State of the Art

And I am talking about a hospital. Outside, the National Kidney and Transplant Institute is so shrouded by trees and greenery that it looks old and decrepit. But I had the surprise of my life when I stepped in for laboratory tests. The lobby can rival that of a 5-star hotel. And if you didn't know it was a health facility, you could actually mistake it for some luxury accommodation.


I was totally impressed with their laboratory section because it was far better than an airline office or some bank. Come to think of it, there is no bank that looks like it, nor offers such efficient service. You get a number, wait for it to be called then follow the instructions given to you. In case you miss out on the number, not to worry, it's up their on an electronic board. So the only bothersome thing while inside is the constant pinging sound to signal another number is being served in the 8 counters. Inside the booth, it's almost paperless and the very spacious so you know the customer service crew won't be whining about their conditions. Very efficient, too.

I was using a health card so I skipped the payment part and just had to wait a bit to be called for the actual blood extraction. There, the medical technologists ask you you to step inside one of several cubicles that has two seats for two patients. The seat has cushioned arm rests to allow you to hold your arm out for the actual extraction process. No sweat. In about 2 minutes, you're done (provided you ain't squeamish about the procedure).

Everything at the NKTI is so efficient, you could actually enjoy going there if not for the fact that it means you have some ailment or another. I personally don't like hospitals but because of a condition, I've had my share of going in and out of them in the last several years.

Kudos to the NKTI and I guess the government for turning it into the kind of facility it is today.