Singapore and Middle East forge common ground in global healthcare

Although many people have traditionally opted to stay in their home country for treatment, the increasingly international accessibility of clinical service means that more people than ever before now have the option of seeking medical treatment abroad.

Combined with the greater ease of global travel and the special facilities available for medical travelers, the world is seeing a far more mobile international patient population.

'This major new change presents challenges and opportunities to national health services,' according to Dr. Jason Yap, Director of Healthcare Services, Singapore Tourism Board.

'The medical travel market ranges from simple cosmetic and commoditized surgeries like hip replacements, to highly specialized tertiary and quaternary services for critical illnesses and relatively rare conditions,' said Dr. Yap.

'As healthcare globalizes and the world increasingly flattens, options available to patients have increased tremendously in recent years. This is a good thing as patients have more choice and more patients obtain the healthcare they seek,' he added.

Singapore welcomed 410,000 medical travelers in 2006 and is increasingly being seen as a model for the development of a globally-focused healthcare system combining both public and private involvement.

'Singapore is one of the best places in the world in terms of the quality of medical care and range of services. In fact, our medical system is almost too developed for our population size,' he commented. 'That's why we have to bring in international visitors, so that we can continue to have the very best treatment and facilities for both our Singaporean patients as well as overseas visitors.'

Dr. Yap recognizes that many healthcare systems in the Middle East have developed along almost the opposite trajectory. Countries have historically sent a high volume of national patients abroad for treatment, and are now incorporating many of the lessons learned into developing their own international healthcare offering.

At this year's Arab Health Congress, Dr. Yap will be delivering two key note presentations examining these issues.

The first - 'What defines success in global healthcare?' - will look at the national and organizational models that help drive countries to excel in the global healthcare market. The second - 'Should the public sector get involved?' - will examine the relationship between public and private healthcare, using Singapore's system as a model.

In many ways, Dr. Yap is the ideal candidate to promote medical travel to Singapore. His mother traveled from Malaysia to the city state to give birth to him years ago, 'so I am the product of medical travel', he says.

Arab Health, which takes place at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre from 28-31 January 2008, will feature the highly comprehensive Arab Health Congress. The conferences are accredited by the American Academy of Continuing Medical Education (AACME).