No clean bill of health

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: Some private doctors are registered based on the original regulations of the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act.
The requirements include having to produce original qualification certificates and two referees, said Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) president Datuk Dr Teoh Siang Chin.
Since the MMA had brought up their grouses on the regulations to the Health Ministry, the Government made some concessions. While an annual practising certificate is required, the professional qualification certificate is not necessary and referees are no longer needed.
“We are concerned that when the Act is enforced, officers would carry out their duties based on the original regulations and not on the latest agreement,” said Dr Teoh during the two-day Private Hospital Private Healthcare Institution Administration in Malaysia conference which ended yesterday.
“The Health Ministry had in the past trained doctors, health inspectors and paramedics on the legal aspects of implementation but these people were trained based on the published regulations,” he said.
“In this one year, we had to work out what the changes are. The different medical disciplines have to come together and present the views together,” Dr Teoh said.
Lawyer Darryl Goon said the regulations should be amended and made clear.
A coordinated effort between various private medical bodies was needed to examine the regulations in detail, he said.
Consultant surgeon Dr Robert Jalleh said doctors did not have a problem with the legislation but the regulations need further refinement.
He pointed out that the law did not define managed care organisations (MCOs) nor regulate it.
During the conference, Dr Teoh said considerations for those who want to do part-time practice without full facilities should be allowed for “cough and cold” cases.
“There is a retired doctor in Sabah who runs a RM5-for-the-poor service but she now wants to close down her clinic due to the difficulties she will have with the Act. This will deprive the public of low-cost medical care,” he said.