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

gadis_aries

SC, kat taman jurong dah ada hospital

SweetCandy

wah best seyy.. sekarang jurong dah ada something to look forward.

gadis_aries

Originally posted by SweetCandy at 8-5-2008 08:11 PM
wah best seyy.. sekarang jurong dah ada something to look forward.

betul tu SC...now dah banyak kemudahan kat jurong area...looking forward new mrt station => Pioneer Station

SweetCandy

oh yesh..

fatz

Needy elderly to get subsidised care from all GPs next year
By Hasnita A Majid, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 09 May 2008 1446 hrs

SINGAPORE: Starting from next year, needy elderly Singaporeans can get subsidised treatment for three major chronic illnesses at their family doctors' clinics.

This is because the Ministry of Health has extended the Primary Care Partnership Scheme to cover diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia - or high cholesterol.

The scheme was introduced in 2000 to allow eligible, means tested elderly Singaporeans to receive care at subsidised rates, but only at participating private GP (general practitioner) clinics.

The aim of the scheme is to make it more convenient for the elderly to receive subsidised care nearby, instead of having to travel to a polyclinic.

Over the years, the scheme has been progressively extended to bring new benefits to these needy patients.

In 2002, the scheme was extended to include private dental clinics; and last year, it was extended to include the needy disabled.

There are currently 450 GP clinics and 190 dental clinics participating in this scheme, serving 19,000 patients.

To qualify, patients need to come from households with a per capita income of S$700 and below, and be aged 65 and above. Disabled patients also qualify. - CNA/ac

fatz

Ngee Ann Poly's pioneer nursing students graduate
By Judith Tan

ALIFF Arshad, 24, grew up listening to the fascinating hospital vignettes his mother, a nurse, would regale him with everyday after work.

Inspired, he decided to follow in her footsteps, casting aside his original plan to study accountancy.

On Tuesday, Mr Aliff was among the first batch of graduating nursing students at Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

'My mother said nursing is not just a job. There must be passion and commitment. I am committed to helping people and I?m interested in intensive care work', he said.

His mother, Madam Habibah Abd Khamid, 48, has been working as a nurse at Alexandra Hospital for the last 30 years.

Mr Aliff is currently a staff nurse working at the intensive care unit at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

Already, 80 per cent of the 147 pioneer nursing graduates at Ngee Ann Polytechnic were snapped up by various hospitals and clinics.

The rest are either pursuing further studies abroad, or have been enlisted for National Service.

This batch of nursing students were trained using the latest technology in nursing care.

These include Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), which are packed with details of drugs and diseases and allow easy access to the Internet.

They also benefited from state-of-the-art facilities, such as the $1.4 million Patient Simulation Centre, located at the polytechnic.

Ngee Ann Polytechnic is the second institute to offer nursing diploma; the first was Nanyang Polytechnic. Together, the two produce around 1,000 graduates a year, helping to make up the shortfall of nurses here.

Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan said last November at a nursing event that although student interest in nursing had been growing in the last few years, Singapore would always be short of nurses.

Demand for nurses would also continue to grow, especially when new hospitals such as Parkway's and the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital open in 2011.

fatz

Singapura : 30 Mei 2008        
         
MOH PERUNTUK $7 JUTA BAGI TAMBAH BILANGAN PAKAR DALAM BIDANG FARMASI

KEMENTERIAN Kesihatan (MOH) akan menyediakan $7 juta dalam lima tahun ini untuk menambah bilangan pakar dalam bidang farmasi.

Ini dilakukan melalui penawaran 35 biasiswa dalam bidang farmasi dan 43 biasiswa untuk program peringkat kedoktoran dan sarjana.

Mengumumkan demikian, Ketua Ahli Farmasi MOH dan Presiden Lembaga Farmasi Singapura, Cik Ang Hui Gek, berkata inisiatif itu perlu demi memenuhi permintaan semakin meningkat bagi ahli farmasi yang mempunyai kemahiran khusus.

'Saya menggalak semua rakan ahli farmasi saya supaya mengambil cabaran ini dalam bidang pengajian possiswazah dan latihan pakar demi memenuhi kepakaran khusus bidang farmasi yang diperlukan negara,' kata Cik Ang, semasa berucap di majlis pembacaan ikrar ahli farmasi di bangunan MOH semalam.

Majlis yang buat julung kalinya diadakan itu menyaksikan ahli farmasi baru membaca ikrar kerjaya mereka.

Majlis itu turut dihadiri Menteri Kesihatan, Encik Khaw Boon Wan.

Menurut kenyataan MOH, ahli farmasi yang menyertai program-program peningkatan itu berpeluang menimba pengalaman sambil belajar di institusi-institusi terkemuka luar negara seperti Hospital Johns Hopkins dan Yayasan Klinik Cleveland, di Amerika Syarikat.

Kini, terdapat kira-kira 1,500 ahli farmasi yang berdaftar di Singapura, menjadikan ia golongan karyawan penjagaan kesihatan ketiga terbesar selepas golongan jururawat dan doktor.

'Lembaga Farmasi Singapura (SPB) menjangka Singapura memerlukan tambahan 200 ahli farmasi setiap tahun untuk lima tahun akan datang,' kata MOH.

Demi memenuhi permintaan yang meningkat itu, MOH juga akan meningkatkan usaha untuk menarik lebih ramai ahli farmasi luar negara.

Ini termasuk membenarkan ahli farmasi yang berdaftar di Amerika Syarikat, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia dan New Zealand mendaftar dengan SPB jika mereka lulus semua latihan dan ujian yang akan ditetapkan nanti.

fatz

Some GPs still not issuing itemised bills
9 in 20 not giving bill breakdown to patients despite guideline: ST survey
By Jessica Jaganathan



ABOUT half of the 20 general practitioners in a Straits Times survey have ignored a new guideline that requires them to give patients an itemised bill.

The detailed breakdown, which became compulsory in April, separates items like consultation fees and medication and is designed to help patients understand exactly what they are paying for.

While most specialists appear to comply, many GPs still give patients a lump-sum bill. A Straits Times check found that, while 10 out of 10 specialist clinics offered itemised receipts, nine out of 20 GP clinics did not. Three did not issue a bill at all and one even refused a patient an itemised bill.

One industry insider said some doctors charge above market rates for drugs and are wary about losing out on the margins, a major part of their business.

At a clinic in Dover Road, a patient who wanted to be known only as Miss Koh, said she was recently refused an itemised bill.

'I know from experience the cost of a drug can vary quite a bit between doctors, so I always try to get a breakdown for comparison,' said the 31-year-old.

Already, some patients have benefited from the transparency guideline and saved money on drugs. Pharmacist Tan Soo Tong said up to a dozen patients come to his Unity Pharmacy in Thomson Plaza daily with prescriptions.

'Most of them come because medication is cheaper (than in a GP's clinic),' he said.

Dr K.K. Chong, a GP at a clinic in Bukit Purmei, was one of nine in the Straits Times check who did not offer a detailed price breakdown to patients. When contacted, he said his clinic provides an itemised bill to those who ask.

He said itemisation drives up the cost of visiting a GP.

'Doctors have always been trying to keep costs down for needy patients by subsidising consultation fees and margins of medication,' said Dr Chong. 'But with itemisation, the fee has to be broken down and it will be difficult for costs to be capped.'

Some doctors cited the cost of computerising their system as one hurdle. But the Singapore Medical Association (SMA), which represents most doctors here, said bills can still be handwritten.

For those who have gone digital, like Dr Ong Kian Chung, a respiratory physician at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, the transition has not been a major problem. He spent $4,000 to computerise his system in 2005 and has itemised his bills since.

'Patients are able to look at the items and see what exactly they are being charged for,' said Dr Ong.

Before the April 1 deadline, the SMA heard concerns from doctors about the transparency of charges and how the bill should be broken down, said its vice-president, Dr Chong Yeh Woei. It issued an advisory in February to members which included a sample copy of a bill, he added.

Madam Halimah Yacob, head of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Health, said itemised billing is unlikely to have a major impact on most practices.

'Not many, in my view, would want to change doctors just for a few dollars less, especially if they are satisfied with their doctor's service,' she said.

Itemised billing is practised by other businesses, from supermarkets to law firms, and doctors should not be an exception, she added.

[email protected]

fatz

July 21, 2008         
MOH issues new rules for fat removal in clinics
GPs must first get surgical training and be certified by panel
By Salma Khalik, Health Correspondent

FROM November, clinics can only offer liposuction if their doctors get accreditation from a new committee and satisfy other rules covering training, among other things.

The Health Ministry's decision, announced yesterday, ends a long-running debate over one of Singapore's most popular vanity procedures.

In March, plastic surgeons called for restrictions on who could perform the surgery, saying it was too tricky for GPs and specialists in other fields. The surgery has led to deaths in other countries, though none here.

GPs said plastic surgeons were trying to corner the market on liposuction, which is part of the mushrooming $200 million a year aesthetic industry here.

Doctors estimate that thousands of liposuctions are done here a year.

The regulations that come into effect on Nov 1 include these:

# All doctors who offer the procedure will have to get the okay from a newly-formed accreditation committee.

# Doctors need at least one year of surgical training, following their housemanship, plus training in the procedure.

# Doctors doing treatments in a clinic must have nurses or medical staff to monitor sedated patients.

# Clinic doctors can only remove up to one litre of fat per session. Anything more must be done at a hospital or a surgery centre.

# Singaporean patients must also be given a seven day cooling-off period to reconsider the surgery, with no pressure to take it up.

# Only patients whose body mass index (BMI) is 28 or less can have liposuction done at a clinic, otherwise there is a higher risk of complication. Someone who is 1.6 metres tall and weighs 72 kg would be at the borderline.

# Records of all cases have to be kept and complications or complaints reported.

While liposuction was once done exclusively by plastic surgeons, GPs began edging in as methods improved.

Right now, about 1 per cent of general practitioners perform minimally-invasive liposuction, according to a recent survey.

Dr Lim Ah Leng, an obstetrician and gynaecologist who has done the procedure many times, said he had no objections to the rules. But he was upset at the composition of the newly-formed committee that will accredit doctors who want to perform liposuction.

The panel will include three plastic surgeons, a dermatologist and a general practitioner.

'It is a well known fact that plastic surgeons everywhere are zealously protective of what they falsely perceive to be their turf,' said Dr Lim. 'It will be hard to believe that their decision will not be tainted by their inherent bias.'

The Health Ministry says, though, that the rules aim to 'protect patients and safeguard the public's interest by ensuring that liposuction is carried out safely'.

Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan also warned yesterday that even with the rules in place, the decision to have the surgery should not be taken lightly.

'Liposuction is an operation, and has risks,' he said. Invoking a Hokkien saying, he said patients should not be 'willing to die for the sake of looking beautiful'.

[email protected]

fatz2

Baby saved from abortion, thanks to MRI
Life-saving scan, used to complement ultrasound, among new services at KKH
By Lee Hui Chieh

A DETAILED scan saved the life of an unborn baby whose parents had considered an abortion when an earlier standard scan showed a severely damaged brain.

That life-saving magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, which delivers images clearer than the standard ultrasound scan, showed the baby's brain to be normal.

Doctors at KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) are now using MRI scans on pregnant women when ultrasound scans hint at possible abnormalities.

Most of the time, the foetal MRI scans prove the initial ultrasound scans to be correct.

Since KKH began performing foetal MRI scans about 11/2 years ago, just two of the 29 mothers- to-be scanned received results that differed from ultrasound scans taken earlier.

One was the mother of the baby who was saved.

Professor David Stringer, who heads the hospital's diagnostic imaging department, said: 'The MRI changes management considerably for some cases, so it's a very useful complement to ultrasound.'

He stressed that ultrasound was still the standard way of screening foetuses because it was fast, effective and cheap.

Foetal MRI scans cost $340 to $800 each, about seven to 10 times more than ultrasound scans.

KKH introduced two other new scanning services for babies this year: clearer and safer X-ray, and autopsies using computed tomography (CT) scans.

Six months ago, the hospital acquired a new X-ray machine that produces images with double the resolution of standard X-rays but emits half the amount of radiation.

This makes it safer for babies, especially those born prematurely with heart and lung problems and who need frequent X-rays as a result, Prof Stringer said.

The higher resolution of these X-ray images shows more clearly the bones and even blood vessels in premature infants, who may not be larger than a palm, he added.

Madam Noor Suziyana Adnan's son was born last month after 32 weeks of pregnancy, more than a month too early.

While in intensive care, he underwent the new X-rays to monitor his underdeveloped lungs.

She said: 'We were very worried about him. The new X-ray is better because it's safer.'

Following a trend that has emerged in the United States in the last one to two years, the hospital has also begun performing CT autopsies.

Five have been done in the last four months to find out why those babies died.

The cases were referred to the hospital by the coroner.

Prof Stringer said: 'Using this method, you don't have to cut the body open at a very emotional time for parents who have just lost their child.'

[email protected]

fatz2

KKH: 150 years old, 1.3 million babies and counting...

By Shobana Kesava

LONG working hours in Singapore compete with the time needed to find that special someone and start a family.

Work-life balance will thus be an area to tackle to raise the country's dismal birth rate, Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng said last night.

Also the minister in charge of population matters, he was speaking at a gala dinner to mark the 150th anniversary of KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) (Map of location).

He spoke about the fast-paced urban lifestyle here eating into the time needed to find a life partner: 'Today, many are working outside of the office and outside office hours, constantly checking their laptops, PDAs and handphones at home and on the move.'

On average, Singaporeans work longer hours than residents of developed countries, he noted, adding that, besides work-life balance, two other areas the people needed support in were child- care arrangements and financial support.

Details of support measures to boost the nation's birth rate will be unveiled next month.

The Government has homed in on this issue because economic growth would be difficult to sustain with a shrinking pool of economically active people supporting a widening pool of the aged.

Referring to help with child care, Mr Wong said: 'Taking time off to have and raise a child can be difficult, and potential parents are so worried about child- care arrangements that they end up putting off starting a family.'

He added that the Government was aware that child-care support was important to parents not just in the sense of custodial care, but also in providing developmental and socialisation opportunities for young children.

While employers, friends and family can chip in to help, ultimately, a mindset change is needed: Singaporeans have to want to get married and raise families, he said.

On the matter of financial support, he said, monetary incentives should not be the reason for couples to have children, but the Government understood that not having the means to do so 'can be a constraint'.

The nation's current low fertility rate of 1.29 - one of the world's lowest - is well below the replacement rate of 2.1 children per couple.

If this rate is not increased, and there is no inflow of immigrants, Singapore's population will be halved beyond 2070.

Couples have long voiced a wish for more paternity leave and for employers to be more pro-family.

Previous measures to boost birth rates in recent years, such as the Baby Bonus and allowing Medisave to be used for conception procedures and pre-delivery medical expenses, have not been enough.

Mr Wong said that KKH provided insights into how to tackle the country's 'population challenge'.

Despite bearing witness to a shrinking number of births over the decades, KKH did not settle for becoming a smaller maternity hospital.

Instead, it expanded its medical and health care beyond just delivering babies, into becoming a leading regional women's and children's hospital.

The hospital, where more than 1.2 million babies drew their first breath, made it to the Guinness Book of Records for the highest number of babies born each year from 1966 to 1976.

The number of babies born there in 1966 - 40,000 - was higher than the 37,100 born across the island last year.

Mr Wong said that with a package of measures to address work-life balance, child care and financial support, and 'a strong collective desire towards supporting family life', the baby count would go up.

'What is needed is for us to bring the proverbial stork to Singapore more regularly,' he quipped.

[email protected]

fatz2

CGH to pilot programme to curb chronic diseases
By Hasnita A Majid, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 01 August 2008 2114 hrs


Changi General Hospital

SINGAPORE: Changi General Hospital (CGH) will pilot a programme to prevent and curb chronic diseases such as diabetes in the community.

CGH's plans were revealed by Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan at a conference on diabetes and obesity on Friday.

The hospital is setting up dedicated teams called Disease Management Units – comprising doctors, nurses and other stakeholders like family physicians or even grassroots leaders – to provide a total continuum of care.

For example, healthy individuals will be educated on the importance of disease management, while patients with chronic illnesses will be ensured of coordinated care.

T K Udairam, CEO of Changi General Hospital, said: "The idea is for us to help patients and families manage diseases at the beginning in a most efficient way. What I mean by this is that for example, if a person within a family has diabetes, we will screen the whole family to find out if the other members of the family are prone to become diabetic. The nurse coordinator will then help to educate them in the best ways to manage diabetes.

"The benefits for patients are multi-fold. One, of course, is less costs for patients because better managed diabetics use less medicine. They hold off the chronic stage to a much older age. The second issue is that if they are cared for in the community, then they don't have to spend so much time going to the hospitals."

The programme is modelled after successful projects in France, the United States and Canada.

The University of Michigan in the US and the Canadian Chronic Care Network in Calgary, for example, have piloted models of care where coordinating physicians and health navigators educate, plan and provide care for patients.

CGH plans to get all the general practitioners and nursing homes in the east to come on board the programme as its partners.

For a start, the hospital plans to target two diseases – diabetes and chronic heart disease – as these conditions are prevalent in the community.

If left unchecked, patients with these conditions will eventually incur high costs of treatment.


- CNA/so

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Farrer Park Mediplex to be ready by 2010
By Hoe Yeen Nie, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 16 August 2008 1957 hrs



SINGAPORE : A medical complex - comprising a hospital, specialist suites and a hotel - will be built in Singapore by October 2010.

Its aim is to grab a chunk of the burgeoning multi-billion dollar market for medical travel in Asia.

The 19-storey Farrer Park Mediplex will comprise a hospital, specialist suites and a hotel.

It is believed the first of its kind in Asia, and the company behind it expects to be a strong contender in the market for medical travellers - with about half of its patients coming from overseas.

Dr Djeng Shih Kien, chairman, Singapore HealthPartners, said: "(These will include) patients who are on dialysis. They can stay in the hotel, have their dialysis, and use Singapore as a base and travel to the surrounding nations."

Singapore HealthPartners hopes to attract some 400 specialists covering a range of fields.

But ultimately, it wants to establish a reputation in cardiology and oncology - boosted by state-of-the-art facilities.

It believes it is also satisfying a growing need of doctors for more space.

Dr Djeng explained: "There is a huge demand for medical space. There are so many doctors who cannot get a medical suite to practice. If you look at (the situation) now, all the medical suites at (rival group) Parkway, there are three or four doctors sharing one suite. So there's definitely a need for a new hospital, new suites, just to make us catch up with neighbouring countries."

The nearby Farrer Park and Little India train stations will take patients into the city centre within five minutes.

The entire complex is expected to cost about S$350 million, and given rising construction costs, Singapore HealthPartners said it is prepared to pay about 10 to 15 per cent more, just to get the project completed on time.

Medical tourism in Asia is worth an estimated S$106 billion, and many say the pie is big enough for all.

And with its integrated facilities, Singapore HealthPartners is confident it has got the edge over other private healthcare providers in the region. - CNA/ms

fatz2

Up: Subsidised ward charges
By Judith Tan


Subsidised patients in B2- and C-class wards now pay between $1 and $5 more a day. -- TERENCE TAN CS/ THE STRAITS TIMES

SINGAPORE'S public hospitals have raised ward charges in the last two months.

As the government had promised to keep increases small, the hospitals say they have upped their rates judiciously.

Subsidised patients in B2- and C-class wards now pay between $1 and $5 more a day.

This brings the daily charges in C-class wards to between $25 and $29, and those in B2, to between $50 and $61.

Patients in A-class wards bear the biggest increases. The A1-class charges at Singapore General Hospital (SGH), for example, are now between $26.75 and $30 more a day.

The increases at Alexandra Hospital (AH), Changi General Hospital, KK Women's and Children's Hospital and SGH took effect at the beginning of July. Tan Tock Seng Hospital and the National University Hospital (NUH) raised their fees this month.

An NUH spokesman said that the hospital has not escaped inflationary pressures, and periodic reviews of fees were inevitable.

An SGH spokesman said that the hospital had held off increasing ward charges for 14 years until April last year, despite an annual rise in operating expenses.

The hospitals said they had tried to keep costs for patients low by reducing the length of their stay and by bulk-buying drugs and other items.

Price adjustments were the last resort, they said.

All said they would continue to help needy patients through MediFund and other assistance schemes available.

fatz2

Former Hong Wen School building to be turned into boutique hotel
By Hoe Yeen Nie, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 04 September 2008 2252 hrs



SINGAPORE: The Little India district, better known for its budget accommodation offerings, is set to welcome a new boutique hotel by the end of 2009.

The four-storey building once housed the Hong Wen School and later, the Buddhist Welfare Association. It was awarded conservation status in 1989.

While the ornate tiled facade will remain untouched, the interiors will soon be transformed into a 29-room luxury hotel with a themed decor on every floor.

The developers, who are also behind two other conservation boutique hotels in Chinatown, are confident they have got a hit on their hands.

Lok Lik Peng, director, KMC Holdings, said: "Places like Kampong Glam, Little India and Chinatown are historic districts of Singapore. And to me, they are perfect locations for boutique hotels because they tell a story about the cultural history of Singapore." - CNA/vm

fatz2

Sep 8, 2008
Packed hospital ERs
By Judith Tan & Seow Kai Lun


A record 398,167 patients sought treatment at the emergency departments of the country's six public hospitals. -- ST PHOTO: SHAHRIYA YAHAYA

SINGAPORE'S emergency rooms handled a record number of patients during the first half of this year, most of whom suffered from relatively minor ailments such as fevers, sprains and headaches, according to new statistics.

The torrent of non-emergency patients drives up waiting times, say health officials, and has left the Government and hospitals searching for ways to lessen the burden on emergency departments.

A record 398,167 patients sought treatment at the emergency departments of the country's six public hospitals between January and June - a 5 per cent jump over the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Health (MOH). This is the highest tally since 1970.

More than one in two of these patients had non-life-threatening problems that could easily have been treated at a polyclinic or a private doctor's office. The number, however, did drop slightly from that a year earlier.

Patients who spoke to the Straits Times said they opted for emergency room visits instead of a trip to a polyclinic because they believe that:

# Waiting times in emergency departments are generally shorter than those at heavily subsidised polyclinics, which often hit three hours;

# Patients do not need referral letters for things such as X-rays and lab tests;

# Hospitals often have a patient's medical records on hand and

# Hospitals offer better care than polyclinics.

'Singaporeans want one-stop service and convenience,' said a spokesman for Alexandra Hospital.

Mr Yap Yong Quan is one of those who head straight for the emergency department. The 50-year-old said he had been to polyclinics several times but still suffered from giddiness and periodic blackouts.

'I think going to the emergency room is better,' he said.

But health officials say patients like MrYap are contributing to a big squeeze in emergency rooms.

Emergency department numbers have been rising since 2003, when the Sars epidemic hit and people, fearful of catching the disease, stayed away.

The rise also comes as the country's population ages: 8.5 per cent of Singapore's population last year were 65 years and older, up from 7.3 per cent in 2000.

The MOH said relieving the emergency department overload had become 'a constant challenge', one it has been discussing with the public hospitals.

A spokesman told The Straits Times that the solution lay in a mix of developing infrastructure, such as hospital-building, increasing manpower, reviewing hospital operations, emphasising treatment by primary care providers and, if need be, 'right-pricing'.

The crunch is a double whammy for Singapore's emergency rooms. As the country's population gets older, they are seeing an increase in bona fide emergencies.

A Singapore General Hospital spokesman added that patients 'are older and more ill than before'.

This big squeeze is pushing up waiting times. While emergency cases are attended to upon arrival, non-emergency patients typically have to wait half an hour to two hours, 'depending on the patient load at the time', a National University Hospital (NUH) spokesman said.

In 2005, the median waiting time for such patients ranged from 16 minutes at Alexandra Hospital to 54 minutes at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, which has the country's busiest emergency department.

The NUH came up with two initiatives to cut waiting time last year, including posting a senior doctor at the triage counter, where patients are assessed. The move has helped the hospital get a headstart on things such as lab tests, the hospital said.

[email protected]

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When is it an emergency?

Emergency cases

The Health Ministry groups these under Priority Level1 (P1) and P2, which are critical or life-threatening situations. The injury or disease happens suddenly, and needs treatment within the next 24hours.

An emergency patient will have one or more of the following signs:

# Is unconscious;

# Suspected to be suffering from a stroke;

# Has heavy blood loss;

# Has broken bones or head injuries (with vomiting);

# Has a deep wound, such as a stab wound;

# Suspected to be suffering from a heart attack, that is, has chest pains;

# Has difficulty breathing;

# Suffering from severe burns;

# Has a severe allergic reaction to food or medication.


Non-emergency cases

These are categorised under P3 and P4, with the injury or disease not life-threatening, such as:

# All sprains;

# Mild abdominal pain;

# Fever with cough for several days;

# Insect stings or animal bites that are not causing severe stress to the patient;

# Superficial injuries with or without mild bleeding;

# Minor head injury without vomiting;

# Foreign bodies in ear, nose or throat;

# Urinary tract infections;

# Headaches;

# Coughs and colds.

Most of these patients can be seen at polyclinics or by general practitioners.

fatz2

Doctor suspended, fined for professional misconduct
Posted: 10 September 2008 2323 hrs

SINGAPORE : The Singapore Medical Council has suspended a doctor for three months and fined him S$4,000 for failing to exercise due care in his prescription of medication for patients in 2005.

In a statement, it said that general practitioner Dr Shim Phyau Min was convicted of 38 counts of professional misconduct.

Two charges were related to the prescription of hypnotic medication to two patients.

The council said long-term consumption of benzodiazepines may lead to drug dependence, psychomotor impairment, tolerance and depression in patients.

The other charges were for prescribing Subutex, a controlled drug, to 36 patients.

The council said he had also failed in all 38 instances to track the use of the drugs in the patients' records, and did not refer them to a medical specialist or a psychiatrist for further assessment until after the Health Ministry's Clinical Assurance and Audit Branch inspected his clinic. - CNA/ms

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Singapura : 16 September 2008        
       
KADAR BAYARAN BERSAMA MUNGKIN BERUBAH

Sebahagian besar hospital awam terus serap kenaikan kos

Oleh
Nadzri Eunos dan Soraya Salim dan Hisham Hambari

HOSPITAL awam akan terus menyerap sebahagian besar pertambahan kos operasinya akibat kenaikan kadar inflasi.

Namun, Pemerintah tidak akan merubah dasar berkaitan subsidi yang diberikan kepada para pesakit yang memerlukan.

Oleh itu, para pesakit mungkin akan mengalami perubahan pada kadar bayaran bersama (co-payment). Menteri Kesihatan, Encik Khaw Boon Wan, berkata perkara itu tidak dapat dielakkan.

Namun, beliau memberi jaminan bahawa pihak hospital akan terus membantu para pesakit yang menghadapi masalah melunaskan bil hospital mereka.

'Para pesakit boleh terus meminta hospital kelonggaran membayar bil hospital mereka secara ansuran. Kami juga telah menambah peruntukan bagi pembayaran balik Medifund supaya lebih banyak pesakit boleh mendapatkan bantuan kewangan yang diperlukan.

'Kami juga telah menyarankan supaya jawatankuasa-jawatankuasa Medifund lebih fleksibel semasa menilai permohonan daripada pesakit tua untuk mendapatkan bantuan di bawah Medifund-Silver,' kata Encik Khaw.

Katanya, masalah bil hospital tertunggak masih terkawal dengan perangkaan menunjukkan jumlah kes sedemikian tahun ini tidak bertambah berbanding tahun lalu.

Untuk memastikan golongan susah akan mendapat bantuan, Encik Khaw berkata kementeriannya telah menaikkan peruntukan bagi Medifund untuk tahun ini kepada $70 juta berbanding $50 pada tahun lalu.

Encik Khaw memberi jaminan tersebut kepada Dewan semasa menjawab pertanyaan yang diajukan oleh Cik Halimah Yacob (GRC Jurong), yang juga pengerusi Jawatankuasa Parlimen Bagi Kesihatan di Parlimen, semalam.

Menjelaskan sebab di sebalik kenaikan kos operasi hospital tempatan, Encik Khaw berkata ia disebabkan harga tender bagi ubat-ubatan dan bekalan peralatan perubatan lain yang telah meningkat dengan banyak.

Hospital juga, katanya, telah menaikkan kadar gaji sejajar dengan keadaan di pasaran. Di samping itu nisbah kakitangan dengan pesakit juga telah dinaikkan bagi memenuhi permintaan pesakit bagi sesi konsultasi lebih panjang dan masa menunggu lebih singkat.

'Semua ini menaikkan kos operasi hospital-hospital,' jelas Encik Khaw.

Katanya, sistem subsidi Pemerintah - Medisave, Medishield dan Medifund - memastikan perkhidmatan perubatan asas di dalam jangkauan semua rakyat.

fatzcomel

Khoo Teck Puat Hospital opening in 2010 at 40% higher cost
By Joanne Chan, 938LIVE | Posted: 19 September 2008 2022 hrs



SINGAPORE: The new Khoo Teck Puat Hospital in Yishun is on track for opening in 2010 despite a hike in construction costs, says its CEO Liak Teng Lit.

Commenting on the progress, Mr Liak said the structure of the hospital will be completed by the middle of 2009.

Mr Liak said, "The lift shaft has reached level 3, basement is almost completed. So part of the hospital is now at level 1. From now on, every 3 weeks or so we will move up 1 floor. The building completion will be between March to June. Then we have about a year to commission the hospital. You know you have to put the wires, the lights, and everything else."

However, due to rising costs of construction materials, the budget for the hospital has gone up by some 40 per cent.

While this has caused some delays, Mr Liak said the hospital will open on schedule.

"I'm sure all of you know about the steel price, aluminium price, all gone up by 2, 3 hundred percent. All the building materials are imported, so it's really not within our control, not within Singapore's control. It's really a worldwide phenomenon. But no problem, we will still get the hospital done on time," said Mr Liak.

On the hospital's manpower, he said there are already 1,700 people on board, mainly staff from Alexandra Hospital.

Mr Liak hopes to increase this number to about 2,100.

The Khoo Teck Puat Hospital is part of the Alexandra Health group, which currently oversees Alexandra Hospital and the Jurong Medical Centre.

- CNA/yt

fatzcomel

Sep 29, 2008
Hit the polyclinic gym
Centre at Woodlands clinic to be open to patients and residents
By Lee Hui Chieh


The first of its kind here, the gym in the polyclinic in Woodlands Street 31 will be open to both polyclinic patients and anyone else living nearby. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN


Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan trying out a resistance band at the gym. Users will be able to work out and lose weight under the guidance of a fitness instructor. -- ST PHOTOS: NG SOR LUAN


Visitors trying out some of the equipment at the new gym in the reopened Woodlands Polyclinic. The 186-sqm gym is expected to be fully operational by November, and will be open in the evenings - beyond the polyclinic's operating hours - so that office workers will be able to use it. -- ST PHOTOS: NG SOR LUAN

RESIDENTS of Woodlands are getting a new gym in their neighbourhood - in Woodlands Polyclinic.

The first of its kind here, the gym in the polyclinic in Woodlands Street 31 will be open to not just polyclinic patients, but also anyone else living nearby.

For a yet-to-be-fixed subscription rate, gym users will be able to work out, lose weight and keep fit under the guidance of a fitness instructor. A physiotherapist will also be on hand to rehabilitate patients or elderly people with weak muscles or problems walking.

Those with chronic ailments such as diabetes and high blood pressure usually also have weight problems. Such patients have asked polyclinic staff for help with exercise, said Dr Gowri Doraisamy, a consultant family physician who heads the polyclinic.

'Adding this fitness centre complements our services,' she said, adding that the facility is also aimed at encouraging people to exercise regularly to forestall chronic diseases that would require medical attention down the road.

The 186-sqm gym, expected to be fully operational by November, will be open in the evenings, beyond the polyclinic's operating hours, so office workers will be able to use it.

The subscription rate will be 'affordable' and lower than those charged by commercial gyms, Dr Gowri said.

The National Healthcare Group Polyclinics (NHGP), which runs the Woodlands Polyclinic, spent about $100,000 to convert part of the top floor of the three-storey building into the gym. It will spend another sum on equipping and running the gym jointly with commercial gym operator Dynaforce Club.

The gym was showcased yesterday at the official reopening of Woodlands Polyclinic, which has undergone a $4million renovation.

When the works were in progress between last November and January this year, patients went to a temporary clinic in Marsiling Community Club.

The upgraded polyclinic now has handrails along its walls to make it more elderly-friendly.

Retired teacher N. Krishna Samy, 63, a regular at the polyclinic since its opening 15 years ago, noted that improvements over the years have cut waiting time.

Since he began seeing a family physician who specialises in chronic diseases at the polyclinic two years ago for high blood pressure and high cholesterol, each visit has taken an hour instead of three.

Since January, waiting time for him has been shorter by another 15 minutes, now that the polyclinic has been outfitted with a new automated registration system for patients seeing family physicians specialising in chronic diseases.

He is also considering joining the new gym: 'As I'm on the heavy side, I wouldn't mind giving the gym a try but I'll have to see how much it costs first.'

Conveniences for patients aside, technical improvements will also make it better for the medical staff at the NHGP's nine polyclinics, the Woodlands one included.

More than a week ago, the NHGP introduced an electronic nursing record system in its polyclinics, which enables nurses to type their notes from counselling patients into an electronic database.

The notes, previously handwritten in patients' hard-copy case files, will be linked to each patient's electronic medical record in future.

These notes can be retrieved more quickly and are more legible than under the handwritten system, said Ms Doris Liew, the NHGP's director of nursing.

This system will be introduced to hospitals under the NHGP's parent group, the National Healthcare Group, next year.

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