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Serious Medical Tourism Crumbles

Pinkieslut

Alfrescian
Loyal
Word on the street is there are Sinkie generalist doctors already retrenched from private hospitals.

Maybe time to hire FT doctors at the private hospitals who are cheaper faster and better!


Private hospitals clamour for greater support as medical tourism stumbles


Modernisation at ASEAN hospitals is a key threat.

Private healthcare providers need booster shots from the government in order to help them cope with the dwindling number of medical tourists.

Experts and industry players noted that Singapore's hospitals are up against stiff competition from their counterparts in the ASEAN. As more Southeast Asian hospitals modernise, the city-state is slowly losing its appeal as a medical tourism hub.

For instance, Indonesian healthcare providers are aggressively investing in new facilities and equipment, said Dr. Beng Teck Liang, Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer,Singapore Medical Group. This trend is among the culprits behind the sharp drop in Indonesian medical tourist arrivals, and has exacerbated the impact of the weak Indonesian rupiah.

“It's a given. In markets like Indonesia and Vietnam, we're going to see a progressive improvement in the healthcare sector, which will result in fewer patients heading to Singapore,” Beng said.

Beng noted that the hospital has seen declining numbers of medical tourists in the past couple of years, particularly those from Indonesia. While demand from Vietnamese patients remains strong, Beng believes that the trend of declining arrivals is not likely to be resolved in the near future.

"Indonesian healthcare providers are aggressively investing in new facilities and equipment. I think they are successful in encouraging patients to stay local, particularly now with the use of universal healthcare," he said.

Cutthroat competition

Beng noted that the private hospitals need to cope with a massive shift in the profile of international patients. He highlights that in the early 1990s, Indonesian patients went to Singapore for even the most basic medical procedures; now, they only head to Singapore for extremely complex cases. As a result, earnings from medical tourism has dropped by as much as 40% in some cases. Beng stressed that private hospitals need more government support in order to stay ahead of their aggressive regional competitors.

"We've actually had many conversations with people like the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) as to how they can help us, but I think their hands are tied as well. We want to have a dialogue with the Ministry of Health, but so far this has proven to be more challenging to have those conversations," he said.

Beng noted that the Singapore Tourism Board has done its level best to help private healthcare players, but the regulator cannot do much about the competition that private providers face from public hospitals. Overseas patients are also crucial to the earnings of public hospitals, and Beng reckons that it is unlikely that government-owned players will stop accepting foreign patients in order to give way to private providers.

“There comes the dilemma. We do want to kick-start something; STB has encouraged the private sector to band together to grow medical tourism ourselves with some of their support. But our view is, what’s the point? We’re going to grow private sector medical tourism, but who’s going to benefit? So we really want to have that conversation with the government to understand exactly what’s going on from their viewpoint,” he said.

Another problem is the huge capacity from the public sector which is about to enter the market. Public hospitals have expanded aggressively and hired plenty of foreign doctors, which will further put a strain on private operators. “With this extra capacity, at some point in time, I think the government is going to realise that the only way to sustain some of these hospitals is again to open up medical tourism. So again our question is: Why are we investing to build? We think in the next three or five years, the government is going to come back and say, let’s all get together and promote Singapore medicine together.”

Lawrence Patrick, Chief Executive Officer of Johns Hopkins Singapore Medical Group, concurred with this sentiment. “I think the dilemma here is that for a number of years the government told the private sector: If you build it, they will come and we will partner. But now, in a couple of years, they’re not going to need that capacity in the private sector and we’re going to see consolidations again,” he said.

Internalisation is key

Patrick noted that internalisation is a key growth pillar for private healthcare providers in this era of declining medical tourism arrivals. Consolidation will also be a key theme for players as this revenue source dries up.

“While we can’t bring the patients here, we can go abroad and get those patients into the system. And then there’s this notion that we all get better together so I think as a result of weakening medical tourism, we are going to see more consolidations here, such as more public-private partnerships,” he said.

Although expanding to overseas market is key to growth, Patrick cautioned that the continued internalisation of private players might have a negative effect on the local medical tourism sector. “We can continue to go to these overseas markets in order to compete, but what will that do to our operations here in the long-term?” he asked. He added that Johns Hopkins no longer expects medical tourist arrivals to return to previous levels, and the group is rolling out a contingency plan to keep earnings robust.

Beng, meanwhile, shared that Singapore Medical Group has established the most advanced eye facility in Jakarta in partnership with Ciputra Group, known as the Ciputra SMG Eye Clinic. It opened in October last year.

“As a group, we have taken the forward-looking approach. While we still be able to cultivate overseas medical tourism visits to Singapore, the new way for organisations is to really reach out to these emerging countries,” he said, adding that the group is also looking to expand in Vietnam.

"The private sector will always find ways to survive, and we are surviving. We’ll always find ways and means of getting to the market," Beng stressed.

While the threat from emerging Asian economies is very real, Beng said that Singapore still has an edge in terms of more advanced software and staff.

“The positive note is that there is rising demand from countries like Vietnam, which is doing really well from an economic standpoint. The facilities there are still fairly rudimentary, and because wealth levels are increasing, they’re seeking better healthcare,” he noted.

Patrick, however, is a lot less sanguine on Singapore’s prospects. “I don’t see the sector bouncing back. Currency fluctuation is one reason, but I think low oil prices is a bigger drag,” he said, adding that the decline in commodity prices has impacted demand from wealthy Middle Eastern patients. “Until they start to rebound, the patients won’t be coming back,” he stated.

Singapore’s medical tourism prospects were among the topics discussed at the recently-concluded Healthcare Asia Forum, which was held in Singapore on May 12. The event gathered about 40 top practitioners and was supported by Ortho Clinical Diagnostics and Avigilon. PwC served as the event’s thought leader.

The forum is part of Healthcare Asia Magazine’s five-city roadshow. It has also been held in Manila, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta. The last leg will be held in Bangkok on May 26.
 

Brightkid

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Loyal
I am surprised it took so long for it to happen.

There's shiploads of foreigners here as radiographers, and similar medical back room support, and many more working remotely from 3rd world countries, you be so demoralized that you won't believed how much sinkies been sidelined since long ago.

Furthermore, with such expensive to be treated in SG, there are many other options like in Thailand, where medical tourism is blooming!
 

scroobal

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Loyal
We have been fleecing the regional customers because their own country medical infrastructure was bad. Many now have good private hospitals and related service providers. The Malaysians and the Thais stopped coming to Singapore nearly 20 years ago. Indonesians now have good care back home. Even the Australians who work in the region prefer to return to their country as they have state cover.

Its a repeat of our Shopping centres which use to draw the rich and famous from all over South East Asia. Not anymore. Not only Mugabe and family who cannot go anywhere except China, HK and Singapore.
 

Pinkieslut

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Loyal
We have been fleecing the regional customers because their own country medical infrastructure was bad. Many now have good private hospitals and related service providers. The Malaysians and the Thais stopped coming to Singapore nearly 20 years ago. Indonesians now have good care back home. Even the Australians who work in the region prefer to return to their country as they have state cover.

Its a repeat of our Shopping centres which use to draw the rich and famous from all over South East Asia. Not anymore. Not only Mugabe and family who cannot go anywhere except China, HK and Singapore.


Even when LhL got cancer he had whole bunch of international doctors treating him including mostly Angmo and PRC.

So why the heck people come over here for treatment now if skills are not top notch, innovative or cheap?

Other countries are catching and even exceed us. Old days of selling the brand that we are 'clean, have good infrastructure and proper no long works.
 

ckmpd

Alfrescian
Loyal
1. Medical Tourism Crumbles

2. Education Hub Failure

3. Retail paradise Failed

4. Innovation Collapse

5. Financial Hub Deteriorating

That's story of pap's kpi
 

scroobal

Alfrescian
Loyal
Many are ethnic Chinese from the Chinese diaspora who run businesses and speak little or no English. They feel comfortable being treated here. When the local doctors realised that these people were prepared to pay, they literally fleeced them. Remember Susan Lim when she charged millions to make a terminally ill patient "comfortable". The irony is that old man and his family all went to local hospitals. PM sons were given birth in NUH.

If it was not available in local govt hospital they would go to the US.

Not all doctors in these private hospitals are like that. I know a few who had falling out with certain people and left the public sector. LWL is the cause of some leaving for the private sector.



Even when LhL got cancer he had whole bunch of international doctors treating him including mostly Angmo and PRC.

So why the heck people come over here for treatment now if skills are not top notch, innovative or cheap?

Other countries are catching and even exceed us. Old days of selling the brand that we are 'clean, have good infrastructure and proper no long works.
 

Satyr

Alfrescian
Loyal
We have been fleecing the regional customers because their own country medical infrastructure was bad. Many now have good private hospitals and related service providers. The Malaysians and the Thais stopped coming to Singapore nearly 20 years ago. Indonesians now have good care back home. Even the Australians who work in the region prefer to return to their country as they have state cover.

Its a repeat of our Shopping centres which use to draw the rich and famous from all over South East Asia. Not anymore. Not only Mugabe and family who cannot go anywhere except China, HK and Singapore.

This is the problem of trying to earn easy money instead of doing the hard work of actually producing something. Fun while it lasted. Didn't they figure out if someone can fly here he can one day fly elsewhere ? Ditto for casinos.
 

eatshitndie

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
it only proves that the sg gov is generous and successful in educating and training regional students to becum effective medical professionals, helping to improve and upgrade the infrastructure and capabilities of regional cuntries, transferring know how and best practices to neighboring states to grow and uplift the region as a whole in order for all to enjoy and benefit from an expanding regional economy. the end result is that sg will rise further and reach the top first like a cork in a collective glass of champagne. this is nothing but an insignificant sacrifice. more good days cumming for sg.
 

yahoo55

Alfrescian
Loyal
Singapore private hospitals are too expensive, and the govt hospitals are also very expensive. It's much cheaper for foreigners and even Sinkies to go elsewhere for medical treatment. I know of Sinkies that go to Malaysian hospitals for their medical treatment. Sinkies have become medical tourists instead.
 

borom

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Asset
I think its a good thing if it can result in private hospitals/local doctors in private practise lowering their fees to be more affordable to locals.

It is ridiculous that locals have to wait for hours to be treated by doctors from Pinoyland/India/China in public hospitals and months for referral to specialist while foreigners are given very quick treatment by local specialist in the private medical sectors. I'm even more surprised that this was not made into an election issue by SDP and raised vigorously by WP in Parliament.
 

scroobal

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Loyal
Our good anal doctor, Koh Poh Koon until recently was running a clinic in Mt E and his patients were primarily Indonesian Chinese. His Webpage also had an Bahasa Indonesia version. With character and mannerism, I suspect that he realised that good times have come to an end.

This is the problem of trying to earn easy money instead of doing the hard work of actually producing something. Fun while it lasted. Didn't they figure out if someone can fly here he can one day fly elsewhere ? Ditto for casinos.
 

johnny333

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Know some Indonesians & they have been going to Malaysia & Australia for medical treatment.

I get my dental work done in Thailand.
 

Hans168

Alfrescian
Loyal
time to bring back such local doctors to public hospitals now being infested with f trash doctors.................. one pair almost blinded me after treating me for 2 yrs
 

JohnTan

Alfrescian (InfP)
Generous Asset
I think its a good thing if it can result in private hospitals/local doctors in private practise lowering their fees to be more affordable to locals.

It is ridiculous that locals have to wait for hours to be treated by doctors from Pinoyland/India/China in public hospitals and months for referral to specialist while foreigners are given very quick treatment by local specialist in the private medical sectors. I'm even more surprised that this was not made into an election issue by SDP and raised vigorously by WP in Parliament.

If you are willing to pay more, upgrade to A class wards, you should be able to see a specialist real quick.

You usually get better service if you are willing to pay more. That's how it works.
 

lifeafter41

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
I think its a good thing if it can result in private hospitals/local doctors in private practise lowering their fees to be more affordable to locals.

It is ridiculous that locals have to wait for hours to be treated by doctors from Pinoyland/India/China in public hospitals and months for referral to specialist while foreigners are given very quick treatment by local specialist in the private medical sectors. I'm even more surprised that this was not made into an election issue by SDP and raised vigorously by WP in Parliament.

Yes, isn't it ironic that when old Singaporeans uncle or aunties talk to these Doctors, they need a translator, and if the nurse happens to be from another country, chicken and duck talking Liao.

Is it really that difficult to train more local Singaporeans to be doctors? Why must MOH import from other countries.......just don't understand the rationale.

If every need that x number of years for training, they should have plan for it then taking the easy way out and import from other countries........

Maybe there is the cost involved to train locals.....but give it a good 10 years, there won't be much Singapore core to talk about......
 

winnipegjets

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
If you are willing to pay more, upgrade to A class wards, you should be able to see a specialist real quick.

You usually get better service if you are willing to pay more. That's how it works.

That's not how it should work. Is everyone entitled to healthcare or only the rich is entitled to it?
 
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