Innovation the key to growing medical tourism

Medical tourism was once identified as a potential driver of Singapore’s economy, but growth is now restricted as government support for the industry wanes.

Since 70 per cent of overseas patients who enter our country consult private specialists and contribute approximately 20 per cent to the revenue of private hospitals, it would benefit us to make innovative changes to how we promote ourselves in the region.

Singapore must focus not only on the premium segment of overseas patients, but also on perfecting new skills and introducing cutting-edge technology.

Malaysia and Thailand are catching up by building modern hospitals with foreign and Singapore-trained specialists practising there. India is gaining prominence as a destination for hip and joint surgery.

To stay ahead of our competitors for medical tourists, Singapore must market our new capabilities and achievements overseas. We are ranked the best in Asia and sixth out of 191 countries by the World Health Organization when it comes to healthcare.

The Joint Commission International issues the accreditation par excellence for international healthcare facilities, which all restructured and private hospitals that serve foreign patients possess.

Degenerative conditions such as osteoarthritis are a leading cause of disability as the region ages rapidly and population growth slows.

Partial knee resurfacing provides a lifeline to older patients living with early to mid-stage osteoarthritis.

As a robotic arm interactive orthopaedic system powers this procedure, reproducible precision is achieved using this technology as I have found as an orthopaedic surgeon.

Bones and surrounding tissue are spared as a result, while the smaller incision means there is reduced blood loss and less scarring.

For overseas patients facing a substantial medical bill, the prospect of faster recovery and a shorter hospital stay is a major attraction for them to come to Singapore; partial knee resurfacing is an innovative treatment option that makes this a reality.

An inpatient’s stay can be reduced to one to three days, compared with the average of six days for conventional knee replacement surgeries. This procedure can even be performed on an outpatient basis for ambulatory patients.

We must control our costs as well as offer services that are not easily replicated by investment in the newest technology.

As our neighbours are catching up in offering premium hospital services, such innovation is the way forward. We cannot continue to compete for bread-and-butter cases, owing to our higher cost structure.