On medical matters….

Sue has been suffering the last 2 ½ weeks with a really annoying and sometimes painful cough. We thought it was just a carry on from my cold that I caught a few weeks ago, and took about a week to get rid of. We were under the impression not to go near a doctors until we had received our medical insurance cards, as the fees they would charge would be very high. It turns out, that we only had to show our ID cards, and this got us local prices, and the fact we were covered on our insurance from the day we got here. It got to the point on Saturday morning that I had to get her to the doctors – she was coughing so hard, it was really starting to get her down.

We first called our friends to ask where they went and how to go about it. It turns out, we have a local clinic on site right at the apartment complex (is there nothing this complex doesn’t offer?). They were walking right past the clinic at the time, and gave us the number. I called our executive assistant for help in how to get to the doctors. Kristine called the doctors for us, and let us know that it was a walk-in surgery, and just to go right along as they was an English speaking doctor on site. We headed out, with poor Sue coughing like a drain.

At the surgery, we handed over our ID cards, and Sue was immediately triaged with a digital thermometer stuck in her ear. No fever, thank goodness. We were asked to sit until the doctor could see us. In about 5 minutes, we heard a couple of phone calls going on in the background. I then got a call from Kristine who said the doctor would prefer of we would go an see a buddy of his, who spoke better English, and had all the facilities on-site. The receptionist gave us a piece of paper with the surgery’s details on it, and told us to get a cab. We headed outside and picked a cab right from the stand outside the complex. 5 minutes later, we were at the second surgery, and again, it was just a walk-in affair (how many surgeries back in the UK can you just casually walk into on a Saturday morning?) We were greeted and again, the ID card details taken. The doctor was very polite, and asked Sue what the symptoms were – communication was fair, and we both got our points across. This was one occasion, where Sue insisted I accompany her into the consultation!

Strange that he never shut to door to the consultation room.

After a few more questions, the doctor said he would examine her, and asked her to take the obligatory deep breaths. He said that he would like to take some X-rays of her chest just to check it out. At this point I could feel a long day coming on, what with traipsing over to the hospital, waiting for consultants to pore over the images, then get back to the clinic for a follow-up. I was very surprised to find that the X-ray dept was in the next room! The doctor could see the look of surprise when he told us this, and reckoned the look was more of “how much was this going to cost?” He said it was not expensive. I wasn’t really bothered about the cost, as it was going to be covered on the medical insurance anyway.

Sue was whisked into a little cubicle and made to wear the usual sexy open backed gown, which I came to love 18 months ago, when I ended up in hospital for the week with my dodgy guts. 5 minutes later she emerged having had her photographs taken. The images were checked over by the receptionist, who I think doubled up as chief radiographer. We noted during the time that all the consultations being made by the doctor was with an open door! Sue said she had read this is normal practice on the expat forums.

We were ushered into the doctors room again to discuss the results of the images, and were glad to find that the possible Pneumonia was ruled out, but a touch of bronchitis was the culprit this time. A course of antibiotics and a shot should sort her out. Sue was taken to another little room, and the jab administered directly to her bum. I hate shots, regardless of where they happen to be aimed. 2 minutes later, and we were being escorted to the pharmacy on the ground floor, and the medicines handed over. Great service I thought, and the princely sum we paid for all this attention?

Doctors consultation fees, examination, X-rays, injections, prescribed medicines = 2400KRW (£12) Amazing! ....and all done within 2 hours on a Saturday morning.

The downside? (there is always one!) Sue’s going to rattle for the next 3 days. 6 different pills 3 times per day lol :)