HMI Medical expands Singapore diagnostic network as healthcare shifts beyond hospitals
HMI Medical has acquired Lifescan Imaging, expanding its Singapore radiology network to seven centres as the private healthcare group positions advanced diagnostics closer to communities amid the country's shift towards more care outside hospitals.
Singapore's healthcare landscape is moving towards a model in which more diagnosis and treatment takes place outside traditional hospital settings, creating growing demand for accessible specialist services and advanced diagnostic capabilities.
Against this backdrop, HMI Medical has completed the full acquisition of Lifescan Imaging, adding three private radiology centres in the Novena, Orchard and Farrer Park areas to its existing network.
The acquisition gives HMI Medical seven diagnostic and imaging centres across Singapore and strengthens its position as one of the country's largest private radiology providers. The expanded network brings together advanced imaging technology and radiologists with specialist expertise in areas including cardiovascular imaging, oncology, neuroradiology and musculoskeletal imaging.
The combined platform offers 15 advanced imaging modalities, including MRI and CT scanning, with the group aiming to make specialist diagnostics more accessible closer to where patients live.
For HMI Medical, the expansion is about more than increasing its radiology footprint. The company is seeking to integrate diagnostics with its wider healthcare ecosystem spanning preventive, primary, specialist and ambulatory care, allowing patients to move more efficiently from diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care.
Chin Wei Jia, group chief executive officer of HMI Medical, said combining Lifescan Imaging's diagnostic capabilities with HMI's integrated healthcare ecosystem would make it easier for patients to move from diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care with appropriate support throughout their healthcare journey.
The investment comes as Singapore prepares for a significant demographic shift. HMI Medical cited projections that by 2030, one in four Singapore residents will be aged 65 or above. An ageing population and rising prevalence of chronic conditions are expected to increase demand for healthcare services that can provide earlier detection, timely intervention and coordinated long term management.
Diagnostic imaging is expected to play an increasingly important role in that transition. Conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and neurological disorders often require sophisticated imaging combined with specialist interpretation to support accurate diagnosis and treatment decisions.
Dr John Huang, chief radiologist at Lifescan Imaging, said advanced imaging technology needs to be matched with subspecialty expertise, particularly for complex conditions, to ensure scans are interpreted accurately and patients receive appropriate treatment.
The move also reflects a broader shift in healthcare delivery, with Singapore seeking to reduce reliance on hospitals for services that can be provided safely and efficiently in community and outpatient settings.
HMI Medical said expanding access to advanced imaging could help support faster clinical decisions and reduce waiting times, while strengthening coordination between different stages of care. Dr Walter Lim, CEO of HMI Singapore, said the transformation of healthcare beyond hospitals would require both access to modern imaging technologies and a strong base of radiology expertise.
The acquisition strengthens HMI Medical's wider regional healthcare strategy. Headquartered in Singapore, the group has more than 30 years of experience across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam, with an integrated healthcare platform covering managed care, primary care, specialist care, diagnostics, ambulatory care, tertiary hospitals and medical education.
The group says its network supports more than four million people annually through more than 400 doctors and 3,000 employees.
The expansion of private diagnostic capacity comes as healthcare systems across Asia face similar pressures from ageing populations, chronic disease and the need to provide more care outside acute hospital settings. For providers, investment in diagnostics is increasingly becoming a strategic component of building integrated healthcare networks rather than a standalone medical service.
HMI Medical's acquisition of Lifescan Imaging therefore positions radiology as an important link between community based healthcare and specialist treatment, with earlier and more accessible diagnosis becoming increasingly central to Singapore's evolving healthcare model.
