Singapore Doctors Find Ways to Use AI Despite High Costs

Some Singapore doctors are so committed to better patient care that they're funding AI technology themselves, even when it costs thousands of dollars a year.

Dr. Joanne Koay's clinic spends up to S$2,200 annually on AI platforms that help with early cancer detection and personalized health screening. Dr. Joshua Chua subscribes to four different AI tools for about S$100 monthly, using them to translate medical reports and organize patient data more efficiently.

Their investment comes at a time when Singapore's Ministry of Health announced S$200 million for AI in public healthcare institutions. But for many independent general practitioners, that funding remains out of reach.

The creative solutions these doctors have found are working. Dr. Koay's clinic now uses AI to identify cancer risks even when scans look completely normal, allowing closer monitoring of at-risk patients before disease develops.

RadLink Group solved privacy concerns by keeping all imaging data stored locally rather than uploading to cloud platforms. Their AI assists with chest X-rays, mammograms and CT lung scans while keeping patient information secure.

Even doctors who haven't fully adopted clinical AI are experimenting with the technology. Dr. Song Majinyang uses free AI tools to draft administrative documents and streamline clinic workflows, reducing paperwork burden.

Why This Inspires

These doctors represent a growing wave of healthcare professionals who refuse to wait for perfect conditions before improving patient care. They're investing their own money, learning new systems and finding workarounds for privacy concerns because they believe AI can make a real difference.

Dr. Eng Chee Way, a strong AI advocate, believes medical professionals have a responsibility to explore these tools. His enthusiasm reflects a larger shift in how doctors think about technology and patient outcomes.

Not everyone agrees AI is necessary yet. Some doctors at smaller, single-location practices question whether the investment makes sense for their patient volume. Others worry about data security or find existing systems adequate for their needs.

But the doctors who have embraced AI are already seeing results. They're catching health risks earlier, personalizing treatment plans more effectively and spending less time on administrative tasks that pull them away from patients.

Their willingness to invest personally in technology that benefits their patients shows how dedication to healthcare innovation doesn't always require government funding or institutional support. Sometimes it just takes doctors who care enough to pay for better tools themselves.

As more independent practitioners share their experiences with AI, the technology becomes less intimidating and more accessible to others considering adoption.