| Medical tourism is the practice of traveling to | | | | Singapore has managed to successfully brand |
| another country to receive medical treatment. | | | | itself above the competition, offering a wide |
| Depending on the nature of treatment and | | | | spectrum of health care services in every major |
| destination of travel, costs savings can be | | | | field of medicine. Singapore has developed a |
| substantial, even after factoring in air fare, hotel | | | | reputation for it's expertise in Neurosurgery, |
| accommodation, insurance, dining and shopping. For | | | | Cardiology, Opthalmology, Oncology and Dental |
| instance, a heart valve operation which would cost | | | | Services. |
| over $200,000 in the United States, could cost | | | | The Singapore Tourism Board works with various |
| under $10,000 in a country like India. It is for this | | | | travel agencies and health care providers, to |
| reason, an ever increasing number of patients in | | | | provide foreign patients with attractive and |
| the West, where medical costs have | | | | affordable health packages. These include air-port |
| sky-rocketed, are traveling to Asia to seek | | | | transfers, booking of specialist appointments, |
| medical treatment. | | | | hospital stays, sight-seeing arrangements etc. |
| Singapore has become one of the major | | | | The Parkway Group of Hospitals (Gleneagles, |
| destinations for international medical tourists. | | | | Mount Elizabeth and East Shore Hospitals) is a |
| Three agencies, the Economic Development | | | | major service provider in the field of medical |
| Board, the Singapore Tourism Board and the | | | | travel. Together with Raffles Hospital, Mount |
| International Enterprise Singapore, have come | | | | Alvernia and the Government-linked Restructured |
| together to develop Singapore as one of Asia's | | | | Hospitals (Alexandra Hospital, Singapore General |
| leading health care destinations. Through their | | | | Hospital, National University Hospital, Changi |
| cooperative efforts, they successfully attract an | | | | General Hospital and Tan Tock Seng Hospital), |
| average of 200,000 medical tourists to the island | | | | they provide a comprehensive and competitive |
| state each year, bringing with them revenues of | | | | range of services to foreign patients. Most |
| about US $3 billion annually. | | | | hospitals now have dedicated International Call |
| Singapore prides itself with having world-class | | | | Centres to cater to this growing demand. |
| medical facilities, with 11 JCI accredited hospitals. It | | | | Medical tourism is set to continue growing in the |
| has a chiefly English-speaking population and is well | | | | years to come. As the Baby Boomers get older, |
| known for its clean and green structured | | | | and more medical issues present themselves, |
| environment. Many of the doctors and staff have | | | | they represent a vast market for high quality, |
| also been trained in major medical centres in the | | | | affordable health care. Another factor which |
| United States and Europe. | | | | favours the growth of the industry is the fact |
| Whilst medical costs in Singapore are considerably | | | | that as many as 43 million Americans are without |
| lower than in the West, they are more expensive | | | | health insurance and 120 million without dental |
| compared to some of the surrounding Asian | | | | coverage, who are likely to seek out more |
| countries, such as Thailand and India. However, | | | | affordable healthcare elsewhere. |