World Class Medical Care - HealthConn & Taiwan's Regional Hospital: En Chu Kong Hospital

HealthConn: A World Class Medical Clinic

My family had an incredible experience in a new world class medical clinic in Taiwan…….. HEALTHCONN. 

Living my life in the USA, I have been covered by good group medical insurance policies from my family and then the many companies I worked for in my career.  As an Executive, I even had the opportunities to hand select the medical insurance carrier for my companies, and there are many good ones to choose from.  However, in the last 10-15 years, medical insurance in the US has sky rocketed into outer space.  

That being said, most good insurance companies pay for annual physical checkups, or at least once every two to three years based on age.  Personally speaking, I have had physical examinations from my family doctor in their office, their clinic, and sometimes they would send me out to a lab for certain tests.  With my extensive number of cities that I have lived in the US, these doctors have been scattered from the Mid-West, to the East coast area and the West coast area as well.  So, I have had quite a bit of experience with annual physical examinations in the US, I know what they encompass, and how I have felt about them after the physical examination was completed.

Ok, to get to the bottom line, I have had some great doctors, and I thought I received quality annual physicals from most all of them, but I now know that none are even close to being a World Class medical service provider. 

So let’s compare. 

 

A Typical USA Annual Medical/Physical Checkup at a doctor’s office or their small clinic:

For my last last physical examination in California, I arrived at my doctor’s clinic waited about 20 minutes, and then was escorted in by a nurse.  She weighed me on a scale, and then in my small private examination room, she took my temperature and blood pressure.  She also asked me a few questions about my health and if I had any change in my health since my last doctor’s visit.  She then drew blood samples from my arm and indicated they would be sent to the lab for testing.  They would get the results in a few days.  Finally she asked me to remove my shirt, and lay down so she could attach an EKG machine.  She printed out the results on an outdated thermal printer and left to show it to the doctor.  

When the doctor arrived 5 minutes later, we exchanged pleasantries, and then using his stethoscope, he personally checked my heart, lungs, etc. from the front and back.   Next he used an illuminated otoscope to visually look into my ears and nose and used a wooden tongue depressor to inspect my mouth and throat.

Wow, in less than one hour, I had my complete physical.  I had to call back a few times to see if the blood test results were completed, and I was told that the doctor would get back to me if there was anything out of normal range in my tests.  I never heard from the doctor or the nurse again.

Other people tell me they too have had similar annual physical exam experiences with their doctors in the US.  I only had to pay my $30.00 office call deductible, and the insurance paid the rest.  Good thing, because the doctor visit would have cost me hundreds of dollars.  I know the tests would be several hundred, and the blood work almost five hundred.  Yep, without insurance, that hour physical would cost at least $1,000 to $2000 for just a minimal amount of examination, tests and time from the doctor and his staff.

A World Class Annual Medical/Physical Checkup at the Taipei HealthConn clinic:

Main Entrance

 Walk Way

(Left to Right): Kimberly, Freda & Vivian

Upon arriving, you are treated to a beautiful clinic and greeted at the entrance way by either members of the administrative staff, or by the nurse assistants wearing light orange uniforms.  

Most of their staff speak Engilsh from the reception desk, to admin to nurses and doctors and their excellent staff including Vivian, Kimberly, Mashan, Freda Allison, and so many more are at your service to ensure you receive a world class experience and are 100%+ satisfied with HealthConn

You are immediately escorted to the front desk where you register and confirm your appointment. In minutes, you are escorted up stairs to the nurses’ station on the second floor by either the stairs, or one of two small cylindrical high tech elevators….cool!

2nd Floor Main Nurses Station

Here you are given a bag and directed to the men’s or women’s locker room to change.  Inside the bag is disposable underwear, a soft and comfortable pair of sweat pants, a matching long sleeve HealthConn sweatshirt, slippers (all selected to fit you) plus other misc. items.

When you come out of the locker room, you are asked to be seated in the central area of the second floor.   

Central Waiting Room Area

Central Waiting Room Area

Drawing Blood Area

Ultrasound and other Examination Rooms

As you look around, there are offices, labs, doors, etc.  Within minutes a nurse wearing a light green uniform asks my name and directs you to follow the first examination room/area for your physical measurements including weight, height, body mass, body fat, blood pressure, etc.  

 

Nurses Station and Patient Physical Measurements Area

You are then returned to the central area and in moments you are excorted by another nurse to the next exam which is usually hematology to get your blood drawn.  HealthConn has their own state of the art hematology lab where they can immediately do your blood work and have your results done before you leave.  

Blood Work/Hematology Lab (As seen from Central Area)

You are then escorted back to the central area where you wait only minutes before the next nurse escorts you to the next examination.  This process repeats itself for 2-4 hours or more depending on what optional examinations your request, such as a colonoscopy.  Yes they will do you Colonoscopy and UGI Panendoscopy in the clinic for an additional fee, and have the results and images for you to review before you leave. These tests and other exams such as XRays are performed on the third floor.

 

3rd Floor Waiting Room Area

Ok, so what tests are usually included in the exam?  Please note that this may change based on several factors, so if you decide to visit HealthConn, talk to them first to confirm what tests they will perform on you.  Other exams include:

Dental Exam

Hearing Test

Prostrate Ultrasound

Metabolic Syndrome & CAD Risk

Resting ECG

Abdominal Ultrasound

Thyroid Ultrasound

Bone Density

Hematology Screening

Renal Screening

Liver, Biliary & Pancreas

Blood Lipid

Blood Sugar

Urine Examination

Cancer Tumor Screening

And more.

When I examined the lab and examination areas, I was really impressed with the quality of the medical examination equipment.  From my perspective, they are new modern and mostly state of the art equipment. 

At the end of the exams, they have a small and modern dining area and they prepare a healthy hot meal and serve you.    

Patient Dining Room

When all your tests are complete, you are then led to the first floor consultation area.   

One of Several 1st Floor Consultation Rooms

In the private consultation office, a doctor on the medical staff reviews every test result during the physical examination.  He shows you the images, discusses diagnosis and suggestions for health improvement, and reviews the blood work results in great length.  When you leave this office, you will know more about your body, physical well being, and you will be better prepared to take action to improve your health and longevity of life.  Oh, in case I did not mention it, they send you a soft and/or hard copy of your complete physical that you keep for future reference or to discuss with your family doctor.

But that’s not all.  If you require an exam that they cannot perform such as an MRI or CAT Scan, their Director (or one of her associates), Mashan Tzeng, will escort you to the nearby hospital, where you get preferential/priority treatment.    

(left to right): Mashan Tzeng with Freda & Kimberly

We know patients of HealthConn that required additional tests, specialist doctor consultations and surgery, and Mashan Tzeng (or others) will assist you in scheduling, finding the best doctor, and make sure you are well taken care of.  She will also visit you in the hospital if you require surgery to see how you are doing.  This customer care is unprecedented in the USA to my knowledge and is an incredibly valuable asset that establishes HealthConn as a world class medical clinic.

So you ask, how much for this world class experience?  let me say that it is much, much, much less than the USA if you do not have insurance, or if you have a high deductible. Just contact Ms. Vivian Chien as follows:

錢芸霞 Vivian Chien

康聯生醫科技股份有限公司

E-mail: vivian.chien@healthconn.com

T：886-2-2192-2989 ext. 2728

F：886-2-2322-4043 M：886-931-039159

Add：100台北市忠孝東路一段54號5F

http://www.healthconn.com

HEALTHCONN

2F No. 54, Sec. 1, Zhongxiao E. Road, 
Taipei city, 100, Taiwan.  +886-2-2192-2989 

Just steps away from the exit at the Shandao Temple MRT station. 

An Annual Medical/Physical Checkup at a Regional Hospital such as the En Chu Kong Hospital:

Not everyone in Taiwan interested in world class medical attention will have access to HealthConn.  Likewise, not all international visitors that require medical exams or attention will find HealthConn convenient, especially if they are not close to a HealthConn clinic.  So what options do they have while in Taiwan?  Well, Taiwan has many fine major hospitals including the NTU (National Taiwan University) Hospital.  While the NTUH (and most likely other major Taiwan hospitals) has  excellent doctors, facilities and medical equipment, they are very crowded and appointment waiting lists for top doctors and specialists can be very long.  But, their newer regional hospitals provide quality medical attention and outstanding service to their patients.

I recently had the opportunity to meet and interview Dr. Li-Li Wen, Director of the Department of Laboratory Medicine at the En Chu Kong Hospital.  

Main Entrance

Dr. Li-Li Wen in his lab after hours

Dr. Wen gave me a brief tour of the hospital and his laboratory.  This hospital has about 500 beds, and was opened on March 3, 1998.

The hospital employs more than 960 staff. There are 90 attending physicians and resident physicians. There are also 410 nurses,300 technicians, and 160 administrative staff.

Dr. Li-Li Wen’s department has full range of sophisticated analysis capabilities, outstanding experts, and advanced medical equipment and tools. It provides accurate and rapid results of laboratory test to support doctors and patients in the hospital with medical diagnosis and treatment.   

 

With a staff of 28 employees, he indicated that on average, they process about 1000 blood samples everyday with staff working 24/7, and can support almost any clinical lab request in a timely and efficient manner.

Dr. Wen & his clinical Lab are recipients of many Awards and Certifications

The lab is divided into seven divisions in order to provide accurate testing services, which include:  Microscope, biochemistry, hematology, bacteria, immunology, blood bank and pathology, which is responsible for general tissue section, frozen section, anatomic pathology, and cytology.  Dr. Wen was actually heavily involved in designing and developing this lab before the hospital was opened.

If a patient such as myself was to request and pay for a full physical examination at this hospital, Dr. Wen indicated that they have excellent staff and advanced medical technology equipment.  The exam would be approximately 4 hours long and at the end of the exam, an attending physician would sit down and review in detail the results of the full exam.  For more information, you can contact the hospital as follows:

 

EN CHU KONG HOSPITAL

No. 399, Fuxing Rd., Sanxia District

New Taipei City, 23702

Taiwan (R.O.C.)

Phone: +886-2-26723456

http://www.eck.org.tw/AboutUs/AboutUs_En.aspx

CONCLUSION:

So, I must say that the USA does have talented and skilled doctors, fine hospitals, advanced research/technology and leading edge medical equipment scattered around our expansive country.  Nevertheless, I have yet to see in the USA the kind of world class service for everyday medical attention and physical examinations. Our doctors and clinics simply do not only take the time to perform detailed, comprehensive  tests and for routine exams.  Our doctors do not take the time to communicate, educate and provide their patients with adequate information so that they can make the best possible decisions regarding their health.  

From my perspective and experience, I would like to share with all of my readers that HealthConn and Taiwan's network of regional hospitals simply are one of the best GLOBALLY in providing quality healthcare and extraordinary service to their patients!