FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1982
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SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE COMPUTERISED AXIAL TOMOGRAPHY SCANNER AT THE QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL, HE ADVISED DOCTORS TO DEVELOP CLINICAL SKILLS THROUGH THE TRADITIONAL PRACTICE OF TAKING A GOOD HISTORY AND EXAMINING THE PATIENT WITH DUE CARE FOR SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS.
+MACHINES ARE BUT ONLY GOOD AIDS TO OUR BASIC ART OF DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT, HE STRESSED.
+CLINICAL ACUMEN RATHER THAN BLIND DEPENDENCY ON HIGH TECHNOLOGICAL EQUIPMENT, NO MATTER HOW EXPENSIVE AND EFFICIENT, WOULD STILL HAVE TO BE THE MAINSTAY OF THE TRAINING OF A GOOD DOCTOR AND WOULD CERTAINLY IN THE END BE OF BENEFIT TO OUR PATIENTS,+ HE ADDED.
THE CAT SCANNER IS THE FIRST OF SUCH EQUIPMENT TO BE INSTALLED IN MAJOR GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS AT A COST OF SOME $6 MILLION. ACCORDING TO DR THONG, THERE ARE PLANS TO PROVIDE SIMILAR EQUIPMENT IN ALL THE OTHER REGIONAL HOSPITALS.
AS THE SCANNER AT THE QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL WILL HAVE TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF THE WHOLE GOVERNMENT SERVICE FOR THE TIME BEING, THE DIRECTOR APPEALED TO THE STAFF USING IT TO EXERCISE DUE CARE AND JUDGEMENT WHEN REQUESTING FOR SCANNING AID IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THEIR PATIENTS.
DR THONG WENT ON TO SAY THAT MODERN TECHNOLOGY AND ADVANCEMENT IN MEDICAL SCIENCE HAVE GREATLY INCREASED THE ABILITY OF PHYSICIANS TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND EVEN TO PROLONG IT.
HOWEVER, HE SAID, ACHIEVEMENTS SUCH AS THE CAT SCANNER, SOMETIMES CALLED THE LATEST AMERICAN DREAM MACHINE, DO NOT COME CHEAPLY.
HE SAID THAT THE COST OF USING THE MACHINE ONCE ON A PATIENT IS ABOUT $1 000, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE MANPOWER INVOLVED AND EXCLUDING THE COST OF SENDING PROFESSIONAL STAFF OVERSEAS FOR TRAINING IN OPERATING THE EQUIPMENT.
THE DIRECTOR POINTED OUT THAT WITH RISING EXPECTATION, THE PUBLIC HAVE COME TO EXPECT THE HIGHEST QUALITY OF MEDICAL CARE IN LARGE QUANTITY AS A RIGHT.
THE PROBLEMS OF PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY CARE AND TRYING TO MEET THE EVER-RISING DEMANDS ARE ENORMOUS, HE SAID.
DR THONG CITED EXAMPLE OF QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL WHERE THE COST OF KEEPING SUCH AN INSTITUTION RUNNING SMOOTHLY WITH ITS REQUIREMENTS OF TRAINED MANPOWER, ACCOMMODATION AND EQUIPMENT, SPIRALS YEAR AFTER YEAR,
UNFORTUNATELY, HE SAID, HEALTH AUTHORITIES, LIKE ANY OTHER ORGANISATIONS, HAVE TO WORK WITHIN A FINITE FINANCIAL LIMIT.
+THIS CONSTITUTES THE CHALLENGE ON THE ONE HAND OF MAKING ADEQUATE PROVISION FOR THE BASIC BUT ESSENTIAL FIELD OF PRIMARY HEALTH CARE, AND ON THE OTHER, OF TRYING TO KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST ADVANCES IN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY AND SOPHISTICATIONS,+ HE SAID.
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