50 years of caring across generations: Raffles Medical Group’s story comes to life

At Raffles Hospital, visitors can virtually step into frontline roles – from pharmacists and paediatric nurses to inpatient nurses and doctors – placing themselves within a healthcare story that spans five decades. The artificial intelligence (AI) experience is one of several interactive elements anchoring Raffles Medical Group’s (RMG) 50th anniversary heritage exhibition.

Set within the hospital lobby, the exhibition documents how care has evolved – not only through physical expansion and medical technologies, but also through everyday interactions between patients, families and healthcare teams.

For many families, healthcare is not a one-off visit but an ongoing relationship – from welcoming a newborn into the world to childhood dental visits, adult health screenings and later, caring for ageing parents. Over the past 50 years, the homegrown healthcare group has been part of those moments.

As RMG commemorates its golden jubilee in 2026, the exhibition gathers stories, keepsakes and interactive installations around a principle that has guided the organisation since its early days: to give patients the best care.

WHERE 50 YEARS OF CARE COME TOGETHER

Centred on the theme Caring Across Generations, the exhibition demonstrates how care delivered steadily over time becomes part of family memories and shared experiences.

Among the displays are nursing uniforms worn by staff across generations, shown with everyday items such as pens, name tags, mugs and tickets from past company dinners and dances. Together, they offer a glimpse into the camaraderie and pride behind the work.

Patients’ voices also feature prominently. Handwritten notes once placed in feedback boxes sit beside today’s digital online reviews, reflecting how patient feedback methods have changed over the years.

Other keepsakes tell a more personal story. Executive chairman and co-founder Dr Loo Choon Yong’s call bag, used for house and ship calls, recalls a time when he rushed to patients on emergency calls. Handwritten case cards and medical records – including documentation from the 2003 separation of Iranian conjoined twins Laleh and Ladan, and Korean twins Sarang and Jihye – highlight the clinical challenges undertaken and the trust families placed in the institution.

Moments of crisis response are also chronicled. Protective kits developed during the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak and COVID-19, visitor screening stickers, as well as a COVID-19 Resilience Medal recognising contributions to the national response illustrate preparedness and adaptability during uncertain times.

Past annual reports, with their changing designs and expanding scope, chart the organisation’s growth over the years. Issues of Raffles Health News, displayed alongside them, reflect its efforts to share health advice and medical information with patients – a role that continues today through digital articles on the RMG website. Completing the display are architectural drawings and photographs that capture the transformation of the former Blanco Court building into Raffles Hospital, marking a turning point in RMG’s journey.

Beyond viewing the exhibits, visitors can engage with the AI nursing uniform experience and a life-size photo booth near Bugis MRT Exit B.

GROWING WITH PATIENTS’ NEEDS

RMG was founded in 1976 by Dr Loo and Dr Alfred Loh, guided by a simple philosophy: “To our patients, our best.” That commitment shaped how the organisation evolved as expectations around healthcare shifted.

In the early 1980s, relocating from Maxwell House and Cecil Street to Raffles Place positioned its clinics closer to Singapore’s commercial hub. By 1990, a 24-hour clinic at Changi Airport provided round-the-clock medical support for travellers and airport staff, meeting rising demand for accessibility.

Continuity of care became the next focus. With the opening of Raffles SurgiCentre – Southeast Asia’s first standalone day surgery centre – in 1993, patients could move from general practice to specialist consultation and surgery at one location. This integrated approach later extended to complex care with the official launch of Raffles Hospital in 2002.

As healthcare needs broadened to encompass preventive and holistic services, Raffles Holland V brought family medicine, health screening, specialist and dental services together under one roof in 2016.

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, RMG moved quickly to support the national response. In January 2021, it set up its first mass vaccination centre at Changi Airport Terminal 4 within four days. It went on to operate 15 centres, administering five million doses and vaccinating about one-third of Singapore’s population.

BRINGING THE SAME CARE ACROSS ASIA

As RMG expanded beyond Singapore, it carried its institutional group practice model with it. Doctors, nurses and allied health professionals work in multidisciplinary teams, coordinating across specialties to ensure care is timely and cohesive.

This approach underpinned its regional milestones. The opening of a medical centre in Shanghai in 2010 marked RMG’s first major step into China. In 2019, Raffles Hospital Chongqing, a 700-bed facility, brought comprehensive specialist services to Western China. Two years later, Raffles Hospital Shanghai opened as a 400-bed tertiary hospital.

One display in the exhibition tracks patient visits since the group’s founding – a figure that now stands at more than 2.8 million patients and 7,000 corporate clients across 14 cities in Asia.

The exhibition places that journey in context – not just as a record of milestones but as a testament to relationships built across generations. As RMG looks ahead, the patient-centred philosophy that shaped its beginnings continues to guide how it supports families in the years to come. 

Explore Raffles Medical Group’s 50th anniversary heritage exhibition at the Raffles Hospital lobby, 585 North Bridge Road. The exhibition runs until the end of the year and admission is free.