Farrer Park Mediplex To Be Ready By 2010

Source : Channel NewsAsia, 16 August 2008

A medical complex - comprising a hospital, specialist suites and a hotel - will be built in Singapore by October 2010.

Its aim is to grab a chunk of the burgeoning multi-billion dollar market for medical travel in Asia.

The 19-storey Farrer Park Mediplex will comprise a hospital, specialist suites and a hotel.

It is believed the first of its kind in Asia, and the company behind it expects to be a strong contender in the market for medical travellers - with about half of its patients coming from overseas.

Dr Djeng Shih Kien, chairman, Singapore HealthPartners, said: "(These will include) patients who are on dialysis. They can stay in the hotel, have their dialysis, and use Singapore as a base and travel to the surrounding nations."

Singapore HealthPartners hopes to attract some 400 specialists covering a range of fields.

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But ultimately, it wants to establish a reputation in cardiology and oncology - boosted by state-of-the-art facilities.

It believes it is also satisfying a growing need of doctors for more space.

Dr Djeng explained: "There is a huge demand for medical space. There are so many doctors who cannot get a medical suite to practice. If you look at (the situation) now, all the medical suites at (rival group) Parkway, there are three or four doctors sharing one suite. So there's definitely a need for a new hospital, new suites, just to make us catch up with neighbouring countries."

The nearby Farrer Park and Little India train stations will take patients into the city centre within five minutes.

Dr Djeng Shih Kien

The entire complex is expected to cost about S$350 million, and given rising construction costs, Singapore HealthPartners said it is prepared to pay about 10 to 15 per cent more, just to get the project completed on time.

Medical tourism in Asia is worth an estimated S$106 billion, and many say the pie is big enough for all.

And with its integrated facilities, Singapore HealthPartners is confident it has got the edge over other private healthcare providers in the region. - CNA/ms