Address GP fees issue, Health Ministry urged

KUALA LUMPUR: The Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia is urging the Health Ministry to address the harmonisation of fees of general practitioners (GPs) in clinics and medical officers in private hospitals as soon as possible.

Association president Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh said GPs played a vital role in the provision of healthcare.

“It’s best the valid concerns of the GPs be addressed soonest,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Dr Kuljit said that GP fees, as stated in the 7th Schedule of the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services (Private Medical Clinics and Private Dental Clinics) Regulations 2006, had not changed in 27 years.

GPs have been calling on the government to harmonise their fees with the fees of medical officers in private hospitals, as provided for in Schedule 13 of the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services (Private Hospitals and Other Private Healthcare Facilities) Regulations 2006 when it was revised in 2013.

“GP fees were not included in this exercise,” said Dr Kuljit.

“A rapidly ageing population and the rise of non-communicable diseases are some of the challenges faced and GPs are the best people to manage these patients.

“If GPs are forced to close their practice due to rising cost of healthcare delivery and static professional fees since 1972, patients will go to public facilities which are already over-crowded,” he said.

Recently, the Health Minister said he would meet with GPs in a closeddoor meeting on June 11.