Singapore should mandate a five-minute minimum for first-time telemedicine consultations after patient safety and care were put in the spotlight with the possible revocation of a local clinic's licence due to unethical practice.
Shin Thant Aung, director at management consulting firm YCP's Thailand office, said five minutes aligns with the average length of face-to-face consultations and should be enough for an accurate diagnosis.
For second or third-time consultations via telemedicine, the minimum duration could go down to three minutes, he added.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) In 2024 said it would revoke the licence of MaNaDr Clinic Pte Ltd for failing to provide outpatient medical services in a clinically and ethically appropriate manner. The agency probed the clinic for its short teleconsultations, with some lasting less than a minute.
It also said it would refer 41 doctors who conducted teleconsultations for MaNaDr to the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) for possible professional misconduct.
Issuing medical certificates
Beyond the issue of consultation duration, Shin said the MaNaDr case exposed flaws in the issuance of medical certificates by telemedicine providers, adding that there should be “very strict control” over it.
This story is from the Issue 110 edition of Singapore Business Review.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Issue 110 edition of Singapore Business Review.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
All you need is one 'hero' TikTok product
Brands can boost their gross merchandise value with just one best-selling SKU.
Retailers urged to adopt 2D barcodes
The machine-readable symbol gives consumers detailed product info at the point of sale
SingPost brings service closer to commuters
It plans to expand its service touch points.
Xiaohongshu, Taobao could help Singapore brands reach more Chinese clients
Retailers less familiar with the China market could start with Tmall and JD Worldwide.
Decathlon plans to be within 15 minutes of homes
The world's largest sporting goods retailer lets clients pick up online orders on the go.
Chinese fine dining finds its next course in Singapore
The city-state's high spending power and big Chinese commune make it an ideal entry point in the Southeast Asian market.
Hawker centres struggle to dish up meals even with foreign workers
A Singapore plan to allow certain foreigners to work as food assistants in the hawker trade may not translate into a large increase in applicants, given the back-breaking requirements of the job, according to policy experts.
10 best ways to invest in 2025
Analysts are not too worried about the impact of US tariffs.
OCBC triples quantum tech workforce to enhance cybersecurity measures
The Singapore bank expects significant tech advancements in the next five to 10 years.
K-pop craze may spur demand for Income Insurance's hourly travel cover
The Singaporean insurer is targeting spontaneous travellers who love concerts.