WAITING TIME AT RESTRUCTURED HOSPITALS

WAITING TIME AT RESTRUCTURED HOSPITALS

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(Specialists consultations): **

28.

Dr Lam Pin Min asked the Minister for Health what are the waiting times for a new consultation with specialists at the restructured hospitals for the various major medical disciplines, for both subsidised and private patients.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: Patients requiring a new medical consultation belong to one of three categories.

First, those who require immediate attention typically present themselves at the hospital Emergency Department. They are attended to immediately by the relevant specialists. There is no waiting time.

Second, those who are suspected of a serious illness, such as cancer or severe heart condition, require specialist medical attention as soon as possible. There is an arrangement between polyclinics and hospitals to fast-track their appointments with the specialists. Currently, the median waiting time for such private patients is within a week. For

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subsidised cancer patients, it is within two weeks. For subsidised cardiology patients, it is within four weeks. While this is acceptable, we will try to reduce it further.

Finally, patients whose conditions are not urgent but who may benefit from a specialist consultation. Overall, the median waiting time for this category of patients is within one week for private patients and within four weeks for subsidised patients. This is so for most specialties including, for example, general surgery, ophthalmology and orthopaedic surgery.

However, for some specialties like dermatology, gastroenterology and renal medicine, the median waiting times for subsidised patients exceed six weeks and will cause such patients unnecessary anxiety. We have been stepping up specialist training in order to meet the rising demand.

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