Letter of the day Focus on patients' medical needs when reining in rising healthcare costs

In a recent Opinion piece on healthcare costs, it was suggested that insurers could provide medical concierge services for patients to be matched to specialists on their panels ("Some practical ways to rein in rising healthcare costs, premiums", May 21).

- Dr Ng Chee Kwan

This may seem like a practical way for insurers to direct patients to preferred doctors. But medical concierges remain commercial entities and there may be a host of non-medical reasons why concierges recommend particular specialists to their clients.

Patients with Integrated Shield Plans (IPs) who wish to or agree to confine themselves to seeing panel specialists would need to make their selection from an appointed panel of specialists.