Doctors hope using Medisave for asthma will help more seek long—term treatment

SINGAPORE: Now that asthma patients are able to use their Medisave to pay for their outpatient treatment, doctors hope that this will encourage more of them to seek long—term treatment.

Mohammad Hatma nearly died from a severe asthma attack two years ago. The 44—year—old was in a coma for two days. And since that episode, Hatma has made it a point to keep all his medical appointments.

He said: "Before the incident, I used to take the reliever all the time and it was not normal. Now looking back, for a six—hour puff, I remembered I took one puff every three hours which is not normal. But I did not go to the doctor. That is wrong. That is already a signal to say your body is not taking the effect.”

Doctors said that unlike Hatma, many asthma patients still don’t know how to manage their condition.

Up to 80 per cent of asthma sufferers only see their general practitioners when their condition becomes acute.

Assessing their own asthma condition is easy with an asthma control test. The patient needs to answer five simple questions which can also help healthcare workers determine the intensity of drug treatment.

With long—term medication available at hospitals, doctors stress the need for patients to follow up with their doctors regularly.

Professor Lim Tow Keang, Chairman, National Asthma Programme, said: "The patient must watch the asthma control themselves and also attend clinics and see the doctors regularly for asthma control evaluation and asthma control treatment. So that’s the main reason why these conditions have been categorized under chronic disease management programme, meaning the Ministry of Health recognises that it’s a chronic disease, which requires daily treatment.

Doctors hope more will stick to such a regime now that patients can use their Medisave for outpatient treatment. They can use S$300 per account per year.

74—year—old Kandasamy who suffers from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) said on average, he had to pay about S$100 per month for a trip to the polyclinic. But he now uses his Medisave to pay for outpatient treatment.

Associate Professor Alan Ng, Head & Senior Consultant, Respiratory Medicine, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, said: "Patients will be helped because now it has reduced the out—of—pocket payment for medical expenses relating to COPD.

“This also gives us an opportunity to work closer with patients to realise better outcomes for their disease. Sometimes patients don’t come because they cannot afford it.”

Tan Tock Seng Hospital said 530 COPD patients are under a programme that’s being offered at no cost.

The NHG Integrated COPD Programme aims to reduce hospitalisation, the number of outpatient visits and improve the quality of life.

Since it was introduced in 2005, the number of COPD patients who need to be hospitalised has dropped by 10 per cent.

And for those who do need to be admitted, their hospital stay has been cut by almost two days. — CNA/vm

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