100 Years
The magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI ) room at MWH Medical ’ s new 20,000 sq ft centre in Royal Square at Novena
By staying ahead of these trends , MWH Medical feels more confident that its clinics can help patients realise the dream of living to three figures . the care of sick patients .
The traditional clinical model , in contrast , typically sees a hospital as a giant entity almost entirely comprised of inpatient services , such as emergency departments , diagnostics , surgery , wards , and other medical services .
This transition is already happening widely in the US and is starting to be seen in Asia . In Singapore , for example , it ’ s now quite common for the delivery of many medical services to be outside hospitals , in specialist clinics , diagnostic outfits , and outpatient centres .
“ Each of these is run separately to improve efficiency and service a wider pool of patients , � said Lim .
At the same time , there ’ s a growing movement towards active patient participation , whereas in the past , patients were more likely to have played a more reactive role in their healthcare .
In the old model , doctors would make their diagnoses , and the patients would follow their advice . Whereas the focus was on treatment , it ’ s now on prevention by assessing individual patient profiles and high-risk illnesses .
From the typically dreary institutions of the past , healthcare facilities are also becoming more welcoming places that encourage patients to take advantage of their services as they seek longer and healthier lives .
“ At our clinics , we want to change the way patients perceive healthcare ; it shouldn ’ t be a scary experience , so the way we design our centres is very patient-friendly and patient-centric , � said Lim .
In addition , patients are now benefiting from the collective effort of teams that take an integrative approach to managing diagnosis and treatment . This may involve multiple specialists within one facility or consultations across continents , all with the patient at the centre .
All of this , of course , does not come without a cost . While rising health expenditures are a common feature of health systems around the world , especially as more people reach old age and require more years of screening and treatment , there has also been a trend towards value-based methods in managing healthcare expenditure .
By staying ahead of these trends , MWH Medical feels more confident that its clinics can help patients realise the dream of living to three figures . And while all the new trends have their roots in advanced technologies , the group has set out to take the benefits of innovation even further .
For example , it ’ s made it a point to continuously invest in the latest technologies for each specialist field , encouraging its medical professionals to look for the latest equipment and research to equip it with the best tools for diagnostics and treatment .
Through its partnership with Siemens Healthineers , MWH Medical has become its reference centre for Asia , giving it access to the latest hardware and software Siemens releases . It also allows the group to draw in the best medical talent , said Lim .
“ Because we have the best toys available to our doctors , that allows us to attract the best doctors in their fields to work in our team . And so , combining this best technology and best team allows us to deliver the best service for our patients and give them the best treatment plans and options to choose from ,” she said .
This new approach does not limit patients to onesize-fits-all solutions . �ather , individualised care becomes a key pillar for smart hospitals in their quest to deliver greater longevity . Screening packages are often tailored to patients based on their age , gender , family history , and medical records , rather than offering them a limited menu of diagnostics based on broad categories .
As Lim puts it : �This is our approach . We believe we should look at the patient as a whole to get a much clearer picture of the patient and deliver much better outcomes . There ’ s a lot more patient empowerment now , so the patient takes charge of their entire care process . Our goal is to help our patients to live to over 100 . By embracing this new model of healthcare , we can achieve this and also make sure they live happily and well into ripe old age .” n
52 AUGUST 2021 GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com