Care that starts with listening, not over-treating: Why some patients stay with the same doctor for decades at this hospital

For the past 46 years, businessman Yeo Joo Ann has been seeing the same doctor.

From annual health screenings and managing a chronic condition to undergoing a life-saving heart procedure three years ago, the 68-year-old has entrusted his healthcare to Dr Alfred Loh, senior clinical director, and the team at Raffles Medical Group (RMG).

“I was introduced to Dr Loh in 1980. We hit it off and I’ve been seeing him since,” says Yeo.

A routine health screening revealed that Yeo was a Hepatitis B carrier, and Dr Loh has been helping him monitor and manage the condition over the years. Yeo has since been declared no longer a Hepatitis B carrier. He also encouraged Yeo to quit smoking after the birth of his first child, advice that prompted a lasting lifestyle change.

Three years ago, that long-standing relationship also demonstrated the benefits of an integrated approach to care. When a scan detected a blocked heart artery, Dr Loh immediately referred Yeo to a cardiac surgeon, enabling him to undergo a stent procedure that very day.

“We’ve become such good friends,” says Yeo. “Sometimes I ask for a shorter, 30-day prescription for my medication instead of a 90-day one, just so I have a reason to see him.”

Today, Dr Loh, 80, who is also the co-founder of RMG, only sees long-standing patients and their relatives.

A culture of continued care

This year, RMG celebrates its 50th anniversary, having grown from a two-clinic practice in 1976 into one of Asia’s leading integrated private healthcare providers.

It now operates more than 100 multi-disciplinary clinics across Singapore as well as hospitals and medical facilities across the region. The Group has achieved over 50 million cumulative patient visits since its founding in 1976.

The Group has achieved over 50 million cumulative patient visits since its founding in 1976.

Says Dr Loo Choon Yong, executive chairman and co-founder of RMG: “We are a group of physicians, nurses, and healthcare managers, using our talents, training, and experience for the benefit of all our patients.”

“As healthcare continues to evolve, our purpose remains the same – to provide quality, compassionate care, deliver value, and to always give our patients our best.”

He adds: “From primary and specialist care to hospital services, diagnostics, dental services and corporate healthcare, our team works together to deliver seamless, compassionate care at every stage of life.”

Patients like Yeo, says Dr Loh, reflect its long-standing focus on building relationships that extend beyond individual consultations. Underpinning these relationships is an integrated care model that has been continually expanded over the past five decades to meet patients’ changing healthcare needs.

That coordinated approach was what enabled Yeo to move quickly from detection to specialist intervention when his heart condition was found. 

Trust built over years

Yeo’s experience is not unique. Retiree Tony Low Kim Peow, 70, has also been seeing Dr Loh for more than three decades. The former banker first visited him after suffering from persistent rashes that other doctors had been unable to explain.

“I kept having recurrent rashes on my body, and it was Dr Loh who found out it was due to a thyroid issue. He listened to me, did a detailed test and has been helping me manage the condition ever since. The rashes went away, and from then on, he earned my trust,” recalls Low.

That trust continued years later when Low required heart bypass surgery. Initially apprehensive about the procedure, he says Dr Loh patiently explained what to expect and referred him to the appropriate specialists.

“After talking to Dr Loh, I felt confident to go ahead with the operation. Even during my one-week hospital stay, I felt cared for by the team that constantly checked on me,” he says. 

According to the Group, this reflects the strength of its Group Practice Model, where doctors, specialists, nurses, pharmacists and allied health professionals work together as a team to provide coordinated care across the patient’s journey.

“Continuity of care has always been a defining strength of RMG’s practice model,” says Dr Loh. 

“By bringing together expertise across multiple disciplines, we are able to deliver coordinated, personalised care throughout every stage of a patient’s health journey.”

More than treating illness

As patients continue seeing the same doctor over many years, healthcare professionals also develop a deeper understanding of their medical history, lifestyle, family history and long-term health goals.

According to Dr Loo, this allows doctors to identify significant clinical changes earlier, make more informed clinical decisions and provide more personalised advice that supports better health outcomes over time.

Many patients and their families, such as Yeo, have remained with the Group for years, including his children, nephew and previously, his late parents.

As the Group marks five decades of caring for patients, it says these relationships remain central to its philosophy of “To Our Patients, Our Best”.

For Yeo, the greatest benefit of staying with the same doctor is not simply familiarity. It is the assurance of being cared for by someone he trusts.

“I’m always grateful that Dr Loh has been very honest,” he says. “He’s very professional and has never tried to upsell me anything, only advising me on what I need.”

Learn more about Raffles Medical Group’s 50 Years of Care.