TRANSPLANT SERVICE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR IN ASIA PACIFIC
MOUNT ELIZABETH HOSPITAL
Organ transplantation is a challenging field of surgery requiring the combined skillsets from various specialities including surgeons , hepatologists , nephrologists , immunologists , and infectious diseases specialists , among others . Mount Elizabeth Hospital ( MEH ), a leading private healthcare provider with over 40 years of experience in the Asia-Pacific , is supported by integrated healthcare facilities and experienced and well-trained teams to support these needs , particularly for liver and kidney transplantations .
Both types of transplantations are complex in their medical structures , incorporating multiple different specialities to manage one transplant patient who may present with other significant comorbidities .
As such , the workup for a potential transplant recipient can be a long and complex process . This highlights the importance of a collaborative and multidisciplinary suite of specialists to focus on a transplant patient ’ s comorbidities and how they might affect transplantation outcomes .
The demand for transplants continues to rise with both a growing ageing population and the increased prevalence of renal and liver failure . The wait for organs has also significantly lengthened due to the gap between supply of organs and demand for them . While there are treatments to manage the progression of liver and kidney disease , living donor transplants are a viable life-saving option when these treatments are no longer effective and when faced with organ supply challenges .
The team at MEH comprises physi-
Mr Yong Yih Ming
cians , surgeons , nurses , allied health professionals , social workers , and transplant coordinators who are adept in all aspects of liver and kidney care – from highly complex living donor liver and kidney transplants to the management of patients with liver cirrhosis and chronic and acute kidney diseases .
Besides having a team well-versed in advanced surgical techniques , peritransplant intensive care , and immunosuppressive regimens , MEH also focuses on the management of longterm complications to improve quality of living for liver and kidney patients . At every step of the way through their recovery journeys , our medical teams are by the side of our patients , ensuring they are well-supported , from preto post-transplant .
Since transplant patients and donors are more vulnerable to infections due to weakened immune systems , MEH provides an environment that allows them to focus on their recovery . Our intensive care unit ( ICU ) features a special airflow system that controls the environment that our patients are in , preventing exposure to airborne viruses and bacteria .
To ensure patient safety and standards of care are met , MEH strictly adheres to the regulations and licensing regime set out by the Ministry of Health ( MOH ) for organ transplant services . Besides having all living donor transplants approved by the Transplant Ethics Committee , a legal requirement under Singapore ’ s Human Organ Transplant Act to prevent human organ trade , MEH is also responsible and accountable for the appointment of a structured and qualified team of credentialed transplant doctors to manage the transplant patient ’ s pre-admission medical evaluation , and their pre- , post- and in-hospital surgical care , including post-transplant follow-up .
Despite COVID-19 , the MEH transplant team remains dedicated to serving the needs of transplant patients . For example , it actively supports patients through emails and video consultations and regularly holds educational webinars for patients to learn more about such topics as maintaining a healthy liver and kidney , monitoring for liver and kidney disease , management of liver and kidney conditions , and the sharing of end-stage replacement therapy options such as transplantation .
126 SEPTEMBER 2022 GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com