Significance of the loss of Pharmaceutical Svc in Spore
posted by Materia Medica at
1:31 PM
|
4 comments
Friday, April 07, 2006
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Moving on
New Links
Some links for exploration on the right. =)
*
On begin practice as one
Most of class 2005 would have graduated from pre reg training at our respective institutions, and would be holding our own licences by now.
As cliche as it may sound, time flew by pretty fast. It was orientation at NUS, then entrance to pre reg training, then its exit...
Whatever one's endeavours may be, all d best. =)
Some links for exploration on the right. =)
*
On begin practice as one
Most of class 2005 would have graduated from pre reg training at our respective institutions, and would be holding our own licences by now.
As cliche as it may sound, time flew by pretty fast. It was orientation at NUS, then entrance to pre reg training, then its exit...
Whatever one's endeavours may be, all d best. =)
posted by Materia Medica at
6:10 PM
|
0 comments
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
STs Forum
Patients won't get cheaper medicine unless they have an alternative
I refer to the letter "Itemise medical bills to show the costs" (ST, March 4) from Dr Camilla Wong, president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore.
She suggests that "greater bill transparency is also needed. Medical bills should be broken down into individual components. Every service or item provided has a market price attached to it and itemised billing can clarify how the overall bill is arrived at to avoid ambiguity."
I believe some clinics already list out individual services/items in their bills. Unfortunately, we know the so-called market prices of such medical services/items are either set by the doctor or his medical association. They are hardly subject to the patient's opinion.
Besides, the price difference between one doctor and another is really insignificant. For instance, one doctor charges $22 for consultation while another $25. Both charges are still expensive, given that the cost of medicine has yet to be factored in.
Given these predetermined standard costs, the option of having a discussion on costs before consultation starts will only serve a cosmetic purpose.
Dr Wong also says "pharmacists are drug experts and they can source and recommend cost-effective alternatives to a more expensive brand" and concludes that "this will reduce significantly the health-care bill on the medication component."
I do not follow her reasoning. Yes I agree that pharmacists are drug experts but since medicine are currently dispensed by clinics where pharmacists are nowhere to be seen, how will they be able to recommend, let alone offer, cost-effective alternative medicine?
Don't all these confusing statements show that consumers are in a fix while the pharmacists are not being fully enlisted in our society to help them understand, source and then avail them of effective and cheaper medicine?
If pharmacists are allowed to dispense prescriptive medicine in pharmacies, as is practised in the UK, Canada and other medically-advanced countries, then I have hope that medical costs can be lowered.
Chia Hern Keng
I refer to the letter "Itemise medical bills to show the costs" (ST, March 4) from Dr Camilla Wong, president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore.
She suggests that "greater bill transparency is also needed. Medical bills should be broken down into individual components. Every service or item provided has a market price attached to it and itemised billing can clarify how the overall bill is arrived at to avoid ambiguity."
I believe some clinics already list out individual services/items in their bills. Unfortunately, we know the so-called market prices of such medical services/items are either set by the doctor or his medical association. They are hardly subject to the patient's opinion.
Besides, the price difference between one doctor and another is really insignificant. For instance, one doctor charges $22 for consultation while another $25. Both charges are still expensive, given that the cost of medicine has yet to be factored in.
Given these predetermined standard costs, the option of having a discussion on costs before consultation starts will only serve a cosmetic purpose.
Dr Wong also says "pharmacists are drug experts and they can source and recommend cost-effective alternatives to a more expensive brand" and concludes that "this will reduce significantly the health-care bill on the medication component."
I do not follow her reasoning. Yes I agree that pharmacists are drug experts but since medicine are currently dispensed by clinics where pharmacists are nowhere to be seen, how will they be able to recommend, let alone offer, cost-effective alternative medicine?
Don't all these confusing statements show that consumers are in a fix while the pharmacists are not being fully enlisted in our society to help them understand, source and then avail them of effective and cheaper medicine?
If pharmacists are allowed to dispense prescriptive medicine in pharmacies, as is practised in the UK, Canada and other medically-advanced countries, then I have hope that medical costs can be lowered.
Chia Hern Keng
posted by Materia Medica at
6:28 PM
|
6 comments
