Telemedicine, Whereby People Seek Medical Help Via Video Calls, Will Require License in Mid-2022

By
Zhi Hao
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It seems that everything’s going digital nowadays, what with the likes of online passport renewal services, online lectures and now…

Online medical consultation services, which could be licensable as early as mid-2022.

Telemedicine, Whereby People Seek Medical Help Via Video Calls, Will Require License in Mid-2022

The Ministry of Health (MOH) intends to license telemedicine services next year as part of the forthcoming Healthcare Services Act.

Apparently, the move comes after MOH’s achievement of its objective, which was to acquire better understanding of the telemedicine industry.

In the meantime, the Ministry has released a “voluntary listing of direct telemedicine providers that have agreed to comply with certain measures” in February 2021. The list is said to boast more than 600 telemedicine providers, including public hospitals and clinics.

Healthcare Services Bill

Approved by Parliament in January 2020, the Healthcare Services Bill was supposed to be initiated in three separate phases, stemming from early 2021 to end-2022.

Due to the pandemic, however, the plan ended up being shifted to September this year, whereby it will proceed till March 2023.

The move to license telemedicine services would certainly complement recent changes in the industry, with telemedicine experiencing a prominent rise amidst the pandemic.

In fact, according to the Integrated Health Information Systems (IHiS), 24,227 patients had requested for help through video consultations by October 2020.

The number reached 36,000 by January 2021.

Even public healthcare facilities have been conducting virtual visits, with 125 institutions hosting more than 7,500 video consultations in January alone.

In comparison, only 53 offered such services in January 2021, with just 407 video consultations performed.

However, though more people are accepting telemedicine, some have not been very receptive.

Older folks, for instance, may not be comfortable with the new age of technology, which is of course understandable.

Nevertheless, one can’t deny the benefits of telemedicine, particularly in these two years when clinic visits have become rarer and even feared.

Telemedicine

Despite its convenience, it should be noted that telemedicine is only effective for minor illnesses.

If you’re having anything serious like breathing difficulty or chest pains, you should check yourself in to the nearest hospital immediately.

MOH has warned doctors and told them that even with a disclaimer, they are still responsible for the patient.

They can still be held liable for negligence and misconduct.

If there is something they cannot confirm, they have to request for a meetup to accurately assess the patient’s health.

MOH has also maintained that the utmost priority for Singapore healthcare, including telemedicine, is the patient’s safety.

Featured Image: aslysun / Shutterstock.com

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Zhi Hao
Email: [email protected]