3/13/2007

money or quality patient care

Reward for patient care or chalking up revenue This is the latest debate involving Wei Ling and Dr Ranjiv Sivanandan. Ranjiv's point is that in restructured hospitals, doctors and departments are rewarded based on the number of private patients treated. This underlines the whole Singapore ethos of existence, from state, organisations and people. Money is the only reason and the only reason that can justify work and achievements. Wei Ling came out strongly against this impression. And she quoted her department , NNI, as a living example of patient care first, quality care comes first. Bringing in money is not a criteria for performance appraisal. She knew what she was saying. That was her department and that was where she called the shot and set the ethos. The sick are very fortunate to have some of these special individuals who are passionate in what they do, without having to bother with how much they earned or how their rice bowl will be affected. Unfortunately, NNI is probably an isolated case. Will there be another hospital heads who will stand up to say they too are doing the same? Probably not, and Ranjiv's case still stands. We need mavericks, people who are high achievers, confident and secure, to stand up to the weight of bureaucracy to do what is right and not what the bureaucracy wants them to do, or they will have to face the stick.

6 comments:

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

I must add that Prof Tan Ser Kiat of SGH also came out to defend their position that patient care is their main objective. He also defended those doctors who remained in public service to serve rather than to enrich themselves. Good Lord, there are still good people around who are prepared to earn less and remain in public service than to fleece their patients.

Anonymous said...

In the long run, public healthcare will be the death of us all.

Privatise, or die lah!

The good Prof ought to reconsider his socialist sentiments and read It's My Life! A Doctor Has a Right to His Own Life

Doctors and nurses in the private sector have LIVES as well as FAMILIES to feed—children to educate, and they are also ENTITLED to enjoy the fruits of their labour.

It's seems to be "hip" and "moral" to consider "patient care" as the ??main?? objective.

Who then, will spend a moment to consider the WELFARE of the care-givers—the valiant doctors and nurses?

Bloody socialists—all they do is think about "sacrificing"—which is fine as long as they keep it to themselves.

Unfortunately, they don't!

Stinks of dishonesty, IMO.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

i don't think the doctors are socialists. i have met several who are still very noble in their aspirations. they have the urge or calling to want to serve in the capacity of a doctor, to help humanity.

but of course we need to pay them well or at least reasonably. anyone, or doctor earning $200k annually cannot be said to be suffering. i think most of our specialist doctors would earn more than that.

only the greedy would want to earn millions and millions and still complain not enough. up to a point, money becomes meaningless when one has too much.

there are people who don't place so much emphasis on appearing in forbes list. and at $200k and above annually, one can lead a very decent lifestyle without being extravagant. and i believe there are some souls who will be contented to do what they are happy doing and would not care a dime if they are not getting their $100k increment or bonus.

Anonymous said...

Eh, Jo tell me HOW are you going to make money ethically, morally and legally without "serving humanity".

Honestly, lah, you have a strange way about looking at the world, and especially upon you fellow man.

Even the hawker serves humanity. So does the garbage collector. All honest work is noble and honourable. Just because one has a fancy degree doesn't give anyone "extra" rights to claim that they are "more important" than someone else.

The people who fuck humanity are the politicians and their connected "mates".

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

too many of brutal truths in one go can be very uncomfortable.

Ⓜatilah $ingapura⚠️ said...

What's "brutal" about truth? It is the thing which sets us all free! Free from delusions! Hooray!

Everyone is "special", this is true. Some people claim they are more "special" than others—it is true that some people do this, however what they claim is NOT true in the broad context.

Everyone has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as part of Nature's Law. However no one has the right TO happiness at the expense of another.

You feel better now? :)