Dedication

To my beloved father, Lee Sai Hock @ Lee Chai Hock
(Passed away on 2 October 2008)
化悲伤为力量, 著文书阐遗训。

Seventeen years ago, you miraculously survived a major heart attack under the care of a competent and compassionate surgeon, Mr Ong Kim Kiat.

While in the hospital, you reminded me to buy mooncakes for Dr Lau Siew Kee who had rendered medical care to you in the past few years. Indeed, you were fortunate to have met two kind doctors in your lifetime.

Sadly, you were caught off-guard and unprepared to die in the hospital where you were admitted for a mild fever and minor abdominal pain. Being a pragmatic person, you would not want me to waste time looking for answers but to face up to the reality and accept your death. Your untimely death was a painful experience. While I grieve over your death, I realise everything happens for a reason. You showed me the shortcomings in our public hospital system—you had an unsafe hospital stay; you became a sitting duck for hospital-acquired infections (HAIs).

In your memory, I wrote this book to share the impact of HAIs on patients and their families, and raise awareness of patient safety among the general public. I hope our healthcare policymakers, hospital administrators and healthcare workers will make a concerted effort to improve practices and compliance with infection prevention and control strategies, and make patient safety their top priority.

Updated on 11 September 2012