Extended Consultations (30, 45 or 60 minutes)

When ten minutes is not enough

Most visits to a GP in Singapore take about ten minutes, and for one straightforward problem that is the right length. Some visits are not like that. You may have several things to raise, a problem that has been going on for months, a treatment decision you want to think through with a doctor, or a stack of results and letters that nobody has put together for you.

An extended consultation is a 30, 45 or 60-minute appointment at our Punggol or Joo Chiat clinic with Dr Kenneth Tan, Family Medicine Specialist, booked in advance so that the time is set aside for you. It is the same family medicine care you would expect from your regular doctor, with enough time to do it properly.

Who this is for

Book an extended consultation if any of these describe your visit:

• Several issues in one visit. Three or four separate concerns that each deserve proper attention. We do not rush several problems into a short slot; each is dealt with to the satisfaction of both patient and doctor.
• A complex or long-standing problem. Symptoms that have not been explained, a condition that is not responding to treatment, or a problem that touches several body systems.
• A decision to weigh. Whether to start or stop a medication, whether to have a test or a procedure, how to interpret a specialist’s advice, or which of several options suits you.
• A second opinion. A fresh look at a diagnosis or treatment plan, with your existing results and letters reviewed properly.
• A full review. Several chronic conditions such as diabetes, blood pressure, kidney function, cholesterol and weight managed together; a medication list that has grown over the years and needs simplifying; or a review of everything after a hospital stay.
• A planned conversation that needs time. Health screening tailored to your age, family history and risk factors rather than a fixed package; a mental health assessment; a memory or falls concern in an older parent; a developmental or behavioural concern in a child.

For one straightforward problem, walk in for a standard consultation instead. A visit that turns out to need 10 to 20 minutes is charged as a long consultation, and does not need an extended booking.

Which length to book

If you are unsure, book 30 minutes and tell us what you would like to cover. We can advise whether more time is needed.

What happens at the visit

1. We start with your list. Tell us at the start everything you want to cover, so the time is planned around it.
2. A proper history, not just the presenting complaint: your conditions, medications, results, what has been tried, what worries you, and what you want out of the visit.
3. Examination targeted to what is relevant.
4. Review of results and letters. We go through what has been done, what it means, and what should be done next.
5. A plan you can follow. Medications kept, adjusted or stopped; tests to arrange; what to watch for; when to review. Where useful, this is written down and given to you.
6. Referrals and paperwork done properly, with a proper letter rather than a verbal hand-off, as part of the same visit.

What to bring: a list of your current medications (packaging or photos of labels are fine); recent laboratory or imaging results, particularly from the last 12 months; specialist letters from the last year or two; and your own list of questions, even two lines of notes.

What it costs

Extended consultations are priced by length. Joo Chiat fees are higher because the clinic runs by appointment only and your time is reserved.

The fee reflects the total time your visit needs, including work completed after you leave the room, such as memos, referral letters and reports. Medications, tests and procedures are charged separately and explained before they are incurred. CHAS, Healthier SG and MediSave apply as usual where you are eligible. Our full schedule of fees, and answers to common questions about how our time-based fees work, are on the appointment page.

Extended consultations cannot usually be accommodated as a walk-in. Without a booking, the doctor may ask you to return at another time.

Joo Chiat or Punggol?

Both clinics offer these appointments with Dr Kenneth Tan.

• Joo Chiat runs by appointment only, so your time is reserved. Booking online collects the $180 first-visit fee in advance.
• Punggol also sees walk-in patients. Booked appointments are fitted around them, and on very busy days we may not be able to give a longer visit its full time and may need to reschedule. Afternoons from 3pm to 6pm are usually quieter.

How to book

If you are not sure whether an extended consultation is right for you, a short call to reception usually clarifies. Nobody will be steered to a longer slot if a standard visit is more appropriate.

A few honest points

• Extended consultations cost more than a standard visit because they take more of the doctor’s time, at a rate that is the same per minute as a standard consultation. For a sore throat or a prescription renewal, a standard walk-in visit is the right fit.
• Most patients do not need one. It exists for the specific situations above, where more time produces a better outcome.
• A Family Medicine Specialist is a specific SMC-registered title. Dr Tan is registered on the Singapore Medical Council Specialist Register in Family Medicine and is a Fellow of the College of Family Physicians Singapore. His postgraduate diplomas in Clinical Dermatology and Sports Medicine are qualifications in areas of special interest, not specialist registrations in those fields.
• We refer when a specialist is needed. An extended consultation does not replace specialist care; it is often the quickest route to it, because the referral can be arranged properly in the same visit.

Get in touch

Joo Chiat (by appointment only): 172 Joo Chiat Road, #01-01, Singapore 427443 · Tel 6920 1952

Punggol (extended consultations by appointment; standard consultations walk-in): 658 Punggol East, #01-04, Singapore 820658 · Tel 6312 4589

Email: admin@ktmc.sg