~Apa2 pasal Hospital/Klinik/Dentist/Optician/ Sinseh dan Rawatan Tradisional

fatz

Ekstra! : 12 Disember 2007         
         
RINGKAS

CERAMAH JAGA ORANG TUA SAKIT

MENJAGA sendiri orang tua yang sakit di rumah atau menghantarnya ke rumah jagaan orang tua?

Itulah kadang-kadang dilema yang dihadapi oleh anak-anak jika niat memberikan penjagaan terbaik kepada orang tua mereka yang sakit menjadi pertimbangan.

Jika menjaga sendiri, apakah cara terbaik untuk mengimbangi masa bekerja di luar dan menjaganya? Jika tidak, adakah menghantar ibu atau bapa yang tua dan sakit ke rumah jagaan orang tua pilihan terbaik?

Panduan mengenai hal ini boleh didapatkan melalui ceramah yang akan diadakan pada Sabtu, 15 Disember, dari 10 pagi hingga 12 tengah hari di auditorium Hospital Alexandra.

Bayaran pendaftaran untuk hadir ialah $2 seorang. Untuk mendaftar dan mendapatkan keterangan lanjut, telefon 6379-3370 atau e-mel kepada < [email protected] >

fatz

Ekstra! : 12 Disember 2007         

RINGKAS

CERAMAH ELAK MURUNG LEPAS BERSALIN

BAGAIMANAKAH untuk menjaga kesejahteraan emosi semasa hamil dan selepas bersalin?

Untuk mendapatkan jawapannya, hadiri ceramah mengenai isu ini pada Sabtu, 19 Januari, dari 2 hingga 4 petang di auditorium Hospital Wanita dan Kanak-Kanak KK (KKH).

Antara topik-topik yang akan diperkatakan di ceramah anjuran KKH ini ialah kemurungan selepas bersalin, menyesuaikan diri selepas menjadi ibu tanpa melupakan bapa bayi, faedah-faedah bersenam dan menjalin hubungan mesra dengan bayi melalui urut-urutan.

Pakar-pakar yang akan menyampaikan panduan mereka terdiri daripada Dr Helen Chen, konsultan psikiatris; Dr Ong Wee Sian, konsultan doktor sukan; Cik Lee Ching Hoon, ahli terapi pergerakan; dan Cik Frances Yeo, ahli psikologi.

Tiada bayaran dikenakan untuk menghadiri ceramah ini.

Namun, anda perlu mendaftarkan diri. Telefon 6394-8083 pada waktu pejabat atau lawat laman < www.kkh.com.sg > untuk keterangan lanjut.

fatz

Changi General Hospital to offer voluntary opt-out HIV testing
By S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 12 December 2007 1615 hrs

SINGAPORE: Changi General Hospital is offering a voluntary opt-out HIV testing for all inpatients aged 21 years and above from Monday, 17 December.

At admission, adult inpatients will be told about the HIV test and asked to sign a general consent for medical, surgical treatment and diagnostic procedures, including HIV testing.

Inpatients can decline to be tested.

The identities of those who come forward for testing and are found to be HIV positive will be kept strictly confidential.

fatz

Means Testing in hospitals will not follow nursing homes' model
By Hasnita A Majid, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 06 January 2008 2003 hrs

SINGAPORE: Means Testing

fatz

Current Means Testing method does not weed out abusers of system
By Julia Ng, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 06 January 2008 2236 hrs



SINGAPORE: Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan said the current method of Means Testing at nursing homes cannot be applied in hospitals.

Some nursing homes agreed and said the current method in which the resident's per capita income is used to calculate how much subsidy he or she should get, does not completely weed out undeserving applicants of government subsidies.

After her operation, Alexandra Hospital referred Madam Low

fatz

Jan 13, 2008         
TOP OF THE NEWS
C class ward: Subsidy for all at least 65%
By Salma Khalik, Health Correspondent

PATIENTS hoping for a C class bed will not have to pay more than one-third of their hospital bills, no matter how well-off they are.

Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan gave this benchmark when asked how his means testing proposal, to make the rich pay more than the poor for hospitalisation, will work.

The current subsidy for a C class ward is 80 per cent, with patients footing the rest of the bill.

With means testing, all patients still have a choice of wards but, depending on income, they may not get the full subsidy.

Although the Government has given the assurance that very few people will be affected, there is still concern over the subsidy levels and how they will be pegged to patients' incomes.

Mr Khaw told The Sunday Times that the patient's portion of a C class bill will not exceed the 35 per cent now paid by patients in a B2 class ward. It might even be much less than that.

On average, the out-of-pocket hospital bill for a C class patient is less than $900 and, for a B2 class patient, just over $1,000.

Mr Khaw said that he is considering a 'graduated reduction' in subsidies, rather than a single cut-off point.

So, instead of jumping from an 80 per cent subsidy to 70 per cent one based on a certain income level, the differences in subsidy may amount to no more than one or two percentage points.

This is to make sure that the patients who miss the income cut-off by a few hundred dollars will not be hit too hard.

Said Mr Khaw: 'I can make very small jumps. I can reduce the subsidy to 79 per cent, 78, whatever.'

But small differences in subsidy are only possible if income is determined simply and electronically. Hospitals will need the patients' consent to check their income records with the Central Provident Fund Board or the tax department.

Privacy will be protected, as the information on actual salary amounts will not be needed. Hospitals need to know only if a patient's salary falls within a certain range. Those who want to keep this private can simply opt to receive the lowest subsidy for that ward class.

Mr Khaw said that the objective of the exercise 'is not to squeeze everybody' but to get them 'to accept the principle'.

He added: 'We could have said, if you are considered middle income or high income, you are not allowed to come in, or you come in but zero subsidy.

'We're not saying that. We are saying - and it's a commitment - that you will continue to be heavily subsidised.

'But, please, make a distinction between you and the very poor, so that I can stretch the subvention, so that I can benefit more people.'

The minister also promised that, rich or poor, patients from subsidised wards will enjoy subsidised outpatient treatment upon discharge.

Many well-off patients with chronic illnesses such as diabetes choose to stay in subsidised wards because it will mean cheaper follow-up care.

This will continue, he said.

[email protected]

fatz

Singapura : 23 Januari 2008         
         
LEBIH 90% DI IMH DALAM WAD B2 ATAU C

LEBIH 90 peratus pesakit yang menerima rawatan di Institut Kesihatan Mental (IMH) menginap di Kelas B2 atau Kelas C, dengan bil harian mereka berjumlah sekitar $30.

Menurut Menteri Kesihatan, Encik Khaw Boon Wan, saiz bil itu berada dalam kemampuan ramai keluarga, yang membayarnya melalui Medisave.

Bagi mereka yang mungkin tidak mampu membayar kos rawatan kerana terpaksa menginap terlalu lama di hospital, para pesakit akan dibantu Medifund.

Encik Khaw berkata bahawa sebanyak $10.5 juta diagihkan Medifund tahun lalu.

Buat masa ini, MediShield tidak memberikan perlindungan kepada rawatan pesakit mental.

Namun, pemerintah tidak menolak kemungkinan insurans digunakan untuk tujuan itu, ujarnya.

fatz

Komentar : 2 Februari 2008        
  
DOKTOR SURUH PESAKIT YANG MINTA CUTI SAKIT BERHENTI KERJA

SUAMI saya jatuh semasa menjalankan tugas sebagai pegawai keselamatan dan diberi dua hari cuti sakit daripada Jabatan Kecemasan Hospital Tan Tock Seng.

Syukurlah beliau tidak mengalami kecederaan serius.

Tetapi, kakinya semakin bengkak dan kerana khuatir, saya menemani suami saya ke klinik di Stesen MRT Admiralty.

Doktor bertugas bersetuju bahawa kaki suami saya masih bengkak.

Suami saya memohon diberikan cuti sakit sehari kerana khuatir tidak dapat menjalankan tugas rondaannya.

Doktor itu menjawab dengan nada tinggi bahawa 'jika keadaan ini melarat selama 10 hari, takkan saya perlu beri 10 hari MC (sijil cuti sakit) juga'.

Kenyataan beliau mengguris hati saya.

Namun, kata-kata pedas tidak berhenti setakat itu.

Saya mengingatkan doktor itu bahawa suami saya sudah berusia dan saya khuatir suami saya tidak dapat meneruskan tugas.

Doktor itu menjawab: 'Kalau dia sudah tua, Beliau boleh berhenti kerja!'

Saya terperanjat dengan kata-kata doktor itu.

Tertanya dalam hati di manakah sikap profesionalnya?

Saya bertegas bahawa suami saya tidak akan datang ke klinik itu jika kakinya tidak bengkak.

Doktor itu akhirnya menulis surat MC tetapi menerangkan bahawa ia bukan kerana keadaan kaki suami saya yang bengkak.

Saya amat kecewa dengan layanan yang diberikan doktor itu.

Pemerintah menggalakkan warga emas terus bekerja untuk menampung kos kehidupan harian dan telah pun melanjutkan usia persaraan.

Anehnya, doktor ini pula menyuruh suami saya berhenti bekerja gara-gara suami saya meminta cuti sakit untuk sehari.

Mariam Embi


apa nak buat cik yam...sabar jer lah.....

fatz

Komentar : 2 Februari 2008        
         
DIMARAH DOKTOR KERANA TIDAK BAWA REKOD PERUBATAN

PADA 15 Januari lalu sekitar 7.50 pagi, saya ke Poliklinik Bukit Batok dan kemudian diarah ke bilik nombor 51 di tingkat dua.

Apabila menemui doktor di situ, saya terkejut apabila dimarahi kerana dikatakan tidak mengikut arahan dengan membawa surat keterangan kesihatan saya. Beliau memarahi saya seolah-olah saya ini anak kecil.

Apakah ini cara layanan yang wajar diberikan seorang doktor kepada warga emas seperti saya yang telah mencecah usia 63 tahun?

Apakah ini yang dinamakan masyarakat Singapura yang prihatin dan penyayang?

Tujuan saya ke poliklinik adalah mengurangkan beban ubat kencing manis yang mahal tetapi kenapa saya dimarahi sedemikian hanya kerana membayar harga yang rendah?

Saya sudah memberi maklum balas kepada pihak poliklinik tetapi belum mendapat sebarang jawapan.

Rubiah Paithin


sian nyer cik Rubiah ni....kena dgn sesetengah org tua, mau jugak kena maki doktor ni....

fatz2

Komentar : 9 Februari 2008         
         
HUBUNGAN DOKTOR-PESAKIT PENTING

KAMI merujuk surat Cik Rubiah Paithin, Dimarah doktor kerana tidak bawa rekod perubatan (BH, 2 Februari).

Kami mengucapkan terima kasih kepada Cik Rubiah atas maklum balasnya dan kami dengan sukacita menyatakan kes ini telah dapat dihuraikan dengan beliau.

Cik Rubiah pernah mendapatkan rawatan dengan sebuah lagi perkhidmatan jagaan kesihatan, maka doktor kami telah memintanya agar mendapatkan surat yang mencatatkan keadaan perubatannya.

Dengan ini, kami dapat menyediakan pengurusan jagaan kesihatan yang lebih baik untuknya.

Kami telah menghubungi Cik Rubiah untuk menjelaskan hal ini dan memohon maaf kerana doktor kami tidak menjelaskan hal ini secara berkesan sehingga timbul selisih faham.

Kami ingin meyakinkan Cik Rubiah bahawa kami menekankan pentingnya perhubungan yang baik dengan doktor kami, dan kami berharap dapat membantu lagi Cik Rubiah di klinik kami.


Dr Helen Leong
Pengarah, Perkhidmatan Klinical Poliklinik
National Healthcare Group (NHG)

doktor jugak yg selalu betul....kalau pesakit, mesti salah jer

fatz2

Lasik prices expected to fall further when pte sector publishes bill sizes
By Julia Ng, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 08 February 2008 1755 hrs

SINGAPORE: Inflation and healthcare costs may be on the rise but the cost of Lasik surgeries has bucked the trend.

Eye doctors expect rates to fall further when the private sector joins the public sector in its current practice of publishing the size of their medical bills.

Singapore has one of the highest rates of myopia in the world, so there is a ready pool of people eager to do away with glasses and contact lenses through Lasik surgery.

Some four years ago, it used to cost about S$2,300 to 'Lasik' one eye. Now, prices have tumbled 40 percent to about S$1,300.

The price war started in late 2003 when the Health Ministry required all public hospitals to publish their bill sizes.

Apart from cost competitiveness, doctors said increased cost efficiency in equipment and medical products has also allowed doctors to adjust prices.

Dr Chan Wing Kwong, Senior Consultant Ophthalmologist, Head of Refractive Surgery Services, Singapore National Eye Centre, said: "In the earlier years when Lasik was relatively more expensive, there was a market for some patients who are budget conscious to go overseas to have their surgery. (But) I think many Singaporeans would rather have their surgery done in Singapore by a Singapore facility.

"The moment the cost competiveness becomes better, I think many Singaporeans who were going to take the overseas route would decide to do it here. So basically the number of people who go overseas for Lasik is very negligible now."

Prices are set to come down further as Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan has said he wants all private hospitals and centres to post their bill sizes online. With greater transparency and competition, prices could only head southwards.

But patients need to realise that price is not everything.

Dr Lee Hung Ming, Medical Director, Senior Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, Parkway Eye Centre, said: "It's good to have bill sizes published for the public because transparency is very important. But patients should not just look at the price alone. More importantly, the surgeon's experience and his expertise is a critical factor.

"The second important factor should be technology and then price should be the third factor. I don't think that the price should spiral all the way because ultimately, if the price really spirals down, then there're bound to be some centres that are cutting costs and also cutting corners, and that may eventually affect the outcome of Lasik."

Technological advances have made Lasik not only cheaper, but also safer.

Good surgical outcomes and reputation of Singapore doctors have also helped to draw in foreign patients like Ronald Butterfield.

The 63-year-old Canadian wants to correct his vision through Lasik. In the last seven years, he has consulted doctors back home and in Hong Kong, but no one wants to operate on him as he also suffers from cataract. So he came to Singapore for a second opinion.

Although he was told to wait till his cataract 'ripens' before having a Lasik surgery, Ronald walked away impressed.

He said: "The kind of brutal honesty was there and I felt that I've come to a medical centre that was concerned with my health, opposed to going to a business. If I were to go down the street to a Lasik centre, they could have done the Lasik tomorrow. He was supposed to have come from a medical point of view and I sensed that, and I trust him and I will come back!"

The Singapore National Eye Centre said it has been seeing 5 to 10 percent more foreign patients every year, most of them from Asia and even Middle East.


- CNA/so

fatz

NUH introduces colour chart to check patient's vital signs
By Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 09 February 2008 2119 hrs


National University Hospital

SINGAPORE: Monitoring a patient's condition will get easier for nurses at the National University Hospital.

They now have colour bars on charts to ensure a patient's vital signs are not in the abnormal range.

Details for blood pressure, temperature, pulse and pain are carefully recorded in a chart.

If the indicators dip to the yellow region, nurses will closely monitor the patient.

The pink region requires the immediate attention of a senior doctor.

The system came from the Patient Safety Leadership Walkabout where staff learnt ways to improve the welfare of patients.

Dr Sophia Ang, Patient Safety Officer, National University Hospital, said: "I think the walkabouts are a great impact on the ground. The staff look forward to the opportunity and have managed to give us many suggestions, some of which we have managed to put to good practice.

"That has helped to improve the standard of care for our patients, and at the same time, improve the morale of our staff."


- CNA/so

fatz2

Parkway top bidder for private hospital site

$1.2b bid seals Novena's reputation as medical hub
By Jessica Jaganathan

THE Parkway group has emerged the top bidder for the new Novena medical hub, a private hospital which will be built on a 1.7 ha plot along Irrawaddy Road.

Its $1.2 billion bid was was higher than that put in by Raffles Medical and a consortium backed by developer Far East.

At about $1,600 per sq ft per plot ratio, the private hospital will stand alongside a hotel, condominium and an office building, all eyeing 'medical' guests and tenants.

The sale of site, the first private hospital since Raffles Hospital was built in 2001, is part of the plan to build up more facilities here by 2012, when one million foreign patients are expected to arrive a year for treatment.

Already in the neighbourhood are Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), the National Neuroscience Institute and National Skin Centre.

Upcoming Renci hospital and private institutions like Johns Hopkins International Medical Centre and newly launched Novena Medical Centre (NMC) complete the family of healthcare providers located within walking distance to each other.

If Parkway is awarded the site, it will have a presence in the two medical hubs - Novena and the existing cluster in Orchard, with Mount Elizabeth Hospital and medical centre as well as medical suites in Lucky Plaza and Paragon.

fatz2

Feb 18, 2008         
Restructured hospitals chalked up $73m in arrears a year
LATE payments from patients caused restructured hospitals to chalk up arrears of about $73 million a year in 2005 and 2006.

Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan revealed this in his written response on Friday to a question from Marine Parade GRC MP Fatimah Lateef, who had asked for the average total arrears incurred by these hospitals in the last two years, and the amount they had to write off.

Restructured hospitals are run as private companies wholly owned by the Government.

They differ from private hospitals in that they receive an annual Government subsidy for the provision of subsidised medical services.

Such hospitals include Singapore General Hospital and Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

Mr Khaw said the vast majority, or 96 per cent, of restructured hospital patients settled their bills within two months of discharge, but arrears that exceeded two months averaged about $73 million a year in 2005 and 2006.

'Some arrears become bad debts after many repeated attempts to recover them and have to be written off,' he added.

'Not all such cases are due to financial difficulty as hospitals have schemes to assist the needy.

Some are foreign workers involved in industrial accidents.

Some are employees of companies, some of which have wound up.'

'As bad debts are eventually borne by Singaporeans, the hospitals do their best to minimise them.'

Mr Khaw said the write-offs amounted to $11 million in 2006.

He added that restructured hospitals provide various forms of financial assistance for patients who have difficulties paying their medical bills, including payment through installments.

Those who are needy are assisted through Medifund.

fatz2

Singapura : 19 Februari 2008         
         
KEMENTERIAN RUJUK KES HOSPITAL REN CI KEPADA CAD

Oleh
Chairul Fahmy Hussaini

KEMENTERIAN Kesihatan (MOH) telah merujukkan siasatan mereka berhubung penyelewengan pengurusan kewangan Hospital Ren Ci dan Medicare Centre (Ren Ci) kepada Jabatan Ehwal Perniagaan (CAD).

Ini setelah ia mendapati beberapa urusan kewangan badan amal itu 'tidak dapat dijelaskan secara memuaskan'.

'MOH akan mendapatkan kerjasama daripada Lembaga Ren Ci dan kakitangannya untuk membantu dalam siasatan CAD,' kata kementerian itu dalam kenyataan singkat empat perenggan yang dikeluarkannya semalam.

Menurut Menteri Kesihatan, Encik Khaw Boon Wan, keputusan itu dibuat setelah pihaknya mendengar taklimat hasil daripada dapatan para auditor hujung minggu lalu.

'Saya ingin tahu hingga ke dasarnya, jika dibiarkan begitu saja akan timbul persoalan mengenainya dan ini tidak adil bagi Ren Ci dan orang akan mudah membuat kesimpulan, betul atau salah.

'Oleh itu saya fikir, mari kita teruskan dengan pendekatan ini, iaitu bersikap adil tetapi tegas dan teliti (dalam menyiasat perkara ini).

'Ren Ci telah menjalankan kerja-kerja yang baik dalam aspek kebajikan, membantu golongan miskin, yang sakit, oleh itu kita tidak mahu persoalan terus tergantung dalam fikiran orang ramai.'

Encik Khaw bagaimanapun berkata beliau 'tidak tahu dan enggan mengulas lanjut' apabila ditanya pihak media sama ada kesalahan yang dilakukan Ren Ci itu berbentuk jenayah atau membabitkan jumlah wang yang besar.

Beliau juga tidak mahu orang ramai menyamakan kes Ren Ci dengan kes Yayasan Buah Pinggang Kebangsaan (NKF).

Namun katanya, jumlah simpanan kewangan Ren Ci di tahap yang 'sihat' dan badan itu dapat bertahan 'untuk setahun dua lagi'.

MOH menjalankan siasatan ke atas Ren Ci sejak 7 November lalu di bawah Seksyen 8 Akta Badan Amal, dan melantik badan perakaunan, Ernst & Young Associates (EYA), menjalankan siasatan itu.

Hasil siasatan mendapati terdapat percanggahan terhadap transaksi kewangan badan tersebut.

fatz

SGH launches first holistic care centre
By Tan Hui Leng, TODAY | Posted: 19 February 2008 1236 hrs


Singapore General Hospital

SGH's Life Centre treats illness, manages lifestyle

THE Singapore General Hospital has launched its first holistic centre for lifestyle-related ailments such as eating disorder and obesity. It even provides counselling and hypnotherapy.

The $1-million Life Centre doesn't just treat one's medical condition but also helps with lifestyle changes that will improve overall wellbeing

fatz2

Health Ministry seeks feedback on Mental Health Bill
By Hasnita Majid, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 20 February 2008 2324 hrs


A patient is seen at a psychiatric hospital.

SINGAPORE: The Health Minister will soon have the power to designate the whole or any part of a hospital as a psychiatric institution.

This is, if a proposed Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Bill is passed.

Currently only Changi General and Tan Tock Seng Hospitals have wards for the treatment of psychiatric patients.

The Bill regulates proceedings in cases of mental disorder and provides for the reception and detention of those of unsound minds in mental hospitals.

It aims to enhance certain safeguards to protect the interests of patients admitted into psychiatric institutions.

Under the Bill, patients who need to be detained in a psychiatric institution beyond six months will also require a magistrate's order.

Stiffer penalties will also be meted out for improper reception or detention of mentally-ill persons.

The Ministry said the proposed bill is necessary as the existing Mental Disorders and Treatment Act will be repealed.

The Ministry would therefore like to get your feedback on this Bill and you have till 14 March 2008 to give your views.

The draft Bill is available at the Ministry website at www.moh.gov.sg

The Ministry had earlier conducted a public consultation on the Mental Capacity Bill from August to November 2007. -CNA/vm

fatz2

Singapura : 22 Februari 2008        
  
HOSPITAL BARU DI NOVENA SIAP 2011

KUMPULAN perkhidmatan perubatan yang tersenarai dalam bursa saham Singapura, Parkway Holdings, berkata hospital barunya di Novena dijangka siap menjelang 2011.

Ia mendedahkan perincian rancangan bagi pembinaan hospital keempat di Singapura itu dalam taklimat akhbar semalam dan mengambil peluang menjelaskan mengapa ia membuat taruhan lima kali lebih tinggi berbanding apa yang ditawarkan pesaingnya daripada sebuah operator hospital tersenarai.

Parkway berkata hospital setinggi 17 tingkat yang disarankan itu akan mempunyai kawasan bangunan seluas 72,350 meter persegi dan menawarkan 350 katil.

Namun, kumpulan perubatan itu juga telah mengetepikan 5 peratus kawasan bagi ruang runcit, 20 peratus bagi blok rawatan dan lagi 30 peratus bagi bilik kediaman perubatan.

Timbalan Presiden ParkwayHealth Singapura bagi Operasi, Dr Lee Hong Huei, berkata hospital yang belum dinamakan itu akan menumpukan kepada empat rawatan utama.

'Bidang klinikal yang akan menjadi tumpuan kami adalah kardiologi, ortopedik, onkologi dan pembedahan. Pertama, adalah cukup jelas bahawa bidang-bidang ini mendapat permintaan yang tinggi dan kedua, ia memang tumpuan program klinikal kami yang ada sekarang,' tambahnya.

fatz

Feb 26, 2008         
Space-short TTSH to turn offices into clinics

It may also tackle bed squeeze by borrowing ward space from nearby Ren Ci hospital
By Salma Khalik, Health Correspondent

A SPACE crunch in public hospitals has resulted in office space being turned into treatment areas.

The situation at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) is especially bad. Chief executive Lim Suet Wun will move out of his office this year so that it can be turned into clinic space.

Administrative staff will also move to temporary offices in containers to be set up on a site earmarked for the new Communicable Diseases Centre, a project which has been put on hold.

The 1,500 sq m of office space freed up will make room for a clinic suite with at least a dozen consultation rooms and some support services.

The hospital is also adding 47 beds this year on top of last year's 97 additional beds. It now has 1,333 beds.

'We do expect the bed situation in 2009 to become tighter,' said Dr Lim.

The hospital will continue to look at freeing up office space, and may also borrow ward space from the nearby Ren Ci Community Hospital.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) did this once before, when Changi General Hospital took over a floor from St Andrew's Community Hospital next door last November. CGH moved its C-class geriatric ward with 33 beds there.

Now, the ministry is considering a similar arrangement between TTSH and Ren Ci Community Hospital, whose new premises are nearing completion in Moulmein.

The new premises near Tan Tock Seng Hospital could provide a temporary solution to TTSH's space squeeze for about a year or two, The Straits Times understands.

fatz2

Full healthcare subsidy for S'poreans earning less than S$3,200
By Hasnita Majid, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 03 March 2008 1730 hrs



SINGAPORE: A majority of Singaporeans will get a full subsidy if they choose a Class B2 or C ward when hospitalised.

That's because those earning S$3,200 and below a month will now be eligible for it.

Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan unveiled in his speech the benchmark for means-testing in Parliament on Monday, after months of public feedback on the issue.

Means testing will kick in next January.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) has made good its promise that it will "err on the side of generosity" when it comes to deciding how much subsidy patients get.

Mr Khaw said: "I have assured Singaporeans that we will take a practical approach to means-testing. We will be flexible at the margins to help those who may appear to be of high-income but who have exceptional financial liabilities. We have decided to set the criteria more loosely so as to mitigate the impact on those who may be affected."

So patients earning S$3,200 and below will get the full 80 per cent subsidy if they opt for a Class C ward and a 65 per cent subsidy for a Class B2 ward.

Higher income earners will get subsidies on a sliding scale of one percentage point, depending on their income range.

This is capped at 65 per cent for Class C wards and 50 per cent for Class B2 wards for those earning more than S$5,200.

Economically inactive patients will also receive full subsidies unless they live in a property with an Annual Value exceeding S$11,000.

As for Permanent Residents, their subsidies will be 10 percentage points lower than Singaporeans of equivalent income level.

But the Health Minister hopes patients will subscribe to MediShield to help themselves further with the payment of their hospital bills.

He said: "Those who earn more, say S$3,000 or S$4,000 per month, should top up a rider which would enable them to use the higher ward classes. If they do so, then they will not need to use Class B2 or C and compete with low-income patients for such resources."

MOH is working out the implementation details and has assured that it will be automated and hassle-free.

As for those who feel the simplified approach has treated them unfairly, a thorough means-test will be conducted upon their appeal and will be based on the approach that is currently used by nursing homes.

And there's more good news.

In the second part of his speech, Mr Khaw said that starting 1 April 2008, Medisave can be used for the outpatient treatment of two more chronic diseases - asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD.

The withdrawals will be capped at S$300 per Medisave account per year. The existing deductible of S$30 and co-payment of 15 per cent will apply.

This brings to six the total number of chronic diseases under this scheme.

The other four chronic diseases are diabetes, hypertension, lipid disorders and stroke.

Some 180,000 Singaporeans are expected to benefit from the move.

Mr Khaw also revealed that the 19 per cent increase in healthcare budget will be used for greater investment in infrastructure development and boosting healthcare manpower.

Over the next five years, 40 per cent more doctors, nurses, pharmacists and healthcare professionals will be added through active recruitment and new scholarships for allied healthcare professionals.

For example, a new scholarship to sponsor Nanyang Polytechnic graduates for a one-year degree course will be given out. S$1.9 billion will be allocated for this manpower recruitment.

Step-down care facilities, as well as existing hospitals will also be upgraded.

And from April 2008, the Integrated Care Services will be upgraded into an Agency for Integrated Care.

Starting with Changi General Hospital and National University Hospital, this will equip public hospitals with resources including additional care coordinators.

This is expected to cost the government S$20 million over four years.

These coordinators will help ensure that patients who are fit for discharge but who have multiple complex care needs are transferred to appropriate step-down care providers.

But Mr Khaw also reiterated his belief that everyone has to chip in to keep healthcare costs in check.

Mr Khaw said: 揑 will do my part to ensure that Singaporeans will continue to enjoy healthcare that is among the best anywhere in the world. But higher spending often does not guarantee better health.

"Indeed, as noted by Mr Yeo Guat Kwang, it is the basics that we must continue to focus on which will bring about healthcare improvement: prevention and better management of chronic diseases.

揊or this I need the full co-operation from all Singaporeans: don't smoke, keep clean, don't spread bugs, don't overeat and keep active."

The Health Minister was responding to MPs who asked about the government plans to meet future healthcare needs. -CNA/vm