Singapore is a country in Asia that is known as one of the largest healthcare centers in the entire continent, and for good reason. They are consistently putting money into research efforts, working on expanding their hospitals, and have some of the most comprehensive healthcare plans in comparison to other countries. Though it is important to note that although a particular industry may appear perfect, there are always steps that a country can take in order to make them better and Singapore is no different. Below are just a few recommendations to consider for improving their medical tourism industry.
Building Maximum Capacity Hospitals
The country has the tendency to use their money to make their hospitals beautiful, instead of functional. There’s nothing wrong with having illustrious architectural-pleasing buildings, until you have an overwhelming amount of patients that have to pay for their medical care as they’re not signed up for insurance plans. By taking the time to build maximum capacity hospitals, it gives the country the ability to focus on providing affordable healthcare for everyone.
Making More Affordable Wards
Everyone can have the idea of getting immaculate treatment while they’re inside of a hospital but it’s important to remember that someone has to pay for it, typically the patient. Instead of focusing efforts on building A Class wards with state of the art rooms and beds, hospitals could be far more affordable and accessible by the general public if there were more B & C Class beds and wards.
Giving Patients the Right Care
It’s simple for a hospital to want to treat their patients in-house as soon as they are admitted, even if it means that they’ll be spending an ample amount of time and resources on an illness that they might not be properly equipped to treat. The healthcare community in Singapore needs to establish a routine where they can diagnose patients and refer them to other hospitals or doctors in the event that they don’t have access to the right tools, skill sets, or expertise necessary to treat illnesses.
Creating Medical Lanes
It’s quite common for people around Asia to travel to Singapore to get medical treatment because their doctors are known to be the best. Instead of grouping everyone together when they are coming into the country, it can be beneficial to offer special lanes and checkpoints for those seeking medical care. This will make it much easier for visitors to get the visas that they need in the event that they’re looking for medical treatment in Singapore.
Creating Private Healthcare Providers
The main thing about making medical tourism accessible without taking away from residents is to separate the two entities entirely. Instead of combining resident and tourist treatments in the same hospital, Singapore could consider creating a line of private healthcare facilities that focus primarily on international visitors. Not only does this allow both parties to get the treatment that they need, but it also increases the total number of healthcare jobs that are available in the country.
About the Author:
Morris Edwards is a content writer at Singapore Company Incorporation Consultants Pte Ltd, where he writes most content on the site, and also writes the articles for Company Registration in Singapore Blog.