Patients going for day surgery now have a wider option - and a shorter waiting time.

Two new day-surgery centres were launched last month, one fully operational and the other which will open its doors next March.

They will compliment hospitals by providing an area where patients can walk in, have their surgery done, consult their and walk out on the same day.

'We do not want to overhwhelm hospital theatres with day surgery cases but instead use them for those who require more intensive care and need to stay there,' said Dr Swee Yong Peng, divisional vice-president of surgical services in Parkway Health.

Parkway Day Surgery and Medical Centre, located at Balestier Road, opened its doors to the public on Sept 28.

Facilities include a full day ward of 14 beds, four day surgery operating theatres, an endoscopy centre and a pharmacy, which occupy five floors. Average prices for surgeries range from $1,000 to $3,000.

About five to ten surgeries and five endoscopies are performed daily,ith the most common being cataract, breast lump removal and endoscopies.

On Thursday, Far East Organisation, together with 16 specialist doctors in the private practice, launched Novena Surgery, an $8 million day care surgery facility occupying the eighth floor of newly built Novena Medical Centre.

The property giant also announced its interest to build a private hospital on a 1.7HA site in Novena that was put up for tender on Monday.

With Singapore set to attract one million foreign patients by 2012, Novena Surgery aims to cater to some of them.

'No point having a million people coming in and you cannot support these numbers,' said Associate Professor Lim Beng Hai, chairman of Novena Surgery.

Novena Surgery will have three operating theatres, two endoscopy suites and private rooms for patients to recover after the surgery.

A range of surgical specialties like endoscopy, eye surgery, hand surgery and reconstructive surgery are offered at the centre.