Telemedicine regulations remain valid, no review needed despite MaNaDr case: Ong Ye Kung
Existing rules, coupled with public feedback, enable prompt action against offenders, says minister
THE Ministry of Health (MOH) does not need to review current telemedicine regulations and standards as they remain valid, with enforcement measures proving effective, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said in Parliament on Monday (Nov 11).
Ong was responding to questions from several Members of Parliament on whether MOH would reassess the relevant laws and guidelines, following the intended revocation of MaNaDr Clinic’s licence.
The principles, standards, and requirements outlined under the Healthcare Services Act (HCSA) and Singapore Medical Council (SMC) guidelines continue to apply to telemedicine, despite it being a relatively new business model, Ong said.
In his response, Ong also acknowledged that there is “always a temptation” for authorities to ramp up audits and enforcement actions following misconduct by an errant player, particularly in fields with emerging technologies and business models, such as telemedicine.
However, he cautioned that this approach could hinder the ability to fully leverage the opportunities these new technologies offer.
He added: “So that is why I want to be quite honest with members: I think the current requirements and standards are valid, and our enforcement has been effective.”
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The HCSA governs Singapore’s telemedicine landscape, while the SMC – a statutory board under MOH – regulates doctors’ conduct and ethics.
However, such regulatory frameworks cannot eradicate all offenders, Ong said.
“Instead, it ensures that when practices have gone astray – especially with the advent of new technology and business models – they can be corrected promptly. And this is exactly what happened with the MaNaDr case,” he added.
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On Oct 24, MOH announced its intention to revoke MaNaDr’s licence, citing the clinic’s failure to deliver outpatient services in a clinically and ethically appropriate manner.
Investigations had revealed that MaNaDr conducted teleconsultations lasting as briefly as one minute, often followed by the issuance of medical certificates.
Ong noted that the regulatory action followed public complaints: “The public are our eyes and ears, and when they see something is wrong, they will usually whistle-blow and let us know.
“And when you see a pattern of complaints, we will take action quite promptly, which is what happened in this case.”
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