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Video Consultation with SGH

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 secure video conferencing platform, accessible on your smartphone or computer. If this is your first-time consultation, you will have to be seen in-person.

Why do I need this video-consultation?

The aims of the video-consultation are to:

  1. Ensure you are safe with reduced contact time especially during COVID-19 
  2. Help you to save waiting & traveling time and money
  3. Next-of-kin and your family members may dial in at same session
  4. 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 Video Consultation

  1. Zoom meeting links will be sent to you via SMS 1 day and at least 15 minutes before your Video Consultation
  2. You will need a computer with camera, or a smartphone for Video Consultation

What preparations must I make before the video-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 video-consultation. 
  • Have your Identification Card (NRIC or passport) with you.
  • Choose a well-lit and quiet area for the video-consultation.
  • Download the Zoom application prior to the consultation and enter the session at least 10 minutes before your scheduled time to wait for your consult

Download Zoom App

Zoom on iTunes App StoreHealth Buddy on Google Play Store

   Or download the desktop app >
 

During the Video Consultation

  1. A member of your clinical care team will confirm your identity using two patient identifiers (i.e. your name and NRIC) before proceeding.
  2. You will also be asked to show your identification card for verification.
  3. 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 video-consultation service will be as per standard charges of an outpatient consultation.
 

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

As your clinical care team member will not be able to examine you physically or take your vital signs during the video-consultation, they are dependent on you to provide true, accurate, current and complete information about your condition. If you do not provide a sufficiently comprehensive report of your condition, there is a risk that your condition may be assessed and managed incorrectly. If you feel that video-consultation is inadequate to address your medical condition, you have the right to terminate the video-consultation at any time, and arrange for an in-person clinic visit.

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. 

Am I eligible for video-consultation?

If this is your first-time consultation, you will have to be seen in-person.

For follow-up consultations, the health care team/ providers will review/ assess your medical condition(s) before offering video-consultation. Please note that not all health care professionals offer video-consultations and not all patient cases are suitable.

This is the list of clinical departments which currently offers video-consultation:

  • Breast Surgery
  • Colorectal Surgery
  • Dermatology
  • Endocrinology & Diabetes
  • Gastroenterology
  • General Surgery
  • Geriatric Medicine
  • Gynaecology
  • Haematology
  • Hand & Recon Microsurgery
  • Head & Neck
  • Health Screening
  • Hepato-Pancreato Biliary Surgery
  • Infectious Disease
  • Internal Medicine
  • Neonatology
  • ​Neurology
  • Nuclear Medicine

  • Obesity Centre (weight management)
  • Obstetrics
  • Occupational & Environmental Med
  • Orthopaedic Surgery
  • Otolaryngology
  • Pain Management 
  • Plastic, Reconstruction and Aesthetic Surgery
  • Psychiatry
  • Psychology
  • Rehabilitation Medicine
  • Renal Medicine
  • Respiratory
  • Rheumatology and Immunology
  • Upper GI & Bariatric Surgery
  • Urology
  • Vascular Interventional Radiology
  • Vascular Surgery

What are my options?

This is an optional service available to you. If you do not wish to participate in video-consultations, you may choose to continue with in-person consultations with your clinical care team.

If you are acutely unwell, do not wait for a video-consultation. Please proceed to your nearest polyclinic, GP clinic or Emergency Department.  

Confidentiality of Personal Data

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