Medical Emergencies: List of 24-hour Clinics vs A&E in Singapore

My first brush with a midnight medical emergency was at 13 years old. I woke up with difficulty breathing and felt a choking pain in my throat.

The G.P. (General Practitioner) my family has been seeing for years does not operate round the clock, and this brought us to our nearest A&E at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

Source: Today Online

Lucky for me, I survived the ordeal, even though I still do not have a thorough explanation of what exactly happened except that my bronchioles “froze”.

I remember going to school the subsequent weeks boasting about how my bronchioles froze as a result of ice cream that I had just hours before.

Emergencies like these are unprecedented and hence everyone should be mentally prepared. Here’s a list of 24-hour clinics to tend to all your healthcare needs regardless of day or time.

Fees and Charges:

Most 24-hr clinics listed above have consultation fee starting from under $100.

If you’re headed to the A&E department, be prepared to shell out more than $100 just for them to attend to you. Further consultation fees are a separate charge and varies depending on your needs and subsidies.

Source: Singapore General Hospital

Waiting Time:

Knowing what needs to be treated at the A&E can save money and time.

This helps to shorten queues, letting real emergencies seek attention quickly.

Some A&Es have a “3-hour waiting time” sign displayed at the entrance. 24hour clinics, on the other hand, may be able to tend to your less severe conditions with less queue.

Midnight Medical Emergencies: 24hr Clinic or A&E?

People often struggle to decide if they should head to the nearest 24hr clinic or to an A&E. This could be due to a few reasons: Insurance coverage, cost, convenience etc.

According to Singhealth and a poll, a regular middle-aged adult who is not pregnant and does not have prevailing conditions should approach it as such:

24hr Clinic:

• Sprained or twisted ankles
• Fever
• Nosebleed
• Cuts/gash
• Dizziness
• Cold/flu
• Headaches
• Nosebleed
• Sore Eyes

Hospital A&E:

• Elderly’s injuries (requires more immediate attention)
• Broken limbs
• Sustained several days of high temperature
• Breathlessness for prolonged period
• Sudden and severe pain
• Sweating and breathlessness
• Fits and Seizures
• Vomiting that does not subside
• Blood in your vomit
• Slurred Speech
• Severe hives

Of course, depending on age, elderly and pregnant ladies should seek more immediate attention for such symptoms.

And in times of non-emergencies, it is also helpful to know which hospitals to turn to for more severe conditions like stroke, heart failure, diabetes and chemotherapy, amongst others.

Source: Singaporean’s Guide To Cost Of Hospitalisation Treatment