Host of the first ever Youth Olympic Games, the tiny island of Singapore is also famous for many more things big and small. Claiming to be Asia’s leading medical hub, Singapore has long been the choice of destination for major medical care for patients from neighbouring countries viz., Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Middle East, Indochina, Greater China, and so on. Today, even Americans, Canadians and Europeans are choosing Singapore as a medical tourism destinationfor healthcare that is low, price-wise and just-like-the-West, quality-wise.
SINGAPORE’S HEALTH CARE DELIVERY
There are 15 hospitals and medical centers in Singapore that have obtained the united States-based Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation. That is a large concentration of JCI accredited hospitals in one country. A JCI accreditation gives the healthcare provider the top-quality label which in turn gives the patient the peace of mind that the service received will be on par with or superior to what is available in the United States.
To appeal to patients from Europe and other Asian nations, Singapore hospitals are also looking towards European and Asian-based hospital accreditation systems. This says a lot about the quality of healthcare delivery. Not just that, hospitals in Singapore have strategic partnerships with many acclaimed overseas institutes like Harvard Medical School. Such alliances give them access to the latest cutting-edge medical technology. Also, it is common for doctors and surgeons in Singapore hospitals to have an overseas education and training.
TOP SINGAPORE HOSPITALS AND COMMON PROCEDURES:
Some of the most famous hospitals in Singapore are National Heart Centre (NHC), Parkway Hospitals (including Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Gleneagles Hospital, East Shore Hospital), Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), and Raffles Hospital. Some of the common medical procedures sought in these hospitals are cardiac bypass surgeries, joint replacement procedures, cosmetic or plastic surgeries, cancer therapies like chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and so on. Increasingly, Singapore is becoming popular as an organ transplantation destination as well. Patients visit Singapore from all over the world for transplant surgeries such as liver transplant, kidney transplant, and hair transplant.
There are also several dental offices island-wide that offer good dental services to foreigners for cheap. A lot of tourists coming into Singapore combine vacation with a health check (preventive and wellness checkups) on the side.
SINGAPORE’S USP IN THE MEDICAL TOURISM INDUSTRY
Things that set Singapore apart from others vying for business in the medical tourism industry are:
Prosperous country: Unlike other medical tourism destinations in the world that are mostly developing countries, Singapore stands out as one of the most prosperous nations in the world with a per capita GDP equal to that of the leading nations of Western Europe.
Cosmopolitan image: About a quarter of the population is composed of residents from foreign nations making the country culturally diverse. Sensitivity and respect towards people from other cultures, ethnicities and religions is, therefore, at the heart of the society. For international patients seeking medical treatment in Singapore, this is a big plus.
High service standards: High service standards in all sectors of the economy, and not just in the health care sector, give Singapore a significant advantage in the medical tourism industry.
English as an official language: You will not have to worry about learning another language or bother with interpreters because English is the most commonly spoken language in the country.
Tourism: Medical tourists traveling to Singapore often visit the several tourist attractions the country offers. In fact, tourism in Singapore is a major industry and attracts millions of tourists each year. From cultural attractions to natural and heritage conservation sites, and from adventurous activities to relaxation retreats, Singapore caters to every type of tourist.
IN SUMMARY
Singapore may not be the cheapest option available to you in terms of health care but with a price differential of 60-80% (compared to US hospital rates) on major medical care, the cost savings still amount to a lot. High quality of care offered in modern facilities using state-of-the-art technology and equipments makes Singapore a top medical tourism hub.
So, if you need top class medical care but do not have the means to pay for it then get your local doctor’s reports together and call upon a reputed medical tourism facilitator such as Healthbase for affordable treatment in Singapore.
About the author:
The author works for Healthbase (www.healthbase.com), a medical tourismfacilitator that connects patients to high quality healthcare in USA and abroad for a fraction of the typical cost of care in US, Canada and UK.