Singapore General Hospital Opens Community Hearing Clinics for Elderly

Singapore General Hospital (SGH) has established new community-based hearing clinics to support the hearing health of elderly Singaporeans. The initiative aims to provide more accessible audiology services and alleviate pressure on hospital facilities.

The new clinics employ a novel, boothless hearing test method developed by NUS Medicine. This technology allows audiology assessments to be conducted without the need for traditional sound-insulated rooms typically found in hospitals. The approach offers greater flexibility in delivering hearing care to seniors within their communities and reduces setup costs.

"We never imagined that hearing testing could be done at your doorstep. This new model of community hearing care makes it possible for us to look towards providing hearing care to even home-bound individuals," stated Dr. Jenny Loo, Senior Principal Audiologist and Head of the Department of Otolaryngology at the National University Hospital (NUH).

The community clinics are located at Pioneer Polyclinic (managed by NUH), Tiong Bahru Community Health Centre (managed by SGH), and SGH's Sleep Centre in SingHealth Tower. Services are available on weekdays and accept referrals from selected polyclinics and general practitioners for adult Singaporeans with hearing issues. Consultation fees vary based on patient subsidy status, and hearing aids can be obtained with the same subsidies as at restructured hospitals if eligible.

SGH and NUH have found during the pilot phase that the hearing test results using the new boothless method are comparable to those conducted in hospitals. The NUS Medicine hearing research team is also comparing wait times and patient experiences between restructured hospitals and a community-based clinic. Further expansion of these community clinics may occur based on outcomes.