Are Polyclinics for REAL?!

Sooo.. A few days ago, I came down with fever and had to call in sick.

Visiting private doctors are not on my priority list as their services can get really expensive, hence I always choose the cheaper option like most people - Visiting Polyclinics.

But how much can you trust the diagnosis by Polyclinic doctors?

I am not trying to say that ALL polyclinic doctors are bad. No. I believe some of them can be really good,  but probably it was unfortunate that my PERSONAL encounters with them were not on the positive side.

My most recent experience was one of the more appalling ones.

 I suppose it is a standard procedure for everyone to have their temperature/blood pressure checked before waiting in line to see the doctor. Everyone knows it.

To my surprise, I was told that checking of my temperature was unnecessary and the staff did not bother to attend to me after that.

Another patient who was waiting in line as well was surprised when I told her that they did not take my temperature.

Well, since I thought the doctor would be doing the necessary later on - I just sat down and waited for my turn.

After 2 hours of what seemed to be endless waiting, my number was finally called. 

"Hi, how may I help you today?" the doctor asked.

"Oh, I had high fever yesterday night but it seemed to have gone down today. I'm feeling a bit groggy though."

At this point, ANY standard procedure would be to at least CHECK my temperature, right? 

Well, WRONG.

There was NO checking of my condition at all, and I was only told to turn around so he could listen to my heartbeat through the stethoscope.

"Okay, very good".  He concluded.

"Any flu or running nose?"

Remembering that I indeed had running nose earlier that morning, I reported accordingly.
"Yes, I had it this morning, but I do not have it now."

 So that was it.

Imagine my surprise when I collected my medication.

It turned out to be a packet of medicine specially for RUNNING NOSE.

So here's another encounter:

I remembered there was once I had a slight infection on the side of my face. It was so freaking' itchy and I had nasty little bumps that were really ugly. Errk. I went to the Polyclinic to get my condition diagnosed and was told by the doctor that those were HIVES.

Seriously? It doesn't take a fool to see that those nasty bumps have nothing to do with hives. (It's a pity that I did not take any photo of my condition back then else you guys would know what I meant)

I went to another doctor in the clinic eventually and was told a different story. The second doctor told me that they looked like they were ONLY PIMPLES and gave me a pimple cream.

And behold - Both are doctors from the same polyclinic.

One of my friends shared with me her encounter, too -and hers was more of a horrific experience. 

She was concluded to be normal and healthy at the polyclinic but was later found to be a tumour when examined by a specialist.

ISN'T THIS RIDICULOUS OR WHAT?! IT CAN KILL A PERSON!!!

There is another thing I realized about Polyclinic doctors - Some of them treat the patients like they are here to CHEAT THEIR WAY FOR A MEDICAL CERTIFICATE (MC).

Personally, I am one person who do not like to take MC.

There were times I rejected MCs from Polyclinic doctors for non-serious issues. Do they think that everyone's purpose for visiting them is to GET A MC?!

Does that give them the right not to give a proper diagnosis? 

I have always felt that they are not 100% serious about giving a proper diagnosis - and more often that not, issue MC like they are FREE. 

It's no wonder why many students like to abuse the system and get countless MCs just to skip school lessons. 

I had no idea before, but I DO NOW. Witnessing how the system works in polyclinics, I can only shake my head and seek private clinics in future. Granted that they may be more expensive, but the diagnosis is more precise and I don't get brushed off easily, at least.