My last blog post received almost 27, 000 views in a single day on 5/11/2014. Numerous comments were made. My comment was very simple, a once well-respected and trusted profession to whom the community looked up upon, has gone to a stage where the authorities have to ask sisters/nurses of the ward to monitor their discipline. Some commented that there are only a few bad apples in our profession BUT let me tell you, for those who are not in the system will not know that it is NO MORE a few bad apples. The fact that the Minister has to instruct and give extra job to the sisters to monitor the discipline of house officers is enough to explain the gravity of the situation. BTW, the topic discussed had nothing to do with insulting the nursing profession. It was all about the deteriorating attitude of OUR profession! We brought it to ourselves.
The same situation seems to be happening in smaller district hospitals and Klinik Kesihatans. I am beginning to hear stories that taking MCs, EL and coming late to work is becoming very common nowadays, despite having more MOs. Sometimes I wonder whether it is better to keep less number of doctors than having more as it is easier to monitor. I always believed in quality than quantity. Recently I heard that 4 MOs did not turn up to work in a KK on the first day of the week! 2 decided to take MC, 1 took EL and another claim stuck in traffic jam! Some MOs were found to be taking frequent MCs (must be immunocompromised I guess!), given to each other by themselves! What will MOH do about this ? I am sure sooner or later, another similar circular will be issued to KK sisters to monitor the situation. Few years ago, there was already a circular stating that MOs can only be given MC by a specialist but no one seem to be following this anymore. What impression does the other staffs of the clinic will have on us? An unreliable bunch of ………..?
Every now and then, I hear that HOs and MOs do not turn up to work because they are busy doing locum in 24hr clinics. Some has been caught before. Let me remind those HOs that doing locum before full registration(aka completing housemanship) is ILLEGAL! MOs are allowed to do locum with permission from the Hospital Pengarah. However, the place where you are doing locum must be written in your APC. As a doctor, you can only practise at the places mentioned in your APC. Practise at any other place can be deemed illegal.
All these years, even after locum was legalised in 2006, MOs/Specialists locum incomes are never properly declared to LHDN(IRB). While the clinic may declare the locum fees paid as an expense, I am not sure how many doctors who do locum ever declare their income generated from locum. Remember, every income that you receive are taxable. We all know that the government is running out of money! The last Budget 2015 and the impending GST are clear indications. The drop in oil and oil palm prices in international market will further reduce our country’s income. So, the government has to fall back upon the people to get the money back! Thanks to the 47% who voted in the last election. The toll prices are going up next year, electricity tariffs may go up in June 2015 and petrol/diesel subsidies are being removed effective 1/12/2014. While doctors who are running clinics cannot charge GST to patients (GST exempt), they have to pay and absorb all the GST charged by their vendors on supplying equipment, drugs and clinic rentals. Thus, the overhead cost will definitely increase which in turn reduces your net income further. ON the other hand, an increase in your consultation fee is limited by the government and the patient’s ability to pay! Patient’s cost of living will also increase after GST implementation.
While GST comes under Customs department and follows a completely different set of protocols, income tax comes under LHDN. Doctors in private hospitals who are generally self-employed are still confused about GST. Negotiation and discussions are still going on, between MMA, APHM, Hospital Managements and Customs.
LHDN on the other hand is going around blocking all the loopholes they have, to generate more income for the government. Coming back to the locum incomes mentioned above, LHDN is sending circulars to clinics making it compulsory to declare who their locums are!! The circular (see below) clearly says that, it is needed for LHDN to collect more MONEY! So, for those who thought can do locum and escape without paying tax, please beware. LHDN may come knocking at your doors one of these days. The penalty can be an additional 20% of the tax not paid! Furthermore, you can be barred from leaving the country!
As I wrote in my Part 1 and 1b of the above topic, life is not going to get any easier for doctors. So many rules and regulations are changing nowadays. If the separation of dispensing rights happens in April 2015, income of doctors will further decline. The medico-legal cases and seeking compensation from doctors are also increasing day by day!
Well, it’s time to take another holiday to clear my mind and release my stress. I will be away and may not be able to answer the comments in this blog from 26/11/2014 till 7/12/2014. It’s time for me to go for another round of thrill rides down under!
Good Day mate!
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