[SINGAPORE] Private healthcare service providers have been expanding their offerings to capture a growing traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) market, even as newer players pop up with modern spins that give a refreshing twist to a medical practice that is sometimes seen as outdated.
This comes as more patients turn to the medical practice to treat a range of ailments, from the common cold to chronic health conditions, as well as to boost their immune systems. It is also often used as a complement to the healthcare players’ existing services.
Singapore-listed Thomson Medical Group saw a 35 per cent increase in patients for its TCM arm over the last five years, said Seah Ai Wei, head of Thomson Chinese Medicine.
When it first opened its sole Wheelock Place clinic in 2016, there would be days with no patients at all, he noted. In contrast, the company’s eight clinics now see around 10 customers per outlet daily.
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He attributed the increase to the “modernised” look that the clinic chain offers, which attracts younger physicians to practise there, as well as younger crowds to visit.
Poh added: “You also start to see more general wellness issues (among patients) as they can communicate these issues to the physicians.” The increase stabilising has been due to more competition among similarly “modernised” clinics and the entry of foreign TCM players.
The number of practitioners has also climbed, which could be seen as a reflection of the higher demand for the Eastern medical practice.
According to the TCM Practitioners Board, as at Dec 31, 2023, there were 3,472 registered practitioners, which includes physicians and acupuncturists, compared with 3,304 as at Dec 31, 2019.
Covering more ailments
Traditionally used for pain management, its use has evolved to encompass more afflictions, as a wider demographic of patients come to understand the treatment.
Beatrice Liu, chief executive of clinic chain Oriental Remedies, said that younger patients largely seek TCM support for skin issues, digestive health, stress management and even attention deficit hyperactive disorder.
She added: “Younger generations are more open to TCM due to social media, wellness trends and better education on its benefits.”
Liu said that individuals aged 30 to 40 now make up more than 50 per cent of Oriental Remedies’ patient base. “This trend highlights a growing interest and acceptance of the medical practice among younger, working professionals.”
Pulse’s Poh noted that pain management has always been a staple of the medical practice, but there has been an emerging trend of general preventive wellness that the company has observed as well.
“You feel a bit lethargic and tired, and you want to boost your energy, TCM is one option (to consider),” he added.
Pulse also offers its own products for conditions such as acne.
Thomson’s Seah said that Thomson Chinese Medicine is known for its fertility practice, having been a pioneer in this specialised area within the medical practice.
East to West
The Eastern medical practice and Western medicine has also become more unified, with treatment plans using both disciplines.
Pulse’s Poh said the group’s TCM patients often ask for a referral for Western doctors, which resulted in the group creating “allied health” clinics at Camden Medical Centre, Woodleigh Mall and Ion Orchard.
“A typical general practitioner expands into TCM by placing such a clinic next door, but this is not integration.
“What I want to do is to really look at how we can have (both disciplines) in an integrated manner, to treat one specific patient,” he noted.
“You’ll see Western specialists – cardiologists, sports medicine doctors and even a kidney specialist – who will work with a team of TCM doctors to treat patients via an East-West approach.”
Oriental Remedies’ Liu said the group integrates the TCM with “modern technology and Western medical perspectives”. The group aims to add more areas under this approach, such as personalised nutritional advice aligned with the Eastern medical practice principles.
Thomson Medical, which specialises in fertility and gynaecology, uses it in its fertility treatments. Thomson’s Seah said the listed company’s TCM arm has developed co-management strategies with Western fertility specialists for patients undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF).
For example, clear instructions are given for when patients can receive acupuncture and when TCM treatments can be administered throughout the IVF journey.
She added that Thomson Medical’s specialist centres and TCM clinics are often located near to each other, enabling patients easy access to both.
“We also have continuous dialogue with doctors from different specialties – to continually work on how we can support patients going through different medical treatments,” she said.
Meanwhile, integrated healthcare and real estate player Perennial in February announced that it will be launching a private integrated rehabilitation and TCM sanctuary aimed at serving seniors.
The sanctuary will focus on rehabilitation, including frailty prevention and management, and seniors will be seen by both local and foreign Western medical specialists and TCM physicians, it said.
Perennial added that on the Western medicine front, seniors undergo physiotherapy and occupational therapies through the centre’s rehabilitation equipment. These will be complemented by pain-related treatments and TCM therapies such as acupuncture, cupping and herbal medicine.
