Letter to the Editor | Patients must visit the clinic to get MC, not via teleconsultation

Dear Editor,

I read with concern about The Independent Singapore’s featured news: Employer draws flak for flagging workers getting telemedicine MCs as potential abuse (May 17) and Improper, excessive issuance of MCs by doctors causes MOH to tighten rules (May 15).

The specific employer or human resources specialist expressed a valid concern about the effectiveness or appropriateness of medical examinations conducted via teleconsultation.

Many might argue or doubt how a medical doctor effectively examines a potential patient’s physical and mental health conditions, especially in an era of advanced technology where AI can be artificially induced and manipulated by human beings.

Under any normal circumstances, a potential patient should appear or walk in personally to a clinic for medical consultation or treatment.

If, or even a potential patient is in an emergency, bedridden and suffering serious illness or chronic condition, such as sudden stroke, heart attack issue, or profound bleeding due to injury, he/she should be immediately sent/taken to a hospital which is located closer to the residence of the specific patient.

Hence, the instances of improper, excessive issuance of MCs by doctors have raised the alarm and caused the MOH to tighten the rules.

Teo Kueh Liang

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of The Independent Singapore

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