Pay hike alone can't solve doctor shortage

• Clivebenss

  8 Jul 11, 13:04

  Jul 8, 2011 - ST Forum

  I READ with concern Health Minister Gan Kim Yong's announcement that his ministry will review salaries of doctors in an attempt to alleviate attrition of doctors in public hospitals ('MOH to review doctors' pay'; Wednesday).

  While it is important to ensure that physicians are paid a fair wage, we must not resort to only remuneration to address the shortage of public sector health-care professionals. In tandem, we must examine the root cause of this shortage and address its constraints.
• First, we should review the working conditions in public health facilities. Work hours and case load are important factors which contribute to the level of job satisfaction and healthy work-life balance. How do doctors in public hospitals fare on these?
• Second, given the serious constraint in supply, what are our plans on expanding student intake in the local medical schools? Each year, many local students fail to secure a place in our medical schools. Of these, those who can afford it go overseas to pursue their ambitions to be a doctor. Others must take alternative career paths.

  We should ramp up capacity in local universities to capitalise on the strong interest among our youth to pursue medicine as a vocation.

• Finally, as we mull over the shortage of public sector doctors, have we studied the implications of the growth of medical tourism on our local health-care scene?

  As we develop Singapore as a health-care hub for the region and more affluent foreign patients come here for treatment, we must be aware of the squeeze on an already tight labour pool.

  Perhaps we should have in place policies to ensure that the needs of our local community are met before we further expand services to others.

  After all, health care is a core sector for any nation and it is impossible for the average Singaporean to compete with affluent foreigners for scarce services.

  As Singapore ages and chronic ailments become even more prevalent, we will need to ensure a sufficient pool of committed and compassionate doctors to attend to the needs of the elderly.

  If we rely solely on compensation to retain talent in public health, we may inadvertently price out good physician care from the reach of ordinary Singaporeans.

  Dr Paulin Tay Straughan

  FORUM NOTE: The writer is a former Nominated Member of Parliament.