{"id":174,"date":"2016-11-25T09:02:52","date_gmt":"2016-11-25T01:02:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pacificprime.sg\/blog\/?p=174"},"modified":"2023-08-04T16:58:38","modified_gmt":"2023-08-04T08:58:38","slug":"medical-tourism-singapore-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.sg\/blog\/medical-tourism-singapore-update\/","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s happening to medical tourism in Singapore?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For anyone considering <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">medical tourism<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Singapore has long been one of the most popular destinations in the world to travel to. It\u2019s leading edge facilities and well trained staff have scored highly in world rankings, being awarded the most efficient health system in the world title by Bloomberg in 2014 and making the World Health Organisation\u2019s Top 10 health care rankings in 2012. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Singapore\u2019s lucrative industry, however, has been facing some significant challenges recently. Here\u2019s a quick rundown on where the city-state\u2019s medical tourism sector is at for those living in Singapore, as well as those thinking about visiting for medical procedures.<\/span><\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\"><!--td {border: 1px solid #ccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}--><\/style>\n<p><span data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat=\"{&quot;2&quot;:573,&quot;3&quot;:[null,0],&quot;5&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:[{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;5&quot;:[null,2,0]},{&quot;1&quot;:0,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;3&quot;:3},{&quot;1&quot;:1,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;4&quot;:1}]},&quot;6&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:[{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;5&quot;:[null,2,0]},{&quot;1&quot;:0,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;3&quot;:3},{&quot;1&quot;:1,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;4&quot;:1}]},&quot;7&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:[{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;5&quot;:[null,2,0]},{&quot;1&quot;:0,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;3&quot;:3},{&quot;1&quot;:1,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;4&quot;:1}]},&quot;8&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:[{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;5&quot;:[null,2,0]},{&quot;1&quot;:0,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;3&quot;:3},{&quot;1&quot;:1,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;4&quot;:1}]},&quot;12&quot;:0}\"><div class='code-block code-block-1' style='margin: 8px 0; clear: both;'>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.sg\/plans\/individual-health-insurance\/?campSource=PPSG-Blog&utm_source=blog&utm_medium=content_banner&utm_campaign=banner&utm_content=single\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-774\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/WP-Banner-revamp-final-20221207_1.-Single-final.jpg\" alt=\"Individual health insurance blog\" width=\"1138\" height=\"493\" \/><\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Increasing competition in the market<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the challenges Singapore is facing is the competition from emerging markets and its neighbors. According to the <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/business\/singapore-losing-medical-tourists-to-neighbours\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Straits Times<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the high costs of medical care in the country were often justified due to the high level of treatment offered &#8211; but the gap in standards with other countries has been closing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Places like Thailand, which has also been a popular medical tourism destination, have made ground on Singapore in terms of health care quality. The private Bumrungrad International hospital in Bangkok have been expanding into specialist care, while many facilities in Thailand have been gaining international accreditation. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Malaysia has also been testing Singapore\u2019s hold on the medical tourism market, offering high quality care at a much lower cost. For example, a heart bypass procedure in Singapore will cost you 106 percent more than in Malaysia, and 41 per cent more than in Thailand. The Malaysian market has also been more aggressive at trying to win medical tourists, with Malaysia Airlines previously offering 30% discounts to Bangladeshi patients seeking care. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the gap closing in quality and prices holding low, Singapore can expect more pressure on its medical tourism industry in future. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reduced regional patients<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the health system\u2019s high standards, Singapore would also benefit from high net worth citizens and residents from neighboring countries seeking better medical care. Indonesians previously contributed a significant sum to the medical tourism industry, yet have been <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.smu.edu.sg\/perspectives\/2016\/02\/26\/re-inventing-singapores-medical-tourism-industry\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">reducing in numbers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> because of the unfavorable exchange rate between the Singaporean dollar and the Indonesian rupiah. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Similarly, some of Singapore\u2019s biggest private healthcare providers have been investing in other countries. Raffles Medical Group has three medical centers in Hong Kong and one in Shanghai, now providing those in the region with a number of locations with which to receive high quality care. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Medical Tourism: Is it all bad news for Singapore?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Singapore still has a great reputation for care. The health system is partnered with medical schools and research centers of great world standing, and many new and world first <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/mashable.com\/2015\/11\/02\/singapore-healthcare-innovation\/#RKSxxw31GkqQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">innovations<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> call the country home. Many <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.smu.edu.sg\/perspectives\/2016\/02\/26\/re-inventing-singapores-medical-tourism-industry\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">academics<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and industry experts are aware of the challenges Singapore faces and are already engaged in dialogue to help the country continue to be competitive. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is also the high standards it holds of its health system that has kept it from being the subject of some less than favorable medical tourism news stories. The Hong Kong-based <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.scmp.com\/news\/china\/society\/article\/1948720\/two-chinese-women-pay-through-their-nose-cancer-treatment-trip\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SCMP<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> reported this year about two Chinese women who were scammed into paying \u00a5399,00 yuan for cancer treatments in Thailand. While this is not a common occurrence in Thailand, scams such as this one are virtually unheard of in the city-state of Singapore.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Following this story, our Pacific Prime China office produced an article on how to <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.pacificprime.cn\/en\/china-news\/spotting-medical-scams-in-thailand\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">spot and avoid<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> medical scams in Thailand &#8211; filled with information that can be just as relevant to other emerging medical tourism industries in neighboring countries. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Getting coverage for medical care in Singapore<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re living in Singapore, or are considering a visit for medical purposes, consider contacting <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.sg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pacific Prime Singapore<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for a free quote today. Their expert advisors have over 15 years of experience in providing high quality insurance solutions to over 120,000 clients in Asia and around the world.<\/span><\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\"><!--td {border: 1px solid #ccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}--><\/style>\n<p><span data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;&quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat=\"{&quot;2&quot;:573,&quot;3&quot;:[null,0],&quot;5&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:[{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;5&quot;:[null,2,0]},{&quot;1&quot;:0,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;3&quot;:3},{&quot;1&quot;:1,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;4&quot;:1}]},&quot;6&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:[{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;5&quot;:[null,2,0]},{&quot;1&quot;:0,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;3&quot;:3},{&quot;1&quot;:1,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;4&quot;:1}]},&quot;7&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:[{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;5&quot;:[null,2,0]},{&quot;1&quot;:0,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;3&quot;:3},{&quot;1&quot;:1,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;4&quot;:1}]},&quot;8&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:[{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;5&quot;:[null,2,0]},{&quot;1&quot;:0,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;3&quot;:3},{&quot;1&quot;:1,&quot;2&quot;:0,&quot;4&quot;:1}]},&quot;12&quot;:0}\"><div class='code-block code-block-6' style='margin: 8px 0; clear: both;'>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.sg\/compare-quotes\/step-one\/?campSource=PPSG-Blog&utm_source=blog&utm_medium=cta_banner&utm_campaign=banner&utm_content=quote\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-781\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/PPSG_Gen_02.jpg\" alt=\"Get an Insurance quote banner\" width=\"1138\" height=\"493\" \/><\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For anyone considering medical tourism, Singapore has long been one of the most popular destinations in the world to travel to. It\u2019s leading edge facilities and well trained staff have scored highly in world rankings, being awarded the most efficient health system in the world title by Bloomberg in 2014 and making the World Health &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":175,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[767,768,38,84,39,243,245,244,42,44],"class_list":["post-174","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-insurance","tag-ban_sin","tag-cta_gen","tag-health-insurance","tag-health-insurance-singapore","tag-medical-insurance","tag-medical-tourism","tag-medical-tourism-industry","tag-medical-tourism-singapore","tag-pacific-prime","tag-pacific-prime-singapore"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Medical tourism: What&#039;s 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