Median Waiting Time from Referral to Appointment at Public Hospitals for Subsidised and Private-paying Patients

Ms Hazel Poa asked the Minister for Health as of 2024, what is the median waiting time between a referral from a primary healthcare provider and a new specialist outpatient appointment at public hospitals by specialties for (i) subsidised patients and (ii) private-paying patients, respectively.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: In 2024, the median wait times for referrals from primary care providers to public hospital Specialist Outpatient Clinics ( SOC) were 35 days for subsidised patients and 12 days for unsubsidised patients.

That said, these are median wait times. Patient referrals, whether subsidised or unsubsidised, are first and foremost prioritised based on the urgency of their medical conditions. Cases assessed as urgent will be given earlier SOC appointments regardless of their subsidy status.