SINGAPORE: Outpatients to Changi General Hospital (CGH) and the National University Hospital (NUH) face the shortest waiting times, on average, to see a specialist.

For CGH, it would be for the cardiology specialist clinic.

For NUH, it would be for the Gynaecology and Paediatric Medicine and Surgery departments.

The results were based on a study by the Health Ministry.

About 136,000 attendances were recorded for the cardiology departments at five health-care institutions last year.

Half of the cardiology outpatients visiting CGH waited less than 17 days on average before they saw a specialist.

The longest wait was 89 days, at Alexandra Hospital.

Other hospitals in the comparison included Tan Tock Seng, the National Heart Centre and the NUH.

The National Heart Centre saw the most number of cardiology patients, at over 57,000.

This was more than twice the number seen at the next busiest cardiology department at NUH.

The Health Ministry study concluded that to meet rising demand, more cardiologists were needed for the public sector.

It added that systems were in place to ensure that patients receive timely access to necessary care.

For gynaecology, NUH had the shortest waiting time.

New outpatients spent less than four days on average before they saw a specialist.

Singapore General Hospital, on the other hand, had the longest average waiting time of under 30 days.

The only other hospital compared here was KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) where outpatients waited for less than 16 days.

NUH also had the shortest waiting time for its Paediatric Medicine departments - less than 14 days average - while KKH had shorter waiting times for those needing Paediatric Surgery (less than 7 days average). - CNA/ir