Khoo Teck Puat Hospital has denied accusations that it inadequately treated and discharged the victim of a road accident.
Following a probe into the injured man’s allegations made public last week, hospital spokeswoman Jolyn Law told Coconuts Singapore today that Mohan Raj “himself had conveyed to our doctors that he would like to be discharged on the same day.”
The hospital also insisted that his wounds were “appropriately washed, treated and dressed in bandages,” and that he was given pain medication as well as an injection to prevent an infection.
Doctors had also assessed that his head wound did not require stitches and that he was discharged in a “stable condition,” Law added.
The 28-year-old logistics manager was also given three days’ medical leave and referred to a polyclinic for follow-up appointments for wound review, dressing, and further pain control, she said.
“We regret that Mr Raj experienced distress and disappointment with the care rendered and we have offered to meet him in person to answer any further queries he may have,” her statement read.
Raj confirmed with Coconuts Singapore today that he had asked to go home but only due to a lack of action and communication on the part of the hospital.
“The reason that I said that I wanted to go home was because there wasn’t any update from the doctor of what was happening to me and [whether I would] be warded and so on,” he wrote in a message. “Also [I] wasnt able to see my parents the whole time. I think at this point of distress they should have let my parents see me or anything.”
“There also wasn’t any advice given from the doctor. Like we need to [assess] you so will need to be warded and so on. I asked can I go home. They said can. That’s all,” he said.
Last week, a day after making his complaint in a Facebook post, Raj told Coconuts Singapore that he had been involuntarily discharged from the hospital hours after he was thrown from a vehicle in mid-February and taken to the hospital. He said he was forced to go elsewhere to seek medical care. He said he was admitted to the private Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, where he received stitches for his head wound.
“My dad spoke to the doctor and told them to keep me for the day, but the doctor said he will speak to the senior doctor and get back to him. Eventually, they did not get back to my bed and they push me out in a wheelchair,” Raj said.
He said a doctor at the private hospital was “shocked” to learn he’d been sent home in his condition. He said his wounds were not cleaned properly and around his head was “loosely” wrapped.
The car accident happened on the Central Expressway near the Ang Mo Kio Institute of Technical Education College in the wee hours of Feb. 16, he said.
Hospital spokeswoman Law said the hospital ”ruled out internal injuries” after conducting tests and scans and reached out to him Tuesday with the results of its probe into his complaints.
“We have reviewed this matter with the doctors who treated Mr Raj and shared the findings with him in a separate phone call on 17th March,” she said.
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Man says Singapore hospital discharged him with untreated wounds after car crash
