Star=23 Jun 2008

Limit doctors’ admin duties

I AM a medical specialist working in a government hospital, and I hope to continue doing so until I reach retirement age.
I am aware that there is a shortage of medical specialists in our country and the Health Minister is very keen to overcome this problem, as well as to cut down the long waiting time to see doctors at the clinics and to have operations.
I feel that these problems can be at least partially overcome by limiting the amount of administrative work a medical specialist has to do.
I am sure all government doctors are aware that the more “specialised” they become, the more administrative meetings they have to attend and the more paperwork they have to do.
The worst thing is heads of department, appear to be frequently travelling all over the countryside (at the expenses of the taxpayers’ money) to attend meetings.
One needs only to check their punch cards at the end of the month to realise that for at least half, sometimes up to three quarters of the month they are not in their respective departments!
There appear to be numerous meetings (at multiple levels) to attend; for example, there are meetings at one’s own department level, meetings at one’s own hospital level, meetings at other hospitals in the same state, meetings at hospitals in other states, and meetings at the so-called national level.
It looks like medical specialists are employed by the government to attend meetings first and looking after patients appears to be of secondary importance.
I am not saying meetings are not important because that is where important policies are made, but having at least one meeting to attend to every week is just too much. Some of the meetings last too long, e.g. from 9 am to 1 pm or even a whole day! This is one of the reasons some of my local colleagues resigned, and the reluctance of some of my overseas colleagues to come back and serve the country.
They (and I too) are worried that we shall lose our clinical skills! What makes private practice attractive is that more than 90% of the time one is doing pure clinical work.
I suggest that the Government employs those with a proper degree in hospital administration (such as in the private sector) to do administrative work and attend meetings.
It is a sheer waste of resources to get physicians, surgeons, pathologists, and radiologists etc to do so when we are facing a shortage!
I feel that if doctors were to attend meetings, 90% of these meetings should be clinical meetings where we could upgrade our knowledge and contribute directly to patient care.
There are specialists who apparently are still actively involved in ISO (I thought the Government had abolished that!). Besides attending ISO meetings and preparing documents, these specialists have to go around the hospital (and some even have to visit other hospitals) to do audits and write reports (imagine employing medical specialists to be auditors!) Please employ ISO officers to perform such tasks.
Besides wasting manpower, a significant amount of money is also being consumed.
While most large government hospitals have meeting rooms and lecture halls, I cannot see the logic in holding meetings (and also courses, workshops) in hotels.
I also do not agree with the three-hourly feeding “culture” (i.e. morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea being provided) as usually there are a lot of leftovers.
It would be more economical to have meetings in hospitals and everyone should have breakfast before they come to the meeting so that there is no need for morning tea.
During the official lunch break (from 1pm to 2pm), every one can have lunch at the hospital canteen, paying the food from one’s own pocket (thus preventing wastage). There is no need to have expensive buffet lunches at five-star hotels!
I hope our honourable Health Minister will take my viewpoints into consideration.
When we face shortage or crisis, please prioritise whatever we have.

FRUSTRATED GOVERNMENT SPECIALIST,
Perak