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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Do I need to make an appointment before coming for consultation? What documents do I need to bring along for registration?

A: No appointment is required. New and returning patients can walk-in directly for registration, except for fertility special clinic and specific oncology special clinic physicians.
For new patients, please bring along your identity documents (e.g. Singaporean – NRIC/Birth Certificate; Foreigner – Passport/Work Permit etc.) for registration. For returning patients, the above documents or the consultation card issued by our institution can be used.

Q2: Can foreigners seek medical services? How much does it cost?

A: We offer entirely free TCM services to all, regardless of race, religion and nationality. Please bring along your Work Permit/ Passport for registration. However, we appreciate donations of all sizes.

Q3: May I know the registration hours of each clinic?

A: Please click here to see our registration hours.

Q4: May I change/cancel my appointment?

A: If you have previously made an appointment with a physician from the fertility or oncology special clinic and wish to change or cancel, please contact the branches where the physicians are based at and provide us with the patient’s name, NRIC, and contact number.

Q5: When can I come back for a follow-up consultation?

A: To prevent unnecessary wastage of resources, patients are to finish the given number of days of medicine before they can return for a follow-up.

Chinese herbal medicine: Patients who are prescribed 1 packet of medicine can return for follow-up after two days; patients over 80 years old and are prescribed 2 packets of medicine can return after four days.

Special clinic patients who are receiving Chinese herbal medicine are only allowed consultation (excluding acupuncture sessions) once a week.

Chinese proprietary medicine or granules: Please refer to the following table below for more information.

Medicine in syrup/tablet or granule forms	Dosage	Follow-up-consultation
Acute diseases / Mild conditions	180ml, 3 times a day	After 3-4 Days
Chronic diseases	180ml/240ml, 2-3 times a day (Depends on condition)	After 4-6 Days
Children（Age 8 & below）	120ml/180ml (Depends on condition)	After 3-4 Days
Granule medicine	0.5-1 time per day/every other day	After 6 days

* Acupuncture: Patients who are in stable condition can receive acupuncture treatment once a week. If there are conditions that warrant extra treatment, the attending physician will advise on treatment frequency accordingly.

Q6: Can I register for acupuncture treatment directly at the clinic? How long is each acupuncture session?

A: You can register directly for acupuncture. It is open to all indications of acupuncture. Generally, each acupuncture session takes about 30 minutes (excluding waiting time), but it also depends on the patient’s medical condition.

Q7: If I find that the prescribed medication is effective and would like to continue with it, can I obtain it from your clinic without registering for consultation?

A: No. As our medical condition changes over time, we require a follow-up consultation to reevaluate your condition. This will allow us to prescribe medication suitable for you at each point in time.

Q8: Can patients request certain treatment or medication that they feel is effective for their condition?

A: Our institution only provides Chinese medicine consultation and acupuncture services. Patients are not allowed to request for specific medications or to direct physicians’ prescriptions. Please respect that we regard your health as priority and prescribe medication based on professional judgement. Our physicians reserve the right to reject treatment for patients with unreasonable requests.

Q9: I have forgotten the decocting procedure, will you let me know?

A: You can refer to the prescription for the decoction method. The special decoction methods of certain herbs can be viewed here.

Conventional decoction method is:  First boil: Add water to cover the medicine by 2cm, soak the herbs for 20 mins, boil until 1 bowl. Second boil: Add water into the same pot until water level is just above the herbs, bowl until 1 bowl. Mix the 2 bowls together and split into 2 equal portions, take 1 bowl each day. Take after meals. If there is no discomfort after taking, continue taking until the next visit. Follow up if there is discomfort.

Q10: Which types of medications and special clinics services do each branch provide?

A: Please refer to our website for more information:

Chin Swee Road- Headquarters: http://www.stcmi.org.sg/branches/thong-chai-building/

Sengkang Branch-  http://www.stcmi.org.sg/branches/sengkang-branch/

Ang Mo Kio Branch- http://www.stcmi.org.sg/branches/ang-mo-kio-branch/

Bedok Branch- http://www.stcmi.org.sg/branches/bedok-branch/

Bukit Batok Branch- http://www.stcmi.org.sg/branches/bb/

Please click here for further details on our special clinics.

Q11: Will I be able to obtain a Medical Certificate (MC) for my visit?

A: MC will be issued at the discretion of the attending physician, based on the patient’s medical condition. However, MCs issued by TCM clinics may not be recognized by all companies or institutions.