the doctors mercy because we depen on them to save our lives when illness/injury strike us. So what else can we do? Buy medical insurance, get employee benefits, be vigilant to complain to media and proper authority organisations when our consumer rights are revoke or not respected. As consumers, we have choices to use which clinics and hospitals. I will keep searching an choose the one I feel best with.
Hi Anna, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I am with you & will too, keep searching for that one doctor I believe I can trust. take care. xx
I went to the same clinic few months ago for my arthritis medication. He charged me RM240 for god sake… when i went to a different clinic few weeks later, which gave me better medication with pain killer pills and gel, the clinic only charge me RM80! Ridiculous… i dare not step my foot in that clinic anymore.
hope u can file a complaint at ckaps (cawangan kawalan amalan perubatan swasta) which is under ministry of health. knowadays clinics are too much money orientated.
Thanks, JJ. I will look into CKAPS & see what I can do.
Please report it to Malaysian Medical Association. I visited this clinic before and the patient before me wasa foreign worker who injured his hand. He was charged RM400++ and did not have enough to pay. I went through a 30 min lecture from him and he tried to push some supplements but he realised I lnow my stuff and he backed off.
Now i really think i should. that’s perhaps the best way to stop it from operating & conning patients.
We also experienced the same thing. My hubby was sick and just wanted a normal checkup and anti biotic if needed. Ended up paying RM 185 for no reason. Same thing might have coated less than RM 45 in other clinics. Ever since never recommend this place to anyone. If locals were ripped apart like this, we were wondering what will happen to foreigners living near Mont Kiara. Absolutely rubbish.
i’m sorry to hear that. Two of my colleagues who were interns from Holland didn’t know where to go, went there, & both got cheated too! This just confirms whatever it is about this clinic. It’s sad.
hi there.
after reading ur comment on ur page i feel dissatisfied that a few things have gone out of context.
firstly the part on the difference in between consulting a doctor and buy medication in pharmacies. by law the pharmacist is only allowed to sell medication and not prescribe . theres a world of difference in the two. in malaysia they do it openly and nobody bothers them. in fact people like you support them further.
secondly the part of discriminating the doctor based on his religious practices is uncalled for. despite you having a “good” “Singh” lady friend you dont know that “singh” is only used for men. and Women of Punjabi ethnicity are known as “Kaur”. thats how ignorant we can be sometimes by not understanding the differences in between race and religion.
the third part is publicly trying to defame a professional based on your own views is not right. im sure if you went back or ask for further clarification the doctor would have been more than happy to further explain his conduct. that clinic has been there for many years and its not easy to keep clinics open if he is “cheating” people as u claim.
so next time think in depth before making your views public as it can get you in trouble.
thank you
peace
a few commenters here seem to have experienced the same thing at this clinic; not just me. i respect that you support such a doctor, & i wish you have the chance to experience what we did. good luck.