Medical Travellers Update

22 Jan 2009

Question No:  905  

Question

Name of the Person: Dr Lam Pin Min

To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether he will provide an update on the figures for medical tourism for 2008 and whether we are on track for the 2012 target of one million foreign medical tourists; and (b) if there will be a change in strategic plans to woo foreign patients in view of the deteriorating economic outlook around the world.

Reply

Reply From MOH

1. Figures on medical tourists are estimated by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) based on exit surveys of international travelers at our airport. The numbers for 2008 are not available yet.  The 2007 estimate was 348,000, a 15% drop from 2006’s estimate of 410,000.  This drop came as a surprise as all hospitals registered higher patient admissions and patient-days in 2007, as compared to the previous year.  STB is re-examining the survey methodology.  The same survey, however, estimated that the spending by these medical tourists increased by 30% to $1.7 billion during the same period.

2. In any case, given the severe global economic downturn, it will be a challenge to meet the earlier target of one million foreign patients by 2012. Our hospitals will have to work harder to attract these patients and we may take a longer time to realize this numerical target.

3. But the aim of making Singapore a regional medical hub and the strategy of achieving it through offering a high standard of care which is affordable remain unchanged.  As I have explained before, becoming a regional medical hub is a natural outcome of our efforts to enable all Singaporeans to have access to a high standard of healthcare services which are also affordable.  This is our primary mission and our success in this mission is bound to attract foreign patients who can afford to come to our shores.  As we do not subsidise foreigners, the volume of foreign patients will naturally be impacted by the state of the regional economy.  This is seen not only in medical tourism but in the entire tourism sector in general. 

4. Meanwhile, we must press on with our efforts to enhance our capabilities in accordance with the needs and demands of Singaporean patients. Such efforts will also help us compete better against the other regional medical centres, based on skills and clinical outcomes, and not merely on costs.  Hence, the earlier plan to expand hospital capacity and specialist manpower will remain on track, although some of the private investors may adjust their timing in accordance with their shareholders’ priorities.