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Mount Elizabeth Hospital (MEH)

Mount Elizabeth Hospital (MEH), established in 1979, is Singapore's largest private hospital. Owned by Parkway Group Healthcare Pte Ltd, it offers more than 35 clinical specialities, including in cancer, minimally invasive surgeries and neuroscience.

History
Mount Elizabeth Hospital was established by two main partners, Goh Cheng Liang and Agus Nursalim. It was a joint-venture company that involved local as well as overseas investors. Built in 1976, the hospital officially opened its doors to patients in December 1979. Management expertise was provided by an organisation called Hospital Affiliates International Incorporated (HAI) until 1981, after which MEH came under the management guidance of the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA). In June 1985, the National Medical Enterprises Incorporated (NME), the largest healthcare company in USA, bought MEH, along with East Shore Hospital.

NME developed the hospital in a big way, equipping it with the latest in medical technology and devices. They invested in specialty units such as cancer and rehabilitation centres. In 1995, Parkway Holdings Ltd. bought MEH in a joint deal which involved East Shore Hospital as well. With the purchase, the publicly-listed company which already owned Gleneagles Hospital, became one of the largest private healthcare providers in Southeast Asia. The deal, costing nearly S$540 million, also saw Parkway buying over a 30% stake in Subang Jaya Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur and a 40% share in Bumrungrad Medical Centre in Bangkok, apart from the purchase of MEH and East Shore Hospital.

Description & facilities
MEH is a 505 bed tertiary acute care hospital offering over 35 clinical specialties with specialty centres. The hospital was designed by Chan Kui Chuan in association with YRM & MSJ Architects. It is one of the largest private hospitals in the region. The hospital offers 24 hour Accident and Emergency services and round-the-clock emergency cardiac care to its patients. Its cancer centre, called the Parkway Cancer Centre, offers some of the world's best in cancer treatment. In addition, the centre provides a non-profit counselling service and hotline, called PGH CanHOPE, for cancer patients. Other centres of excellence at MEH includes the Mount Elizabeth Hospital Clinical Neuroscience Centre (MEH-CNC) and the Gleneagles Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) Centre for MIS procedures and development of new techniques in laparoscopic surgeries.

Rooms are available as single bed, double bed and four-bedded units with the upscale executive, VIP and suites being available also. Though most of the patients at the hospital are locals with a smaller group from Indonesia and Malaysia, MEH has been successful at getting patients from non-traditional markets such as the Middle East, India and Bangladesh. From 1999, the hospital began offering a offering home-based nursing and rehabilitation services. The hospital also provides general and specialised medical services to children from special schools.

The hospital was awarded the People Developer Standard in 2000. In 1994, it became the first hospital in the Asia Pacific region to achieve ISO 9002 international quality certification. It is also the first private hospital in Asia to win the Asian Management Award for exceptional people development and management. In 1998, Mount Elizabeth Hospital was recognised as a Singapore Quality Class organisation.

In 2000, to lessen the differentiation between private and public health-care, the Ministry of Health mooted the idea of having government doctors practise part-time in private clinics. Under this plan, government doctors could spend a day or two a week working in the private sector. The first specialist centre run by government doctors in a private clinic setting was set up in MEH. Called the SNEC Eye Associates, it opened at the hospital in May 2001. 

Address
Mount Elizabeth Hospital Limited, 3 Mount Elizabeth, Singapore 258510.



Author
Naidu Ratnala Thulaja



References 
Edwards, N., & Keys, P. (1996). Singapore: A guide to buildings, streets & places (p. 217). Singapore: Times Books International.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 EDW)

Kong, L. (1993, March 10). Private health care. The Straits Times, Life!, p. 3.

Ong, C. (1995, June 27). Parkway, Gleneagles raising $ 540m in bonds and notes. The Business Times, p. 14.

Ong, C. (1995, May 23). Parkway to buy regional chain of Mount Elizabeth Hospital. The Business Times, p. 1.

Pereira, B. (1992, October 24). Mount E wins tussle over health centre's tenancy. The Straits Times, p. 31.

Rajendran, J., & Lee, D. (1992, June 22). Listing can help fund expansion in regional healthcare industry. The Business Times, p. 2.

Tan, W. (1999, October 9). Parkway brings hospital care into the home. The Straits Times, p. 53.

What private hospitals offer. (1993, October 27). The Straits Times, Life!, p. 2.

Yeow, P. L. (1998, July 24). Parkway may split its two key businesses. The Straits Times, p. 71

Parkway Group Healthcare Pte Ltd. (2003). Mount Elizabeth Hospital. Retrieved October 14, 2003, from www.mountelizabeth.com.sg


Further Readings
Khalik, S. (2003, July 21). Singapore on world map for cancer diagnosis. The Straits Times, Prime News.

Liang, H. T. (2000, April 15). New technique brings hope to brain-tumour victims. The Straits Times, p. 68.

Liang, H. T. (2001, January 19). New imaging technique for tumours soon. The Straits Times, p. 9.

Liang, H. T. (2002, April 25). Govt doctors' clinic at Gleneagles opens. The Straits Times.

Woo, G. (2002, November 16). 24-hour cardiac care at Mount E, Gleneagles. The Straits Times, Forum. 

The information in this article is valid as at 2004 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.

Subject
Architecture and Landscape>>Building Types>>Commercial Buildings
Politics and Government>> Health
Hospitals, Proprietary--Singapore
Hospitals--Singapore
Singapore--History--1965-1990
Arts>>Architecture>>Public and commercial buildings
Health and medicine>>Health services



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