Private healthcare players pivot to outpatient care as Singapore hospitals battle bed, staff crunch

PRIVATE healthcare players in Singapore are turning their attention to ambulatory care facilities, and expanding such outpatient offerings to help plug gaps in the country’s healthcare system.

These facilities help to reduce overhead costs, address staff shortages faced by some healthcare centres, and provide greater access to private healthcare, said analysts and service providers.

Ambulatory care, also known as outpatient care, refers to the myriad healthcare procedures that do not require patients to be admitted for overnight stays. These include day surgeries, which range from cataract surgery and endoscopy to plastic surgery and orthopaedic procedures.