It’s now confirmed: today (20 December), the Ministry of Health (MOH) revoked the licence of MaNaDr Clinic, citing significant breaches of ethical and clinical standards.
The revocation affects the clinic’s operations at its City Gate premises at 371 Beach Road, temporary locations such as patients’ residences, and teleconsultation services.
Now, if you’re still new to this saga, here’s a recap: in August 2024, MOH directed MaNaDr Clinic to suspend its outpatient telemedicine services due to concerns over extremely brief teleconsultations—some lasting as little as one second—and the issuance of multiple medical certificates (MCs) to the same patients within short timeframes.
Subsequently, in October 2024, MOH announced its intention to revoke MaNaDr Clinic’s licence for all outpatient medical services, citing an entrenched culture of disregard for clinical and ethical standards; concurrently, 41 doctors associated with the clinic were referred to the Singapore Medical Council for potential professional misconduct.
And today, they’ve proceeded to revoke their licence.
MOH Revokes Licence of MaNaDr Clinic, Which Has 100,000 Teleconsultations in a Month
In a media release, MOH revealed some findings, noting that during a sampled month, more than 100,000 teleconsultations were conducted, with many lasting a minute or less.
The shortest consultation recorded was a mere one second.
Yes, one second: even ChatGPT won’t be able to write a report within that timeframe.
“The prevalence of such inappropriate practices suggests a lack of effective internal oversight, controls, and governance to ensure that outpatient medical services are consistently provided in a clinically and ethically appropriate manner by all its doctors,” MOH stated.
As a result of the licence revocation, the clinic will no longer participate in government healthcare initiatives, including the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS), MediSave, and Healthier SG. MOH has advised affected patients to seek care at other nearby CHAS, MediSave, or Healthier SG clinics.
New Accountability Measures for Medical Certificates
The revocation coincides with MOH’s introduction of stricter regulations regarding medical certificates (MCs).
If you’re reading this for the first time, watch this to the end:
Since 14 October, all MCs must include the name and registration number of the issuing medical or dental practitioner.
MOH emphasised that this regulation aims to enhance accountability and transparency. It aligns with the Singapore Medical Council’s Ethical Code and Guidelines, which stipulate that MCs carry professional and legal responsibilities.
For electronically issued MCs, where signatures may not be required, practitioners’ names and registration numbers must still be included.
Earlier this year, MOH conducted a feedback exercise on this regulation and reported no objections.
The ministry has also announced plans for random audits of MC issuances, warning that non-compliance could lead to enforcement actions such as financial penalties, licence modifications, or even suspensions.
Here’s a simplified summary of the South Korea martial law that even a 5-year-old would understand:
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