Decision-maker and Responsibility for Patient Undergoing Course of TCM and Mainstream Healthcare Treatments

Ms Joan Pereira asked the Minister for Health in view of the Ministry's plan to incorporate Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) into public clinics and hospitals, in the event a patient's condition does not improve or worsens while undergoing a course combining both TCM and mainstream healthcare treatments, which doctor in charge will make the decisions for the patient and who will bear the responsibility for the patient’s outcome.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: The integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) into our hospitals will need to be evidence-based and carried out cautiously and progressively. Today, the only acupuncture service offered as a mainstream treatment in our public hospitals is in the area of lower back and neck pain management, and how it was done offers a clear indication on the approach moving forward.

To start with, there is clear evidence supporting its efficacy. Further, there are clear protocols, with the roles and responsibilities of both mainstream healthcare providers and TCM providers well-defined. For example, the patient must be first assessed by the medical specialists and a referral made for acupuncture treatment for lower back and neck pain. After a course of acupuncture treatment, patients have to be reassessed by the referring medical specialists who will decide whether to have another course of acupuncture treatment or discontinue the treatment.

We expect further TCM treatments that will be incorporated into public health institutions to undergo a similar approach and process rigour.