VIPMed..................

[nurseawful]

VIPMed..................
Unfortunately it is no longer viable to do the registrations for free, as it takes a lot of time and the paperwork costly. So from Wednesday the 3rd July registration will cost 30tl.

Chris

[Halffull]

How do you get to VIP Med ? (coming from Catalkoy)

[Marions]

Oh dear. Missed out again1 Was going to sign himself up, but not had time - and now it is going to cost 30tl. I appreciate that it takes time and paperwork, but surely nothing has changed? so why now is there a charge? We were told that it was going to be like a British GP service, but it is getting more and more expensive.

Maybe I am just peeved because I did not have time to sign up. Does this mean that one sees the doctor when one signs up, or who does one see?

[kiplet]

Is that 30 tl per person or per family ?

[nurseawful]

Marion, it is like a UK surgery but it can't run on fresh air, the NHS is funded by the government / taxes in the UK, VipMed doesn't have that luxury. I think they have done well keeping it free up until now, as it can't be cheap running an ambulance and paying Dr's, paramedic etc and running the ambulance. When you register you will be seen by the nurse and if she thinks there is a need she will either refer you to the Dr there and then or advise you to make an appointment. The cost of the consultation will be 70tl and this includes the follow up appointment if you need one. These guys are doing a great job but they cannot run on fresh air.

Kiplet Can I get back to you on that one.

Halfful coming from Catalkoy, get to the Lefkosa roundabout in Girne and come right round it so that 'Electrokur' shop is on your left immediately after that turn left and it is straight in front of you.

Chris

[kiplet]

Yes of course Chris

I do hope the 30 tl charge is for a family for obvious reasons , to be fair if the family complete the register forms beforehand it would cut down valuable work time.

[tomsteel]

Whilst I and my family are already registered, I raise the original point I made at registration as to why the forms could not be available on-line for completion by the applicant, brought to the Centre or emailed and checked there? This would save a lot of time and, thereby, reduce administration costs and increase the efficiency of the service being offered. Those who cannot facilitate this type of service (computer illiterate etc) could use the current system or request assistance from a family member or friend.

The use of IT systems here in the TRNC is way behind the curve - maybe it suits because more people are employed using current systems, but somebody has to pay these wages/costs and in this particular case, it is the potential patient.

[elizabeth]

Why do people expect something for nothing, it doesn't happen anywhere else so why should it happen here. We are being offered a service geared to the ex pat community, staff who speak our language and the security of knowing they will have a record of our previous medical history once we have registered. There is emergency treatment available, home visits if necessary, a fully equipped ambulance should it be needed, cleanliness and efficiency, what more can you ask.
If anyone has ever spent time in A&E or the emergency room in Girne hospital, with the filth and chaos, then I'm sure they would be happy to pay 30TL at VIP. Any service, whatever it might be, has to have income to be able to provide the goods, welcome to reality.

[belle]

Elisabeth I totally agree but where these places go wrong is offering a service to begin with that they know cannot be maintained. Dangle a carrot and then whip it away is not the best way for businesses to operate, especially with all the dodgy dealings that go on over there.

[Marions]

\Just to clarify, - not for one moment did I think the service was free. \I made sure I knew what the charges woul dbe for visiting the surgery, having home visits or having emergency call out. But what I am querying is why now one has to pay 30tl to register. And as someone else has suggested, for many the facility to register on line woul dbe good. None of us is querying the cost of receiving treatment, and we are all aware that this is not U.K and that it is not free - I merely queried the signing up cost. don't really see why that should change,. I for one am fully aware that if on registering one could see th e person was about to keel over, then one would pay to see the doctor. OIf is it that the doctor is now paying someone to do the work of registration, which would of course affect his budget????
Just disappointed, really.

[Halffull]

Thanks Chris, I think I can find it now and although there was some bad comments elsewhere (should always do as the doctor suggests) I think this sounds like an excellent set up and will be taking my family there.

[flowerfairy]

As far as I'm concerned poor VIPMED, you're damned if you do, and you're damned if you don't.
Do you really want to register with a doctor and just be another number, or email address?
When you register, you are assisted in filling the forms if you require help. You get meet the doctor. If you have any problems,
if you've made an appointment, you have a consultation with the doctor.
Then, in our case, they find your house, from your address, confirm that it is you, and log it, in case you ever
require an ambulance.
After you've left the surgery, Fatis, or whoever, has to file you're records away safely.
And you really think that you should not pay for this?
I really do hope that none of you ever require an ambulance, if it wasn't for the fact that we have a lovely T/C friend,
who could direct the Girne ambulance to our house, my poor hubby would probably still by lying here waiting for the Ambulance to find him.

These people have worked their batty off to try to introduce an efficient medical service for us, and it seems to me that already, people
are suggesting ways to change it, without any knowledge of how it how it has to be run, or the costs involved.

Keep up the good work VIPMED.

[tomsteel]

Whilst not totally disagreeing with the viewpoint of the poster @ msg 12 above and certainly not wishing to initiate a slanging match, any/all system(s) should be the subject of constant review if they are to improve and users have the right/duty to try to improve it, not just the owner(s).

At my/my wife's registration appointment we completed the paperwork, had our BPs taken and that was it - certainly no consultation with a doctor, albeit we did not need one. We could have saved the individual 15 minutes of her time had we been able to compete the forms prior to our visit. Multiply that by the number of registrations per day and you have a significant saving of time/resources/et al. I make no comment on the clinical practices employed by the staff @ VIPMED as I have no experience of their work.

However, as a fully qualified, if retired and, therefore, non-practicing, chartered physiotherapist and remedial gymnast I have some knowledge of patients' records and how IT can assist all involved in running a practice. I am also aware of the 'resist change at any cost' mentality and the 'IT HISS' that can and does prevail.

I await the check-visit of our home as it certainly hasn't taken place yet (a month + since registering) and we live 35 kms east of Girne.