http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_357963.html

I APPLAUD Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan's moves in recent years to reduce the stress on our health-care system.

The initiatives have included publishing the rates of procedures, reducing waiting time at polyclinics and, more recently, increasing hospital bed space and increasing opportunities for medical training.

Given that the nation seeks to boost its population and is actively pursuing medical tourism - and considering the higher stress facing our population from the ever-increasing cost of living - our health-care delivery systems need a relook.

Instead of centralised systems, which lead to longer waiting times and increased costs at public hospitals, we could encourage neighbourhood clinics to team up to form 24-hour operations with larger capacities.

This should take some stress away from accident and emergency departments.

Subsidies can also be provided for clinics teaming up to form local hospitals with bed space.

Hospitalisation nearer homes helps ease traffic congestion while the shortened travel distances will encourage family visitations, which should help patients recover.

The Ministry of Health can learn new ways of operations from private practices and, in so doing, improve the systems used by public health-care providers.

Larger private practices will also have more bargaining power over rental clauses to pass the cost savings back to patients.

However, we will need many more doctors to support the population's needs. I support increasing medical training facilities and posts to ensure that while Singapore grows, we will not be penalised by a lack of medical support.

Ong Lip Hua