MaNaDr lapses a wake-up call for telemedicine sector, say providers

Regular audits are done to ensure docs abide by ethical standards, they say

- Lee Li Ying

Issues at MaNaDr Clinic flagged by the health authorities have served as a wake-up call for the telemedicine sector on the importance of good clinical practices, said telehealth players.

The clinic's doctors were found to have conducted teleconsultations of less than a minute, issued multiple medical certificates (MCs) within a short period such as 30 days, and maintained extremely sparse patient case notes.

The incident has impacted public trust in telehealth, said telehealth provider Doctor Anywhere, citing this as a reason for the slight dip in business since news about the case broke in August.

On Oct 24, the Ministry of Health said it intends to revoke MaNaDr Clinic's licence for providing outpatient medical services physically, remotely and at temporary premises such as patients' residences.

Dr Andrew Fang, director of medical affairs at Doctor Anywhere, said the MaNaDr Clinic case has underscored that not all healthcare providers share the same commitment to upholding ethics or the right approach in healthcare.

"While we have seen a slight dip in telemedicine adoption rates, we are confident in a recovery because telehealth continues to meet essential healthcare needs and plays a vital role in supporting Singapore's healthcare system," he said.

The platform, which started operations in 2017, has over one million users in Singapore.

Telehealth platforms The Straits Times spoke to said that to ensure doctors are abiding by ethical and healthcare standards, they have regularly conducted internal audits on consultation length, frequency and issuing of MCs.