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SINGAPORE: The day could come when the northern part of Singapore is served by three hospitals and not just the upcoming Khoo Teck Puat hospital in Yishun.
Hinting at this on Sunday at a community dialogue, Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan said that in addition to a previously mentioned site in Woodlands, there could be a site reserved for a hospital in Bukit Batok.
Given the growing demand for healthcare, Mr Khaw said, "Eventually, the north may need two or three (hospitals). So you have one Yishun, then you have Woodlands, maybe one in the Bukit Batok area. And you will probably be able to cover the northern needs."
He alluded to this even as he announced the site of the Jurong General Hospital — between Jurong East Street 21 and Boon Lay Way, and within walking distance of the Jurong East MRT and bus interchange.
This will put the hospital smack in the middle of the upcoming Jurong Lake District, which will see Jurong East transformed by 2020 into a commercial and leisure hub centred around a scenic lake.
Expected to be ready by 2015, the Jurong General Hospital will help better serve residents who now have to travel to other hospitals, the closest being the National University Hospital.
Said Ms Alice Lee, 51, who resides near Lakeside MRT station: "It will be more convenient, especially for my elderly parents who live in Jurong. My father has to travel often to Singapore General Hospital for his cancer treatments and it's very difficult for an older person to travel so far."
The proposed 550-bed hospital will also draw on the successful co-location model of the Changi General Hospital and St Andrew's Community Hospital, with a 200-bed community hospital for long term stays planned next to it.
This, said National Healthcare Group chief executive Lim Suet Wun, who is heading the Hospital Planning Committee, will facilitate sharing of resources, expertise and patient transfers.
"Co-location allows for greater convenience and coordination of care for patients, who may need to recover in a community hospital," Dr Lim said. At the same time, the community hospital can harness the medical expertise, equipment and support of the general hospital.
"Patients have confidence that if complications arise, care can be readily available," he added.
This integration, said Mr Khaw, is what his ministry is moving towards in the coming years. A community hospital could also be sited next to the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital in Yishun, he revealed.
While high costs now do not make it viable to rush the tender for the Jurong hospital, Mr Khaw said details are already being worked out. "What I promised is that the latest we will open is 2015, so we will do all the planning, architectural design work now that the site has been settled."
With two new hospitals, plans are underway to increase training and recruitment. Last year, some 430 doctors trained outside Singapore were hired to complement the more than 200 local medical graduates. - TODAY/sh
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