Why docs leave

KUALA LUMPUR: Apart from the poor pay and long hours, time spent away from patients is driving doctors to leave government service. Last year, 374 doctors left the government service ­ an average of about one per day, according to statistics from the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA). Many joined the private sector because they wanted better pay and better hours. But some quit because they were frustrated that administrative duties, meetings, examinations and seminars kept them from treating patients. MEETINGS vs PATIENTS MMA deputy secretary Dr Kuljit Singh estimates that at least 20-40% of a government doctor's time is spent in departmental, hospital, state and Ministry of Health meetings as well as attending courses and seminars. "I get taken away from clinical work and have to leave the afternoon clinic with juniors," he told Bernama. If there is a delay in tackling this problem, he predicts, "Government doctors will move to greener pastures where they can get at least four times the salary and see patients from 8am to 5pm". "In the private sector, they have no administrative work or courses and not as many meetings," he said. NO COURSE, NO PROMOTION Some doctors have also complained about the Efficiency Level Assessment under the new remuneration scheme which includes in-house evaluation, courses and examinations. Instead of doctors spending time on courses such as how to apply for leave, he suggests that the human resources department in their organisation could advise them. "If doctors don't take the course, they cannot be promoted," he said, questioning whether the assessment measured their efficiency as doctors.