The small state of Singapore is is well-known for its very stringent laws and regulations particularly in the areas involving cleanliness. These regulations are carried over to Singapore's ultra-high quality levels in healthcare and world-class facilities, making it an ideal destination for medical travelers who are looking for modern infrastructure, a clean and structured environment, and an English-speaking populace.
Singapore's Healthcare System
The
World Health Organization ranked Singapore as the
6th best health system in the world, much higher than the United States and Canada.
Singapore hospitals and health centers are either government or public facilities like the Singapore General Hospital, or are privately owned like the Raffles and Parkway hospitals. These hospitals offer 'top-of-the-line' quality healthcare services and facilities. They are serviced by English-speaking and internationally trained medical practitioners and staff.
Singapore health facilities receive local accreditation from the Singapore Health Promotion Board, the Singapore Laboratory Accreditation System (SINGLAS), the Singapore Accreditation Council (SAC) and the Ministry of Health. Most of these hospitals are also accredited by top international regulation and standardization bodies.
Medical practitioners' standards and practices are regulated by the
Singapore Medical Council, Singapore Nursing Board, Singapore Dental Board, Pharmacy Board and the Laboratory Board.
The Health Sciences Authority and the Singapore Accreditation Council controls and regulates the certification of medical devices and other health products.
Top Hospitals in Singapore for Medical Tourism
In 2006, there were already 29 hospitals and specialty centers catering to medical travelers. These offer ultra-high quality healthcare and accommodation facilities serviced by 7,000 doctors and over 15,000 registered nurses. These medical facilities have international accreditation from the Joint Commission International (JCI), ISO and OHSAS.
Singapore has a number of
JCI-accredited hospitals. These include the following top hospitals:
- Alexandra Hospital
First accreditation by the JCI took place on July 2005 and was renewed on October 2008. The facility started out as the British Military Hospital during the 1930's and was renamed Alexandra after it was handed over to the government in 1971.
- National Heart Center of Singapore
First accreditation by the JCI on October 2005 and was renewed on July 2008. It is Singapore's major health center for cardiovascular and other cardiac needs catering to both local and foreign patients.
- National University Hospital
First accreditation by the JCI took place on August 2004 and was renewed on July 2007. It is the only university hospital in Singapore that offers international acute tertiary care.
- Parkway Hospitals Singapore Pte Ltd
The Parkway Hospitals is a group of three JCI-accredited health facilities which includes the East Shore Hospital, the Gleneagles Hospital and the Mount Elizabeth hospital. These are private healthcare facilities offering local and international health services with tie-ups to healthcare institutions in Australia, UK and the United States.
- Raffles Hospital
First accreditation by the JCI took place on December 2008. It is an international patient's center that offers a full range of personalized and specialized healthcare services.
- Singapore General Hospital
First accreditation by the JCI on July 2005 and was renewed on July 2008. Established in 1821, it is the flagship hospital for the public sector and is the oldest and largest tertiary hospital offering a full range of health specialties.
- Institute of Mental Health / Woodbridge Hospital
First accreditation by the JCI took place on July 2005 and was renewed on July 2008. It is the only institution in Singapore that provides multi-disciplinary tertiary psychiatric services.
- Browse our list of hospitals in Singapore.
Common Treatments done in Singapore by Medical Tourists
Singaporean hospitals and healthcare facilities offer a wide array of procedures and services for medical travelers, which include but are not limited to the following:
Cost of Medical Treatment in Singapore
The following are cost comparisons between Medical procedures in Singapore and equivalent procedures in the United States: [sources
1,
2,
3]
|
USA Hospitals |
Singapore |
Average Savings |
| Cardiac Surgery |
|
|
|
| Heart Bypass |
$55,000 - $130,000 |
$13,000 - $18,500 |
70-80% |
| Heart Valve Replacement |
$130,000 - $160,000 |
$12,000 - 13,000 |
90-92% |
| Coronary Angioplasty |
$42,000 - $57,000 |
$11,500 - $13,000 |
70-77% |
| Coronary Angiography |
$5,500 - $6,000 |
$1,300 - $1,500 |
70-75% |
| Orthopedic Surgery |
|
|
|
| Hip Replacement |
$24,000 - $43,000 |
$12,000 - $16,000 |
50-65% |
| Hip Resurfacing |
$45,000 - $50,000 |
$13,000 - $15,000 |
70-75% |
| Knee Replacement |
$38,000 - $42,000 |
$12,000 - $13,500 |
65-70% |
| Spinal Fusion |
$60,000 - $63,000 |
$8,000 - $10,000 |
80-85% |
| Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery |
|
|
|
| Face Lift (Rhytidectomy) |
$19,000 - $21,000 |
$6,500 - $7,500 |
60-65% |
| Breast Augmentation/Reduction (Mammoplasty) |
$9,000 - $11,000 |
$7,000 - $9,000 |
18-20% |
| Liposuction (Lipoplasty) |
$14,000 - $16,000 |
$4,500 - $5,500 |
60-65% |
| Nose Surgery (Rhinoplasty) |
$6,500 - $7,500 |
$3,500 - $4,500 |
40-46% |
| Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) |
$8,000 - $9,000 |
$6,000 - $6,500 |
25-40% |
| Eyelid Surgery |
$6,500 - $7,500 |
$3,500 - $4,000 |
45-50% |
| Eye / Ophthalmology |
|
|
|
| LASIK Eye Surgery |
$2,000 - $2,500 |
$1,500 - $2,000 |
20-25% |
| General and Cosmetic Dentistry |
|
|
|
| Root Canal |
$800 - $1200 |
$350 - $900 |
25-60% |
| Other procedures |
|
|
|
| Stem Cell Transplant |
$200,000 - $250,000 |
$72,000 - $90,000 |
60-65% |
| Hysterectomy |
$19,000 - $21,000 |
$5,500 - $6,500 |
70-75% |
Malpractice and Liability Laws in Singapore
Doctors in Singapore are required to have suitable medical malpractice insurance, but these are not as expensive as compared to the US. The costs are recovered through payments for medical procedures and treatments as shouldered by patients.
Pros
- The WHO ranked the quality of healthcare in Singapore as 6th in the world.
- Singapore is a highly urbanized, orderly and spotless country so medical tourists should not expect the same chaotic environment that are typical in other Asian destinations
- There are several JCI-certified hospitals and healthcare facilities in Singapore.
- English is one of Singapore's official languages and is spoken by all doctors and medical staff
- Although the cost for medical procedures in Singapore is not as low compared to India or Thailand, the prices are still lower then Western Europe and the USA.
Cons
- Medical procedures and treatments done in Singapore are more expensive compared to other Asian medical tourism destinations such as Thailand, India and Malaysia.
- The climate in Singapore is hot and humid. This may cause a measure of discomfort to most Westerners, particularly during the post-procedure and recovery stages
- Prices of goods, transportation and accommodation in Singapore are relatively more expensive than other Asian countries
- For US and Canadian medical tourists, travel times to Singapore are very long
Traveling to Singapore
Non-stop or single-stop flights are available from various destinations to Singapore through the flagship Singapore Airlines and other international airlines.
Average estimated travel time in hours
| From/To |
Singapore |
| New York City |
18 |
| Los Angeles |
16 |
| Australia (Sydney) |
7 |
| Indonesia (Jakarta) |
2 |
| Philippines (Manila) |
3.5 |
| UAE (Dubai) |
7 |
| Toronto |
21 |
| Vancouver |
18 |
| United Kingdom |
14 |
Singapore Entry and Exit Requirements
As a general requirement for
entry and exit to Singapore, all foreign visitors are required to have the following items: passport/travel document with a minimum validity of 6 months; a return or onward ticket; entry requirements for the visitor's next destination; sufficient funds that would support their stay and purpose in Singapore; and required applicable Visa or visit pass as described below.
Visiting nationals from the UK, Australia, Canada, USA and EU countries do not require a Visa upon entry and will be issued a
Social Visit Pass upon arrival, provided that they comply with the general requirements as described above. The visit pass is valid for 30 days upon arrival. Other countries listed in Singapore's
Assessment Level I and Level II countries are required to have either a Business Visa or a Social Visit Visa prior to entry to Singapore.
Should there be a need for an extension in stay, or if the required pre-procedure and post-procedure duration requirements extend beyond 30 days, the medical traveler should arrange for an extension pass (valid up to 90 days) from the Embassy of the Republic of Singapore or the Consulate-General of Singapore before leaving the United States or Canada. If the need for extension is determined while already in Singapore, special permits can be arranged and obtained from the Immigrations and Checkpoints Authority of Singapore.
Statistics of Medical Tourism in Singapore
Singapore attracts hundreds of thousands of medical tourists per year, according to exit surveys conducted on tourists by the Singapore Tourism Board. Singapore's international patients are mostly from Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, UAE and China.
The figures shown below were reported by Mr Jason Yap, a director in the
Singapore Tourism Board:
Number of Singapore medical tourists based on official surveys [
source]
| 2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
| 210,000 |
230,000 |
320,000 |
374,000 |
410,000 |