Every Singaporean can be truly proud of the advancements made in technology and infrastructure at our restructured hospitals under our national healthcare system.

One notable advancement that has been made is how the time taken for many types of day operations and procedures has been reduced at our hospitals in recent years.

But it puzzles me that many patients still find themselves having to wait long hours for a simple day operation or procedure.

It is not uncommon to hear of patients having to wait three or four hours for a simple operation or procedure which takes only 15 to 30 minutes.

That was my recent experience.

Maintaining healthcare services at a high level is not just about having the latest technology and infrastructure.

As many patients are going to hospitals for simple day operations or procedures, the time they spend waiting for the procedure starting from their appointment time can make or break their experience.

Chan Boon Kiong