Khoo Teck Puat Hospital
Encyclopedia
Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (Chinese: 邱德拔医院; ) is a 550-bed hospital
located at Yishun
in Singapore
. The hospital was officially opened by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew
on 15 November 2010, but began seeing outpatients and day surgery patients on 28 March 2010. Spanning over 3.5 hectares (8.6 acre) in the Yishun Central Area overlooking the scenic Yishun Pond. The hospital offers an extensive range of medical services and healthcare options for residents living in the north.
. The hospital was slated to be completed by 2006. However, in 2004, the plan was scrapped. Instead, the next new public hospital, Northern General Hospital will be built in the north at Yishun
and be completed by March 28, 2009.
On November 28, 2006, Alexandra Hospital marked the first milestone for its new hospital with a groundbreaking ceremony at the new hospital site. The guest-of-honor was the Health Minister
Khaw Boon Wan
. An exhibition titled "Metamorphosis: From Old to New" was held at the same time, showcasing photographs depicting the transformation of the existing hospital building in Alexandra Road from pre- and post-independence years to the present times. 3-dimensional models and perspectives of the new hospital building were also on display.
On May 16, 2007, Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan, while attending the HIMSS AsiaPac 2007 conference, announced that the new general hospital in Yishun has been named Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. In acknowledgement of the S$125 million donation made by the late hotelier’s Khoo Teck Puat
family towards building and funding of the hospital, instead of the previously planned name Alexandra @ Yishun.
On September 30, 2007, Health Minister Khaw, at a community event in Yishun, noted that additional land parcels set aside around the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital could be used for construction of further, more specialised health-care facilities. Beyond 2020, this might eventually create a health-care cluster similar to the diverse facilities now in the vicinity of Singapore General Hospital
, providing high-quality healthcare services to the growing population in the north. Possible inclusions in the cluster are a community hospital and medical-tourist
hotels.
outpatient clinics and day surgery operating theatres opens on March 29, 2010. The initial timeline was delayed by about three months because of the Indonesian sand ban and disruption to granite supplies. This forced contractors to bring in more equipment and workers to make up for the time lost.
The facility's inpatient wards and acute care and emergency department are expected to open by the end of June 2010.
s is divided into two sections, each with its own toilet
and shower
facilities. There is only one drop-off point for the hospital and the distance from it to the emergency
department is only 20 metres, while the distance to the specialist clinics is between 20 and 40 metres. There are no protruding sink
s or cupboard
s in the wards so patients are less likely to hurt themselves.
The hospital also incorporates environmentally friendly
features. The building uses 30% less energy
than other newer hospitals such as Tan Tock Seng Hospital
, Changi General Hospital
and Kandang Kerbau Women's and Children's Hospital
, a savings of more than S$1 million a year on utilities costs.
"Fin
s" along the building's wall
s are designed to channel the prevailing north-east wind
s into the building. Wind tunnel
tests conducted at the National University of Singapore
found that the "fins" would enhance the air flow by 20 to 30%. Sunshade
s over the window
s protect patients from the direct glare
of sunlight
. The shades also re-direct light towards the ceiling
to enhance the brightness
of the wards and save on the use of energy. Large fan
s in public areas are powered by solar panel
s on the roof
. The air-conditioning system draws supply air from its internal courtyards, where the air is cooler, hence reducing the cooling loads.
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
located at Yishun
Yishun
Yishun, or Nee Soon as it was initially named, is a suburban town in the northern part of Singapore, encompassing the Yishun Planning Area, in the North Region, which includes Yishun New Town and the Nee Soon private residential estate....
in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. The hospital was officially opened by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew, GCMG, CH is a Singaporean statesman. He was the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, governing for three decades...
on 15 November 2010, but began seeing outpatients and day surgery patients on 28 March 2010. Spanning over 3.5 hectares (8.6 acre) in the Yishun Central Area overlooking the scenic Yishun Pond. The hospital offers an extensive range of medical services and healthcare options for residents living in the north.
History
In 2001, plans were announced that a new hospital, the Jurong General Hospital, will be built and will replace the current Alexandra HospitalAlexandra Hospital
Alexandra Hospital is a 400-bed hospital located in the south-western part of Singapore. Nestled in a 110,000 square metre land, the hospital is a picture of tranquil setting, lined with mostly colonial style buildings built since the late 1930s...
. The hospital was slated to be completed by 2006. However, in 2004, the plan was scrapped. Instead, the next new public hospital, Northern General Hospital will be built in the north at Yishun
Yishun
Yishun, or Nee Soon as it was initially named, is a suburban town in the northern part of Singapore, encompassing the Yishun Planning Area, in the North Region, which includes Yishun New Town and the Nee Soon private residential estate....
and be completed by March 28, 2009.
On November 28, 2006, Alexandra Hospital marked the first milestone for its new hospital with a groundbreaking ceremony at the new hospital site. The guest-of-honor was the Health Minister
Ministry of Health (Singapore)
The Ministry of Health is a ministry of the Government of Singapore responsible for providing information, raising health awareness and education, ensuring the accessibility of health services, and monitoring the quality of health services provided to citizens and visitors in the Republic of...
Khaw Boon Wan
Khaw Boon Wan
Khaw Boon Wan is a politician from Singapore. He is currently the country's Minister for National Development and the Chairman of the governing People's Action Party . He was previously the Minister for Health from August 2004 to May 2011...
. An exhibition titled "Metamorphosis: From Old to New" was held at the same time, showcasing photographs depicting the transformation of the existing hospital building in Alexandra Road from pre- and post-independence years to the present times. 3-dimensional models and perspectives of the new hospital building were also on display.
On May 16, 2007, Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan, while attending the HIMSS AsiaPac 2007 conference, announced that the new general hospital in Yishun has been named Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. In acknowledgement of the S$125 million donation made by the late hotelier’s Khoo Teck Puat
Khoo Teck Puat
Tan Sri Khoo Teck Puat a banker and hotel owner, who, with an estimated fortune of $4.3 billion, was formerly Singapore's wealthiest man. He owned the Goodwood Group of boutique hotels in London and Singapore and was the largest single shareholder of Britain's Standard Chartered Bank...
family towards building and funding of the hospital, instead of the previously planned name Alexandra @ Yishun.
On September 30, 2007, Health Minister Khaw, at a community event in Yishun, noted that additional land parcels set aside around the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital could be used for construction of further, more specialised health-care facilities. Beyond 2020, this might eventually create a health-care cluster similar to the diverse facilities now in the vicinity of Singapore General Hospital
Singapore General Hospital
The Singapore General Hospital is the largest and oldest hospital in Singapore, of which the foundation of its first building was laid in 1821....
, providing high-quality healthcare services to the growing population in the north. Possible inclusions in the cluster are a community hospital and medical-tourist
Medical tourism
Medical tourism is a term initially coined by travel agencies and the mass media to describe the rapidly-growing practice of travelling across international borders to obtain health care...
hotels.
Delays
The hospital's specialistSpecialty (medicine)
A specialty in medicine is a branch of medical science. After completing medical school, physicians or surgeons usually further their medical education in a specific specialty of medicine by completing a multiple year residency to become a medical specialist.-History of medical specialization:To...
outpatient clinics and day surgery operating theatres opens on March 29, 2010. The initial timeline was delayed by about three months because of the Indonesian sand ban and disruption to granite supplies. This forced contractors to bring in more equipment and workers to make up for the time lost.
The facility's inpatient wards and acute care and emergency department are expected to open by the end of June 2010.
Key facilities
- 550 beds
- 19 wards consisting: 8 private wards (including one deluxe suite), 10 subsidized wards and 1 classless isolation ward
- 2 intensive care units
- 90 consultation rooms
- 8 operating rooms
- 6 day surgery operation rooms
- 4 endoscopyEndoscopyEndoscopy means looking inside and typically refers to looking inside the body for medical reasons using an endoscope , an instrument used to examine the interior of a hollow organ or cavity of the body. Unlike most other medical imaging devices, endoscopes are inserted directly into the organ...
suites - Other amenities such as family-friendly restrooms, handicapped-friendly restrooms, retail mall, food court and café
Design
The Khoo Teck Puat Hospital is designed to be patient-friendly. The 10-bedded "C"-class wardHospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
s is divided into two sections, each with its own toilet
Toilet
A toilet is a sanitation fixture used primarily for the disposal of human excrement, often found in a small room referred to as a toilet/bathroom/lavatory...
and shower
Shower
A shower is an area in which one bathes underneath a spray of water.- History :...
facilities. There is only one drop-off point for the hospital and the distance from it to the emergency
Emergency
An emergency is a situation that poses an immediate risk to health, life, property or environment. Most emergencies require urgent intervention to prevent a worsening of the situation, although in some situations, mitigation may not be possible and agencies may only be able to offer palliative...
department is only 20 metres, while the distance to the specialist clinics is between 20 and 40 metres. There are no protruding sink
Sink
A sink is a bowl-shaped plumbing fixture used for washing hands, for dishwashing or other purposes. Sinks generally have taps that supply hot and cold water and may include a spray feature to be used for faster rinsing...
s or cupboard
Cupboard
A cupboard or press is a type of cabinet, often made of wood, used indoors to store household objects such as food, crockery, textiles and liquor, and protect them from dust,vermin and dirt....
s in the wards so patients are less likely to hurt themselves.
The hospital also incorporates environmentally friendly
Environmentally friendly
Environmentally friendly are terms used to refer to goods and services, laws, guidelines and policies claimed to inflict minimal or no harm on the environment....
features. The building uses 30% less energy
Energy
In physics, energy is an indirectly observed quantity. It is often understood as the ability a physical system has to do work on other physical systems...
than other newer hospitals such as Tan Tock Seng Hospital
Tan Tock Seng Hospital
The Tan Tock Seng Hospital is the second-largest hospital in Singapore after the Singapore General Hospital, but its accident and emergency department is the busiest in the country largely due to its geographically centralised location...
, Changi General Hospital
Changi General Hospital
Changi General Hospital is a 790-bed hospital located in Simei, eastern Singapore...
and Kandang Kerbau Women's and Children's Hospital
Kandang Kerbau Women's and Children's Hospital
Formerly known as Kandang Kerbau Hospital, KK Women's and Children's Hospital is now the largest hospital specialising in healthcare for women and children in Singapore....
, a savings of more than S$1 million a year on utilities costs.
"Fin
Fin
A fin is a surface used for stability and/or to produce lift and thrust or to steer while traveling in water, air, or other fluid media, . The first use of the word was for the limbs of fish, but has been extended to include other animal limbs and man-made devices...
s" along the building's wall
Wall
A wall is a usually solid structure that defines and sometimes protects an area. Most commonly, a wall delineates a building and supports its superstructure, separates space in buildings into rooms, or protects or delineates a space in the open air...
s are designed to channel the prevailing north-east wind
Wind
Wind is the flow of gases on a large scale. On Earth, wind consists of the bulk movement of air. In outer space, solar wind is the movement of gases or charged particles from the sun through space, while planetary wind is the outgassing of light chemical elements from a planet's atmosphere into space...
s into the building. Wind tunnel
Wind tunnel
A wind tunnel is a research tool used in aerodynamic research to study the effects of air moving past solid objects.-Theory of operation:Wind tunnels were first proposed as a means of studying vehicles in free flight...
tests conducted at the National University of Singapore
National University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore is Singapore's oldest university. It is the largest university in the country in terms of student enrollment and curriculum offered....
found that the "fins" would enhance the air flow by 20 to 30%. Sunshade
Sunshade
A space sunshade or sunshield can be described as analogous to a parasol that diverts or otherwise reduces some of a star's rays, preventing them from hitting a planet and thereby reducing its insolation, which results in less heating of the planet....
s over the window
Window
A window is a transparent or translucent opening in a wall or door that allows the passage of light and, if not closed or sealed, air and sound. Windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent material like float glass. Windows are held in place by frames, which...
s protect patients from the direct glare
Glare (vision)
Glare is difficulty seeing in the presence of bright light such as direct or reflected sunlight or artificial light such as car headlamps at night. Because of this, some cars include mirrors with automatic anti-glare functions....
of sunlight
Sunlight
Sunlight, in the broad sense, is the total frequency spectrum of electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun. On Earth, sunlight is filtered through the Earth's atmosphere, and solar radiation is obvious as daylight when the Sun is above the horizon.When the direct solar radiation is not blocked...
. The shades also re-direct light towards the ceiling
Ceiling
A ceiling is an overhead interior surface that covers the upper limit of a room. It is generally not a structural element, but a finished surface concealing the underside of the floor or roof structure above....
to enhance the brightness
Brightness
Brightness is an attribute of visual perception in which a source appears to be radiating or reflecting light. In other words, brightness is the perception elicited by the luminance of a visual target...
of the wards and save on the use of energy. Large fan
Fan (implement)
A hand-held fan is an implement used to induce an airflow for the purpose of cooling or refreshing oneself. Any broad, flat surface waved back-and-forth will create a small airflow and therefore can be considered a rudimentary fan...
s in public areas are powered by solar panel
Photovoltaic module
A solar panel is a packaged, connected assembly of solar cells, also known as photovoltaic cells...
s on the roof
Roof
A roof is the covering on the uppermost part of a building. A roof protects the building and its contents from the effects of weather. Structures that require roofs range from a letter box to a cathedral or stadium, dwellings being the most numerous....
. The air-conditioning system draws supply air from its internal courtyards, where the air is cooler, hence reducing the cooling loads.