Quality, not cost, 'main consideration in public hospitals'

Cost-effectiveness, but not simply price, was the main consideration when choosing treatments in public hospitals, according to the Health and Welfare Secretary.

'What we do in the public hospital sector is we look at the quality, the safety and the efficacy first,' said Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong. 'Price is secondary.'

Speaking at a post-Budget briefing, Dr Yeoh defended cost-cutting measures which have led to criticisms that patients were being given cheaper drugs and doctors made to work harder.

Dr Yeoh said there had been instances when the Hospital Authority chose a more expensive drug because it was more effective. For example, from next fiscal year, $50 million will be allocated annually for 2,500 mental patients to receive new drugs.

'We made the decision that we are going to buy these new drugs even though they are 80 to 100 times more expensive, simply because it would improve the quality of life of the patients.

'So don't misunderstand the policies - the policy is we are looking at cost-effectiveness, we are not looking at the cheapest common denominator.'

He added that the productivity programmes were not making staff work harder or longer hours: 'It is permitting them to work smarter.'