Raffles Medical Group
A Singapore-based private healthcare group operating hospitals, clinics and related medical services across Asia.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Raffles Medical Group is a Singapore-based private healthcare provider whose operations span primary care, specialist medicine, hospital care, diagnostics, health screening, dental services, insurance-related healthcare and selected consumer-health products. The group began in 1976, when doctors Loo Choon Yong and Alfred Loh opened two clinics in Singapore’s Central Business District to serve corporate and expatriate patients. Its early model emphasized coordinated care and convenient access for employers and their staff rather than a single hospital facility. The practice expanded steadily during the 1980s. In 1989, after the clinic network had grown to five locations, the founders incorporated the operations as a medical practice group. A 1990 contract to provide medical services at Singapore’s Changi International Airport marked an important expansion of the company’s institutional and round-the-clock care capabilities. In 1991, Raffles began appointing specialists, reducing its reliance on referrals to external specialists. The following years brought a neighbourhood-clinic strategy and the creation of a dedicated surgical facility. In 1993, the group opened Raffles SurgiCentre, described as Southeast Asia’s first freestanding day-surgery centre, with operating theatres, recovery beds and intensive-care capacity. By 1996, Raffles operated about 30 clinics in Singapore. The limited space available at the SurgiCentre encouraged the group to develop a full hospital. It converted the former Blanco Court commercial building at the junction of North Bridge Road and Ophir Road, opening the 380-bed Raffles Hospital on 31 March 2001. The hospital became the group’s tertiary-care anchor, bringing together surgery, laboratories and specialist centres covering areas such as cardiology, oncology, orthopaedics, and obstetrics and gynaecology. It also participates in Singapore’s Emergency Care Collaboration scheme, through which selected emergency patients can be transported by public ambulance for treatment at participating private hospitals. Raffles has subsequently developed an Asian network. Its Singapore platform combines multidisciplinary medical centres, family physicians, specialist practices, dental services, airport clinics, health-screening programmes and hospital care. Outside Singapore, the group has established or operated facilities and medical centres in China, Japan, Vietnam and Cambodia, while also maintaining representative offices and regional relationships in other Asia-Pacific markets. Its China healthcare activities have included operations in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Tianjin, Nanjing, Dalian and Hong Kong, with tertiary hospitals in several mainland cities. In Japan, Raffles Medical Osaka opened in 2015, followed by a clinic at KITTE Hakata in Fukuoka. The Cambodian operation includes Raffles Medical Phnom Penh, while Vietnam activities include clinics in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Vung Tau. The group’s business model is based on an integrated group-practice structure. Full-time physicians operate within common institutional policies and fee schedules, helping Raffles present a unified brand and coordinate care among primary-care doctors, specialists, diagnostic services and hospital departments. The group also has a consumer-health division associated with nutraceuticals, vitamins, supplements and medical diagnostic equipment. Raffles has pursued medical-tourism and international-patient services, although in 2024 the hospital indicated that it was considering expansion outside Singapore as high treatment costs, currency movements and inflation affected foreign-patient demand. Raffles Medical Group is also associated with humanitarian work through the Asian Medical Foundation, established in 2003. The foundation has undertaken medical-relief missions, including assistance after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and responses to disasters in Indonesia and Pakistan. Today, Raffles positions itself as an integrated private healthcare network combining accessible primary care with specialist and tertiary services, regional facilities, corporate medical programmes and international patient care.
History
Raffles Medical Group was founded in Singapore in 1976 by Dr Loo Choon Yong and Dr Alfred Loh, who began with two Central Business District clinics focused on corporate medical care. The company’s first phase was clinic-led: it expanded to five locations by 1989 and was incorporated as a practice group that year. A 1990 contract at Changi International Airport added institutional and 24-hour medical services. In 1991, the group brought specialists into its medical staff, beginning a transition from a primary-care network to a more integrated provider. Raffles expanded into Singapore neighbourhoods in 1993, opening clinics in areas including Telok Blangah, Bishan, Ang Mo Kio, Siglap, Tampines, Pasir Ris and Bedok. That same year it opened Raffles SurgiCentre on Clemenceau Avenue. The freestanding day-surgery centre provided four operating theatres, recovery beds and intensive-care capacity, allowing the group to deliver specialist procedures without immediately building a full hospital. The clinic network reached approximately 30 branches by 1996. Because the SurgiCentre had limited room for further growth, the founders pursued a hospital site. The former Blanco Court building was selected and converted from 1999. Raffles Hospital opened on 31 March 2001 with 380 beds and a broad specialist structure. Its departments and centres included obstetrics and gynaecology, cardiology, oncology and orthopaedics, alongside surgery, laboratories and other tertiary services. The hospital later became part of Singapore’s Emergency Care Collaboration scheme; approximately 10,500 patients benefited from the scheme between 2015 and 2018 according to the cited reference material. The group continued to build its Singapore platform with clinics, specialist facilities, dental services, health screening and airport operations. In 2019 it opened a 22-storey specialist centre. Internationally, it developed healthcare operations in China, Cambodia, Vietnam and Japan. Its China network has included Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Tianjin, Nanjing, Dalian and Hong Kong, with tertiary hospitals in Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing. Raffles Medical Phnom Penh, which opened in 1992, operates a 24-hour emergency room. In Japan, the company opened Raffles Medical Osaka in September 2015 and later operated a clinic at KITTE Hakata in Fukuoka. Vietnamese facilities include clinics in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Vung Tau. Raffles has handled complex international clinical cases, including the separation of conjoined twins. In 2003, the hospital performed the separation of Ji Hye and Sa Rang, who were discharged after a successful recovery. It also undertook the separation of Iranian adult craniopagus twins Laleh Bijani and Ladan Bijani; although the separation was achieved, both patients died from severe blood loss during vascular repair. Other reported clinical cases included the treatment of an American patient with extensive injuries after a shark bite in Bali, who was transferred to Raffles Hospital in 2016. The Asian Medical Foundation, the group’s humanitarian arm, was established in 2003. It sent medical relief to Aceh after the 2004 tsunami and later assisted earthquake victims in Nias, Indonesia, and Pakistan. Raffles Medical Group’s current identity therefore combines a Singapore private-hospital base, a broad clinic network, specialist and diagnostic integration, corporate healthcare services, international-patient capabilities and selective regional expansion. In 2024, management indicated that overseas growth was under consideration as economic and currency pressures reduced the attractiveness of relying solely on foreign patients in Singapore.
- 2019
Specialist centre opens
[1]The group opened a 22-storey specialist centre in Singapore.
- 2015
Expansion into Japan
[1]Raffles Medical Osaka opened as the group’s first medical centre in Japan.
- 2003
Asian Medical Foundation established
[1]Raffles created a humanitarian arm to provide medical expertise in areas with limited healthcare access.
- 2001
Raffles Hospital opens
[1]The 380-bed tertiary hospital opened on 31 March after the conversion of the former Blanco Court building.
- 1993
Raffles SurgiCentre opens
[1]The group opened a freestanding day-surgery centre and expanded its clinic presence into Singapore neighbourhoods.
- 1990
Changi Airport medical contract
[1]Raffles won a contract to provide medical services to Changi Airport passengers and workers, including its first 24-hour clinic.
- 1989
Practice group incorporated
[1]After reaching five clinics, the founders incorporated the medical operations as a group practice.
- 1976
Two founding clinics open in Singapore
[1]Dr Loo Choon Yong and Dr Alfred Loh established the group with two Central Business District clinics serving corporate clients.
Products and positioning
Integrated, mid-to-premium private healthcare with a strong Singapore base, coordinated group-practice model, specialist depth and regional access for corporate and international patients.
Tertiary hospital · 2001
Raffles Hospital
Raffles Hospital is the group’s Singapore tertiary-care anchor. It combines inpatient and surgical services with medical laboratories and specialist centres, including cardiology, oncology, orthopaedics, and obstetrics and gynaecology. The hospital also serves international patients and participates in Singapore’s Emergency Care Collaboration scheme.
Primary and ambulatory care · 1976
Raffles Medical Clinics
The clinic network provides family medicine, specialist consultations, dental care, preventive services, health screening and corporate medical programmes. Clinics operate in Singapore and selected Asian markets, extending the group beyond its hospital campus and supporting continuity between primary and specialist care.
Specialist medicine · 1991
Raffles Specialist Centres
Raffles’ specialist platform brings together services such as cardiology, oncology, orthopaedics, obstetrics and gynaecology, surgery and other clinical disciplines. The specialist model is supported by the group-practice system, shared policies and coordinated hospital resources.
Airport healthcare · 1990
Raffles Medical airport clinics
Airport clinics provide accessible medical care for travellers, airport employees and transit passengers. The first airport contract was at Singapore Changi Airport in 1990; the group has also managed an airport clinic at Hong Kong International Airport.
Consumer health
Consumer healthcare products
The group’s consumer-health activities include nutraceuticals, vitamins, supplements and medical diagnostic equipment. These products complement its clinical and preventive-health services, although the healthcare-provider operations remain the group’s central identity.
Brand decisions
2024
Review of expansion outside SingaporeStrategyBackground
High treatment costs, a stronger Singapore dollar and inflation were reported to be reducing foreign-patient demand in Singapore.
Action taken
Raffles Hospital said it was looking at opportunities to expand outside Singapore.
Aftermath
The statement pointed to a more geographically diversified growth strategy, but no specific additional acquisition or facility is identified in the supplied material.
2023
Strategic partnership involving American International HospitalM&ABackground
Raffles sought to deepen its presence in Vietnam through a partnership involving American International Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City.
Action taken
The group entered an arrangement to acquire a majority stake and manage the hospital’s operations.
Aftermath
The transaction represented a move toward regional hospital operations beyond Singapore.
Recent events
Expedia and Raffles Medical Group team up to offer pre-departure tests[3]
Reported:
Expedia and Raffles Medical Group teamed up to offer Singapore travellers pre-departure COVID-19 PCR tests at participating Raffles Medical clinics for S$124.
- Unconfirmed
Raffles Connect launches app-based COVID-19 test booking[4]
Reported:
Raffles Medical Group announced the launch of app-based booking, payment, and receipt of COVID-19 PCR tests in Singapore through its Raffles Connect platform. The app was available to travellers in Singapore, who could pre-book tests at Raffles Medical clinics.
Sources4 sources
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