Singapore has been rated as having one of the best healthcare systems in Asia by the World Health Organisation. In 2010, it was ranked in 6th place out of 100 possible health systems. Apart from having the best doctors, this place also has the best prices. Compared to the US or UK, Singapore has affordable prices for all.
What does a cardiologist do?
Cardiologists treat everything to do with the heart and blood vessels. They would usually treat issues such as heart attacks, high blood pressure, heart failure, and much more. They go through various tests to find out the specific cause for your issues. These tests could include ECG/EKG, stress test, echocardiogram, nuclear imaging, exercise test and much more.
From these tests they will be able to advise the best treatment specific to you. It may result in surgery where a pacemaker is inserted. Reason why Singapore is the best place to travel to for your heart specialist is because they study an additional six years after completing their medical course in university.
You are guaranteed the best of the best when you travel here for a specialist. They obtain much more experience in this field than other countries would.
What types of heart doctors are there in Singapore?
Most common would be Non-Invasive, Interventional, and EP cardiologists.
- Non-Invasive–This type of heart specialist would apply non-invasive techniques to help with your heart issues. Some of these would include stress testing, wearing a heart monitor, or CT scans. It does not require surgery or any type of needle insertion. Medication would be advised from the testing involved.
- Interventional – This type of cardiology involves diagnosing and treating coronary issues, heart disease, and vascular disease.
- EP – These types of cardiologists mainly deal with issues regarding hearth rhythms. The test involved are invasive as they must insert a tube into you to send shocks to your heart and see how it responds.
When should I see a heart specialist?
When you feel you have shortness of breath or chest pains, these are the signs to go see a heart specialist before the issue escalates. There are also other factors such as dizziness and high blood pressure which can result in heart problems.
It is best to see your local GP first before travelling to abroad to make sure it is an actual heart problem and not something else. Once it has been confirmed for you, you can then look into travelling to Singapore to get the best care available to you.
What costs will be involved to travel?
Costs in Singapore are significantly lower than they would be somewhere like the US or the UK. Heart bypass surgery in the US would cost you roughly $140,000 or more. In Singapore this surgery costs about $25,000. Consultation fees will cost you between $60 to $160 depending on whether you go private or public.
Private clinics are better since there is no waiting time, apart from just simply making an appointment. Public clinics you will have to get on a waiting list, which in most cases would not be suited as the matter could be urgent.
It is possible to find cheap flights from $450 to fly there from the US. There are various types of accommodations you can get depending on how long you stay. Again, these will not be very expensive. It will not compare with what you would have to pay in the US for staying in the hospital for a number of days along with the cost of tests, consultations, and procedure.
How do I get a visa?
It is extremely easy to stay in Singapore beyond your normal holiday amount. If you go over for a consultation and end up needing to extend your stay, you will have to apply online using their e-Service.
When you initially come into the country, you get a Visit Pass which lasts for 30 days. When you apply for an extension, you can receive up to 89 additional days. There is a fee of S$40 applicable each time you apply for an extension.
The requirements to be eligible for the extension are simple:
- Your visit pass must still be in date. If it has expired, an extension will not be granted.
- Have a local sponsor
- The extension must not be beyond the 89 days which are offered to you
For the submission, you will need the following documents ready:
- Valid Passport
- Valid Visit Pass
- Visa Card or Master Card to be able to make payment
- Form V75 signed by your doctor in Singapore
You might be asked to go to an interview to further confirm some details. After this, if all details match, your application should be granted, and you will be able to extend your stay for another 89 days.
How do I find a good specialist?
There are various online sources you can go to and research heart specialists in a particular area in Singapore. It is vital you look at their clinic, read their patient reviews, see the rating they have received, look at the qualifications the doctor has, check where they studied, and check how long they have been open for.
From this you should be able to conclude whether the doctor has many years behind them to be able to provide you with proper care. You can also check the prices of your selected clinics to see which will suit you most. The most important thing is to call and make an appointment so that you are fully prepared for your visit when you arrive in the country.
As you can see, this country is easy to travel to as well as extend your stay. You do not have to go through a long visa process or provide a mountain of documents to the authorities to allow you to stay longer. The extension is quite long and should allow you to receive proper care and be able to recover with little stress. Prices are much cheaper than other countries which means you will save thousands, as well as receiving the best care in the world.
