KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) review: Gynaecologist

This is from my experience seeing a doctor on 4 March and 4 April. I got a referral to KKH as during my corporate health screening, a mass of 6cm was found at my right ovary.

For the first appointment at KKH on 4 March, I was assigned to Mr Mok Zhun Wei. Keep in mind I was worried as I was someone who had severe cramps since my period started, so bad such that I am usually bed bound during the first 2 days of my period. The concern is that the mass and the cramps could be related. Going into the first appointment was a haze, the questions were asked really quickly and then followed by "do you have any questions?" just to cover his back that he did ask. I felt dismissed and uncomfortable so I tried to express my concerns and told him about my concerns regarding the period cramps and the mass. He did not ask follow up questions regarding the period and for the mass, he just dismissed it as not a major concern. He did not show compassion, empathy nor sensitivity despite the field he specializes in. I felt like a checklist, a task for him to complete.

Fast forward to last week when I had the ultrasound done and saw him the following day to go through the results, discuss if anything should/can be done. I brought my mum along because I was not comfortable. The following sequence of events are why I decided to make this complaint:

1. When I asked the implications of doing a surgery and not doing a surgery, he repeated his points very quickly as though I'm taking up his time instead of being understanding about my concerns.

2. When I asked whether its endometriosis, he made the following comments

- "no...endometriosis is at the womb, your mass is at the ovary, not at the womb." in a condescending manner

- "I know you might've read about this but its not."

- "the mass was an INCIDENTAL finding, an INCIDENTAL finding". Isn't every finding from a corporate health check up an incidental finding? That is why I am here to do a follow up right? There is a right way to comfort patients and this is not it. I did not know that doctors can make patients FEEL BAD ABOUT THEMSELVES or feel silly for asking questions.

3. The last straw is when he nonchalantly addressed my concern about my cramps, that "For your cramps, if the current painkillers doesn't seem to be working", he can prescribe stronger painkillers. Mind you, I have been taking medications for the cramps since my period started in primary 4. That is almost every month, for almost 2 decades. The symptoms (NOT JUST PRE, BUT DURING) of my period is not just cramps, I have severe nausea, reduced appetite and abnormal stool movements. Yes, the solution may be stronger meds at the moment because nothing can be done since there is no other diagnosis, but there is no need to be insensitive, unempathetic and treat the patient like a task to be done with.

All of this was WITHIN a less than 10min appointment with Mr Mok Zhun Wei. This lack of empathy and compassion for someone who is in the healthcare profession is why I am writing this complaint.