Government to innovate & leverage technology to meet healthcare demand & lower costs

The government will innovate and leverage technology in healthcare facilities to meet increased demand and lower costs. 

Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said it's planning for future expansion and building this flexibility into the design of new healthcare facilities. 

He added that services should be 'sensibly co-located' so patients don't have to walk too far when they go for laboratory tests, collection of medication and consultations. 

"We want designs which support healing and allow for the introduction of new models of care," said Mr Gan. 

He said technology can also be used to help to lower healthcare costs. 

Facilities can be designed to make use of natural lighting and ventilation and leverage environmentally-friendly features to maximise energy savings. 

Mr Gan made these points at the Healthcare Infrastructure Technology and Engineering Conference or HI-TEC on Wednesday .

The two-day conference is organised by MOH Holdings to share global best practices.