Graduated subvention system for A&E Patients

22 November 2011

Question No. 31

Name of person: Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef

Question

To ask the Minister for Health whether the Ministry will consider a graduated subvention system for restructured hospitals' Emergency Department patients based on the Patient Acuity category scale instead of the current flat subvention system.

Answer by: Mr Gan Kim Yong

The Ministry’s key consideration in funding the restructured hospitals’ Emergency Departments (EDs) is to provide affordable and quality emergency services for the population.

Given the fast turnover of patients within the ED, we have adopted the approach of funding ED services on an aggregate basis, which takes into account the mix of patients seen.

The Ministry will continue to work with the hospitals to monitor the acuity status of ED patients and will adjust the funding appropriately.