Raffles Medical Group
 | This article may rely excessively on sources too closely associated with the subject, potentially preventing the article from being verifiable and neutral. (October 2011) |
Raffles Medical Group (RMG), (Chinese: 莱佛士医疗集团) is Singapore’s largest private healthcare provider, offering integrated healthcare services.[1][2][3] RMG runs a hospital and a network of clinics with family physicians, specialists and dental surgeons [4] and owns Raffles Hospital, a tertiary care hospital,[4] which accommodates surgical centres, medical laboratories and 21 specialist centres in various areas like Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Cardiology, Oncology and Orthopaedics.[3] RMG’s medical practice is based on the Group Practice Model,[5] as this model ensures clinical leadership and membership of medical staff’s commitment to a high standard of medical practice.[2]
History
Founding and incorporation
In 1976, the group's founders, Dr Loo Choon Yong and Dr Alfred Loh opened their first two clinics in Singapore's Central Business District (CBD) with the aim of providing medical services to corporate clients. By 1989, this had grown to five clinics and it was then that the two friends decided to incorporate their clinics into a medical practice group. Expanding after its incorporation, RMG moved into Singapore's HDB heartlands with their first neighbourhood clinic in 1993. The first of these areas included Telok Blangah, Bishan, Ang Mo Kio, Siglap, Tampines, Pasir Ris and Bedok.[4][6]
In 1990, RMG tendered and obtained a contract with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore to provide medical services to the passengers transiting through Changi International Airport as well as airport workers. This also marked RMG's first 24-hour clinic.
Patients of Raffles Medical Clinics that required specialist care were initially referred to the public hospitals or private specialists.[4] In 1991, RMG appointed specialists in its medical staff.[4][7] The Group consolidated its specialist service in 1993 with the opening of Raffles SurgiCentre at No. 182 Clemenceau Avenue – the first free-standing day surgery centre at Southeast Asia.[4][7][8] It had four operating theatres, 28 recovery beds and two beds in intensive care unit.[4]
By 1996, 20 years after its inception, the network of clinics had grown to 30 branches covering most parts of Singapore.[4][7] When Raffles SurgiCentre saw a lack of space for further expansion, Dr Loo began looking for a site to build a hospital. They eventually settled on Blanco Court;[9] a commercial building at the intersection of North Bridge Road and Ophir Road. Blanco Court is a 15-minute drive from Changi International Airport, and is located near the Central Business district, an MRT station and several hotels.[4][7] Construction works to convert it into a hospital began in 1999. This culminated in the opening of the 380-bed Raffles Hospital on 31 March 2001.[4]
The Group's flagship hospital is Raffles Hospital. It is located in Bugis and consists of 20 different specialist centres which provides specialist services such as obstetrics and gynaecology, cardiology, oncology and orthopaedics.[10]
In 2005, RMG also began offering health financing under its subsidiary International Medical Insurers (IMI). RMG also has its own consumer healthcare division which develops and distributes a full range of nutraceuticals, supplements, vitamins and medical diagnostic equipment.[4]
As of 2014, RMG runs a network of 76 multi-disciplinary clinics across Singapore, and three medical centres in Hong Kong and Shanghai.[11] The group has also opened representative offices in Indonesia and Vietnam.[6] Airport clinics in Singapore’s Changi International Airport and Hong Kong’s Chek Lap Kok International Airport are also managed by them.
RMG uses the Institutional Group Practice Model. Through this model, specialists work as a team to provide patients quality medical services that are integrated, peer reviewed and medically audited.
Ethos
RMG operates under the following vision and philosophy:[5]
| Vision | Your trusted partner in health. |
| Core Values | ● Compassion ● Commitment |
| Quality Policy | A ssure the best outcome B uild seamless service |
| Motto | To Our Patients, Our Best [6][12][13] |
Notable births
The first ‘Raffles Baby’ was born on 19 July 2001 at 7:20pm, delivered by Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Dr Joan Thong Pao-Wen. The healthy baby girl weighed 3250g at birth.[4]
Raffles Hospital’s first triplets were delivered a few days before Christmas in 2004.[4]
Financial performance
RMG started out as a two-clinic practice in 1976 under its founders.[2] Now, RMG is a home-grown and established medical organisation and healthcare provider. Although 2009 was a challenging year for most companies due to Singapore’s economic recession, the Group continued to perform well. In 2009, their revenue grew 8.9% to S$218 million, while profit after tax increased by 20% to S$38 million. The Group’s profits continue to grow through the financial year of 2010, even as the Group underwent a “higher patient load, wider range of medical specialities, continued improved operating efficiencies and the recruitment of more specialist consultants.” Moving forward, the group hopes that its cash position will continue to support its growth and expansion plans. Their revenue continued to grow steadily, reaching S$311 million in 2012.[2]
Medical and clinical support services
| RMG’s Healthcare Services | About |
|---|---|
| Raffles Hospital [14] | A tertiary care hospital offering the following services: ● Health Screening |
| Raffles Medical Clinics [15] | These clinics offer primary healthcare services in various locations in Singapore. For full list of clinics in operation, see Clinic Locations. |
| Raffles Specialist Centres [16] | ● Cancer Centre ● Children’s Centre |
| Raffles Medical International | RMG operates three medical centres in Hong Kong and one medical centre in Shanghai.[6][17] |
Milestones
RMG has achieved the following milestones over the years:[4]
1976: Partners Dr Loo Choon Yong and Dr Alfred Loh took over Teng’s Clinics at Cecil Street and Maxwell House, and operated the practice under the name Drs Teng & Partners on 1 August.[1][2][4][5][18][19][20][21]
1980: To serve the growing patient load, the Cecil Street clinic was relocated to a larger 2000 sq ft unit in Tuan Sing Tower and the name of the practice was changed to Raffles Medical Group, adopting the name of Dr Loo and Dr Loh’s alma mater – Raffles Institution.[4][21]
1982: Raffles Medical Group established its flagship clinic in Straits Trading Building to serve the corporate community in the commercial centre in Raffles Place.
1990: Raffles Medical Group was appointed in June to be the exclusive medical provider for Changi international Airport operating clinics in passenger Terminal 1 and 2 and the Cargo Complex. A round the clock, service was started to serve the 24 million passengers transiting through the Changi International Airport and airport workers.[22]
1992: At a time whereby healthscreening was growing in popularity among Singaporeans, Raffles Diagnostica was set up to provide laboratory and radiology services to complement the Group’s medical services.
1993: As the network of clinics expanded, the idea for an ambulatory surgery centre took shape when Raffles SurgiCentre opened on 18 September at No. 182 Clemenceau Avenue as the first standalone day surgery centre in Southeast Asia.[8][9]
1994: Raffles Medical Group’s flagship clinic in Straits Trading Building moved to Caltex House.
1995: At a time when expatriates doctors are making their way out of Hong Kong. Raffles Medical Group opened its first overseas clinic in Hong Kong at the Lane Crawford Building on Queen’s Road in December.
1996: With companies looking for ways to contain employee healthcare costs, the Group started its managed care programme – RafflesCare – under an exempt insurance licence from the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
1997: Raffles Medical Group acquired, in January, the Raffles medical groups – Drs Oram & Partners - which provided a platform for expansion of its Hong Kong practices. In order to provide for tertiary medical support, the Group had to raise funds in the capital market, on 11 April, Raffles Medical Group became the first full-fledged healthcare provider to go public in Singapore when it got listed on SESDAQ, the second board of the Stock Exchange of Singapore.[20]
1998: The Group stake increases in Hong Kong when it was appointed exclusive medical provider for Hong Kong’s Chek Lap Kok Airport.
2000: First Representative Office opened in March to coup with the growing number of Indonesian patient. RMG was appointed to provide medical services to the departments under the Ministry of Home Affairs - the Singapore Police Force, Central Narcotics Bureau and Prisons Department. RMG was listed on the Main Board of the Singapore Exchange on 10 July.
2001: Raffles Hospital Commences operations on 31 March.[4] The first inpatients of Raffles Hospital were seven patients transferred from the SurgiCentre. The first Raffles baby, Foo Xing Yin, was born at 7.20pm, 19 July. She was delivered by Consultant Obstetrician Dr Joan Thong Pao Wen.
2002: Raffles Hospital was officially opened by then Deputy Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong on 16 March. Raffles Medical Group’s humanitarian arm – The Medical Foundation – was set up to serve the community. First open heart surgery was successfully performed on Mdm Lim Eng Neo, in June. RMG’s flagship clinic at Caltex House was moved to OUB Centre in December.
2003: Raffles Japanese Clinic was set up on 15 January to serve an exclusively Japanese clientele. Manned by a team of Japanese doctors, nurses and staff.[2] During the SARS period, Raffles Medical Group was appointed by Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, and Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore in March to conduct temperature screening at the air, land and sea border checkpoints. Raffles Health was launched in March to develop and distribute quality personal healthcare products. Among its earliest products was the SARS Protect kit. Seeking separate lives, Iranian twin Laleh and Ladan Bijani came to Raffles Hospital. Their surgery was carried out in July.[23] After consulting doctors at the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, the Mins from Korea came to Raffles Hospital to separate their conjoined daughters. In July, twins Ji Hye and Sa Rang were successfully separated.[1][24][25] Launch of Health@Work – a health management consultancy service for corporate clients wishing to implement employee health programmes in the workplace.
2004: RMG set up a Representative Office in Dhaka, Bangladesh in June to meet the needs of this fast-growing market. The first living donor renal transplant was successfully performed on a businessman, Mr Um Sun Ho on 13 September. Acupuncture services were made available in April 2005. Raffles Medical Group’s Humanitarian arm, renamed Asian Medical Foundation, sent its relief mission to Aceh on 26th December to assist in the 2004 Boxing Day Asian Tsunami Crisis. As the Monetary Authority of Singapore liberalised its restrictions on medical insurance, the Group wrote insurance plans for individuals or policies beyond one year. International Medical Insurers was issued a licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore in November. It commenced operations as a general insurance company on 2 January 2005, restricted to accident and health insurance.
2005: Opening of 6 new Raffles Medical Clinics. Raffles Hospital is a fast-growing international patients’ hub. 35% of the hospital’s patients are foreigners, comprising nationals from 100 countries. Patients from core markets such as Indonesia and Malaysia have increased and the Hospital has seen an emergence of new markets such as Korea, Myanmar and the Russian Far East.
2006: The Monetary Authority of Singapore approved the conversion of IMI’s general insurance licence to a life insurance licence on 31 March. This allows it to write long-term, guaranteed renewable health insurance products. The relaxing of Ministry of Health policies to allow TCM practices in hospitals saw the opening up of the Raffles Chinese Medicine on 1 April to offer services in herbal medicine, acupressure, and acupuncture. Patient Liaison Office in Ho Chih Minh City in Vietnam was set up on 1 February to meet the needs of the growing Vietnamese market. Raffles Hospital International (RHI), the international arm of RMG was started in 2006 to add value through consultancy, management and training by harnessing the wide expanse of expertise and experience of professional staff in the group to tailor programs that meet the needs of the clients. RMG had already been providing consultancy services to the Middle Eastern government.
2007: In June, the Group announced that it will acquire the remaining 50 per cent of the Raffles Hospital building which is owned by Capitaland-Raffles Properties Pte Ltd. A 100 per cent ownership of the building would give RMG continued use of the building and full flexibility to achieve better operating efficiency by improving the use of various parts of the building. (http://www.rafflesmedicalgroup.com/ImgUpd/PressRelease18Jun07.pdf) Raffles Health – the Group’s consumer healthcare unit – has made steady inroads into Indonesia and Hong Kong. It was re-launched in 2007 with new products and a brand new look.
2008: One stop medical centre opened in the new Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3 offering general medical, dental, aesthetics, women and health screening services.
2009: Raffles Hospital received the Joint Commission International Accreditation in January 2009.
2010: According to [26] Global Insurance, Raffles opened its first medical centre in Shanghai.[17] Based in the Innov Tower at the business park along Hong Mei Lu, the medical centre is ideally positioned to serve the expatriate and local community in the city.
2012: RMG’s insurance arm, International Medical Insurers (IMI) was officially renamed Raffles Health Insurance (RHI) on 11 October.
2013: Raffles Healthcare Institute was launched on 1 July 2013 to provide professional support in meeting the development needs of RMG’s staff and other external working professionals.
Notable surgeries
Laleh-Ladan Bijani Raffles Hospital undertook the surgical separation of a pair of adult craniopagus twins, Laleh Bijani and Ladan Bijani.[23][27] The surgery was led by Dr Pierre Lasjaunias, a French neuro-radiologist.[27] Separation was achieved.[23] However both twins died due to significant blood loss in the blood vessel repairing process.[23]
Ji Hye-Sa Rang Raffles hospital separated another set of conjoined twins Ji Hye and Sa Rang. They underwent a successful surgery on 22 July 2003. On 16 August, both twins were discharged almost a month after their operation.[1][21][24]
Distinguished awards and certification
| Year | Awards |
|---|---|
| 2002 | RMG achieved group-wide ISO 9001:2000 certification in October.[2][4] |
| 2006 | Raffles Health Insurance (formerly known as International Medical Insurers) was issued a life insurance licence by the Monetary Authority of Singapore [2][21] |
| 2009 | Raffles Hospital received the Joint Commission International accreditation in January [2] |
| 2012 | Voted for two years consecutively as the ‘Preferred Employee Healthcare Consultant’ in an annual award organised by Human Resources Magazine [21] |
| 2013 | RMG was awarded the Singapore Business Award.[20] |
Corporate affairs
Corporate culture
RMG is an integrated private healthcare provider in Singapore based on the Group Practice Model. Full-time doctors practice exclusively and adhere, to protocols and fee schedules set by the hospital.[5] This is where doctors, specialists and healthcare professionals share their medical expertise to support the needs of their patients as well as to ensure professionalism and ethicality within the practice.[5][14][19]
Charitable causes
RMG's humanitarian arm, Asian Medical Foundation (AMF), is a non-profit organisation was started in 2003 to offer medical expertise to regional neighbours “that have little or no access to proper healthcare”.[28][29] AMF sent its first relief mission to Aceh on 26 December to assist in the 2004 Asian Tsunami Crisis.[5] AMF also sent medical aid to the earthquake victims in Nias, Indonesia and Pakistan in 2005.[5] See Asian Medical Foundation’s website for further reading.
References
- ^ a b c d Naidu, R.T. (2002). "Raffles Medical Group".
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "SINGAPORE BUSINESS AWARDS 2013" (PDF). Singapore Press Holdings Limited. 2013. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ^ a b "Hospitals and Other Healthcare Organisations". AsiaPac Bio LLP. n.d.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r A journey of faith: The Raffles Medical Story. Singapore: Raffles Medical Group. 2006. ISBN 9810560850.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Vision & Philosophy". Raffles Medical Group. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ^ a b c d Ramchandani, N (11 May 2010). "Driven by a very simple vision". The Business Times.
- ^ a b c d Poon, C. H. (20 May 2013). "Raffles medical chief had early start in business". The Straits Times.
- ^ a b "Growing from strength to strength". The Business Times. 5 April 2013.
- ^ a b "RMG has done its homework". The Business Times. 28 March 1998.
- ^ "Hospital: Overview". Raffles Medical Group. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
- ^ "Corporate Fact Sheet". Raffles Medical Group. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ^ Chay, F (5 April 2013). "Hospital on his mind day and night". The Business Times.
- ^ Teh, S. N. (31 July 2009). "Service that comes from the heart". The Business Times.
- ^ a b "About Us". Raffles Medical Group. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ^ "Clinic Locations". Raffles Medical Group. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ^ "Our Services". Raffles Medical Group. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ^ a b Wong, S (2 August 2010). "Corporate: Raffles Medical Group expands capacity, attracts investors attention". The Edge Singapore.
- ^ Yahya, Y (5 April 2013). "Adept at business but medicine still his love". The Straits Time.
- ^ a b Toh, H. C. (2013). "Continuing the Journey of Faith" (PDF). Singapore Medical Association (SMA) News: 19–23. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ^ a b c Chay, F (5 April 2013). "'People before profits' motto wins this year's SBA". The Business Times.
- ^ a b c d e "Milestones". Raffles Medical Group. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ^ "Patients will always come first, says corporate medical chief". The Straits Times. 1 April 1997. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ^ a b c d "Iranian twins die in surgery". BBC News. 8 July 2003.
- ^ a b "Conjoined Korean Twins Undergo Separation Surgery At Raffles Hospital". Raffles Medical Group. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ^ "Conjoined twins 'doing well.'". BBC News. 23 July 2004. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ^ "Raffles Medical Group Opens Medical Center in Shanghai". International Insurance News. 6 July 2010.
- ^ a b Revill, J. "'If God wants us to live as two separate individuals, we will ...'". The Observer.
- ^ "About us". Asian Medical Foundation.
- ^ Chen, H. F. (24 May 2005). "Making a Difference". The Business Times.
External links