Reaching Out To Address Public's Concerns On Healthcare Costs

25 Sep 2001

Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Health), Mr Chan Soo Sen, is leading a series of community reach-out efforts to address to public's concerns on rising healthcare costs and correct common misconceptions. He is doing so through a series of seven briefing sessions with grassroot leaders in the next two months. The first session will be held today with the Central Singapore CDC.

Involving some 200 grassroots leaders, the session also provided an opportunity for the Ministry to gather public feedback on various health issues. The second session on 26th September will involve a similar number of grassroots leaders in the Tanjong Pagar CDC. Five other sessions have been scheduled involving the other CDCs and would take place in October. In all, the Ministry hopes to reach out to at least 1,000 grassroot leaders in this initial reach-out effort. Said Mr Chan Soo Sen, "Grassroots leaders have close contacts with the people. They meet residents who need to know how to get affordable medical care, and how to seek financial help for medical treatment. They also have valuable feedback from residents. It is important that Ministry of Health and the grassroots leaders have good mutual understanding and communications."

Public Education and Awareness

Continuing our public education, the Ministry of Health has published a second brochure entitled "Continuing Care after Hospitalisation". It complements the first brochure, "Ten Tips to stretch your health dollar" to inform Singaporeans of the choices available to them to keep healthcare costs affordable.

The second brochure focuses on continuing care after being discharged from the hospitals. There is a range of facilities available to suit various needs and financial ability. The brochure explains the following:

treatments available for patients who require further follow-up after discharge

various facilities that are available for discharged patients such as community hospitals, nursing homes, day care centre and home care services

who they can contact for assistance, e.g. Integrated Care Service

help available for homebound patients

information on fees for various rehabilitative services

This brochure will be distributed to all Community Centres, Residential Committees, Community Development Centres, CPFB Branch Offices as well as all public medical institutions.

In addition, MOH will also be producing a poster based on the "Ten Tips" brochure. This poster is meant for public display at notice boards in HDB void decks and RC and CC notice boards. The public can also get the information on these brochures in the MOH website at www.moh.gov.sg. Public can also call the CDC Hotline at 1-800-344-1234 for queries on the "Ten Tips" brochure. For queries on financial assistance for rehabilitative services or long term care, they can call MOH at 325 9052.

Through this integrated public education approach, the Ministry of Health aims to reach out to all Singaporeans and to raise public awareness of how healthcare costs will remain affordable, and how the government can help those who are unable to pay.