Dr. Steve Wong 黃楚祺博士
9/8/2022
Although the US is a developed country, seeing a doctor still involves complex and outdated procedures. Usually, I rarely need to see a doctor. When I need a body check, I typically choose to do it in Hong Kong. However, I had a stomachache early last year and wanted to consult a specialist, which can only be done through the arrangement by my family doctor. Seeking my family doctor requires weeks or months of prior appointment, and then booking with a specialist is another long waiting time. The average longevity of Americans is less than 80 currently, which is lower than that of many developing countries. Not being provided with timely medical attendance for illness could be one of the reasons. Some may be deterred by the complex procedures and fall into a wait-and-see attitude. My stomach aches eventually forced me to see the doctor in the hospital’s emergency ward, for which I spent a few thousand US dollars. Fortunately, I have medical insurance. I was diagnosed with diverticulitis after going through a magnetic resonance imaging scan (MRI). The doctor dispensed some antibiotics, but my symptoms did not entirely disappear. I still needed to consult a specialist to see how they could solve my problem.
With lots of effort, I was able to make a booking with a specialist this March for an appointment in October. Alternatively, an option for virtual doctoring was available on 28 July when I was on a business trip to Southeast Asia. I was in Jakarta that day and woke up at 03:00 in the morning and chatted for 20 minutes with the specialist. I was diagnosed with gastroenteritis, and the doctor gave me a prescription. My next stop was Bangkok, and upon arriving, I rushed to the dispensary to get my medicine. At the same time, I also arranged an appointment for a colonoscopy and gastroscopy at a local hospital. I have found that the medical systems in Thailand and the US are vastly different. Without needing a prior booking appointment, I could see the doctor in a well-equipped hospital, which attends to foreigners who come especially for medical attention. The medical staff confirmed an appointment for colonoscopy and gastroscopy the following day. The process took only 36 hours, and I had the time to screen the relevant photos and reports together with the doctor. The doctor only advised me to be careful with food and drinks and dispensed some medicine.
The service attitude of doctors and nurses of this hospital is very professional, caring, and friendly, and I only needed to spend a few hundred US dollars. Before leaving, I picked a copy of their service brochure in preparation for another body check during my next trip.