Speed Saves Lives: Why Every Second Counts At The A&E

It’s scary dealing with a sick child in the middle of the night.

Having to wait for a doctor to treat your child while he or she is in pain is even more stressful.

When Yi Jun’s 1 year-old son’s coughing did not stop and persisted till the middle of the night, she sensed something was amiss. When her boy started to have difficulty breathing, and a swelling throat, she and her husband immediately rushed to the nearest A&E.

Unfortunately, the nearest hospital to their home did not have any paediatrician on duty that night. They had to travel to the next nearest hospital, which had a paediatrician on duty at the A&E.

Thankfully, her son received proper treatment at the second hospital. Her son had contracted a virus that infected his voice box and windpipe, also known as croup. But by the time she and husband had reached the second hospital, an hour had already passed.

Had she known there were other options with 24-hour walk-in clinics with paediatric specialists on call like Mount Elizabeth Hospitals, she would not have to make the extra trip.

Till today, every time she hears the word ‘croup’, she would shudder at the traumatic experience.

Speed Saves Lives

Doctor for a day 2018 Speed saves lives

You may believe its bad luck to think or talk about emergencies when they have not happened, or think that emergencies are rare, and will never happen to you or your family.

But it’s always better to be prepared. In critical times of accidents and emergencies, speed is fundamental in saving a life.

Because every second counts. Because speed saves lives.

This is why hospitals play a big part in saving lives during critical moments too.

The shorter the response time of emergency services, the more lives are saved.

To help parents understand the importance of speed and how it saves lives, Mount Elizabeth Hospitals has been organising the highly sought after event – Doctor For A Day – since 2013.

Doctor For A Day – Speed Saves Lives is back and refreshed!

Speed saves lives doctor for a day Mount Elizabeth

This edition of Doctor For A Day – Speed Saves Lives features an escape room format with more medical elements for you and your child to solve and bond over.

Pick up medical knowledge through engaging activities and mind-challenging puzzles and work together in a team in order to save a ‘patient’, all in a hospital environment!

It gives you and your child the opportunity to experience becoming a doctor, and engage in deep, immersive learning about medical services, and how private hospitals provide fast services to patients.

But most importantly, you and your child learn why time is critical in A&E situations.

All proceeds from the sales of the tickets for this edition of Doctor For A Day –Speed Saves Lives will also be donated to Children’s Wishing Well, a local charity organisation that helps children from financially disadvantaged families meet their basic needs through the provision of food, financial assistance and educational programmes.

Tickets are now sold out, but here’s how you can win a set of tickets for your family!