7 November 2007
How to serve patients well? Know your stuff
The Straits Times - pg H7

PUTTING HER PATIENTS FIRST: Nurse-clinician Janet Khoo keeps herself up to date on new medical procedures, so that she knows exactly how to deal with the problems of patients under her care. She also goes beyond the call of duty, once even delivering medication to a patient who had trouble getting down to the clinic.
- ST PHOTO: LAU FOOK KONG

Ten individuals received the highest service honours - the SuperStar Award - at the Excellent Service Award (EXSA) ceremony yesterday. Launched in 1994, EXSA is a national award that recognises individuals who deliver outstanding service. The winners hail from 10 sectors, which include attractions, hospitality and restaurants. The Straits Times meets two winners from the health-care and retail sectors

SERVICE is not just about a smile or showing a pleasant disposition.
 
To nurse-clinician Janet Khoo, 51, it is now about knowledge.

She said: 'Patients these days want to be kept informed. They want to know the 'why' now, so you really have to know your stuff.'

Yesterday, she and her SingHealth colleagues swept the Super Star service nominations for the health-care category, in which she was eventually named the winner.

The nursing sister in charge of Singapore General Hospital's Obstetrics and Gynaecology Centre reads voraciously on new medical procedures and the hospital's guidelines and procedures, so she knows exactly what to do with each patient who comes her way with a problem.

She also has to run a tight ship with the 40 staff members reporting to her - but still makes time to read each and every e-mail on hospital procedures.

Ms Khoo believes that every little detail counts when it comes to making patients a bit more comfortable.

If there is a long wait, she thinks nothing about taking biscuits out of her own stash and sharing them with waiting patients.

She once also went out of her way to deliver medication to a patient who had trouble getting herself down to the clinic, but brushes it off as 'something anyone would do'.

'It's not horribly far away. After all, Singapore is an island,' she added.

Her door is always open to patients who have questions or request help.

Her patients have also shown their gratefulness - in the form of hugs or even visits back to say hello after their discharge.