MMA calls for stronger oversight over telemedicine arrangements
The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has urged the health ministry to be more proactive in strengthening healthcare regulation, particularly to “urgently close” what it says are loopholes in teleconsultation and corporate healthcare arrangements.
MMA president Dr R Thirunavukarasu called for stronger oversight mechanisms to protect patients and ensure transparency and accountability.
He said the association noted an increasing trend in recent weeks of corporate entities and third-party administrators (TPAs) “making decisions that interfere with medical judgment and patient care”.
Thirunavukarasu said this “troubling pattern” was most recently seen in a collaboration between an insurance company and a pharmacy group offering 24/7 telehealth services, including doctor consultations and…
