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Health Check Ep 58: Picking an IP insurer with a good panel of doctors
20:35 mins
Synopsis: This is a fortnightly podcast series on Wednesdays by The Straits Times that aims to help you make sense of health matters that affect you.
Many private sector doctors are upset with Integrated Shield plan insurers for maintaining panels of doctors that they call “highly exclusive”. These panels are one of the measures that IP insurers have undertaken in order to reduce their costs, but doctors say that the IP sector created their own problem and should not penalise them for it.
Doctors have failed to get on the panel, even though they adhere to the fee benchmarks published by the Ministry of Health.
In this episode, ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo speaks with Dr Wong Seng Weng, the medical director and consultant medical oncologist at The Cancer Centre, who sits on several IP panels.
He shares some tips on how one can go about picking the IP insurer with a good and reasonable panel of doctors. They discuss the following points:
Produced by: Joyce Teo ([email protected]), Penelope Lee and Ernest Luis
Edited by: Penelope Lee & Aleemah Basirah
Follow Health Check Podcast here and rate us:
Channel: https://str.sg/JWaN
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRX
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Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/J6Wv
SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/
Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Feedback to: [email protected]
Read Joyce Teo's stories: https://str.sg/JbxN
---
Discover ST's special edition podcasts:
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2
Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB
Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa
Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn
---
Discover more ST podcast series:
Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7
Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf
In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt
Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m
#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad
ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE
Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas
Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ
Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#healthcheck
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Health Check Ep 57: All you need to know about Covid-19 clinical trials
18:31 mins
Synopsis: This is a fortnightly podcast series on Wednesdays by The Straits Times that aims to help you make sense of health matters that affect you.
Clinical trials are research studies that are usually conducted with healthy volunteers to learn about a potential treatment or vaccine and its effect on humans. There are various trials conducted here, including one for a potential Covid-19 vaccine that’s being developed by Arcturus Therapeutics in the US and the Duke-NUS medical school in Singapore.
Some people have volunteered for the Phase Two vaccine trial conducted at Tan Tock Seng Hospital’s P.H Feng Research Centre.
In this episode, ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo speaks with Adjunct Associate Prof Tan Cher Heng, who runs the centre. Prof Tan is the assistant chairman of the Medical Board (Clinical Research & Innovation) at Tan Tock Seng Hospital as well as its director of clinical trials.
She asks Prof Tan to share as much as he can on the Phase Two trial, the trials on new treatments being done here, and the key things to consider for someone who’s keen on joining a trial.
Produced by: Joyce Teo ([email protected]), Penelope Lee, Aleemah Basirah and Ernest Luis
Edited by: Penelope Lee and Aleemah Basirah
Follow Health Check Podcast here and rate us:
Channel: https://str.sg/JWaN
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRX
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Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/J6Wv
SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/
Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Feedback to: [email protected]
Read Joyce Teo's stories: https://str.sg/JbxN
---
Discover ST's special edition podcasts:
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2
Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB
Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa
Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn
---
Discover more ST podcast series:
Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7
Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf
In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt
Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m
#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad
ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE
Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas
Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ
Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#healthcheck
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Health Check Ep 56: How a mother's well-being can have a large impact on her baby
27:39 mins
Synopsis: This is a fortnightly podcast series on Wednesdays by The Straits Times that aims to help you make sense of health matters that affect you.
In early March 2021, the Ministry of Health announced during the debate on its budget, that it has set up a task force to oversee the development and implementation of a five-year action plan to provide comprehensive support to women and their children, as part of its larger efforts to improve the population's health.
In this episode, ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo hosts Professor Chong Yap Seng, the dean of the National University of Singapore’s Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and the executive director of the Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research.
They discuss what more can be done to improve maternal and child health.
Prof Chong is also an obstetrician and the lead principal investigator of the Growing Up In Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes or Gusto study, which started in 2009 to study how conditions in pregnancy and early childhood influence the health and development of women and their children here.
Its findings show that a mother's health can directly impact her child's development.
Produced by: Joyce Teo ([email protected]), Penelope Lee and Ernest Luis
Edited by: Penelope Lee
Follow Health Check Podcast here and rate us:
Channel: https://str.sg/JWaN
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRX
Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaQ
Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/J6Wv
SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/
Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Feedback to: [email protected]
Read Joyce Teo's stories: https://str.sg/JbxN
---
Discover ST's special edition podcasts:
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2
Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB
Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa
Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn
---
Discover more ST podcast series:
Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7
Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf
In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt
Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m
#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad
ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE
Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas
Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ
Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#healthcheck
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Health Check Ep 55: Getting working adults to share their mental health challenges
20:34 mins
Synopsis: This is a fortnightly podcast series on Wednesdays by The Straits Times that aims to help you make sense of health matters that affect you.
In this episode, ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo speaks with Daniel Chang, 38, a freelance doctor who does medical aesthetic work. He started a movement last year with counsellors, fellow doctors, psychiatrists and psychologists to let working adults - who are quietly grappling with anxiety and depression quietly - feel they are not alone.
Called Lives of SG, it offers a platform for them to share stories of their mental health struggles, and his team has done free webinars on mental health in the workplace for a few companies.
They discuss the following points:
Contact Lives of SG: https://www.livesofsg.org/
HELPLINES
Samaritans Of Singapore: 1800-221-4444
Singapore Association For Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
Institute Of Mental Health's Mobile Crisis Service: 6389-2222
Care Corner Counselling Centre (Mandarin): 1800-353-5800
Silver Ribbon: 6386-1928
Tinkle Friend: 1800-274-4788
Produced by: Joyce Teo ([email protected]), Penelope Lee and Ernest Luis
Edited by: Penelope Lee
Follow Health Check Podcast here and rate us:
Channel: https://str.sg/JWaN
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRX
Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaQ
Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/J6Wv
SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/
Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Feedback to: [email protected]
Read Joyce Teo's stories: https://str.sg/JbxN
---
Discover ST's special edition podcasts:
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2
Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB
Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa
Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn
---
Discover more ST podcast series:
Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7
Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf
In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt
Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m
#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad
ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE
Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas
Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ
Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#healthcheck
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Health Check Ep 54: Understanding Singapore’s portfolio approach to vaccine procurement
9:42 mins
Synopsis: This is a fortnightly podcast series on Wednesdays by The Straits Times that aims to help you make sense of health matters that affect you.
This episode looks at how Singapore zeroed in on its choice of Covid-19 vaccines - from those by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna that are based on a relatively new mRNA technology, to Sinovac’s inactivated vaccine, which uses a technology that has been around for decades. It also touches on the speed of vaccine development.
ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo hosts Professor Benjamin Seet, deputy group chief executive for education and research at the National Healthcare Group and a member of the expert committee on Covid-19 vaccination.
The discuss the following points:
Produced by: Joyce Teo ([email protected]), Penelope Lee and Ernest Luis
Edited by: Penelope Lee
Follow Health Check Podcast here and rate us:
Channel: https://str.sg/JWaN
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRX
Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaQ
Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/J6Wv
SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/
Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Feedback to: [email protected]
Read Joyce Teo's stories: https://str.sg/JbxN
---
Discover ST's special edition podcasts:
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2
Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB
Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa
Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn
---
Discover more ST podcast series:
Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7
Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf
In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt
Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m
#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad
ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE
Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas
Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ
Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#healthcheck
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Health Check Ep 53: Covid-19 panel expert addresses vaccine side effects, concerns
11:25 mins
Synopsis: This is a fortnightly podcast series on Wednesdays by The Straits Times and this episode is on the safety and common concerns in Singapore over the side effects of Covid-19 vaccines.
Global surveys have shown that a key concern for those hesitant about taking the Covid-19 vaccine, lies with the side effects that they may experience.
In this episode, ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo speaks with Associate Professor Lim Poh Lian, on the side effects that one can get from the vaccine and why you should not worry about them.
She is the head of the Traveller’s Health and Vaccination Clinic at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, the director of the high-level isolation unit at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) and a member of the expert committee on Covid-19 vaccination, which makes recommendations to the government on Singapore’s vaccination strategy.
Produced by: Joyce Teo ([email protected]), Penelope Lee and Ernest Luis
Edited by: Penelope Lee
Follow Health Check Podcast here and rate us:
Channel: https://str.sg/JWaN
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRX
Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaQ
Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/J6Wv
SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/
Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Feedback to: [email protected]
Read Joyce Teo's stories: https://str.sg/JbxN
---
Discover ST's special edition podcasts:
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2
Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB
Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa
Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn
---
Discover more ST podcast series:
Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7
Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf
In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt
Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m
#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad
ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE
Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas
Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ
Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#healthcheck
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Health Check Ep 52: Addressing Covid-19 vaccine safety and the science behind it
20:14 mins
Synopsis: This is a fortnightly podcast series on Wednesdays by The Straits Times and this episode is on the safety of Covid-19 vaccines.
Much has been said about the safety and effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccine frontrunners but there are still many people who are hesitant about taking the vaccine, mostly because they are unsure if it is truly safe.
In this episode, ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo hosts Prof Ooi Eng Eong from the Duke-NUS Medical School. He's the school’s principal investigator in the partnership with Arcturus Therapeutics to develop a self-replicating mRNA Covid-19 vaccine.
Prof Ooi talks about the science of the vaccine, addresses concerns about side effects (including reports of long-term effects from pandemic flu jabs), as well as discuss the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna mRNA vaccines, and how different the one being trialled here is.
Produced by: Joyce Teo ([email protected]), Penelope Lee and Ernest Luis
Edited by: Penelope Lee
Follow Health Check Podcast here and rate us:
Channel: https://str.sg/JWaN
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRX
Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaQ
Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/J6Wv
SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/
Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Feedback to: [email protected]
Read Joyce Teo's stories: https://str.sg/JbxN
---
Discover ST's special edition podcasts:
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2
Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB
Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa
Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn
---
Discover more ST podcast series:
Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7
Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf
In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt
Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m
#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad
ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE
Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas
Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ
Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#healthcheck
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Health Check Ep 51: How to find the right doctor
12:24 mins
Synopsis: This is a fortnightly podcast series on Wednesdays by The Straits Times.
In this episode, ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo asks Associate Professor Jeremy Lim, the director of global health at the National University of Singapore's Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, for tips on how to find the right doctor.
They discuss the factors he considers when he is asked by his family and friends to recommend a doctor.
Thank you for listening to the ST Health Check Podcast this year. Please continue to support us in the new year, as we strive to bring you more podcasts that will help boost your mind and body.
Wishing all our listeners a Happy New Year!
Listen to Pt 1 with Associate Prof Jeremy Lim on the pros and cons of online doctor reviews: https://str.sg/JRzh
Produced by: Joyce Teo ([email protected]), Penelope Lee and Ernest Luis
Edited by: Penelope Lee
Follow Health Check Podcast here and rate us:
Channel: https://str.sg/JWaN
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRX
Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaQ
Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/J6Wv
SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/
Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Feedback to: [email protected]
Read Joyce Teo's stories: https://str.sg/JbxN
---
Discover ST's special edition podcasts:
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2
Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB
Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa
Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn
---
Discover more ST podcast series:
Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7
Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf
In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt
Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m
#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad
ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE
Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas
Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ
Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#healthcheck
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Health Check Ep 50: Pros and cons of online doctor reviews
11:51 mins
Synopsis: This is a fortnightly podcast series on Wednesdays by The Straits Times.
Today’s episode is on online doctor reviews.
Recently, the Singapore medical council (SMC) advised doctors to refrain from participating in online search engine optimisation platforms that make use of patient feedback and ratings, as these can be considered patient testimonials.
It all started when a group of doctors cried foul over not having the option to pull out of online platform DoctorxDentist (DxD) that offered reviews, in addition to health content.
The start-up had listed the names of doctors it found on the SMC directory. The Singapore Medical Association and the Health Ministry subsequently got involved.
DxD has since switched to an opt-in algorithm, and removed all the reviews on its platform. Although the DxD saga is over, the issue of online reviews is not.
In this episode, ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo speaks with Associate Professor Jeremy Lim, the director of global health at the National University of Singapore's Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health on the pros and cons of online doctor reviews.
Listen to Pt 2 with Associate Prof Jeremy Lim on how to find the right doctor: https://omny.fm/shows/health-check-1/how-to-find-the-right-doctor-health-check-ep-51
Produced by: Joyce Teo ([email protected]), Penelope Lee and Ernest Luis
Edited by: Penelope Lee
Follow Health Check Podcast here and rate us:
Channel: https://str.sg/JWaN
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRX
Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaQ
Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/J6Wv
SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/
Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Feedback to: [email protected]
Read Joyce Teo's stories: https://str.sg/JbxN
---
Discover ST's special edition podcasts:
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2
Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB
Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa
Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn
---
Discover more ST podcast series:
Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7
Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf
In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt
Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m
#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad
ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE
Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas
Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ
Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#healthcheck
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Health Check Ep 49: Porn is not real; how to recognise an addiction
16:20 mins
Synopsis: This is a fortnightly podcast series on Wednesdays by The Straits Times.
Online porn use has reportedly gone up during the Covid-19 pandemic as reported by The Economist in May. However, there's a dark side to porn. Excessive consumption of porn affects the viewer, his or her relationships and society. Viewing pornography can become a lifelong addiction.
In this episode, ST senior health correspondent Joyce Teo hosts Andrew da Roza, an addictions psychotherapist who specialises in sex addiction at Promises Healthcare.
They discuss how a predatory porn industry is out there trying to get to children, how harmful online porn addiction can be, and what you can do about it.
Produced by: Joyce Teo ([email protected]), Penelope Lee and Ernest Luis
Edited by: Penelope Lee
Follow Health Check Podcast here and rate us:
Channel: https://str.sg/JWaN
Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRX
Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaQ
Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/J6Wv
SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/
Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Feedback to: [email protected]
Read Joyce Teo's stories: https://str.sg/JbxN
---
Discover ST's special edition podcasts:
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia: https://str.sg/wuZ2
Stop Scams: https://str.sg/wuZB
Singapore's War On Covid: https://str.sg/wuJa
Invisible Asia: https://str.sg/wuZn
---
Discover more ST podcast series:
Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7
Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf
In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt
Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m
#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad
ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE
Bookmark This!: https://str.sg/JWas
Lunch With Sumiko: https://str.sg/J6hQ
Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts
Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#healthcheck
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From the publisher's feed
Synopsis: Every month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you.
Podcaster: Joyce Teo
Produced & edited by: Amirul Karim
Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

7,601 Listeners