Dr Fatimah Lateef: To ask the Minister for Health in view of the high inflation rate we have been facing the last year, whether there has been any change in the rate of utilisation of health care facilities and services, such as the usage of private versus restructured hospitals and outpatient polyclinics versus private general practitioners.
Mr Khaw Boon Wan: The higher inflation rate in 2008 has not dampened the demand for inpatient services. Both public and private hospitals reported an increase in their admission rate by 1.3% and 4.0% respectively. For the first half of this year, the private hospitals? market share has remained stable at 23.2% (22.7% in 1H2007).
We are unable to make similar comparisons for polyclinics as we do not have detailed statistics on private sector outpatient attendances.
