Page 49 - Care-for-vulnerable-populations-during-COVID-19-pandemic

Some patient/family member not truthful when

answering health risk assessment

We do have health risk assessment but some patients are not truthful. We get most of the
referrals from private hospitals and government hospitals. A case whereby a patient had stage 4
cancer. We made a phone call, initially the patient was fine, but he soon developed shortness of
breath. We decided that we want to visit. The patient’s family members refused to allow us to
visit. Two days later, the patient was admitted to the hospital, and we soon found out that the
patient passed away due to COVID-19. It becomes quite difficult for us, even though the health
risk assessment could be negative, we do not know the true picture.