You are a Patient Service Associate Working in a Public Hospital: Financial for Healthcare Assignment, SMU, Singapore

Case Study

You are a Patient Service Associate working in a public hospital. A Singaporean patient, Mr. Tan, has filed a complaint against the hospital to the Ministry of Health. Mr. Tan alleged that he was not given proper advice during Financial Counselling (FC) before his admission to the ward for his surgery. Records reveal that you were the person providing FC to Mr. Tan.

Below are the details for this case:

Mr. Tan fell while going to the market and was admitted to the hospital’s Emergency Department on 1st June 2020. The doctor informed Mr. Tan that hip replacement surgery needs to be performed and would be admitted to the ward for 10 days. Mr. Tan originally indicated that he wanted a senior consultant to perform surgery for him and he wanted to be admitted in an “A” Class Ward.

The estimated bill based on a hip replacement surgery and a 10-day stay in an “A” Class Ward came up to $20,000, comprising of the following:

When the doctors advised on 6th June 2020 that Mr. Tan’s hospital stay would be extended to 12 days, you performed another Financial Counselling with Mr. Tan to inform him of the revised estimated bill. This was when Mr. Tan highlighted that he was unable to pay the bill and requested to apply for Medifund.  He asked if his Medifund application would be approved. You gave him some advice and immediately alerted the Medical Social Services.

Mr. Tan, a widower, who is not working, stays alone in a 1-room rental HDB flat at Hougang. He has been estranged from his family and has not been in contact with his children for more than 10 years. He has no other next-of-kin.

3. Three reasons why Mr. Tan will benefit from following your advice.
4. Two reasons to defend yourself from Mr. Tan’s allegations that you did not do a proper Financial Counselling.
5. Your rationale on whether Mr. Tan would be able to get Medifund assistance.