Phone Consultation with SGH

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Singapore General Hospital is offering the option of remotely attending your medical appointments for selected services. You will be connected to a member of your clinical care team in the Hospital via a phone call to your registered phone number.

Why do I need this phone-consultation?

The aims of the phone-consultation are to:

• Provide convenience to you and your loved ones while ensuring continuity of care.
• Ensure that you receive timely review of your medical condition when there may be operational restrictions or limitations that affect the provision of face-to-face consultation, for example during times of infectious disease outbreak.

Before the phone-consultation

Once your phone consult appointment is booked, you will be informed via SMS of an internet link that will provide you further information about the consult
You will need the phone device with your registered mobile number on hand to receive the call from your clinician

What preparations must I make before the phone-consultation?

• Inform your clinical care team members of any allergies and changes to your medical condition or medications since your last visit.
  
• Have all information and equipment related to your condition readily available. These may need to be reviewed during the phone-consultation.
  
• Have your Identification Card (NRIC or passport) with you.
  
• You should preferably be in a quiet room that will provide you with enough privacy.
  
• Be ready with your phone on hand, at least 10 minutes before your scheduled time to wait for your consult

During the phone-consultation

A member of your clinical care team will confirm your identity using two patient identifiers (i.e. your name and NRIC) before proceeding.
The following activities may be conducted depending on your consultation type:

Consultation with Healthcare Professional

1. Assessment of medical history, relevant medical conditions, level of self-care and overall well-being;
   
2. Review of relevant tests and investigations, including but not limited to blood  tests and radiology investigations;
   
3. Review of existing medications, prescription of medications;
   
4. Ordering necessary investigations; and/or
   
5. Addressing any concerns which you or your caregiver may have.

If deemed necessary, you may be scheduled for a visit to the hospital to further manage your condition. This may include visits to the outpatient clinics, Emergency Department or admission for procedures as appropriate.

The phone-consultation service will be as per standard charges of an outpatient consultation.

FAQs

What are the risks and limitations of a phone-consultation?

The phone consultation will be more convenient for you, as you do not need to come to hospital.

However, a phone consultation is not exactly the same as a face-to-face consultation. Your care provider will not be able to examine you physically or take your vital signs. They will be reliant on your reporting of your condition. If you do not share enough details about your condition with your care provider, there is a possibility that your condition may not be assessed and managed correctly.

Minors (i.e. patients aged below 16 years old) or those without agency (e.g. dementia patients) should be seen with their parent or guardian.

What are my options?

If you prefer not to participate, you may choose to carry on with normal face-to-face consultations with your care provider. If you or your care provider feel that a phone consult is not sufficient to manage your health condition, the phone consult will be stopped and an in-person appointment will be scheduled for you.

Should you feel unwell before the scheduled appointment date, please seek medical attention immediately from your nearest polyclinic, GP clinic or Emergency Department.

Confidentiality of Personal Data

Personal Data collected, used or disclosed for this phone-consultation will be kept confidential. There will be no screenshots, photographs, audio and video recordings (“Recordings”) done by both Hospital and patient during the phone-consultation with any means without prior agreement.