Janil Puthucheary on telemedicine service providers

Many outpatient medical service providers are approved to provide telemedicine services, of which 19 are standalone telemedicine providers without physical premises. The Ministry of Health (MOH) does not track the take-up rate of telemedicine services. There is also no definitive data on whether telemedicine has reduced non-emergency attendances at emergency departments, especially given an ageing population and the rising demand for healthcare. Telemedicine services have been facilitated by MOH in primary care for chronic disease management and in specialist outpatient settings for specific conditions. MOH will continue to facilitate the application of telemedicine services in appropriate settings. Senior Minister of State for Health Janil Puthucheary said this in reply to an MP’s questions in Parliament on Wednesday (Apr 3).