Con Doc

Avoid this clinic! Today, I was persuaded by Alina Rastam to see a doctor for my flu so I went to this clinic in Lucky Gardens Bangsar. My consultation with the doctor, a Dr Lalitha, was rather uneventful, although I noted that she did not ask to take my temperature or put her stethoscope to my chest or take my blood pressure. But no matter, I had self-medicated myself with Lemsip and just needed an antibiotic to nuke the bug. I also needed her to give me something for a skin infection. Anyway, when I was asked to settle my bill, it came to a whopping RM128. Breakdown: RM35 for consultation, RM15 for the anti-fungal cream, and RM78 for the antibiotic. I said, thanks but no thanks for the antibiotic because if the doctor gave me a prescription I could walk down the street to the nearest pharmacy and pick it up for only RM36. To my utter shock, the answer was a firm 'no'. No prescription, even though I had paid for the consultation. The dispensing clerk, however, offered to bring down the price of the antibiotic to RM55. I said no, because I believe that the prescription was due to me with the consultation. Surely it was my right as a patient to decide if I wanted to get my medication from a clinic or pharmacy! Anyway, the long and short of it was I walked out of the clinic sans prescription and will be reporting this flagrantly unethical case of bullying and profiteering to the Malaysian Medical Council. I will also make sure this goes out to the press. Meanwhile, feel free to share this post and warn your friends about this clinic.

Lilian Tan