Singapore-based hospital operators have upgraded their hardware to meet patient needs.
Townsend Medical Center plans to establish a second fertility centre in Singapore in the second half of 2025, amid strong local and international demand for changing perspectives on family planning and improved reproductive technologies.
Jack Ng, chief operating officer of Thomson Medical Group Co., Ltd., told Asian Healthcare in response to questions via email.
“We will explore artificial intelligence (AI) in assisted replication technology programs and strengthen our existing network of fertility services,” he added.
Singapore’s family planning policy has shifted from population control to its “two” movement in recent decades to a movement that encourages couples to have more children to reverse a decline in birth rates and promote financial stability for larger families in couples.
This transformation is often referred to as “Three or Moors owned (if you can afford it)” that began in 1987.
Private hospital operators specializing in gynecology and in vitro fertilization also provide intrauterine insemination. “For women who want to control their fertility, there is also a selective egg freeze.”
The organization also runs the Townsend Chinese Medicine Clinic, which complements the “East Meets West approach,” NG said.
Thomson Medical Group operates in Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam with a net loss of US$9.5 million (S$12.6 million), ending on December 31, 2024, with a net income of US$3.6 million (490) a year ago 10,000 SGD).
The company attributed its net loss to challenges in the Malaysian market, increased interest expenses after the acquisition of Far East Medical Vietnam Co., Ltd., and the cessation of non-core transitional care facilities in Singapore.
NG said the hospital expanded its expertise to orthopedics, ophthalmology and oncology. “We have also established our outpatient services along with Singapore’s broader national health care agenda.”
Earlier this year, Townsend Medical Center performed its first wireless endoscopic decompression of the lumbar spine, a minimally invasive procedure that uses tiny flexible cameras to treat spinal diseases.
“The second half of this year also includes clinical solutions to support cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and surgery,” NG said. “Our diversified medical profession focuses on the health care needs of the home.”
The hospital opened in Singapore in 1979 and launched the Thomson Touch app late last year, beginning a digital transformation.
The app simplifies patient services, such as admission, which are all from the convenience of the patient's smartphone. Payment and bill management can also be processed on the app.
NG said it can book information such as doctor profiles and maternity bill estimates, while booking appointments and hospital maternity trips.
The chief operating officer said Thomson Medicine has invested in medical hardware upgrades, especially in radiology. “We added a new MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) machine to the refurbished MRI center, allowing us to better meet the needs of our patients.”
He added: “Complete this support network is our Thomson Fetal Assessment Unit, which provides fetal diagnostic services such as detailed ultrasound scans under a roof.”
