While basic medical procedures and primary healthcare are more than ably handled by the institutions making up the network of Singapore healthcare institutions, several agencies have devoted themselves to certain specializations.
National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS)
Since 1997, the NCCS has been committed to all levels of multi-disciplinary research—from basic to clinical—in studying cancer, as well as setting a standard in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Staffed by the largest number of oncologists and equipped with the largest number of radiation oncology equipment in Singapore, the NCCS service 69% of public sector cancer patients and 55% of all cancer cases. The different types of cancer that National Cancer Centre is involved with include those of the breast, the stomach, the lung, the liver, the pancreas, the lymphomas, and various head and neck cancers. Guided by principles of holistic and humane treatment, patients can expect prompt and personalized cancer treatment in the same visit, thanks to cooperation between the radiation, surgical, and medical oncologists who have made the NCCS their institutional home.
Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC)
The SNEC and the Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI) are partner institutions devoted to, respectively, treatment and research. The former began its operations in 1990 and rapidly grew to manage its annual workload of 14,000 major eye surgeries and 11,000 laser procedures. The SERI was established as its research arm, its goals to acquire knowledge and develop new opthalmic technologies. The Singapore National Eye Centre has sub-specialties in Cataract and Comprehensive Ophthalmology, Cornea, Glaucoma, Neuro-Ophthalmology, Oculoplastic and Aesthetic Eye Plastic, Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Laser Refractive Surgery, Uveitis and Ocular Inflammation, and Vitro-Retina. All of these make up a full range of eye treatment running the entire gamut of possible eye conditions, handled in an 8-storey complex staffed by 450 highly-specialized personnel.
National Heart Centre (NHC)
The National Heart Centre of Singapore sees the highest volume of cardiovascular patients in Singapore, addressing the entire range of cardiovascular prevention, diagnosis, therapy, and rehabilitation. The NHC was the first heart centre outside the USA and in Asia that was accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI) and is also the only institution in Singapore that does heart and lung transplant operations. Established in 1994, the National Heart Centre has a 186-bed capacity, with a yearly inpatient admissions rate of more than 9,000. Its multi-disciplinary team of professionals carries out approximately 80,000 outpatient consultations, 75,000 cardiac investigative procedures, and over 1,700 operations annually. In recent years, they have used robotic technology and powerful computers to assist in surgery and to maintain interconnected diagnostic tools accessible from several locations.
National Neuroscience Institute (NNI)
Established in 1999, the National Neuroscience Institute is Singapore's specialist center for education, research, and treatment regarding diseases affecting the nervous system: the brain, the spine, the muscles, and the nerves. The NNI is one of the few institutions in the region participating in international clinical trials seeking to develop new medications, especially for stroke treatment. The subspecialties of the National Neuroscience Institute include more common cases—sleep disorders, migraines and headaches, and carpal tunnel syndrome—to more debilitating situations like pediatric epilepsy and Parkinson's disease, strokes and brain tumors. The staff of the NNI makes use of state-of-the-art technologies in its Neuroradiology Department to producing high-quality images of the brain and the spine for diagnostic and research purposes.
National Dental Centre (NDC)
The National Dental Centre of Singapore is a full-service specialist dental centre with active programs in teaching and clinical research. With its staff of 277—150 of which are doctors—working in 92 dental operatories and 6 operating theater suites, the NDC conducts around 172,960 dental procedures and 6,726 day surgeries yearly. The Centre has three clinical departments: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Orthodontics, and Restorative Dentistry, which includes Endodontics, Pediatric Dentistry, Periodontics, and Prosthodontics. The National Dental Centre is able to handle all common dental procedures like tooth extractions and root canal work, gum problems of various kinds, as well as intricate surgical work involving misaligned teeth and jawbone problems that affect the facial structure. It can correct disorders in the salivary glands and perform cleft-lip and palate surgery. It services all age groups, helping children learn and keep good dental habits and is also involved in adult treatment such as the restoration of natural teeth or their replacement with artificial substitutes.
National Skin Centre (NSC)
The National Skin Centre of Singapore handles the dermatological problems of nearly a thousand patients everyday, ever since beginning operations in 1988. Aside from more common and general problems, the NSC does treatment and research into various subspecialties, including sexually-transmitted infections (STI) through their dedicated Department of STI Control (DSC), the only such facility of its kind in Singapore. The National Skin Centre handles skin inflammations like eczema and infections like leprosy. Its operating suite of 5 operating rooms and 2 consultation rooms provide settings for several types of elective surgery for dermatological needs: cold steel surgery, electrosurgery, and laser surgery. They have a dedicated clinic for the management of hair, scalp, and nail disorders and a facility for children's dermatological treatment. The National Skin Centre also has subspecialties in psoriasis and skin cancer.
Institute of Mental Health (IMH)
The Singapore Institute of Mental Health is the first JCI-accredited mental health center in Asia. IMH offers a thorough and wide-ranging array of psychiatric, rehabilitative, and counseling services designed to meet the needs of children and adolescents, adults, and the elderly. It accomplishes this through its departments of General Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Community Psychiatry, Geriatric Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry, Early Psychosis Intervention, and Addiction Medicine. The Singapore Institute of Mental Health also has specialized clinics for dealing with disorders of anxiety and mood, of sexuality, and of sleep. Noticeable behavioral problems like eating disorders are treated, as well as emotional problems like stress and anger management. Several addiction issues are handled by a comprehensive program—from gambling to drugs to drinking—and context-specific mental problems like Alzheimer's disease and occupational therapeutic issues are also dealt with by a staff devoted to “loving hearts and beautiful minds.” Singapore's various systems and mechanisms for healthcare and medicine reflect a similar efficiency and level of excellence, enabling it to provide the best combination of affordable high-quality medical services in the region. It truly delivers on its reputation, with published clinical indicators and success rates comparable to and often in excess of international standards.
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