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Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling
MP for Fengshan
Question No. 972
To ask the Minister for Health in light of efforts to encourage Singaporeans to seek primary healthcare services at polyclinics and family clinics (a) what is the current proportion of patients visiting general practitioners (GPs) within their neighbourhood or their family doctors; and (b) what has been the referral rate of cases from GPs to specialists.
Oral Reply
1 In 2015, the number of primary care visits totalled 7.3 million, based on our records which cover polyclinic and CHAS GP visits. Non-CHAS visits to GPs are not included as MOH does not routinely collect such data from GPs. Of the patients included in our records, 82% visited polyclinics and 36% visited GP clinics. Some among them visited both polyclinics and GPs.
2 Referrals from polyclinics and GPs make up 32% and 7% respectively of new attendances at our SOCs. The rest include hospital referrals and walk-ins.
3 MOH has introduced initiatives to anchor the care of patients in the primary care setting. We enhanced the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) and Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP) to make care in the community more affordable. We also provided GPs better access to support services, such as diabetic eye and foot screening, through the Community Health Centres (CHCs).
4 In addition, we have introduced standardised management and referral protocols between polyclinics and SOCs, starting with high volume conditions in the areas of Orthopaedics, Gastroenterology, and Cardiology. The early results are encouraging. On Cardiology, for example, preliminary findings showed that about 57% of heart patients who previously would have been referred to specialists can be safely managed mainly in the primary care setting.
5 MOH will continue with efforts to strengthen primary care, and to anchor the care of more patients, especially those with chronic conditions, in the primary care setting.