FAQs on Family Physician(FP) Clinic

• Q1. How are doctors in the Family Physician (FP) Clinic different from the other polyclinic doctors?

  The doctor in a FP Clinic will either hold a Master Medicine (Family Medicine) or a Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine.

• Q2. What types of patients are eligible for the Family Physician Clinic?

  Patients with the following chronic disease conditions can sign up for the service:

  1. Diabetes mellitus
  2. Hypertension
  3. Dyslipidaemia
  4. Ischaemic heart disease
  5. Stroke
  6. Asthma
  7. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

   

• Q3. What are the fees for the Family Physician Clinic?

  The consultation fees for FPs in our polyclinics range from $30 to $64 depending on citizenship status. The laboratory and radiology fees for FP patients will be charged separately at the same rates as the patients in the general pool.

  If you are aged above 65 years and choose to join the FP clinic, your medication costs will be higher than what you would have been charged as an elderly patient in the general pool of patients. The fees for the FP clinic are however still highly subsidised for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents, and remain affordable to the public.

• Q4. What are the benefits of being a Family Physician Clinic patient?

  As an FP patient, your care will be coordinated and managed by your designated senior doctor and his care team. Your care team members can be nurses and Allied Health professionals who are capable of providing targeted care for your healthcare needs. This allows continuity of care, which is important to ensure good quality of care for chronic diseases.

• Q5. Do I get to see my Family Physician during every visit?

  If a prior appointment has been made, you will be attended to by your Family Physician. However, your Family Physician may not be available if you visit the polyclinic without an appointment. For such cases, the polyclinic will arrange for you to see a Family Physician on duty for the particular day. If there are no Family Physicians available on that day, the polyclinic will arrange for you to see a general clinic doctor. You will then be charged the normal consultation fee.

• Q6. What happens if my Family Physician takes leave or is ill on the day of my appointment?

  You will be given the choice to:

  1. be seen by an alternative Family Physician or general clinic doctor on the same day;
  2. be rescheduled to another day of your regular Family Physician’s appointment slots, provided you have sufficient supply of medication.