Far East Organization is expanding its cooperation network for its upcoming Novena Medical Center to offer seamless access to quality healthcare facilities and services from specialist care to in-patient services.

This follows a Cooperation Agreement with Tan Tock Seng Hospital inked in November 2003 in Singapore’s first joint public-private sector healthcare services initiative.

FEO also signed Memoranda of Cooperation with Raffles Hospital and Mount Alvernia Hospital this year to provide patients of Novena Medical Center with access to the two hospitals’ booking systems and facilities, as well as clinical support services.

Mr G L Yap, FEO’s Chief Operating Officer, Development & Corporate Leasing Business Group, said, “Working with more partners will enable Novena Medical Center to better serve the needs and preferences of different patient segments by providing more choices from a wider range of quality healthcare services, resources and facilities.”

The Singapore government is actively promoting the development of the city state as the healthcare services hub of Asia. It launched the Singapore Medicine initiative in October 2003 with the aim to attract foreign patients to seek medical services here. Mr Yap added, “Throughworking with other healthcare organisations and professionals in Novena Medical Center, Far East Organization hopes to meet the needs of a wider range of patients both in Singapore and the region, and contribute to the attractiveness of Singapore as the healthcare services hub in Asia.”

Novena Medical Center will offer patients the expertise of a multidisciplinary team of doctors and specialists. It will work hand-in-hand with collaborating hospitals to provide complementary healthcare services to ensure that the needs of every patient are met as comprehensively, efficiently and effectively as possible.

In its Cooperation Agreement with Tan Tock Seng Hospital, doctors and specialists in Novena Medical Center will have access to the use of TTSH’s unsubsidised wards, operating theatres and other services. TTSH will also arrange its resident medical officer to provide emergency cover to Novena Medical Center patients. This cooperation arrangement is in line with the principle of resource and capacity optimisation in public sector hospitals.

Raffles Hospital and Mount Alvernia Hospital will provide in-patient and diagnostic support to the specialists at Novena Medical Center. The hospitals will facilitate the accreditation and admitting privileges of doctors and specialists from the Center, and facilitate access to their booking systems and facilities, such as laboratory, diagnostic radiology, operating theatres and wards, to accredited doctors from Novena Medical Center and their patients.

Novena Medical Center is located above the Novena MRT station next to Tan Tock Seng Hospital. The development has a commanding position in the heart of a thriving community in the Novena area, characterised by a successful blend of high-end residences, office buildings, modern malls, local shopping and a medical cluster comprising Tan Tock Seng Hospital, National Neuroscience Institute, Thomson Medical Centre, National Skin Centre and nearby KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

The S$257 million Novena Medical Center will have 145 medical suites occupying a total floor area of 140,000 square feet. The development will also have a retail podium providing a comprehensive range of supporting value-added services, goods and facilities. The medical centre will have a direct covered link-bridge on its third level connecting to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

Novena Medical Center is estimated to be completed in 2007.

For more information on Novena Medical Center, please call 6839 3637.