Singapore

Singapore has a universal healthcare system where the government ensures the affordability of healthcare within the public system, mainly through a system of compulsory savings through payroll deductions, subsidies, and price control. It has a mixed system of public and private facilities, with no medical service provided free of charge in the public system, as various levels of out-of-pocket charges have to be assessed in order to maintain the quality of those services. Singapore’s medical tourism credentials are well-established. The Farrer Park Medical Complex, which is the newest offering Singapore has for health travelers, is a USD 800 million project in the central part of the city that includes a state-of-the-art hospital, a luxury hotel, and other amenities. Singapore is a first-class option for health travelers all over the world, but it is falling short of its own expectations thanks to unexpected competition from nearby Asian destinations. No one place can challenge it, in terms of reputation or volume, but the savings available in destinations like Malaysia, Thailand, or India have significantly lowered Singapore’s expected international patient load. Singapore secured its lofty status in this MTI thanks to dominant scores in the hard medical categories. It led all countries in Facilities, Patient Experience, Reputation, and Accreditation, and ranked third overall in Quality of Care. In the MTI’s Medical Tourism dimension, it ranks behind both India and Thailand, and directly ahead of Taiwan and Japan, respectively.  

*Based on the 2020 – 2021 Global MTI (Medical Tourism Index) Report published by the Medical Tourism Association.*