Sunday, February 24, 2008

Medical Officers to be sent to Temburong

The latest news on the block is that ALL local RIPAS doctors (medical officers only) will be ordered to go to Temburong hospital and take turns to work there for a week. A schedule beginning march 1st has been distributed and every department are suppose to take turns and nominate their MOs who will be sent to Temburong that week.

The objective of this 'exercise' is to allow local Junior doctors to be exposed to working in a hospital environment apart from RIPAS, and allow oppurtunity for the junior doctors to be interacting with patients from other districts closer. It is hoped that after this exposure, some doctors would be more attracted to work at other districts hospital apart from RIPAS.

Since it's announcement on the 19th February, the move has not been met very favourably amongst many of the junior doctors. Though the objective of this mission is understandbly noble and necessary, as it is quite apparent the lack of local doctors working not just in Temburong, but also in Tutong and KB.

However some of the doctors believe that the decision to send the doctors away for a week is a little bit on the hasty side, and some even voiced concerns about doctors looking after other specialties at which they are not trained for and there are no specialists mentor at the hospital site (Temburong), to guide them.

Others mention concerns about doctors who have been trained in their specialty field for so long and not seen an ischaemic ECG for many years to correctly diagnose one, or doctors who will be asked to examine patients of a different age group than the one that they are routinely used to.

All these are valid concerns, but nevertheless the objective of the 'exercise' is also equally important. Further discussions between the doctors and the administrators are to be planned this week. What is your say?

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