Hard to 'stick to regular doc' at govt clinics

Hard to 'stick to regular doc' at govt clinics
PHOTO: Hard to 'stick to regular doc' at govt clinics

Government doctors tend to the majority of subsidised patients, so the Health Promotion Board should target government specialist clinics before it advises patients to stick to a regular general practitioner ("Stick to a regular doctor, urges Health Promotion Board").

Subsidised patients are often not seen by the same doctor for follow-up treatments.

Elderly patients going for follow-ups at polyclinics face the same predicament.

It is critical for government specialist clinics to assign the same doctor to subsidised patients because their conditions may be chronic and life-threatening, which was why they were referred in the first place.

The authorities should implement guidelines for government clinics to try to accede to subsidised patients' requests for the same doctor, depending on the nature and seriousness of their conditions.

Letter from Francis Cheng


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