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12-04-2014, 04:10 PM
An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:

2 public hospitals, SGH and KTPH, increase fees for emergency services

SGH, KTPH raise charges to cope with rising costs



PUBLISHED ON APR 12, 2014
2131201PRINT (http://www.straitstimes.com/st/print/2264732)EMAIL


http://www.straitstimes.com/sites/straitstimes.com/files/imagecache/ST_REVAMP_2014_STORY_PAGE_640X360/20140412/ST_20140412_SKED12_4093639e.jpg (http://www.straitstimes.com/sites/straitstimes.com/files/20140412/ST_20140412_SKED12_4093639e.jpg)
Patients waiting for a bed in KTPH's emergency department in January.







BY SALMA KHALIK SENIOR HEALTH CORRESPONDENT

Two public hospitals have raised emergency department fees in the past four months, with a third set to do the same if the Ministry of Health (MOH) gives the green light.

Singapore General Hospital (SGH) increased its fees by 9 per cent in December from $99 to $108, while charges at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) went from $98 to $103 in February.

While both say this was done to cope with rising costs, the new fees make their emergency departments the costliest in the public sector. Alexandra Hospital is the cheapest at $88 among Singapore's six public general hospitals.

MOH declined to reveal which other hospital is looking to charge more.

The fee typically covers basic investigations and procedures, drugs and X-ray services. Patients are charged extra if they need specialised emergency tests or scans.




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