On Wednesday 26th June, Mount Alvernia Hospital announced the appointment of Icon Group’s Singapore business to build and manage a new state-of-the-art integrated cancer centre on their hospital campus. Planning of the $25 million facility has commenced, with services set to be open for cancer patients in late 2020. The centre will provide a holistic approach to cancer care by bringing together medical oncology, haematology and radiation oncology for Singaporeans in need of best-practice treatment.
Founded on Catholic values by the Sisters from the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood (FMDM) in 1961, Mount Alvernia Hospital is a 305-bed, not-for-profit general acute care private hospital that has delivered quality healthcare to the local community for 58 years. With a mission of providing excellent and holistic healthcare, Mount Alvernia Hospital and Icon share the same patient-centred values, utilising the latest technologies and expert medical specialist teams to deliver the best care possible.
Icon and Mount Alvernia Hospital’s investment in the new integrated cancer centre is in response to one of Singapore’s fastest growing healthcare demands. Cancer is currently the leading cause of death in Singapore, accounting for 29.1 percent of deaths in 2017[2]. About 37 people in Singapore are diagnosed with cancer every day and 16 people die from it every year[2,3].
With advancements in cancer treatments, survival rates for patients with cancer have improved over the years. The early detection and screening for some of the common cancers have also led to more timely treatment for many patients.
Taking a holistic approach to cancer care, the upcoming facility will offer a 10-chair day oncology hospital delivering chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapy, along with single radiation therapy bunker and onsite PET-CT, pathology and pharmacy services. The centre has the capacity to treat up to 1000 patients a year, including the 25% of patients who require concurrent chemotherapy and radiation.
