Microsoft word - 違規中醫師被衛生局除名_final_20100204_eng.doc

Another TCM doctor expelled from Health Bureau’s Healthcare Subsidy Scheme, due
to accepting healthcare voucher to pay for ginseng and dried seafood products
In the hope to partially lessen residents’ burden on medical expenditure, make good use of the medical resources available in community and promote the concept of family doctor, the government is subsidizing the local residents in form of providing healthcare voucher. Figures show that, as per the end of the previous year, nearly 90 percent of the users paid with their own healthcare voucher for ailment consultation, general body checkup and vaccination, while 80 percent of them used voucher separately for different consultations, meaning both residents and the healthcare industry generally accept the scheme with good coordination. However, there are still a number of private healthcare units who take advantage to make profit, with no respect to social interest or professional ethics. On 4 February, another traditional Chinese medicine doctor was expelled by the Health Bureau from the scheme, as a result of accepting healthcare voucher as payment for purchase of ginseng and dried seafood products. The Health Bureau received complaints last month claiming that a TCM doctor undisguisedly accepts healthcare voucher as payment for purchase of ginseng and dried seafood product in the Chinese herbal medicine pharmacy where he works as residential doctor, even causing a long queue waiting outside the pharmacy. In the follow-up investigation, the authority proved on the scene the doctor was in breach of rule. In view of the doctor’s severe violation of the rule that healthcare voucher cannot be used for direct purchase of medicine in pharmacy and of the doctor’s ignorance of the duties and obligations under the scheme, the Health Bureau has immediately terminated the agreement with the doctor, whose name was also deleted from the list of private healthcare units on the scheme’s website. The scheme logo and service scope label in the pharmacy were also removed. On top of taking complaint, the Health Bureau also processes reimbursement with special attention and performs investigation to the industry, in the hope to stop such act of violation. A name list of private healthcare units under surveillance was created last year, and most of them are Chinese herbal medicine pharmacies located in northern district. It was found out that some of these pharmacies do not keep treatment records properly, while some fail to meet sanitary standard and others return extra money of a voucher to the voucher user. To deal with these cases, the authority will give a warning letter to the rule breaker and follow up with another investigation action. The authority emphasizes that residents and the healthcare industry are both the key to determine how well the scheme can work out to diversify resident’s choice of healthcare organizations in private sector, so as to obtain timely, convenient and quality healthcare services. The Health Bureau appeals to general public to report illegal act of profit-making by taking advantage from the healthcare scheme, via the hotline 2822

Source: http://www.vs.gov.mo/vs2009/docs/news/news.SSM.20100204e.pdf