Singapore healthcare providers hinge growth on overseas expansion

Cambodia and Vietnam are their top preferrences.

As competition heats up in Singapore between private and public healthcare providers, many are looking at regional expansion for growth opportunities. This is a trend that is not only unique in Singapore but also holds through across Asia, observes OCBC Investment Research.

"While the competition for local patients is offset by the dependence on foreign patients that visit private hospitals, we understand that foreign patients’ volume has been flattish this year. Thus diversifying through regional expansion can alleviate such concerns and ensure sustainable growth for the longer run," it said.

Across the hospital players in the region, consensus is looking towards emerging markets like Cambodia and Vietnam for expansion.