Tan Kin Lian's Blog: Patient advocate

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Patient advocate

I have posted a newspaper article about patient advocates. They are knowledgeable people who advice patients on selecting the right doctor to treat an illness. Many patients are at a loss on selecting the right treatment and can pay a lot of money in selecting the wrong doctor or patient. This is how they get a big hospital bill.

By getting insurance, the patients are covered from the burden of paying the large bill, but the total cost is shared by all consumers through higher insurance premiums. Premiums will continue to increase, if patients do not make the right choice and pay more than needed.

Insurance companies and their agents are happy to see higher premiums. It means bigger commissions and profits to them. Can they step back and think about the burden of higher cost to consumers? Can they play a role to minimise these increases?

Patient advocates are now found in America. I hope that they can be available in Singapore too.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...: Most patient advocates are nursing-trained. In fact, one of the core training for nurses is to act as an advocate for their patients. (from basic to post-basic to advanced practice)
In US, the healthcare system have evolved to such an extent that nurses prefer to set up a private company to offer this "patient advocates" service and be paid specifically for it.

prancer08; September 15, 2009 9:00 AM
Anonymous said...: Your trusted family physician is your patient advocate. Family physician will refer you to a right specialist.; September 15, 2009 9:28 AM
Anonymous said...: Will a family physician receive commission if a refferal to a specialist is succeed?; September 15, 2009 10:07 AM
Anonymous said...: Is there a website to let patients write and read reviews about medical specialists in Singapore? It will be good to have one to find out about the experiences of other patients before consulting a specialist.

Your family phtsician may not be the best patient advocate as he may just refer you to his friend, not based on merits.; September 15, 2009 12:47 PM
Anonymous said...: please find a good family physician and stick to him/her. this is how developed countries keep their healthcare costs down. contrary to what most asians think, most medical cases can be treated by family physicians. our hospitals are flooded with patients who can be equally, if not better treated by family physicians (who generally charge reasonably compared to medical specialists) but yet prefer to clog up the hospital system and paying more. if there is a need for specialist review, which should be uncommon for most patients, your family physician will be the one of the best person as he/she is in the know of who is better at a certain field - not all specialists are good at what they do. trust me, i know. so go out there and find a good family doc, they are there and can be your best medical investment.; September 15, 2009 9:46 PM
Anonymous said...: 9.46PM: "Our hospitals are flooded with patients...."

This is an issue today & future.

While SG can not control external environment, I pray for sustainable econ growth.
If not, will hospital subsidy be reducd? (my speculation).

To avoid long Q at TTSH, I fly to AEK Udon Int't hospital for my immediate treatment.
I enjoy good and affordable medical service plus
holiday.

Mid-Sept onwards, patient can fly to Hatyai by Tiger Air and visit an International Hospital for a treatment plus facial/massage!

Why stay here and complain long Q or bad service? If desease complicated, what happened?; September 15, 2009 10:47 PM
Anonymous said...: If patient prefer longer counselling such as asking more qussions or discussion, patient has to be fair to pay unless there is no patient behind you.

A doctor has to spend time to read medical journal to update for latest development.; September 15, 2009 10:59 PM