The repetitions were:
1. No need for pharmacist to check for possible mistake.
2. There are not enough pharmacist in Klang Valley to run a trial.

Definitive conclusion can only be obtained from actual trial run. Was scheduled to be done in 2008 but some people vigorously objected to it being done.

So no conclusion. Just speculation.

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Added on January 6, 2009, 8:36 amDoctor to population ratio.

The lowest is Malawi at 1:50,000
The highest is......Turkmenistan at 1:150

http://www.economist.com/daily/chartgaller...e=features_box4

This post has been edited by Optiplex330: Jan 6 2009, 08:36 AM

What do you expect? He is a 3rd world doctor with 3rd world mentality working in a 3rd world country serving 3rd world patient who, together with the 3rd world doctor, wanted to forever remain in the 3rd world. As I said, that is because life is cheap in the 3rd world.

In 1st world country, I don't think I ever come across this argument on who should prescribe and who should dispense. Only in 3rd world Malaysia.

Pharmacist wants sole dispensing right. Hypermax here wants sole prescribing and sole dispensing right. Should both profession get rid of the 'sole' word?

What do you mean by centralized health care system? Like those in UK or Aust or USA?

9,440 doctors vs 3,321 pharmacists in the private practice, a ratio of 2.84. Plenty of pharmacist to take care of prescription.


Local docs to face foreign challenge
By FOONG PEK YEE

KUALA LUMPUR: Local medical professionals have to compete with their foreign counterparts when the services sector under the Asean Free Trade Area (Afta) is opened up by end of the year.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said at least 70% of the equity will be opened to foreign participation by the period.

This would lead to an increase of foreign professionals, particularly from disciplines which were in demand, those not available locally or facing a shortage, he said.

“The locals will have a choice of seeking treatment locally instead of having to go overseas.

“This is also a boost for medical tourism as foreigners will be attracted by good services and affordable rates in Malaysa,” Liow said in an interview.

Liow however said that the foreign professionals must be registered with the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC).

Malaysia has 23,738 doctors, 3,165 dentists and 4,571 pharmacists. They include 9,440 doctors, 1,625 dentists and 3,321 pharmacists in the private practice who may be directly affected by the move.

Admitting that local professionals were initially quite hesitant in accepting the move, Liow said his ministry, via several briefings with them, managed to convince them that the move was inevitable and that they (local professionals) should be ready and able to compete with their foreign counterparts.

“Like many other countries in the world, Malaysia is gearing up to make medical tourism more attractive to foreigners.

“There are also a lot of requests from foreigners, many whom are Japanese and Koreans and residing in Malaysia, for treatment by doctors or specialists from their country,” Liow said.

Economic crunch hits docs and patients
By FOONG PEK YEE

pekyee@thestar.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: The economic slowdown is biting hard even in the medical profession, causing keen competition in government clinics, with private practitioners also scrambling to get a share of overtime payments.

Several government clinics are now operating much longer, up to 9.30pm daily, with doctors manning them paid RM80 an hour in overtime payments.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, who acknowledged the keen competition going on between government and private doctors for overtime payments, said:

“Many doctors, irrespective of whether they are in the government or private sector, are very keen to earn extra income these days.”

Liow said that to cater to the increasing number of patients seeking treatment at government clinics, the number of clinics providing outpatient treatment would be increased from 16 to 31 soon.

Besides these clinics, he said 59 hospitals were also providing similar treatment after office hours.

Patients pay RM1 each for outpatient treatment at government clinics, which record more than 50 million such visits annually.

With private practitioners charging at least RM15 per visit and with the economic slowdown causing people to tighten their belts, more and more patients are heading to government clinics.

“With more people seeking treatment at government clinics, opening up more such clinics between 5pm and 9.30pm will make it more accessible, especially for those who are working,’’ Liow said in an interview.

The minister said he had received feedback from private doctors on poor business in their clinics due to the economic slowdown.

On allegations that government doctors were being favoured over private practitioners to work overtime in the government clinics, he said:

“The faster approval for government doctors could be due to the fact that their credentials are readily available for checking.”

“As for the private doctors, it may take longer to verify them,’’ he said, adding that all doctors applied for the overtime online.

---

Added on April 21, 2009, 8:24 amAnother reason for Check & Balance?

Medical chits going for as low as RM10 each
Tuesday, 21 April 2009 03:24am
©The Sun (Used by permission)
Kong See Hoh

KUALA LUMPUR (April 20, 2009) : Sick of work? You can buy a medical chit for as low as RM10 if you are in the know.

According to a report in Nanyang Siang Pau today, MC chits can easily be bought from clinics.

In a random survey last month on 18 clinics in Petaling Jaya, Brickfields, Pudu, Kampung Baru, Kepong and Jalan Chow Kit by the daily's reporters who were disguised as students, two were found to be selling MC chits without consultation for RM10 and RM25 respectively.

Another two required the "students" to see the doctors before they were issued the chits.

However, most of clinics do not engage in the sale of MC chits and some stressed that they would not issue the chit on request unless it is deemed necessary.

On March 15, a Nanyang reporter posing as a student approached a clinic in Kepong and asked if she could obtain an MC for a fee. "Yes" came the reply from the counter staff who asked for her MyKad.

The staff was careful, lowered her voice and asked the reporter to follow her to the consultation room where a male doctor was in attendance.

Doc: Where do you live?

Reporter: PJ

Doc: Where do you work?

Reporter: I am still studying

Doc: What sickness do you want me to write down?

Reporter: er ... fever.

Doc: OK. Remember not to come back within two months (for MC chit).

Reporter: OK, thanks.

In another clinic in Kuala Lumpur the next day, the reporter told a nurse at the counter she wanted to buy an MC.

The nurse was initially suspicious but dropped her guard when the reporter said her friend had recommended the particular clinic.

The reporter, again claiming to be a student, obtained the chit in five minutes without seeing the doctor.

Reporter: I want to buy an MC.

Nurse (laughing): Where do you work?

Reporter: I am a student.

Nurse: How do you know this place (has medical chits for sale)?

Reporter: A friend recommended.

Nurse: Why do you need an MC?

Reporter: Personal reasons.

Nurse (taking out some pills): I'll write down fever and give you some Panadol.

Reporter: Can I have vitamins? I don't want painkillers.

Nurse: OK. But (vitamins) in liquid form, more convenient to give the pills.

Reporter: Can I take the (Panadol) pills if I have headache in the future?

Nurse: Yes. Because you are a student, I charge you RM25. But for those who are working, I charge RM28.

Reporter: Wow, so expensive?

Nurse: It is cheap already.

Cases like these are believed to be repeated daily in many other clinics due to the demand for MC chits.

The question of ethics aside, the rampant sale of MC chits will have an impact on companies in terms of performance and medical costs incurred by the errant employees.

Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) president Omar Osman wants the government to take a serious view of the sale of medical chits saying the practice not only affects the good name of the medical fraternity but also the performance of individuals and the competitiveness of their companies.

Malaysian Medical Association president Datuk Dr Khoo Kah Lin said the association is conducting internal investigations into incidence of sale of MC chits and will take action against errant doctors once it obtains proof of such irregularities.

The association has indeed received complaints from some employers, he said, adding that it will not ignore the problem.

This post has been edited by Optiplex330: Apr 21 2009, 08:24 AM