Sorry, Mount E, my mistake

I had coffee today (April 19) with Mount Elizabeth Hospital's CEO Dr Kelvin Loh and his charming Group Corporate Communications manager, Ms Chio Shuyu, to talk about my grouse over "the inappropriate selling of insurance" at the hospital.

Shuyu had invited me over to meet her boss as he wanted to discuss my experience at the hospital's Endoscopy Centre where I had gone for a procedure last month and to see how it could improve its services.

I had complained in my blog about the hospital selling insurance to patients just before they went in for a procedure and how the registration clerk was inadequately trained to sell insurance.

Dr Loh came across as a gracious young man. He readily accepted my complaints while at the same time assuring me that the hospital was doing something about it.

But what surprised me was when he said that the hospital did not get a cent from the sale of insurance coverage. Apparently, the insurance company had made a proposal to Mount E and it was accepted because the hospital thought it could provide an additional service to its patients.

I had assumed --- wrongly --- that the hospital was marketing the insurance plan jointly with the insurer and was getting a cut out of every sale made.

I apologise for my mistake and would like to award a BOUQUET to Mount E for its attempt to improve its services and to Dr Loh for making the effort to clarify matters.