Established in 1999

Continued from FrontPage of Article

THE NEW NKF: 2006 REPORT CARD

1. ENHANCED PATIENT CARE

1.1 Holistic Care For Patients
In addition to the physical aspect of kidney patients such as the existing nutrition and exercise programme, the new NKF has also looked into the emotional and psychosocial needs of patients by hiring trained medical social workers. Treating the mind is just as important as treating the body as patients need to overcome the emotional effects of kidney failure. The medical social workers provide counseling services for patients and also conduct home visits when necessary. They have also initiated group therapy session to address common issues among the patients such as job employment, grief due to their own illnesses and others.

1.2 Equitable and Transparent Subsidy Policy
The NKF has worked out an equitable and transparent subsidy policy to determine the quantum subsidy that will be given to needy patients. Based on the MOH and Medifund model, this new subsidy policy also provides assistance to patients who may need additional subsidies, e.g. when the family has additional financial commitment in having to pay for a member in a nursing home.

From Jan to Sep 2006, the NKF had given out a subsidy of $15.3 million to its needy patients. About 75.68 per cent of NKF patients paid range from $0 to $400 out of their own pockets.

1.3 Serving More Patients
With the NKF offering one of the most affordable dialysis services in Singapore and providing subsidies for needy patients, a growing number of patients are turning to the NKF for help. The NKF has seen a 17 per cent increase in its patients load from 1,778 haemodialysis patients and 43 peritoneal patients as at June 2005 to 2,002 haemodialysis patients and 137 peritoneal patients in NKF as at Dec 2006.

　

1.4 Opening of Woodlands New Dialysis Centre
As the existing dialysis centres are currently operating at near maximum capacity, the NKF had established a new centre in Woodlands to address the growing number of kidney patients. The Centre, which began operations in September 2006, is the NKF’s 22nd centre and the second in the Woodlands area. Based on 19 dialysis stations for this new centre, it would be able to accommodate 114 dialysis patients on three shifts i.e. morning, afternoon and evening. Two more new centres are in the pipeline for next year – in Ang Mo Kio and Hougang. With the opening of Ang Mo Kio and Hougang dialysis centres in 2007, the NKF will see an additional 216 patients.

Recently, the NKF board decided to award scholarships and bursaries to Singaporean nursing students from Polytechnics and ITEs to manage the nursing manpower in the Foundation as well as to lessen the reliance on foreign nurses. These scholarships and bursaries will be launched in 2007.


2. COMMUNITY OUTREACH
The new NKF has also adopted a more “open” door policy to reach out to the community by organising Prevention Centre Open House, Dialysis Centre Open House, Public Health Talk for the public’s participation. The NKF CEO, Mrs Eunice Tay has also started a Befrienders Programme which aims to provide an opportunity to those who wish to volunteer their services to the NKF, where our patients can receive more social support. A new Volunteer Committee was also set up recently to raise the community’s awareness of the NKF volunteer services, programme and activities. So far, three companies have signed up with the Befrienders Programme, ready to commence its services to our patients from early next year.


3. REDUCTION OF DIALYSIS CHARGE

Statement of Financial Activities as at 30 September 2006 (‘$million)

Dialysis Operation
　

In view of healthy surplus for the year 2006, the NKF board is pleased to announce a further reduction in its dialysis charge from $150 to $140 per session (or from $1,950 to $1,820 a month) with effect from Jan 2007. This reduction of charge is very much in line with the NKF’s refocused mission to be a patient-centric organisation. So far, the new NKF board has made effort to bring down the dialysis charge by 30% within 15 months.

With the reduction of charge, 77 per cent of total patients will benefit and see an average of 12 per cent reduction in their co-payment, while NKF will incur an additional cost of $2.2 million.

CO-PAYMENT RANGE FOR NKF PATIENT
More than 80 per cent of NKF patients will pay less than $400 out of their own pockets as a result of the charge reduction.

Basis Period: May to Oct 2006
　

Source:  www.nkfs.org Press Release 22 Dec 2006

ABOUT THIS WEB SITE | ADVERTISING WITH US | LISTING WITH US

ePartners  | Press  |  eMail Us | Permissions | Content Contributors

Copyright©   All rights reserved