Lim Wee Kiak on Building a Healthier SG
The issue of patient choice was raised by MP Lim Wee Kiak during the debate on the White Paper on Healthier SG in Parliament on Tuesday (Oct 4). Patients will be allowed to switch general practitioners (GPs), but can they also switch clusters, he asked; and can a GP refer a patient to a specialist in another cluster? Will cross-referrals and transfers of medical history be done seamlessly and will cross-clustering complicate funding under Healthier SG? Dr Lim also asked if popular GPs can choose to reject patients if they are swamped. He pointed out that this could lead to doctors “cherry picking” patients who need less care. He also asked for clarity on how GPs will be remunerated, amid concerns about a bigger workload and how patients’ progress will be measured. Raising fears of burnout, he asked if GPs enrolled in the scheme will be required to operate fixed hours at specific times. Dr Lim also questioned whether under Healthier SG, the relationship will be doctor-patient or clinic-patient. He noted that most GP practices are now group practices, not solo, and patients may not see the same doctor each time. This is where good medical records will be critical, he said.
The issue of patient choice was raised by MP Lim Wee Kiak during the debate on the White Paper on Healthier SG in Parliament on Tuesday (Oct 4). Patients will be allowed to switch general practitioners (GPs), but can they also switch clusters, he asked; and can a GP refer a patient to a specialist in another cluster? Will cross-referrals and transfers of medical history be done seamlessly and will cross-clustering complicate funding under Healthier SG? Dr Lim also asked if popular GPs can choose to reject patients if they are swamped. He pointed out that this could lead to doctors “cherry picking” patients who need less care. He also asked for clarity on how GPs will be remunerated, amid concerns about a bigger workload and how patients’ progress will be measured. Raising fears of burnout, he asked if GPs enrolled in the scheme will be required to operate fixed hours at specific times. Dr Lim also questioned whether under Healthier SG, the relationship will be doctor-patient or clinic-patient. He noted that most GP practices are now group practices, not solo, and patients may not see the same doctor each time. This is where good medical records will be critical, he said.
Popular Shows
