...doesn't that letter say that the doctor needs a general anaesthetic...
What...to perform an operation? Or afterwards?
Have you ever wondered why doctors all over the world are referred to as "
medical practitioners"? Does that mean they're not fully qualified yet?
Not a notion that inspires much confidence in me.
And what can you say about many Indonesian "doctors" and their money-spinning hobbies, like running a "practice" at night to top-up their drinking money or pay off the instalments on their BMW's? That's after they've done their duties as "lecturers", "specialists" in whatever hospitals they're affiliated with, (if they don't own them).
I went to a hospital on the By-Pass near Kuta a few years ago to get a quote to remove a ganglionic cyst on my wrist. Well, what a circus that was!
They informed me that I would have to have an "operation" - I shouldn't eat anything 12 hours before, blah blah. Being the prospective patient, and hearing this, I was rather surprised when a bunch of "surgeons" and "specialists" suddenly appeared, almost with scalpels in hand, at the ready.
The way I saw it, I was there for a "quote". Then I asked them about the costs,
if I agreed to get it done there. Various estimates: "public" or "VIP suite"? The cheapest was about Rp 7,000,000
not including the doctors, drugs, "insurance", whatever. They would be added later, if I survived.
Hang on there, Dr Wayan. If I have this
now, what about what's in my stomach at the moment? My only conclusion here is that
that "hospital" employs a bunch of money-hungry charlatans with absolutely zero ideas regarding "ethics", or "patient care".
Needless to say, I declined letting them come anywhere near me. My cyst was removed by my doctor in Australia under a local anaesthetic. Took about 30 minutes, or so. Before that, I had X-rays and an Ultra-sound scan. The whole lot cost me about AUD50, (Rp 400,000), using the government public Medicare system.
Much of the medical profession in Bali leaves a lot to be desired. Where is "accountability", for instance? Hundreds of incompetent rogue doctors continue to "practise", every day (night) of the week with impunity. How come?
Does that mean that the good doctors don't care about standards and malpractice? Looks like it to me. Otherwise there would be a campaign to de-register all the potential killers out there.
The saddest part for me is seeing night-time doctors'
warungs full of Balinese patients. Many of them are actually sick. Often, the "treatments" they get are about as useful as blowing in the wind, or an ashtray on a motorbike.
No wonder Balinese only go to a hospital or doctor as a last resort. Unfortunately, that's often too late, even if they're lucky enough to strike a doctor who knows something and even cares.
Hmmm. Food for thought.
:shock:
