MEDICAL TOURISM

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MEDICAL TOURISM:

(Update on figures): 11.

Dr Lam Pin Min asked 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.

The Minister for Health (Mr Khaw Boon Wan): Sir, the figures on medical tourists are estimated by the Singapore Tourism

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Board (STB) based on exit surveys of international travellers 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. The 2007 figure is even lower than the 2005 figure. So the drop came as a surprise both to STB and to myself, because all hospitals have registered higher patient admissions and patient-days in 2007, as compared to the previous year. STB is re-examining the survey methodology. On the other hand, the same survey estimated that the spending by these foreign patients increased by 30% to $1.7 billion during the same period.

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.

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.

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

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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.

Dr Lam Pin Min: I would like to ask the Minister, whether he has a breakdown of the medical tourists statistics, into those seen at the private sectors as well as those at the restructured medical institutions and whether the Ministry has a process in place to monitor if the medical care to local Singaporeans has been compromised, especially in the restructured hospitals, as a result of the channeling of resources to service the medical tourists.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: Sir, as I explained, the foreign patients numbers were estimated through surveys by STB. We do have some breakdown by country of origin. But I doubt, we have further breakdown into which hospitals they go to or whether it is private or public. But I do have good data of foreign patients who are served in public hospitals. They are not big – they make up, I think, 1% ( I am relying on memory here) of our total patient load. There is no reason for us to reject patients, just because they are foreigners in public hospitals. But our mission remains focused on Singaporean patients, particularly, the bottom 50% of the population. I can give Members the assurance that, that remains our priority. It will always be our priority. And I do not think patient care will be affected by our doctors or hospitals chasing foreign patients. We do not. They come to us and we have to serve them.

Mr Speaker: Dr Lim, last question.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak (Sembawang): Sir, I would like to ask the Minister, does the Ministry track Singaporeans who go

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overseas for medical treatment, which means the reverse. Do you have any numbers of that?

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: The answer is "no". We do not because it is pretty hard to track outgoing traffic and for what purpose. I suppose if we want to do it, we can. That means, at the border, we have to get our Singaporeans to start filling in forms. But then again, they may not fully disclose. But we do see some of these patients, when they turn up in our hospitals, sometimes, because of complications.