How to Find Reputable Orthopedic Specialists in Singapore, According to Former Patients
To find a reputable orthopedic specialist, you have to consider several factors. Checking the specialist’s experience and credentials is the most important, but you might also like to check other factors, like their location and approach to patient care.
Truly, there are many factors you can use in narrowing down your search, and you might feel stressed just thinking about them. To help you with this, I wrote this guide for you, which is filled with words of advice I got from former orthopedic patients.
As someone who suffered a fracture years ago, I’ve also added my own two cents about what qualities to look for in a specialist.
Qualities to Look for in an Orthopedic Specialist
Experience and Credentials

Understandably, experience is one of the first things you need to consider when looking for an orthopedic specialist. Your ideal specialist should have years of treating the same condition or injury you’re experiencing.
For example, if you need a knee replacement, you need to find someone who specializes in knee surgery.
Another thing you need to look for is credentials. Is the orthopedic doctor you’re considering board-certified in orthopedic surgery?
If yes, that’s a good sign because it means that they’ve undergone the necessary training and passed a rigorous examination in their specialty! To check the validity of the doctor’s credentials, you should visit the Singapore Medical Council’s website.
Location and Convenience of the Clinic or Hospital

Location is a factor that most people don’t consider, but don’t overlook it because it actually does matter! Depending on your condition, you might be required to visit the doctor’s clinic numerous times, so you need to consider the travel time beforehand.
If you’re in the city like me, you don’t have to worry much because there are many orthopedic doctors available here. But if you live in a rural area, you might have to travel further to find a specialist. If at all possible, find the clinic nearest to you.
Facilities and Technology Available

When you visit an orthopedic clinic, observe your surroundings. Or, if the clinic has a social media page or a website, look at the photos they’ve shared.
What facilities are available here? Are they state-of-the-art technology? Are they also well-kept? Are there comfortable beds where you can rest?
The facilities available say a lot about what your experience might be like here. If the doctor has state-of-the-art technological facilities, then you can expect to get a range of services that can help in your treatment and recovery.
When I had my fracture back in the day, I made the mistake of just going to the first clinic I found. Unfortunately for me, their X-ray machine was malfunctioning, so I had to look for a different place to get my X-ray.
I wouldn’t have to go through all this trouble if I just did research beforehand!
Approach to Patient Care and Communication

It never occurred to me that personality is a factor worth considering when looking for an orthopedic specialist, but now, I truly believe it is. A kind doctor who listens to your concerns and communicates clearly makes all the difference in your recovery!
When you’re talking to an orthopedic specialist, pay attention to how they answer your questions. Do they try to explain complicated jargon in layman’s terms so that you can understand completely? Or do they just ignore your confusion and look down at you?
The ideal orthopedic specialist for you is someone who makes you feel at ease. If you’re with a rude doctor, you’ll just feel stressed on top of suffering from a painful injury!
Costs and Insurance Acceptance

Orthopedic visits can get quite costly, so you’ll understandably want to find ways to avoid racking up the bill. Having a health insurance plan is one way to achieve this, but the problem is whether the orthopedic specialist accepts insurance or not.
To know if the doctor you’re eyeing accepts your insurance, go to your insurance provider’s website and look through the network list. You can also call the specialist and ask them if they accept insurance, and if yes, what insurance providers they accept.
Do take note that some insurance plans only cover certain orthopedic procedures. If this happens to you, you might have to shoulder the costs of other services yourself.
If you don’t have insurance and you’re not a citizen or permanent resident, then you’ll need to find someone whose rates are affordable for you because you’ll definitely be paying out-of-pocket for everything.
Patient Reviews and Referrals

If you’ve considered all the suggestions above and you still haven’t narrowed down the list, it doesn’t hurt to ask for another person’s opinions.
If you have a friend or a loved one who had an orthopedic injury in the past, ask them who their doctor was and what their experience was. It’s best if you ask multiple people so that you’ll get a lot of insight and recommendations.
Reading patient reviews is also helpful, especially if you don’t know anyone who had an orthopedic accident. RateMDs is one of the most popular doctor review sites you can check out. It’s also my go-to site whenever I need to go to the hospital.
Another thing you can do is ask for a referral from your primary care doctor. They’re in the medical network, so it’s very likely that they know several qualified orthopedic specialists. Ask for a list of names, and you can start your search from there.