Singapore aims to be medical health care destination

Sudibyo M. Wiradji, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

When Emanuel from Manado, North Sulawesi, was diagnosed with glaucoma he could not find a hospital in Indonesia able to treat him, so he ended up traveling to Singapore for care.

Emanuel, 40, an entrepreneur, was satisfied with his treatment in Singapore, where it took just one hour to treat his eye problem.

He could have ended up losing his sight had he not flown to Singapore for treatment. "Singapore has sophisticated medical technology, which allow doctors to treat patients accurately and efficiently," he said.

Emanuel is one of many Indonesians who have sought medical treatment in Singapore and who have returned home singing the praises of the medical system in the neighboring country.

The Singapore government has made it its mission to establish the country as a regional medical hub and health care destination.

In line with this mission, dozens of hospitals in Singapore continue to enhance their quality in terms of medical service, expertise, equipment, facilities and research and development to lure international patients.

In terms of R&D, for instance, the government and private hospitals team up with reputable medical institutions, such as Johns Hopkins University Hospital, Pennsylvania University Medical Center, Stanford University Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, to seek further breakthroughs in medical research and development.

Singapore is also developing a strong local capability in complex procedures such as organ transplants, assisted reproduction, limb reattachments and join replacements.

"Medical treatment, such as the use of laser technology, is constantly tested and introduced," said www.singaporemedicine, a website specializing in providing information on Singapore health care issues.

It added that over the years Singapore has achieved a health care service level comparable to that in developed western countries.

The most recent achievement was made in 2004 when Singapore doctors and dentists successfully completed a revolutionary two- stage "tooth-in-eye" surgical procedures to help a blind boy to see. "This is believed to be the first operation of its kind in Southeast Asia," the website said.

Among Singapore's top hospitals are Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Gleneagles Hospital, East Shore Hospital, Raffles Hospital, National University Hospital (NUH), Pacific Healthcare, Thomson Medical Center and Mount Alvernia Hospital.

National University Hospital, for instance, prides itself on its patient services and is well known for specialized clinical disciplines, including obstetrics and cardiothoracic surgery, according to singaporemedicine.com.

Collectively, Mount Elizabeth, Gleneagles and East Shore, which are under the Parkway Group Healthcare management, have performed the largest number of cardiac surgeries and neurosurgeries in the private health care sector in the region.

They provide treatment for a mix of medical conditions and specialties, in areas such as cardiology, andrology, urology and oncology.

Gleneagles of Parkway Hospital runs the Asian Center For Liver Disease and Transplantation that features two main facilities - the liver ICU and the liver transplant program.

The hospital's living donor liver transplant (LDLT) program director, Dr. KC Tan has succeeded in conducting liver donor liver transplant for popular film star Andrea de Cruz, and also the one who managed to lead the surgery to separate conjoined twins Anggi and Anjeli recently at Gleneagles Hospital.

Most hospitals in Singapore are equipped with sophisticated medical equipment.

Raffles Hospital's diagnostic facilities, for instance, features the latest imaging system such as CT and MRT. The hospital provides service under Raffles Hospital's Group Practice Model. It delivers medical services of the highest order from complex neuro-surgical management to aesthetics and plastic surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, specialized orthopedic and spinal surgery and bariatric surgery.

Raffles Hospital also features operating rooms especially equipped for a complete range of surgeries from minimally invasive surgery to cardiac surgery.

Singapore is able to offer the complete spectrum of health care services from primary care such as health screening, to quaternary care services such as organ transplants. Hospitals try to be cost-competitive in order to capture the international patient market, said a spokesman for a hospital, who preferred to remain anonymous.

Indonesians go to Singapore to seek the whole range of medical services, from health screening services to treatment of complex diseases.

Many also come there for a broad range of specialist care like general surgery, ophthalmology, orthopedic surgery, cardiology, cardiotherapic surgery, gynecology, neurology, neurosurgery and oncology.

With tourism becoming one of the country's vital sources of revenue, the Singapore government includes health care as a part of the tourist industry and most hospitals cater to medical tourism.

Raffles Hospital's rooms, for instance, are designed and outfitted with hotel-standard comforts and furnishings. They come with attached bedrooms, televisions, telephones and room safes.

In a typical health tourism package, hospital staff arrange airport transfers, book relatives into nearby hotels and even organize local tours. More luxurious packages can include a massage at a spa as well as dinner at an elegant restaurant.

To grab international patients, several Singapore hospitals have set up international patient service centers in many countries, including in Indonesia. They include Parkway Group Healthcare, Raffles Hospital and Pacific Healthcare Holdings.

These international patient service centers provide services ranging from translation to the arrangement of accommodation. Such a service provides peace of mind, especially for patients who are new to Singapore.

Singapore aims to draw one million foreign patients to the country by 2012.

According to a government study, this target could potentially generate S$2.6 billion in revenue, adding about 1 percent to Singapore's gross domestic product.