MaNaDr Clinic faces action over substandard teleconsultations, with 41 doctors under investigation.
On October 24, 2024, the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced that it intends to revoke the licence of MaNaDr Clinic, a telehealth provider, due to concerns over its clinical and ethical practices. If the licence is revoked, the clinic will no longer be able to provide outpatient services, including teleconsultations and in-person consultations at its premises.
In addition, 41 doctors who had provided teleconsultations through MaNaDr Clinic are being referred to the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) for investigations into potential professional misconduct. These doctors may have violated the SMC’s Ethical Code and Guidelines (ECEG), especially given the unusually brief teleconsultations (lasting one minute or less) that often led to the prescription of medication and issuance of medical certificates (MCs). MOH found that these short consultations raised concerns about the safety and quality of care provided to patients.
The MOH also identified that some patients were issued multiple MCs within a short span, sometimes within 30 days, despite brief consultations. Some patient records were found to be insufficient or inconsistent with the duration of the consultation, which could compromise the quality of care.
Among the 41 doctors, 13 were locum practitioners employed by public healthcare institutions who breached their employment terms by taking secondary employment with MaNaDr Clinic. Seven of these doctors have since been dismissed, while one has been subjected to disciplinary action for the lesser severity of his conduct.
The Ministry of Health has issued a new regulation requiring all MCs to include the name and registration number of the issuing practitioner for accountability. Additionally, MOH is conducting a review of Dr. Siaw Tung Yeng, the principal officer of MaNaDr Clinic, to assess his role in the clinic’s issues.
MaNaDr Clinic has been given 14 days to make representations to the MOH regarding the licence revocation.
