12
singapore health
MAY⁄ JUN 2012
Tell us
Healthier food choices
NDC, not polyclinic please
I would like to see all hospitals, including SGH, offer healthier foods at their eateries. I think about 80 to 90 per cent of the stalls in your food court should use less oil, sugar and salt in their dishes, and no stall should sell any fried food. All the dishes should be priced cheaper – maybe a discount of 30 to 50 cents can be offered – to motivate people not to eat unhealthy food.
I am a 65-year-old and had a set of dentures made at the National Dental Centre of Singapore (NDC). The dentist who treated me was very good. However, now that the problem is fixed, I have been discharged and told to go to the dentist at the polyclinic for any followup treatment. I find that it makes no sense for me to travel a long distance to the polyclinic when the NDC is very near my home. How can I continue to be treated at the NDC?
– Yap Soon Chia
We agree with you. All the eateries at SGH offer healthier food choices, like wholegrain
noodles, brown rice and vermicelli, as well as light cooking oil. If you choose the healthier options, you will get a discount. Did you know that whole grains are an important source of antioxidants, like vitamin E and phytochemicals, which are beneficial plant substances. These work together to help lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers, and may even help with weight management. This winning letter wins two pieces of Backjoy worth $129.80. Backjoy is a device that aims to improve back pain and posture.
AND WIN A PRIZE FOR BEST LETTER Letters must include your full name, address and phone number. Singapore Health reserves the right to edit letters and not all letters will be published. Write to editor@sgh.com.sg or The Editor, Singapore Health, Singapore General Hospital, Communications Department, Outram Road, Singapore 169608, or talk to us on Facebook. The winner will receive a bottle each of Odour Controlled Garlic 300mg, Glucosamine Gel 100ml, Cod Liver Oil with Multi Vitamins Capsules and Maximum Strength Triple Omega 3-6-9 (1,200mg) (worth $111.60 in total) from our sponsor, Holland & Barrett.
Facebook us!
Singapore General Hospital Bautista Rowell James I was visiting SGH earlier today and read from a wall that this week is Eating Disorders Awareness Week with the theme “Let’s celebrate our natural SIZES!” I have a naturally bulky body and the wall is so encouraging for me. I always believed that beauty, talent, skill and others come in all human SIZES. Like · Unlike · Feb 13 at 8.50am 5 people like this
Singapore General Hospital @Bautista, we also believe in embracing each other’s culture, gender, shortcomings and human size too! Feb 14 at 11.01am · Like · Unlike
Bess Low Do you have any seminar on caregiving for the elderly at home coming up soon? Like · Unlike · Feb 13 at 4.48pm 2 people like this
Singapore General Hospital Hi Bess, you can contact our nurse educators at 6221-1240 for more information. Feb 13 at 6.48pm · Like · Unlike
Bess Low Thanks. Feb 12 at 10.16am · Like · Unlike
We are glad you are happy with the care given by your NDC doctor. Many patients come to us for specialist treatment and we try our best to attend to every one of them in a timely manner. In the current situation where resources are limited, right-siting care helps to ensure that specialist resources go to patients who need these most. Right-siting means matching the complexity of the health condition to the level of expertise needed. When appointment slots are used appropriately, waiting time for specialist appointments may then be reduced. If followup is uncomplicated, a dental GP will be able to attend to your needs. This can be right-sited at a polyclinic’s dental clinic or dental GP clinic* at a lower cost to you. Your specialist would have reviewed your oral condition and found it stable and fit for followup in a primary setting, before discharging you from specialist treatment. At any point in time, if you need to see a specialist again, the dental GP will be able to refer you to NDC. We wish you good health. *Subsidised dental treatment is now available at more than 200 dental GP clinics islandwide, under the Ministry of Health’s Community Health Assist Scheme (www.chas. org). Many of the participating clinics are located in the HDB heartlands.
Donating used crutches and leg brace Now that my broken leg has healed, I would like to give away my crutches and leg brace to anyone who might need them. They are still quite new and would be a waste to throw away. Who can I contact at SGH to donate these? Thank you for your offer but, unfortunately, SGH doesn’t have the resources to manage used crutches and other aids. Instead, you can donate walking aids and other items to Pass It On – a programme run by the Central Singapore Community Development Council. Visit www.passiton.org.sg for details.
Tributes I want to commend Ms Kelly Chng Bee Ling, Senior Pharmacist, National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS), for going out of her way to help me. I asked her if my blood test results were normal, as the normal range was not indicated on the report. She explained each of the results, checked the computer and wrote down the normal range for each test on my results slip. She was attentive and full of smiles throughout. She is an asset to NHCS and an example of your high standards. - A grateful patient
I am grateful to Dr Tan Shi Ming, Medical Officer, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Singapore General Hospital (SGH), who was on duty at the A&E department when I slipped, fell and fractured my hand on Jan 20. He and his colleague had to have a “tug of war” with my hand before putting it in a cast, but he did a very good job of realigning the twisted bones. My hand is healing nicely and I do not need surgery. - Ms Lorraine Wee
I was diagnosed with diabetes before my pregnancy by a private gynaecologist and given a calorie chart to manage my own diet. There was no followup. I was at a loss and losing my appetite. I went to KKH’s O&G 24-Hour Clinic where I broke down. KKH assigned a dietitian and gynaecologist who worked together to help me. I broke down again when the insulin injections started, but was comforted and helped by the nurse on duty. At home, I found I could access the hospital’s services using the KKH iPhone application and the Ask-A-Nurse hotline. I also had direct access to my specialists, something I would not have had if I had stayed with the private gynaecologist. The quality service didn’t stop there. In the delivery suite, Dr Jasmine Mohd, Consultant, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, immediately checked on me. She showed genuine concern for my welfare and even personally updated my husband on my condition. I have been singing the praises of KKH to friends and introducing them to the iPhone application for them to benefit from the boundless information there. My experience at KKH has changed my view of restructured hospitals and reaffirmed my belief that Singapore can truly be the medical hub it aims to be. - Mdm Faith Leong