Rates and surcharges of medical emergencies: List of 24-hour clinics vs A&E in Singapore
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PUBLISHED ONMarch 01, 2020 1:52 AMByRuth Lum
My first brush with a midnight medical emergency was at 13 years old.
I woke up with difficulty breathing and felt a choking pain in my throat.
The G.P. (General Practitioner) my family has been seeing for years does not operate round the clock, and this brought us to our nearest A&E at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
Lucky for me, I survived the ordeal, even though I still do not have a thorough explanation of what exactly happened except that my bronchioles "froze".
I remember going to school the subsequent weeks boasting about how my bronchioles froze as a result of ice cream that I had just hours before.
Emergencies like these are unprecedented and hence everyone should be mentally prepared.
Here's a list of 24-hour clinics to tend to all your healthcare needs regardless of day or time.
24 HOUR CLINICS IN SINGAPORE
| Location of 24-hour Clinic | Address of Clinic | Enquiries | Consultation Fees (after midnight) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24-hour Clinics at Central | |||
| Thomson 24-Hour Family Clinic (A&E + 24-hr family clinic) |
339 Thomson Road, Singapore 307677 |
6250 2222 | From $98 |
| Unihealth 24hr Clinic | #01-218, 178 Toa Payoh Central, 310178 | 6203 1639 | From $80 |
| 24-hour Clinics at North-East | |||
| Central 24-HR Clinic Group | 681 Hougang Ave 8, #01-831, Singapore 530681 |
6387 6965 | From $110 |
| 24-hour Clinics at North | |||
| Central Clinic and Surgery (Yishun) | Block 701A Yishun Avenue 5, #01-04 Singapore 761701 |
6759 7985 | From $110 |
| 24-hour Clinics at North-West | |||
| Prohealth 24-Hour Medical Clinic | Block 259 Bukit Panjang Ring Road, #01-18 Singapore 671259 |
6765 2115 | Weekdays $82-86 Weekends $86-92 |
| 24-hour Clinics at West | |||
| Central Clinic and Surgery (Clementi) | Block 450 Clementi Avenue 3, #01-291 Singapore 120450 |
6773 2925 | From $110 |
| 24-hour Clinics at East | |||
| Central Clinic and Surgery (Bedok) | Block 219 Bedok Central, #01-124 Singapore 460219 |
6247 6122 | From $110 |
| Central Tampines 24-Hr Family Clinic | Block 201D Tampines Street 21 #01-1151 |
6786 7228 | From $130 |
| Changi Airport Raffles Medical Airport 24-hr Clinic |
65 Airport Boulevard, Changi Airport Terminal 3 #B2-MS-15 Singapore 819663 |
6241 8818 | From $100 |
HOSPITALS A&E: FEES AND CHARGES
Most 24-hr clinics listed above have consultation fee starting from under $100.
If you're headed to the A&E department, be prepared to shell out more than $100 just for them to attend to you.
Further consultation fees are a separate charge and varies depending on your needs and subsidies.
| Hospital | A&E: Emergency Department Attendance Fees (fees after 12am) |
Area | A&E Contact Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raffles Hospital | $139.10 / $149.80 (PH) | Central | 6311 1111 (24hrs general line) 6311 1555 (A&E) |
| Mount Elizabeth | $162 | Central | Novena: 6933 0100 (A&E) 6933 0000 (general) Orchard: 6731 2218 / 6731 2219 (A&E) 6737 2666 (general) |
| Gleneagles Hospital | $160 | Central | 6473 7222 (general) |
| Parkway East Hospital | $132.68 | East | 6377 3737 (24-hours hotline) 6344-7588 |
| Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) |
$128 | Central | 6256 6011 (24hrs general) 6357 8866 |
| Changi General Hospital | $126 | East | 6788 8833 (24-hours general enquiries) |
| Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) |
$122 | North | 6555 8000 (general) |
| National University Hospital (NUH) |
$121.00 | West | 6779 5555 (24-hours general line) 6772 5000 (emergency) |
| Singapore General Hospital (SGH) |
$121.00 | Central | 6321 4311 (Accident & Emergency) 6222 3322 (24-hours general) |
| Sengkang General Hospital (SKH) |
$121.00 | North-East | 6930 6000 (24-hrs) |
| KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) |
$120 | Central | 6293 4044 (24-hr general line) 6394 1199 (gynaecological, obstetric, women's 24-hr clinic) 6394 1177 (Children's A&E) |
| Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH) |
$120 | West | 6716 2000 (24-hours general enquiries) |
| Farrer Park Hospital | $118 - $123 | Central | 6705 2999 (24-hours emergency) |
| Alexandra Hospital | $110 | Central | 6472 2000 (general enquiries) |
| Mount Alvernia | $96.30 - $127.33 | Central | 6347 6210 |
WAITING TIME
Knowing what needs to be treated at the A&E can save money and time.
This helps to shorten queues, letting real emergencies seek attention quickly.
Some A&Es have a "3-hour waiting time" sign displayed at the entrance. 24hour clinics, on the other hand, may be able to tend to your less severe conditions with less queue.
MIDNIGHT MEDICAL EMERGENCIES: 24HR CLINIC OR A&E?
People often struggle to decide if they should head to the nearest 24hr clinic or to an A&E.
This could be due to a few reasons: Insurance coverage, cost, convenience etc.
According to Singhealth and a poll, a regular middle-aged adult who is not pregnant and does not have prevailing conditions should approach it as such:
24HR CLINIC:
- Sprained or twisted ankles
- Fever
- Nosebleed
- Cuts/gash
- Dizziness
- Cold/flu
- Headaches
- Nosebleed
- Sore Eyes
HOSPITAL A&E:
- Elderly's injuries (requires more immediate attention)
- Broken limbs
- Sustained several days of high temperature
- Breathlessness for prolonged period
- Sudden and severe pain
- Sweating and breathlessness
- Fits and Seizures
- Vomiting that does not subside
- Blood in your vomit
- Slurred Speech
- Severe hives
Of course, depending on age, elderly and pregnant ladies should seek more immediate attention for such symptoms.
And in times of non-emergencies, it is also helpful to know which hospitals to turn to for more severe conditions like stroke, heart failure, diabetes and chemotherapy, amongst others.
This article was first published in Seedly.