Pacific Healthcare Holdings Opens First Nursing Home

• Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry and Mayor, Central Singapore District Mr. Heng Chee How officiates at Opening Ceremony

• New facility matches the Government's call for a more community-based medicare programme

Singapore, 28 February 2005 - Pacific Healthcare Holdings ("Pacific Healthcare") today unveiled its new S$11 million dollar nursing home that caters to the elderly population and patients in need of long or short-term rehabilitative care. The new Pacific Healthcare Nursing Home embodies the Pacific Healthcare Group of companies' ("the Group") commitment to serving the community at large with affordable, comprehensive and integrated healthcare services.

Mr Heng Chee How, Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry and Mayor, Central Singapore District celebrated the grand opening of the Pacific Healthcare Nursing Home in Bukit Merah.

The Government has, in recent years, made concerted efforts to foster a stronger sense of community among Singaporeans. The latest 2005 Budget makes building a caring and inclusive society one of its three objectives, beyond economic opportunity and a capable government. Driven by this over-arching principle, the Government has strongly encouraged the private sector to work closely with the public sector to develop a community-based care program and medicare system. The private sector and voluntary welfare organizations have been playing a more active role in the building and operating of nursing homes.

Dr William Chong, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Pacific Healthcare Holdings, is well aware that the elderly is a key segment of the Singapore population that requires special attention. "We believe in trying to meet the overall needs and concerns of our patients. While all of us would love to provide the very best home-care for our parents and loved ones, the reality is that it is sometimes not possible. Our nursing home is designed to provide a quality healthcare environment that inspires confidence and a peace of mind amongst the residents and their families. Every detail is looked into to ensure that the environment serves as an extension of their homes. Our team of dedicated healthcare professionals will help ensure our residents' mental and physical health is looked after at all times," Dr. Chong said.

He added, "This new nursing home reflects our holistic and patient-centric approach to healthcare and is part of our commitment to fulfil our social responsibilities while pursuing our vision to be a healthcare group synonymous with excellence."

Conveniently located along Lengkok Bahru (off Jalan Bukit Merah) and within close proximity to the Singapore General and Alexandra Hospitals, the new Pacific Healthcare Nursing Home offers convalescence and short-term respite care services. This purpose-built home has 259 beds and offers comprehensive medical services such as 24-hour nursing care and monitoring, physiotherapy, dietician services, routine medical checks, counselling and occupational therapy for its elderly patients. The home will also have the capacity to house patients requiring medical care as well as those in need of short-term rehabilitative services.

With a team of well-qualified professionals comprising physicians and nursing staff to attend to the residents' needs round the clock, the home aims to help its residents recuperate in a safe and serene environment. Day spaces and a trellised roof terrace make for ample disabled-friendly areas for the residents to move around and interact. The four-storey building is designed to exude warmth and homeliness.

Complementing the soothing environment, the home also offers a diverse range of recreational programmes developed to nurture the minds and bodies of its residents. In particular, it is initiating a series of regular qi gong classes as part of its patient-centric healthcare regime at the home. Qi gong is widely believed to promote good health, unite the mind, body, and spirit, when practiced regularly. Residents have met the classes with eagerness and excitement as the classes are seen to help to reduce stress, increase vitality and also enhance the immune system. Other leisure activities include art and craft sessions, group interactive sessions, movie evenings and excursions.

In order to ensure that its healthcare services remain accessible to all patients of varying budgets, the home has allocated beds in a mix of both private and dormitory-style wards. This is also in line with Government's initiative to increase the availability of nursing home beds for Singaporeans who need nursing care.

"We hope to serve the elderly and the community at large and distinguish ourselves as a nursing home that offers a higher level of care with a personal touch - a home away from home," said Dr. Chong.

Within the Pacific Healthcare Group network, residents can have easy access to special medical care. Teams of different healthcare professionals work in close collaboration to ensure that the residents in the nursing home is able to receive comprehensive medical care from the Pacific Healthcare team of medical professionals encompassing physicians and trained nursing staff. Residents also get to receive regular health assessment and medical counsel from Pacific Healthcare's panel of geriatric trained general practitioners who specializes in caring for older people.

About Pacific Healthcare Holdings

Pacific Healthcare offers a comprehensive range of healthcare services, encompassing specialist medical care, general practice medicine, dentistry, health screening, wellness services, as well as the operation of nursing homes, day surgery centres and a psychiatric hospital.

Our integrated network of healthcare services allows patients to be treated in a multi-disciplinary manner within our Group. Our range of specialist services include cardiology, colorectal surgery dermatology, psychiatry, endocrinology, neurology, obstetrics & gynaecology, plastic surgery, ophthalmology, ENT, general & vascular surgery, orthopedic surgery, colorectal surgery, urology, paediatrics and specialist dental surgery.

We currently have operations in Singapore, Hong Kong and India with a total of more than 90 healthcare professionals in the group.

For more information, please visit our website at www.pachealthholdings.com 

MEDIA CONTACT

For more information, please contact:

Sharon Chia, Group Marketing Manager
Pacific Healthcare Holdings
Tel: +65-6732 2077, Mobile: +65 9741 2235
Email: sharon@pachealthholdings.com 

Ng Chip Keng Weber Shandwick Worldwide
Tel: +65 6825 8084, Mobile: +65 9623 2166
Email: ckng@webershandwick.com 

Lim Siew Yin Weber Shandwick Worldwide
Tel: +65 6825 8083, Mobile: +65 9858 4673
Email: sylim@webershandwick.com