30/09/2026
Dear SpicyMD: A MATTER OF FAIRNESS by Dr. Arlene C. Suñga
“Same kami ng payment ma’am? Family Medicine physician at General Practicioner?”
The response was that there is no distinction in the payment category between a Family Medicine specialist and a General Practitioner—₱200 per patient.
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀. It raises a larger question about how we recognize training, expertise, and professional responsibility within our healthcare system.
What is perhaps most concerning is that we have reached a point where 𝗽𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗯𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱.
We should not have to plead for the value of additional years of residency training, certification, continuing education, and the specialized competencies that come with being a Family Medicine specialist.
𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲.
Every healthcare professional deserves to be compensated fairly for their training, expertise, time, and the services they provide. Fair compensation should not diminish the value of one profession to recognize another. Instead, it should reflect the qualifications and responsibilities of each.
We understand that our patients are struggling. We are struggling too. We are all on the same boat.
But a healthcare system should strive for fairness—not only for patients, but also for the professionals who keep that system running.
𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.
𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
Because when 𝗪𝗘 𝗛𝗔𝗩𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗕𝗘𝗚 to have our specialization recognized, perhaps the problem is bigger than the ₱200.
It is a reflection of how much—or how little—we value healthcare professionals.
By Dr. Snga Len.
