Expand drug subsidy scheme to make Healthier SG initiative more attractive, say GPs and patients

Family doctors whom TODAY spoke also said that they will need to increase their resources to cope with the influx of new patients hoping to enrol at their clinics.

“There have been many additions made to the list over the years, including allergic rhinitis which was added recently. But there are still a lot of conditions that are chronic that are not in the list. For example, thyroid disorders...it's not on the list,” he said. “If Healthier SG gives more incentives in the form of deeper discounts to the public, I am confident that more people will increasingly turn to GPs for closer care and better outcomes,” she said.

“There will definitely be changes to the business models of GPs, depending on the case mix that they are currently seeing," he said, pointing out that most GPs already have a steady stream of regular patients to see. Dr Viknesh Shanmugam from Medstar Medical Clinic & Surgery at Serangoon Road said: “Ultimately GPs need to stay afloat with rising costs of medications and this will go a small way to helping us stay afloat as most GPs try their best not to transfer the rising costs to their patients.

Some patients who usually visit polyclinics for their healthcare needs said they were open to making the switch to a private clinic.

Source: Healthcare Press (healthcarepress.net)

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