The doctor is in ... her pocket

A local surgeon is being investigated by the Singapore Medical Council for the outrageous bills she submitted to a member of the royal family of a nearby country. She claims she did nothing improper as she had an agreement with her fabulously wealthy patient.

I suspect most people with a potentially life-threatening illness would agree to anything their doctor suggested, with her white coat and esoteric knowledge, especially given the mortal fear the patient must have been experiencing.
Just because your patient is rich, it is not OK to soak her. Not only did this doctor submit hefty bills for her own services, she inflated the bills she submitted on behalf of other doctors involved in the case. A $400 bill became $211,000, a $3,000 bill became $285,000.

I was thinking this surgeon deserved to occupy the cell next to Bernie Madoff. But now, five of the eight doctors who had their bills surgically enhanced have filed affidavits swearing that there was nothing wrong with this practice.

None of these doctors have been accused of wrongdoing, and it seems likely that they were unaware of the inflated billing. I wonder why they don’t see a problem? I can speculate on a number of reasons, but let’s assume they genuinely believe it is perfectly acceptable to take a $9,000 medical bill and increase it to $400,000. Doesn’t that worry you?

This show of support for their colleague makes me worry that we may be on the verge of an epidemic of doctoritis grabyourcashis.

Singaporeans, protect yourselves! Wash your hands and hold tightly to your wallets! Drink plenty of alkaline water – some doctors sell it on the side, so you can believe it works! And don’t brag about your cousin the sultan during your consultation, just mention your uncle Ah Seng the durian seller.

Teach critical thinking in Singapore schools

I have long felt there is a huge need in Singapore for more critical thinking. In all fairness, there is a need for this everywhere. But I can’t count how many times I have read of local people falling for the ‘magic stone’ scam, having sex with witch doctors to rid themselves of demons, and various other scams. Peddlers of slimming pills and weight loss spas of dubious – make that zero – value are making money hand over fist. Even bogus schools open, overcharge students, and disappear with alarming frequency.

The Sunday Times (known as the Straits Times the other six days of the week) had a beauty of an article about the alkaline and ionized water business. Buried in the middle of the article are comments by a local doctor noting that medical benefits of these types of water have never been recorded in any “reputable or scientific medical journal.” But one chap claims that his gout is not as severe after drinking two litres of alkaline water a day for five months. The guy didn’t say how much (or little) water he used to drink. My guess is the benefit is due to drinking large quantities of water (plain or otherwise) and/or psychology (believing is seeing).

A housewife has been drinking the stuff for five years and has not noticed any health benefits, but continues drinking it because she has become used to the taste and texture! What a compelling testimonial. But hey, maybe she is a Nobel Prize winning chemist – the article didn’t say she wasn’t!

An unidentified consumer claims alkaline water is “easier to swallow.” What kind of water did she drink before – ice?

After reading comments like these, I think alkaline water just might cause brain damage!

The piece concludes with one doctor who refers to a study showing positive health benefits. This doc, it so happens, sells alkaline water at his clinic. The reader can put two and two together.

Man in the street testimonials are OK for movies and restaurants, but for matters of science and medicine we should stick to impartial and knowledgeable authorities.

If anyone knows the identity of that ice swallowing genius, please refer her to me. I have a fabulous magic stone I’d like to sell her.