A new medical travel handbook launched this week aims to raise the profile of Singapore as a destination for healthcare travellers, with a particular focus on attracting Middle East patients. In 2006, over 410,000 international patients travelled to Singapore for its high standard of healthcare.

Accompanying them on their visits were a further 89,000 persons. Another 56,000 people received healthcare incidentally on visits for other purposes. In total, some 555,000 international visitors to Singapore in 2006 were involved in some aspect of medical travel.

Singapore boasts 11 Joint Commission International (JCI) accredited hospitals and treatment centres – one-third of all JCI-accredited facilities in Asia.

To help educate patients about the options within Singapore, a new edition of the travel handbook Patients Beyond Borders, has been launched.

The comprehensive guidebook, which features an in-depth overview of the hospitals and clinics that serve international patients, also includes coverage of specialized surgical procedures and patient services, accommodation options, and even recommended travel activities.

With a growing number of patients from the Middle East heading to Singapore for its health and medical services, Singapore aims to build on its strong reputation as a preferred medical tourism destination through a targeted international awareness campaign.

Dr. Jason Yap, Director of Healthcare Services at Singapore Tourism Board also outlined the benefits of Singapore’s medical offering in an orientation seminar built around the theme: ‘Singapore, the World’s Choice Healthcare Destination’.

“With its unparalleled medical infrastructure and outstanding healthcare resources, more and more patients from the Middle East are heading to Singapore to gain access to our leading physicians and world-class medical facilities,” said Ke-Wei Peh, Area Director for the Middle East and Africa, Singapore Tourism Board.