Annual Physical Exam at St. Luke's BGC

I don't like going through physical exams.  I don't like being poked, changing into hospital gowns, doing awkward positions and people checking this and that part of my body.  PEs also take time and entail special preparations.  However, I also think they are necessary and that is why I set aside my August 3 to do it.  I was so relieved and happy I'm done with it for this year (skipped the year before).

My previous PEs were at the Makati Medical Center because it was close to the house.  I tried St. Luke's BGC this time.  I had several back and forth emails with the HMO coordinator on the schedule because the dates I chose were all fully booked.  I gave them a couple of dates that were further out and I was finally set for August 3.  I received detailed instructions, including 10-14 hours of total fasting and laxatives at 8PM day before.  I also read the procedures and researched the unfamiliar ones, like fibersigmoidoscopy.  I had to be at the hospital by 7AM so I decided to take the day off to normalize my sleep.

Rich dropped me off at St. Luke's early in the morning. I was met by the HMO representative who assisted me throughout the process.  Unlike Makati Med where you have to go to different areas/floors for the procedures, St. Luke's has everything in one place which was very convenient.  The waiting area is nice, bright and comfortable and they also had food.  Pure torture when you're not allowed to eat.=)


There were some waiting in-between procedures but I finished everything around 11AM, except for the treadmill test which was scheduled for 1:30PM.  I noticed a few inefficiencies like the gown usage.  I think I used 4 different ones because they let you change back into regular clothes after the procedures and have you put one a new gown for the next.  Maybe there are medical reasons or it's part of what they consider world-class service but the IE/OR in me was bothered by the "waste."  And while waiting, different nurses would approach the patients multiple times to confirm if this or that procedure is done.  It should be easy to keep a single copy to track each patient's progress, no?  Other people probably did not mind it but it can be made better.  Again IE/OR problems.  Outside of these, I still think everything went smoothly.

The family came for moral support (haha!) and we had lunch at the hospital.  The coordinator was also able to get me an earlier slot for the treadmill test so we did not have to wait too long.  I reached 98% of my maximum heart rate.  The semi-regular exercise that I've been doing weeks before this surely helped.

Even if I consider PE as a chore, getting it done in St. Luke's made it almost enjoyable.=)  You get the advantage of a one-stop-shop center, new equipment, and good service.s


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