Woodlands Polyclinic
10 Woodlands St 31 Singapore 2573

Dr. D Gowri explained the polyclinic's functions, services, role sharing with other medical institutions and future course. Woodlands polyclinic like any other 16 Government Polyclinics aims to make primary health care physically and financially accessible to all. The average daily attendance at 17 polyclinics is about 10,000, or about 700-1000 people per polyclinic. Reasons for attendance are: respiratory tract infection (21%), hypertension (13%), diabetes (9%), immunisation (8%),screening/examination/investigation (4%),developmental assessment (3%), family planning(2%), and others (40%). Polyclinics provide 18%and General Practitioners provide 82% of the primary medical care. The polyclinic offers immunisation free of charge, which significantly contributed to the very high immunisation rate of 95% in Singapore.Polyclinics charge only a maximum of S$8 per patient in order to remain accessible to anyone.

Dr. Gowri explained how the poly clinics provide expensive medicines. Medicines provided at the polyclinics are grouped according to three lists. List one includes extremely cheap drugs, costing only 1 dollar and 20cents per item per week, so that the price doesn 't pressure the patient financially. List two includes medicines that are slightly more expensive but the patient only pays 50% of the cost at the polyclinics. List three includes medicines whose prices are the same as the general pharmacy. Every year, the medicines in the list are expanding to include better drugs. Some need expensive medications but they get subsidized at the polyclinics.

Dr. Gowri added that the Woodlands Polyclinic is leasing the third floor to a church organization to let it manage a rehabilitation center. For those who need rehabilitation, the hospital doctors can refer directly to the rehabilitation center. Some other polyclinics have a home nursing center located in the same building.

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