Medical reports go online

NST: The Transport Ministry will soon announce a new online system to curb the forging of medical reports by lorry drivers.
It is understood the ministry and developers of the system are at the last stages of discussions.
The system will link the Road Transport Department with clinics throughout the country which will send the drivers’ medical reports directly to the RTD.
"A fee will be charged, and the Government will announce the fee structure and type of system soon," said RTD director-general Datuk Emran Kadir.
Emran said the new system would be foolproof and would end the forging of medical reports by touts that had been going on for years.
Goods driving licence holders are required to undergo a medical check-up every year. These check-ups are done at private clinics.
However, a short cut is available in the form of touts, who can "certify" patients for a fee.
While the system is expected to standardise the medical certification process, it is being met with a lukewarm response from medical practitioners.
Primary Care Doctors Organisation Malaysia president Dr Molly Cheah said doctors had been excluded from the development process.
"The Science and Technology Ministry had told us to develop our online system in 2001.
"There were 50 doctors involved and we were given RM1 million to develop the software," she said.
After a year of research, it came up with a system which it called the Primary Care system, which can send medical details of the drivers directly to the RTD. She said doctors would meet Emran to discuss the type of system the department would implement.
Meanwhile, MP for Jerai Badruddin Amiruldin said the new system should not put a strain on lorry drivers, who are mostly from the lower-income group, and the fee should be affordable.
He hoped the Government would introduce a fee structure that these people could afford.