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Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) today launched a collaboration with private sector plastic surgeons from the Arcadia Laser Surgicentre Pte Ltd to establish a new plastic surgery service called the Institute of Plastic Surgery - Singapore (IPSS) at TTSH.
At present there are limited plastic surgery services at TTSH. Plastic surgery for patients with other medical conditions is provided by visiting consultants from SGH and NUH. With this win-win arrangement, private sector doctors will contribute to TTSH by providing a broader spectrum of plastic surgery services together with existing visiting consultants.
With this greater range of services and doctors, training of plastic surgery will also be enhanced. Sharing of best practice and expertise between public and private sector doctors will also benefit both subsidised and private patients.
Minister for Health, Mr Khaw Boon Wan, opened the IPSS, at a ceremony witnessed by IPSS Director A/Prof Fong Poh Him, Dr Lim Suet Wun, CEO for TTSH and the National Healthcare Group (NHG), and invited guests.
As part of the collaboration, TTSH will harness the expertise of A/Prof Fong Poh Him, to plan and set up a Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department under the Division of Surgery within three years.
Dr Lim Suet Wun, Chief Executive Officer of TTSH and the NHG highlights how this public-private sector model addresses concerns over the loss of public sector expertise to the private sector. "Private doctors do enjoy some freedom of running their own clinics. Our collaborative model gives private practitioners the opportunity to run their practice and at the same time, contribute towards building up expertise and capabilities in public institutions".
They will also lend their skills in providing mentorship and training that will nurture the younger cohort of doctors," said Dr Lim. " We will also be exploring other areas in which we can employ this and other models of collaboration."
This initiative follows Minister Khaw's call for "bold and fresh" approaches to build strong and diverse public sector service while managing healthcare costs. The expansion of plastic surgery services augments TTSH's spectrum of healthcare capabilities and also strengthens the hospital's position in the region as a leading healthcare provider, supporting the Singapore Medicine initiative.
Plastic surgery is chosen for this collaborative model because it is a unique specialty that serves the needs of two very different types of patients.
"At the hospital, inpatient demand for plastic surgery usually involves reconstructive work to correct defects or improve function. But in the market, there is a high demand for plastic surgery by people who seek improvement in physical appearance. Provision of such services is largely market-driven, so the establishment of IPSS serves to meet the needs of these private patients, while affording plastic services to patients requiring reconstructive work where appropriate," remarked A/Prof Siow Jin Keat, Chairman, Division of Surgery, TTSH.
The IPSS is located within the TTSH Health Enrichment Centre, Level 1, TTSH Podium Block.
Issued by the Corporate Communications department, Tan Tock Seng Hospital. For more information or to request for interviews, please call Farren Fernandez at tel: 6357 8415 / pager: 9802 6811 / e-mail: Farren_Fernandez@ttsh.com.sg
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About the National Healthcare Group
"The National Healthcare Group (NHG) manages:
Four hospitals - Alexandra Hospital, National University Hospital, Tan Tock Seng Hospital and the Institute of Mental Health/Woodbridge Hospital;
The Johns Hopkins Singapore International Medical Centre; one National Centre - National Skin Centre;
The NHGP chain of nine polyclinics - Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Batok, Choa Chu Kang, Clementi, Hougang, Jurong, Toa Payoh, Woodlands, Yishun;
Three speciality institutes - The Cancer Institute, The Eye Institute and The Heart Institute; and
Five Business Divisions - NHG College, NHG Diagnostics, NHG Gulf, NHG Pharmacy and NetCare Internet Services.
Our vision is "Adding years of healthy life to the people of Singapore".
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