Lowering of drug costs under PCPS mulled
By Kai Fong | Yahoo! Newsroom – 46 minutes ago- Health Minister Gan Kim Yong reveals in his latest blog entry that the MOH is considering lowering the cost of drugs provided by GPs for patients under the PCPS. (AFP file photo)
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Lowering of drug costs under PCPS mulled
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The Ministry of Health (MOH) is considering lowering the cost of drugs provided by general practitioners (GPs) for patients under the Primary Care Partnership Scheme (PCPS).
Revealing this in his latest entry on the ministry’s blog Health Matters, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong wrote that several GPs had shared with him that the much cheaper drugs provided by polyclinics and public hospitals are preventing patients from seeking care at GP clinics.
“We are exploring possible solutions, including lowering the cost of drugs provided by GPs for patients under the Primary CarePartnership Scheme,” he said. Under the PCPS, the government engages private GPs and dentists to provide common outpatient medical and dental treatment to the needy elderly and/or disabled at subsidised charges.
Gan met up with over 300 GPs at a primary care seminar in October as well as at separate engagement sessions hosted by public hospitals this year.
In the entry, he highlighted during those meetings three new ideas on how the MOH can better partner with GPs to enhance primary care.
Of the three ideas, he said that the setting up of Community Health Centres (CHCs), which will be especially beneficial to older Singaporeans with chronic illnesses, received the strongest and broadest support from the GP community.
“Some suggested that CHCs can provide administrative support, such as claims and data submissions, and relieve the doctors from such chores to focus more on patient care,” Gan wrote.
Another suggestion relating to CHCs was to include a pharmacy within the centres for the convenience of patients.
A second proposal currently in preliminary discussions was about bringing together private sectors doctors, nurses and allied health professionals to create Family Medicine Clinics (FMCs) in the community.
Gan wrote that reaction to this idea was “more mixed” as some GPs were either “concerned about the possible competition FMCs may pose to them” or had “reservations over team-based care”.
Lastly, MOH is also exploring the provision of specialist services in Medical Centres (MCs) sited within the community to “co-manage patients with more complex but stable conditions”.
“Singaporeans will also find this more convenient compared to going to hospital Specialist Outpatient Clinics,” Gan added.
Revealing this in his latest entry on the ministry’s blog Health Matters, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong wrote that several GPs had shared with him that the much cheaper drugs provided by polyclinics and public hospitals are preventing patients from seeking care at GP clinics.
“We are exploring possible solutions, including lowering the cost of drugs provided by GPs for patients under the Primary CarePartnership Scheme,” he said. Under the PCPS, the government engages private GPs and dentists to provide common outpatient medical and dental treatment to the needy elderly and/or disabled at subsidised charges.
Gan met up with over 300 GPs at a primary care seminar in October as well as at separate engagement sessions hosted by public hospitals this year.
In the entry, he highlighted during those meetings three new ideas on how the MOH can better partner with GPs to enhance primary care.
Of the three ideas, he said that the setting up of Community Health Centres (CHCs), which will be especially beneficial to older Singaporeans with chronic illnesses, received the strongest and broadest support from the GP community.
“Some suggested that CHCs can provide administrative support, such as claims and data submissions, and relieve the doctors from such chores to focus more on patient care,” Gan wrote.
Another suggestion relating to CHCs was to include a pharmacy within the centres for the convenience of patients.
A second proposal currently in preliminary discussions was about bringing together private sectors doctors, nurses and allied health professionals to create Family Medicine Clinics (FMCs) in the community.
Gan wrote that reaction to this idea was “more mixed” as some GPs were either “concerned about the possible competition FMCs may pose to them” or had “reservations over team-based care”.
Lastly, MOH is also exploring the provision of specialist services in Medical Centres (MCs) sited within the community to “co-manage patients with more complex but stable conditions”.
“Singaporeans will also find this more convenient compared to going to hospital Specialist Outpatient Clinics,” Gan added.
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