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Sep 14, 2009
Well-positioned for upturn
By Salma Khalik, Health Correspondent
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Singapore's healthcare system is poised to capture the upturn in medical tourism, which has been hit by the global economic slowdown. -- ST PHOTO: JESSICA LIM
SINGAPORE'S healthcare system is well-positioned to capture the upturn in medical tourism when the region recovers from the economic downturn, Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan said in Parliament on Monday.
Besides having a competent healthcare system, with world-class facilities and a well-deserved reputation for high medical and ethical standards, he said efforts to expand the capacity and raise the capabilities of healthcare services are continuing.
Despite the economic slowdown, Singapore had to turn away foreign patients last year because the 'market was bigger than we can cope,' said Mr Khaw, responding to questions from MPs.
To meet the higher demand, the Government has been releasing more land for hospitals and medical centres. Hiring of more foreigners and training of locals have been ramped up.
To a query from Dr Lam Pin Min, MP for Ang Mo Kio, on medical tourism, Mr Khaw said private hospitals' performance remained fairly robust despite the slowdown, with only marginal drops in revenue compared to last year.
'This suggests that the impact of the downturn and H1N1 so far is not as bad as originally projected,' he said.
As the region recovers from recession, he expects medical tourism to go up, adding that Singapore is well-positioned to capture the growth.
But he admitted that the previously announced target of one million medical tourists by 2012 was a 'stretched target' and currently appears 'unrealistic'. Nevertheless, Singapore will do its best to reach that goal, he said.
Replying to Nominated MP Paulin Straughan's query on how the ministry will ensure that Singaporeans do not suffer from too much competition from foreigners for medical services, Mr Khaw said public hospitals are 'crystal clear' that their priority are Singaporeans, especially the poorer ones.
He explained that there are mechanisms in place that will ensure that subsidised patients are not neglected.
He added that it has never been the ministry's objective to chase the foreign dollar. Instead, it is 'an inevitable outcome' that foreign patients seek treatment in public hospitals as the reputation of these hospitals spread, he said.
Sep 14, 2009
Well-positioned for upturn
By Salma Khalik, Health Correspondent
<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i30.tinypic.com/wbpirn.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>
Singapore's healthcare system is poised to capture the upturn in medical tourism, which has been hit by the global economic slowdown. -- ST PHOTO: JESSICA LIM
SINGAPORE'S healthcare system is well-positioned to capture the upturn in medical tourism when the region recovers from the economic downturn, Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan said in Parliament on Monday.
Besides having a competent healthcare system, with world-class facilities and a well-deserved reputation for high medical and ethical standards, he said efforts to expand the capacity and raise the capabilities of healthcare services are continuing.
Despite the economic slowdown, Singapore had to turn away foreign patients last year because the 'market was bigger than we can cope,' said Mr Khaw, responding to questions from MPs.
To meet the higher demand, the Government has been releasing more land for hospitals and medical centres. Hiring of more foreigners and training of locals have been ramped up.
To a query from Dr Lam Pin Min, MP for Ang Mo Kio, on medical tourism, Mr Khaw said private hospitals' performance remained fairly robust despite the slowdown, with only marginal drops in revenue compared to last year.
'This suggests that the impact of the downturn and H1N1 so far is not as bad as originally projected,' he said.
As the region recovers from recession, he expects medical tourism to go up, adding that Singapore is well-positioned to capture the growth.
But he admitted that the previously announced target of one million medical tourists by 2012 was a 'stretched target' and currently appears 'unrealistic'. Nevertheless, Singapore will do its best to reach that goal, he said.
Replying to Nominated MP Paulin Straughan's query on how the ministry will ensure that Singaporeans do not suffer from too much competition from foreigners for medical services, Mr Khaw said public hospitals are 'crystal clear' that their priority are Singaporeans, especially the poorer ones.
He explained that there are mechanisms in place that will ensure that subsidised patients are not neglected.
He added that it has never been the ministry's objective to chase the foreign dollar. Instead, it is 'an inevitable outcome' that foreign patients seek treatment in public hospitals as the reputation of these hospitals spread, he said.
