Endocrinologist / thyroid specialist in Singapore?

September 26, 2017 1:07 PM

Can you personally recommend an endocrinologist in Singapore? If not, how would you go about researching a good endocrinologist in a foreign country, from afar? (I'm not in Singapore but I'm trying to help a friend.)

Details: A friend there is having thyroid issues and I'm urging her to get a second opinion. Her current doctor is at Singapore National University Hospital.

posted by bluecore to Health & Fitness (2 answers total)

Best answer: If she's in NUH, she's seeing someone within the government system and she wants to keep that appointment going, especially if she came in as a polyclinic referral so she will get subsidized care long term for what could turn out to be a chronic condition. She may not like her current assigned doctor, but they are in my experience ok about second opinions referrals and adapting treatment. She can request a specific senior consultant at NUH within the team whose research area fits her medical need. She may have to wait for an appointment, and she'll pay more for the appointment but she'll have the option for subsidized treatment in the future, and I think still get subsidized medication prescriptions. Most of those doctors have private clinics if she wants to see them like tomorrow, but the costs are easily 3-5x more, and long term, it adds up hugely.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 3:03 PM on September 26, 2017

Response by poster: In case someone brings up this question in the future researching Singapore hospitals for themselves: Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre is, apparently, a very good private hospital in Singapore, although as dorothyisunderwood predicted it can be expensive if your insurance doesn't cover it.
posted by bluecore at 12:28 PM on September 28, 2017