Patient Experience
I'd been to three other doctors for this nagging pain in my side, and they all said it was just stress. Dr. Mahalingam was the first one who actually listened. He asked a lot of questions, some that seemed unrelated, and ordered a specific scan the others hadn't. Turned out it was a small, tricky hernia that was easy to miss. He explained it all with a diagram on his notepad. I'm just relieved to finally have an answer.
Had to get a cyst removed from my back. Honestly, I was nervous at first, but the whole thing was so straightforward. Dr. Mahalingam talked me through each step before he did it, and the procedure itself was over in what felt like a few minutes. A bit sore afterwards, sure, but he gave clear instructions for the dressing. It healed up perfectly, no fuss.
The Apollo hospital on OMR is a busy place, I won't lie—parking was a bit of a hunt. But once inside, the whole process was smooth. The front desk ladies found my file quickly, and the nurse who took my vitals was really kind, even joked about my high blood pressure being 'just the Chennai traffic'. It made a long wait feel shorter. The place was very clean, which always puts me at ease.
What I'll remember most about Dr. Mahalingam is how he talks to you. He doesn't rush. When I was worried about some test results, he sat down, looked me in the eye, and broke down what all the numbers meant in plain Tamil. He has a calm way about him that makes you feel like you're the only patient he has that day, even though you know the waiting room is packed.