Master health check-up

Last week on 04-Dec-2010, I took my parents to Apollo hospitals on Greams road, Chennai for Master health check-up. It's around 4 years since I took my father to Apollo hospitals, Madurai for Master health check-up.

After surfing enough on the net regarding the health check-up packages, I got the link to Apollo hospitals, Chennai. The site details on the various health check-up packages. I opted for the Master health check-up package for my parents. I called the Apollo hospitals over the mobile for booking only to find that no booking is required. We were asked to report at the hospitals by 6:45 Hrs to 7:00 Hrs IST on empty stomach.

We were there at Apollo hospitals at 6:50 Hrs IST. As required, we were there with empty stomach. Even no coffee or tea. The health check-ups are done at the Sindoori block of Apollo hospitals. After the initial formalities such as registration and payment of fees, the check-up started-off. I payed Rs 7700 as fee for my parents. I.e. Rs 3850 for an individual. During the registration, I was said that the report would be ready only by the day after tomorrow. Since my parents were to board the train the next day, I asked them to provide the reports by the next day.

The tests got over by 12:00 Hrs IST. After all the tests, as part of the package, my parents were offered complementary lunch. That day just the data on our body was collected. The data are processed for information and provided as report the next day.

My observation on the days at Apollo hospitals for master health check-up of my parents:

1. I could hardly see the hospitality with the nurses. May be they got bored of that over the period.

2. Initially I was asked to collect the reports after a day. I.e. We did the check-up by Saturday. They asked us to collect the reports and consult the doctor by Monday. As my parents were to board the train by Sunday evening, I asked them to prepone the consultation date by Sunday. But the staff over there said that the presence of my parents is not required as I can collect the reports and consult the doctor for my parents on Monday.

How could I have the consultation instead of parents? Who would be better at presenting what one feels about his body? The patient or the one who accompanies him. If I were to do the consultation, I have to just listen what the doctor says based on the reports. I.e. One-way communication. But if my parents are there in my place, there would be two-way communication which would be better.

I disliked this aspect of Apollo hospitals. But however I got preponed the consultation date to Sunday.

3. I could see many elderly people struggling on locating the counters they were asked to report. The staffs guidance for the same is very poor. Mostly they give some hand signals or some words with very little care.