Singapore has a combination of public and private healthcare providers. The public system is divided into three Regional Health Systems which are responsible for primary, acute, and community care. Primary care is provided through polyclinics and general practitioner clinics. The healthcare system faces challenges from an aging population and increasing healthcare costs.

1. Healthcare System Overview - Singapore 1
Singapore Healthcare
System Overview
March 2020

2. Healthcare System Overview - Singapore 2
Overview of Singapore
Abbreviations: GDP (Gross Domestic Product)
Sources: Singstat.gov , CEIC data, MOH, Global data, Trade economics, Singapore Budget, Pharma-focus Asia
Source:
Globaldata, Statista, tradeeconomics, msf, worldbank, data,
SingaporeBudget , PharmafocusAsia, WHO
• Total population of Singapore: 5.703 mil (2019)
• Age structure: 20.2% (0-20 years), 65.3% (20-64 years), 14.5% (65 years and older)
• Population growth rate: 0.1%
• Sex ratio: 957 (per 1,000 male)
• Life expectancy at birth (male/female): Male (81.0) and Female (85.4)
Demography
• GDP per capita (PPP): $65,233 (2019)
Economics
• Total expenditure on health (% of GDP): 2.1% (2017) (MOH)
• Total expenditure on health: $9.76 Billion (2017)
Health Care Cost
• Market size: $1.22 Billion (2017)
• Market growth rate : 6.4% (CAGR 2016-2024)
• Sales from generic drugs account for 31.4% of prescription drug sales (2017)
Pharmaceutical
Singapore City
Bedok
Jurong
Woodlands
Serangoon

3. Healthcare System Overview - Singapore 3
Healthcare System
Healthcare Overview & Governance
The Ministry Of Health
Healthcare Institutions
Private Hospitals and Providers
MOH Holdings Pvt Ltd
Regional Health Systems
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Practitioners Board
Statutory Boards
Singapore Medical Council
Singapore Dental Council
Singapore Nursing Board
Singapore Pharmacy Council
Optometrists and Opticians
Board
Health Sciences Authority
Allied Health Professionals
Council
Overview
• Combination of private and public healthcare providers
• Public healthcare divided into three Regional Health Systems
• The Ministry of Health and its statutory bodies are responsible for regulating the
healthcare system of Singapore
Healthcare Financing
• MediSave is a compulsory savings account for all citizens and permanent residents
• MediShield Life is a national insurance scheme to cover large hospital costs
• MediFund is an endowment scheme beyond MediSave and MediShield
• Government Subsidies
• Private Insurance
Issues
• Ageing population
• Unsustainable growth of government healthcare spending ($1.2billion in 2000 to
~$11 billion in 2016)
– Expected to reach ~$14 billion in 2020
Sources: International.commonwealthfund.org, Straittimes.com, MOH

4. Healthcare System Overview - Singapore 4
Organization of Public Services
Regional Health
Systems (RHS)
Central:
NationalHealthcare
Group (NHG)
Acute Hospitals:
TTSH, KTPH, Woodlands
Health Campus1
Specialist Centers:
IMH, NSC, Admiralty
Medical Center
Community Hospitals:
Yishun CH, Woodlands
Health Campus1
NHG Polyclinics
East:
SingHealth
Acute Hospitals:
SGH, SKH, CHG
Specialist Centers:
NCCS, NDCS, NHCS.
NNCS. SNEC
Community Hospitals:
Bright Vision Hospital,
Outram CH, Sengkang
CH
SingHealth Polyclinics
West:
NationalUniversity
Health System (NUHS)
Acute Hospitals:
NUH, NTFGH,
AlexandraHospital2
Specialist Centers:
NCIS, NUHCS,NUCOHS,
Jurong Medical Centre
Community Hospitals:
Jurong CH, Alexandra
Hospital2
NUHS Polyclinics
• In 2017, the Singapore public healthcare system was reorganized into three integrated clusters
forming the regional health systems.
• Each cluster is run as a corporation to stimulate efficiency and competition between clusters
• Each cluster is responsible for a region of Singapore:
– Central: National Healthcare Group
– East: Singapore Health Services (SingHealth)
– West: National University Health System
• Purpose is to meet the demands of increased chronic disease cases and a growing ageing
population
• Each cluster has
– Acute care hospitals with 24-hour A&E services2
– Specialist Centers
– Community Hospitals (for care following procedure in an acute hospital)
– Polyclinics
1 Woodlands Health Campus to offer Acute, Community, Specialist and Long-term care - will open in phases starting from 2022
2 Alexandra hospital is an integrated general hospital combining acute and community care. No A&E
Sources: MOH, SingHealth, National Healthcare Group, National University Health System

5. Healthcare System Overview - Singapore 5
Private Healthcare Providers in Singapore
Private Hospitals Operating in Singapore:
(Non-profit/Church-Run)
Parkway East Hospital
Gleneagles Hospital
Mount Elizabeth Hospital
Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital
Mount Alvernia Hospital
Raffles Hospital
Farrer Park Hospital
Concord International Hospital
Thomson Medical Centre
• In 2019, ~21% of acute hospital
admissions were to private
hospitals
• Aside from private hospitals in
Singapore, there are medical
centers such as Camden Medical
Centre and Novena Medical Center
• Independent specialist clinics
operate within medical centers
and private hospital
• Singapore government publishes
fee benchmarks for common
procedures in public hospitals to
prevent overcharging in the
private sector
Sources: MOH, Parkway Pantai, Raffles Hospital, Farrer Park Hospital, Concord International Hospital, Thomson Medical Centre, Mt Alvernia Hospital

6. Healthcare System Overview - Singapore 6
Primary Care (1/2)
Sources: MOH, SingHealth, National Healthcare Group, National University Health System
National Healthcare Group Polyclinics:
Ang Mo Kio Geylang
Hougang Toa Payoh
Woodlands Yishun
National University Health System Polyclinics:
Bukit Batok Pioneer
Clementi Queenstown
Choa Chu Kang Bukit Panjang (coming in 2020)
Jurong
SingHealth Polyclinics
Bedok Pasir Ris
Bukit Merah Punggol
Marine Parade Sengkang
Outram Tampines
Polyclinics:
• 20 Polyclinics
• Focused on primary medical treatment,
preventative healthcare and health
education
• Act as a “one-stop” for common primary
care services:
– Outpatient medical treatment
– Medical follow-ups after discharge
from hospital
– Maternal and child health
– Immunisation
– Health screening and education
– Diagnostic and pharmaceutical services
• CHAS not applicable since polyclinics are
already heavily subsidised
• Cost of polyclinic consultation for
Singaporean citizens is $13.50

7. Healthcare System Overview - Singapore 7
Primary Care (2/2)
• ~1700 GP clinics in Singapore
• 80% of primary care offered through GPs
• Includes solo practitioners and corporate groups
• CHAS subsidies applicable
– Keat Hong
– Lakeside
– Tampines
– Unity
• Services to support GPs in managing patient’s chronic conditions
• CHAS subsidies applicable
• 6 CHCs around Singapore
• Services offered:
– Diabetic Eye Screening
– Diabetic Foot Screening
– Nurse counselling
and education
– Physiotherapy
– Dietary Advice
– Podiatry`
Sources: MOH, Primary Care Pages.sg
Tampines FMC
Tiong Bahru CHC
Family
Medicine
Clinics (FMCs)
General
Practitioners
(Private)
Community
Health Centers
(CHCs)
• Multi-disciplinary practices to provide holistic care for chronic conditions
• Operated by partnerships between private medical providers and RHSs
• CHAS subsidies applicable
• 8 FMCs:
– Ang Mo Kio
– Chinatown
– Frontier
– Hougang