IMPROVING PUBLIC HOSPITALS' CARE DELIVERY THROUGH APPOINTMENT CONSOLIDATION AND SENIOR-FRIENDLY WAITING SPACES
6 October 2026
NOTICE PAPER NO. 1374
NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR WRITTEN ANSWER
FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON OR AFTER 6 OCTOBER 2026
Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Ms Valerie Lee
MP for Pasir Ris-Changi GRC
Question No. 2128
To ask the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health what efforts are being made across public hospitals to provide more senior-friendly care practices through (i) coordinating and consolidating appointment dates for seniors who have multiple specialist follow-ups, so as to reduce repeated hospital visits and (ii) providing senior-friendly spaces where patients can rest and access refreshments while waiting between appointments.
Answer
1 Public healthcare institutions (PHIs) coordinate specialist outpatient appointments across specialties, consolidate investigations to be done on the same day, and offer teleconsultations to reduce repeat visits, where clinically appropriate. PHIs are also progressively transforming care by having more patients receive care from multi-disciplinary teams led by Principal Doctors who will coordinate and integrate care according to the patient’s needs.
2 However, consolidating appointments is not always clinically or operationally feasible. Some consultations, investigations and procedures may need to take place separately because of clinical requirements, preparation needs or specialist availability. Patients may also prefer having shorter visits over a few days instead of one long visit on a single day for all their appointments.
3 PHIs do provide waiting and seating areas with access to refreshments through amenities such as cafeterias, food courts or vending machines. Most hospitals also have outdoor gardens or open spaces, where patients can rest between appointments.
