Medical care that impresses CEOs, overseas ministers and even the wealthy from abroad

Four years ago, Mr Ismail Gaffoor rushed to the Royal Healthcare Specialists Centre at Royal Square Medical Centre Novena as he was experiencing severe abdominal pain. He was immediately whisked away for tests, which quickly identified the issue as an inflamed gallbladder with multiple stones.

Without delay, the chief executive officer of PropNex Group was scheduled for surgery and his gallbladder was promptly removed on the same day he visited the clinic.

Mr Ismail's care at Royal Healthcare began almost two decades ago, when he was first introduced to the centre by a friend.

He recalls: "As I had just turned 40, I wanted a reliable medical professional to review my health status. What immediately impressed me was how the doctors are really professional and take the time to explain a medical situation thoroughly to their patients, including what really needs to be taken into consideration for each unique situation."

Since then, the 58-year-old has been faithfully returning for his annual health checks, and entrusts the healthcare needs of all of his loved ones - including his parents, wife and their three children - to the same team of medical professionals.

He has also readily recommended the multi-disciplinary Royal Healthcare to close friends, business partners and his staff, for the centre's wide range of medical services, including routine check-ups, specialist treatments and surgeries.

He recounts that the team at Royal Healthcare was instrumental in the early detection of a brain tumour in the spouse of a key management member. The team also helped his close friend manage heart issues and maintain an active lifestyle.

Championing better healthcare

Established in 2002, Royal Healthcare started as a family-run heart clinic, before expanding to provide a comprehensive suite of healthcare services. These include specialist healthcare, general medical services, day care surgery, a diagnostic imaging centre and aesthetic medical services.

The private healthcare services provider also prides itself on its unique "One Day, One Stop, One Centre" concept, which means that at Royal Healthcare, patients are able to get lab tests, diagnostic imaging scans, and even some procedures - all done at the same location.

This helps improve coordination efforts, reduce waiting time, and even saves the patients precious time and the hassle of travelling to various locations.

Tech a closer look

Mr Ismail is not the only eminent individual who is impressed by Royal Healthcare. One of the centre's VIPs is a very high-ranking official from the region. By chance, the patient, who is in his 50s, decided to have his health evaluation done at the centre in October last year, at the suggestion of his wife.

Accommodating to the VIP's busy schedule, the medical team received him on Saturday at 8am. After clinical assessments by the medical team, he went through medical diagnostic imaging tests which were recommended based on his medical conditions. Royal Healthcare Imaging Centre leverages the latest developments in medical technology to optimise outcomes for patients' well-being.

There, the team used advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed tomography (CT) machines within the centre's Siemens Healthineers Asia Reference Centre, which are able to produce high-resolution, full-colour and three-dimensional visualisations of the human body.

These advanced machines picked up a significant blockage (75 per cent) in one of the VIP's neck arteries leading to his brain. He was stunned by the diagnosis as it meant he was at high risk of getting a sudden stroke.

The Royal Healthcare medical team assessed that there was no need for a stent to be inserted as the narrowing was mainly due to soft fatty material. Instead, the VIP could take the less invasive route by taking a new cholesterol lowering drug every two weeks, self-administered via an injector with a concealed needle.

On that same evening, the VIP collected his medication and continued with his meetings in Singapore as planned.

Fast forward to today, the VIP's blockage has reduced substantially to 40 per cent, which means his risk of stroke has been reduced. His medication will also be switched to that of a newer cholesterol lowering drug, which needs to be administered once every six months.

The power of persistence

Apart from high-end diagnostic equipment and same-day medical services aside, the level of care provided by Royal Healthcare's staff also won over patients, such as one of the centre's esteemed Chinese patients.

The 33-year-old, who hails from China, had been seeking treatment in the past one-and-a-half years for unexplained constant fatigue and tiredness, as well as aches and pains all over her body.

A few months back, her Singaporean fiancé encouraged her to seek treatment at Royal Healthcare. However, after having been to some of the best medical facilities in Japan and Switzerland, she was initially sceptical.

"I've already seen the best people in the world; I don't think I need to see someone here," was what ran through her mind.

Indeed, she was disappointed by her first visit to Royal Healthcare - despite a thorough investigation and a comprehensive blood test, she was once again sent home with the same prescription: iron pills.

She recalls: "I was pretty upset; I'd previously been prescribed iron pills, been asked to eat more beef, more liver, more beetroot; I've been doing all that to no avail. So it was back to square one for me, I didn't think they had found out my problem."

However, it was also during that visit that the persistence of the medical team impressed her. On the very day of her visit, they meticulously pored through the entire stack of the medical reports she had brought along.

Touched by the persistence of the medical team at Royal Healthcare, she took the iron pills as directed, then returned for her follow-up in a month.

As expected, there was no improvement to her iron levels and blood count. However, the medical team was relentless and suggested that she try an iron infusion, which is administered intravenously, under the careful watch of a nurse.

And the medical team was right, in just two weeks, she reported that half of her symptoms disappeared; and just a week after her second iron infusion the following month, she was back to normal.

Says the patient: "The last two years, I thought I was down with some sickness, perhaps some early stage cancer that was never picked up by a scan. Today, I'm energetic and youthful, almost like a teenager again, instead of feeling like an ill person.

"The team of doctors really tried to get to the root of the problem, and I'm thankful that the staff at Royal Healthcare still pursued my case and convinced me to return for my follow-up."