Check Up Experience @ Klinik Kesihatan Balakong

This was not my first time visiting government clinic but truly my first time been to Klinik Kesihatan Balakong. I never know about this place until my mum told me about it. All the while, I brought my family to Klinik Kesihatan Batu 9 for medical diagnosis. Comparing both clinics, Klinik Kesihatan Balakong is much smaller in size and has limited functionality compared with Klinik Kesihatan Batu 9. Klinik Kesihatan Batu 9 has been much developed and expanded in size throughout the years. Things are more organized there. I will share my experience to those who interested seeking medical treatment from these 2 clinics especially newbies who never visited any.

Klinik Kesihatan Balakong

Well, I reached Klinik Kesihatan Balakong as earlier as 9.30am. I dropped my dad off at the entrance and asked him walked to the registration counter to get a number first as I saw people lining up at the door already when our car passed by. Klinik Kesihatan Balakong is located at Balakong Chinese village, opposite the clinic is a day market (pasar pagi) and food stalls. One can go for a quick breakfast after getting the number as the wait could be quite long. The road at the place is a bit narrow as it is a residential area. I struggled with finding a parking place and ended up I parked at hillside nearby a Chinese school. 

It was a rainy day. I waited outside for our turn. While waiting, I saw the clinic banner hanging at the door. "Konsep Doktor Keluarga" meaning Family Doctor Concept with its advantages was listed down, but after all, I don't get it. There is no registration link or fee or any information link for us to refer if we are interested. Is that mean we could get a doctor to come to our house to attend our needs instead of waiting for hours in a clinic?  I absolutely no idea on it. 

Klinik Kesihatan Balakong

My dad paid for nothing as he is a senior citizen which is 70+ years old. For the registration fee of RM1 is nothing for us actually. But the system at here and Klinik Kesihatan Batu 9 is different. KKB9 collected RM1 from us regardless my dad is a senior citizen. And at the end, if not mistaken, the dentist asked us to clear off RM5 at the counter after finish the tooth extraction.

30 minutes later, our number was called. We went to counter 4 for an initial check-up by a nurse. This is same as KKB9. The nurse asked my dad condition, what's his problem and taking his blood pressure. This seems to ease Dr's burden and fasten the process.

Klinik Kesihatan Balakong

My dad never takes seriously with his health. He tells me and everyone that he does not have hypertension. As health sciences student, I don't believe that hypertension comes suddenly in one day when one eats too much lamb and drink some beer on a previous day. Things must be accumulated long time ago with the unhealthy lifestyle practice.

He went to a private clinic for a checkup 2 weeks back and taking medicine (Amlodipine) for a week then he stopped. He complained his heart pumping too hard like one just finished for a fast run. I no idea whether this is a side effect of the medicine or other things else. To play safe, I sent my dad for a closer follow up with a doctor for immediate treatment. Unmanaged hypertension can lead to a heart attack, stroke, and other problems.

Klinik Kesihatan Balakong

Ok, this part angered me! We proceeded to Zone A and B clinic to see doctor as told by nurse at counter 4. She arranged my dad to consult doctor in Zone A. Can you imagine the waiting time is an hour and 30 minutes? I thought it's all about first come first serves but hey NO! The doctor from Zone A will come out from the room to peek and called who she wanna see for next. I noticed this only when I saw why she called an old lady who came after us to go in first. I'm totally fine cause the old lady already 80++ and she had difficulty in walking. Then when the seats there all empty, left both of us, I thought we should be the next! But hey no, she called a lady who comes after us to go in first! This really triggers my anger!

Klinik Kesihatan Balakong

Of course, I directly knocked the door and asked the doctor why we like being ignored outside? Why she let others went in first? The reply we got was she wanna give PRIORITY to pregnant woman and babies first. Then I talked with a Chinese pregnant lady who just sits down if this is the truth. She said NO, sometimes when she came for the previous check-up, the doctor also let NON-PREGNANT WOMEN walked in first! I was totally speechless with her STANDARD OF PROFESSIONALISM! You think I really FREE to wait here? With previous blood pressure record of 190/90, this is considered EMERGENCY case already.

Then another thing is I don't really like how the clinic arranges the patients according to ZONE of where we stay. In this condition, I prefer KKB9 as they separate pregnant woman and baby clinic from the outpatient clinic. The system is more organized there. I believe this was her first time deal with hypertension patient, she looked bit directionless and called her colleagues to ask for a second opinion and etc. I believed that every doctor should have their field of speciality. If she only knows for pregnant mother and baby complication and lack of knowledge to handle a hypertension case, we are actually bit hesitated if she able to diagnose correctly for the true causes. 

I really hope that this clinic should abandon the idea arranging the patients according to their residential area, instead, they should arrange by types of patients / patient's condition. 

Klinik Kesihatan Balakong

As my dad complained about the palpitation after taking the medicine, the doctor arranged him for electrocardiography (ECG). Electrocardiography is the process of recording the electrical activity of the heart over a period of time using electrodes placed on the skin. These electrodes detect the tiny electrical changes on the skin that arise from the heart muscle's electrophysiologic pattern of depolarizing and repolarizing during each heartbeat (wikipedia). The process was fast as not many taking the test. We returned to the doctor and passed her the result.

She commented nothing wrong to us. But on the other hand, she called for others to ask something on phone which we could not hear anything. A Chinese pharmacist came in with her dictionary and said 1-4%.... LOL I did not know she talking about.

Klinik Kesihatan Balakong

The clinic is too small for a lab to run a blood test. We were told to come back on Monday for a blood test as there is only certain day available for it. The blood will send to other clinic laboratories for checking. And the result will only be known a few days later.

To run an ECG test is RM80 for a foreigner. But it is free to us :) For those with very bad fever, burn, electrical shock, accident, food poisoning, continuous vomit and diarrhea, bleeding in pregnancy, continuous chest pain, stroke attack, difficulty in breathing should not wait anymore and head over to the staff to seek immediate treatment.

Same as KKB9, this clinic has Chinese pharmacists on duty. She was the one running to the doctor with her medical dictionary. LOL first time I see this and I think it's a good thing to refer back if unsure! She asked us lot questions on previous medicine consumption and the side effects my dad getting. 

Lastly she prescribed Perindopril 4mg to my dad after interviewing us about 10 minutes. It is already 5 days he consumes Perindopril and my dad does not complain on any discomfort.

We have to go back for blood taking and also seeing the doctor for coming 2 weeks. Meanwhile, the doctor asked us to record down his blood pressure every 3 days to observe if there are any changes following the medical treatment.

The next appointment time was 8am. And we have to go there by 7.30am to get our numbers! There is no difference if you have appointment with doctor or not, one has to line up to get the numbers though.

That's the condition outside the clinic. The jam there in the noon time. It is a busy street. People came in the morning for day market and parents send their children to school at noon time. The clinic just at my right-hand side after the big red truck.

That's exterior of Klinik Kesihatan Balakong. It's really gone unnoticed if the cars block the signage in front. 

Coming from Serdang direction, the clinic just located at your left hand side after you turn left into Chinese Village from the Silk highway.