GLENEAGLES HOSPITAL SINGAPORE

At Gleneagles Hospital Singapore ( GEH ), respiratory physicians play an indispensable role in the care of patients with diseases affecting the airways and lungs . Our respective specialists have received extensive training through long overseas stints which have given them invaluable experience that has been integrated into the holistic way we deliver medical care to our patients .

Respiratory conditions can range from relatively simple problems like asthma and chronic cough to more complex diseases like pneumonia , interstitial lung disease , and lung cancer .

Ensuring that patients receive allrounded holistic care in their journey towards recovery , GEH ’ s respiratorytrained intensivists adopt a multidisciplinary approach that taps into the expertise of peers , such as infectious disease specialists , thoracic surgeons , radiologists , and even the professionals from the allied health services .

Our specialists are also trained in intensive care medicine , a medical subspecialty that deals with the diagnosis and management of patients who are critically ill , such as those with organ failure .

GEH ’ s respiratory physicians believe in honing their skills and are constantly on the lookout for innovative methods and new technologies that can help save patients from life-threatening diseases . Our hospital is also well equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostic and therapeutic equipment

Dr Melvin Heng

to support our doctors .

The extracorporeal membrane oxygenation ( ECMO ) treatment , for example , has been adopted at GEH since 2002 for clinical intervention .

This procedure has proven to be effective in resuscitating patients who have lost consciousness due to respiratory or cardiac arrest . ECMO circulates the patient ’ s blood through a device that removes carbon dioxide from the blood and adds oxygen , before subsequently returning it back to the patient ’ s body . This bypasses the functions performed by the heart and lungs , allowing these vital organs a measure of rest . It serves as a bridge to recovery while the doctors focus on treating other underlying issues .

The hospital has also refurbished its endoscopy suites and is able to provide C-arm fluoroscopy with radiographic capabilities for patients . Fluoroscopic intra-operative imaging is used during surgical and emergency care procedures to provide high-resolution X-ray images in real time , allowing the surgeon to monitor progress and make any necessary corrections efficiently . It also enhances the effectiveness of GEH ’ s respiratory physicians in therapeutic investigations , like percutaneous transthoracic lung biopsies , where diagnostic accuracy , sensitivity , and specificity are imperative to an accurate diagnosis and subsequent treatment .

GEH is committed to standing on the side of patients when it comes to their treatment and care . The hospital ’ s Intensive Care Unit makes no compromises in the care of all patients and strives to provide a comfortable stress-free environment for patients , their families , and visitors .

116 SEPTEMBER 2022 GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com