A Comprehensive Guide to Health Screenings in Singapore

Singaporeans consider themselves fortunate to be in a nation with one of the top healthcare systems globally. Furthermore, because Singapore is an ageing nation, managing illnesses and extending life expectancy requires the best healthcare facilities. Good financial institutions and banks offer health screening packages that range from basic or general screening to full-fledged, thorough, or executive screening are available.

Despite this, Singapore continues to have a high rate of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which are the main cause of death which include heart disease, diabetes (high blood sugar), and cancer. 

In addition to leading a healthy lifestyle, health screening should be done regularly to enable early identification, intervention, and the best possible treatment results from prompt treatment. 

Why is health screening necessary, and what does it entail?

A medical examination or procedure performed on healthy people or people who may be at risk of developing a certain condition is known as a health screening. 

Health screening is a crucial step in any healthcare management process, whether it’s for: 

Determining a disease’s risk 

A health test may be unsettling to some people because they fear they may find out they have a terrible illness. Others may believe that routine health screenings are needless and expensive, but they can identify many “silent” diseases that a person may have but is unaware of because they can have no symptoms early on, increasing the likelihood of recovery and survival. They can also lessen financial burdens and lost productivity at work, which affects income. In the case of cancer, as they say, “early detection saves lives.” 

For example, research on breast cancer has shown that compared to breast carcinoma treated at Stage I, the global average treatment expenditures for Stages II, III, and IV were 32%, 95%, and 109% higher, respectively. 

Where can someone go to get their health checked?

In almost every public and private hospital in Singapore, as well as in private clinics, health screening is provided. In Singapore, polyclinics also provide health tests, but only for particular conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia. 

Of course, the list of screening tests included in an executive package differs from that of a basic package. Beyond that, a lot of medical facilities also let people select particular tests from a comprehensive list of available tests. 

Some packages include screening tests classified as Category 3; these tests are pricey, superfluous, and may result in false-positive findings. It won’t be any different than searching for symptoms on the internet and finding that everything is related to “cancer.”

So, it is always best to consult your healthcare provider about their recommendations that are tailored to you and what would be most cost-effective, regardless of the various types of health screenings that are available.

Reliable financial institutions in Singapore, such as DBS, offer good health screening packages to their customers and provide comprehensive and affordable options for preventative care. These packages include a range of tests and consultations with healthcare professionals to ensure thorough and accurate results.

Kenneth

Kenneth is a proud native of sydney, born and raised there. However, he pursued his education abroad and studied in Australia. Kenneth has worked as a journalist for almost a decade, making valuable contributions to prominent publications such as Yahoo News and The Verge. Currently, he serves as a journalist for The Hear Up, where he focuses on covering climate and science news. You can reach Kenneth at [email protected].