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2. REDUCE PATIENTS CONTACT TIME IN THE

CLINIC AND CONFINED SPACES

The next is to reduce patient contact time in the clinic and confined space. To reduce this contact
time, some strategies have been carried out for example for booking purposes. We actually do a
pre-booking call which is done via a phone call. (Previously), pregnant mothers will come to
the clinic, and we booked them immediately. We will do a detailed history taking, and we also
do a risk assessment. Now, we will do this pre-booking through a phone call.

The purpose to do this phone call is to reduce the patient’s contact time in our clinic. Usually
a booking process will take about an hour or so, or even more. A newly registered pregnant lady
will come to the clinic for a detailed history taking, risk assessment, physical examination and
lab tests. So, by doing history taking and opening up the antenatal book via phone call, it will
reduce contact time.

As I have mentioned before, one-to-one consultation with no sharing of examination
rooms will also reduce this contact time and confined space in the clinic. Other strategies that we
are emphasizing now is to look at the strength in our value-added services by the pharmacists.
The patients can get their medication through other means like “locker4u”, via “drive through”
or get “medication by post”.