1844

The foundation stone of

Tan Tock Seng Hospital
(TTSH), the first and only
hospital for the unfortu-
nate sick poor, is laid on
Pearl’s Hill on 25 July.

Our founder, Tan Tock

Seng, a businessman, phi-
lanthropist and the first
Asian Justice of Peace,
donates Spanish $7,000
to build the hospital.
1852
Tan Kim Cheng, son of
Tan Tock Seng, donates
$2,000 to improve the
hospital with better drain-
age, water supply and
other additions.
1854
Syed Allie Bin Mohd Alju-
nied, an Arab merchant,
donates $1,000 for prop-
erty investment. The
rents collected are used
for the hospital.
1858 
Tan Kim Cheng donates
$3,340 for the hospital’s
relocation after the
government’s decision
to fortify Pearl’s Hill
as a military post.
Construction of a female
ward, funded by Lee Seo
Neo, Tan Tock Seng’s
widow, also begins.
1860 
TTSH moves to its second
site at the junction of
Serangoon and Balestier
Roads.
1861 
Patients move to the
new hospital nicknamed
“House of the Poor”, with
two separate wards for
women and patients
suffering from Hansens
Disease.
1879 
Tan Beng Swee, a
philanthropist, builds 3
new wards. The Chinese
community donates
$15,000.
1892
A freehold property in
Rochor is donated by
landed proprietor, Gan Eng
Seng.
1903
Businessman Loke Yew
donates $50,000 to
purchase land between
Moulmein and Balestier
Roads, the third hospital
site.
1907
Classes are held for the
first batch of medical
students.
1910
Ong Kim Wee, a philanthropist,
donates $12,000 for a ward for
the blind.

Iodine is used to disinfect skin

for the first time.

Spinal anaesthesia for

procedures done on the lower
body is introduced.

TTSH produces Singapore’s

first batch of graduate
doctors and its reputation as a
teaching hospital grows.
1930
An x-ray room is installed,
marking the beginning of
the “TB Hospital”.
1937
A medical milestone
is achieved with the
successful treatment of
beri-beri with Vitamin B1.
1943
The hospital is used by
the Japanese during
the Occupation as their
medical hospital and
subsequently becomes a
civilian hospital.
1945
The first penicillin
injection is given to treat
a lung abscess.

TTSH is designated
as the centre for TB
treatment.
1948
Expatriate wives of
British servicemen form
the Diversional Therapy
Unit to raise the spirits of
long staying TB patients.
1949
The Rotary Clinic for TB
is set up with 2 x-ray
machines.
1957
Five 6-storey multi-ward
blocks are added to the
hospital.
1961
TTSH is transferred to
government hands.
1967
First open-heart surgery
is carried out in TTSH.
1969
Over 100 open-heart
operations are done in
TTSH with a 95% success
rate.
1972
A surgical unit in
the Department of
Neurosurgery and
Neurology is opened by
the Minister of Health,
Chua Sian Chin.
1973
The first departments of
Neurology and Neurosurgery in
Singapore are established and
TTSH becomes the nation’s
major referral centre.

Singapore’s first department

of Rehabilitation Medicine is
set up for the treatment of
stroke and other neurological
disorders, spinal cord and head
injuries, arthritis and other
orthopaedic conditions.
1973
The first departments of
Neurology and Neurosurgery in
Singapore are established and
TTSH becomes the nation’s
major referral centre.

Singapore’s first department

of Rehabilitation Medicine is
set up for the treatment of
stroke and other neurological
disorders, spinal cord and head
injuries, arthritis and other
orthopaedic conditions.
1976
TTSH’s cardiac surgeons
perform Singapore’s first
coronary by-pass operation.
1981
The Artificial Limb Centre
(ALC) is set up.
1984
Khoo Teck Puat, a hotel tycoon,
donates $250,000 for a self-
dialysis unit.
1985
TTSH sets up Singapore’s
first night clinic to divert non-
emergency cases from the
overcrowded Accident and
Emergency Unit

Singapore’s first bone marrow

transplant takes place at TTSH

Middleton Hospital, which

treated infectious diseases,
is absorbed into TTSH as the
Communicable Disease Centre.
1986
The first Organ
Procurement Unit starts
work in TTSH to get more
kidneys for transplants.
1989
TTSH opens Singapore’s
first Geriatric Unit.
1990
The CT-directed
stereotactic system is
used for the first time in
the region to accurately
locate a small, deep brain
tumour and excise it.
1992
TTSH becomes a
restructured hospital on 1
April.
1994
TTSH turns 150 years old and
the TTSH 150th Anniversary
Charity Fund is established to
assist the less fortunate.

TTSH launches Singapore’s

first Critical Care Information
System in our Neuro-Intensive
Care Unit (NICU).

TTSH is the first Singapore

hospital to be featured on the
Internet.
1995
TTSH becomes the first local
hospital to provide Magnetic
Resonance Imaging (MRI) to
patients.

TTSH becomes the first

hospital in ASEAN to perform
Tracheobronchial Stenting for
central airway obstruction.
1996
The foundation stone of the new TTSH
is laid in June, marking the completion
of the building’s sub-structural work.

The Patient Education Centre at the

Communicable Disease Centre opens
TTSH becomes the region’s first
hospital to treat cerebral arterial
aneurysm without surgery. It also
begins performing radical perineal
prostatectomy and laparoscopic
transgastric resection of submucosal
tumours of the stomach.

TTSH offers sterotatic MRI guided

thalamotomy for patients with
Parkinson’s Disease, a regional first.
1997
TTSH establishes Asia’s first
Medication Management Centre.

The Cardiac Rehabilitation Programme

is set up.

TTSH is the only local MRI Centre with

full anaesthesiological support.

The techniques of Portal Vein

Embolization to augment liver volume
prior to hepatectomy performed is the
first in the region.

TTSH launches the Singapore TB

Elimination Programme (STEP) in April
along with the Ministry of Health.

TTSH organizes the first-ever regional

meeting entitled ‘Interscience
Medicine – Working Together Towards
Improving Patient Care.
1997
First hospital in the
region to open an Erectile
Dysfunction Clinic.

First hospital to use

Documentation Based
Care (DBC) machines for
back care.

The Quality Service

Programme is launched to
equip all staff to deliver
quality service.
1998
First hospital in the
region to open an Erectile
Dysfunction Clinic.

First hospital to use

Documentation Based
Care (DBC) machines for
back care.

The Quality Service

Programme is launched to
equip all staff to deliver
quality service.
1999
TTSH is fully operational
on its fourth site on 4 May.

The new TTSH logo is

launched.

The TTSH Neuroscience

Division is now the
National Neuroscience
Institute.
2000
The new TTSH is
officially opened by then
Deputy Prime Minister BG
(NS) Lee Hsien Loong on
1 April.

TTSH becomes a
member of the National
Healthcare Group (NHG).
2001
TTSH marked as a historic institution on 25 July
by the National Heritage Board and the Heritage
Museum is opened.

TTSH is the only healthcare institution awarded a

Merit Award at the Open Employment Awards for its
role in employing the disabled.

TTSH doctors perform the first successful cases of

macular translocation in Southeast Asia.

TTSH doctors perform Asia’s first ever fit-bone

surgery.

A Non-invasive Ventilation Unit opens.

The Clinical Immunology Laboratory and the

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine’s
laboratories are accredited by the Commission on
Laboratory Accreditation of the College of American
Pathologists (CAP).

Establishes the Heart Failure Clinic, Outpatient

Antibiotic Clinic, Infectious Disease Research
Centre and the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary
Disease Clinic.
2002
TTSH is awarded the People Developer
Standard (PDS) certification.

TTSH is the first local hospital to

be awarded joint certification for
ISO14001, an international standard for
an environmental management system,
and Occupational Health and Safety
Assessment Series (OHSAS) 18001.

Singapore’s first Hyperbaric Medicine

Centre opens in TTSH.

A work-related Musculoskeletal
Disorders Clinic is set up, in
conjunction with the Ministry of
Manpower.

TTSH launches the Centre for

Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery and
invests in a Virtual Endoscopy Trainer
– a local first.
2003
TTSH opens a one-stop cancer centre with The
Cancer Institute and NHG.

The first Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

(SARS) patient is admitted to TTSH on 1 March.

TTSH is designated as the hospital for the

treatment of SARS patients on 22 March.

Singapore is declared SARS-free on May 31.

The Centre for Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery’s

laparoscopic training is accredited by the Society
of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons
(SAGES) in July.

The Eye Institute’s operations in TTSH expand with

the opening of the Eye Centre.

The Department of Rehabilitation Medicine begins a

three-year project with the Singapore International
Foundation to provide training to healthcare
professionals of Laos National Rehabilitation
Centre.

TTSH is awarded the most Courage Stars and

Medals in the Courage Awards.

The Singapore Government confers The Public

Service Star Award to Dr Lim Suet Wun, CEO of
NHG and TTSH, Dr Leo Yee Sin, Clinical Director of
Communicable Disease Centre and A/Prof Philip
Choo, Chairman, Medical Board of TTSH for their
outstanding contributions in the SARS battle.
2004
TTSH wins the Manchester Business
School Award for Best Contingency
Plan when dealing with various human
resource issues during the SARS
outbreak.

TTSH and Khoo Foundation sign a

Memorandum of Understanding to
manage a Community Rehabilitation
Programme for low-income patients
with stroke or neurological conditions.

The book, “SARS – The Silent War” is

launched in May to commemorate the
hospital’s fight against the epidemic.

TTSH’s public relations initiatives

bag the International Public Relations
Association Golden World Awards
Grand Prize for Excellence.
2005
The Emergency Diagnosis and Therapy Centre
(EDTC) is set up to provide protocol-based
treatment for patients with acute conditions that
require short and focused care.

Completion of Emergency Department’s renovation

and expansion programme, increasing the
department’s capacity by 30 per cent.

The Department of Ophthalmology introduces

Intralase for a contact-less, all laser LASIK
procedure for vision correction.

The first Definitive Surgical Trauma Care Course

in Singapore is organised for surgeons to acquire
advanced techniques in trauma management.

TTSH achieves Joint Commission International (JCI)

accreditation.

TTSH wins Singapore H.E.A.L.T.H Platinum award for

workplace health promotion programme.
2006
The Institute of Plastic Surgery Singapore provides
plastic surgery services through private-public
sector collaboration.

Johns Hopkins Singapore International Medical

Centre relocates from NUH to TTSH to provide
world-class oncology care.

Asia’s first NovaVision Vision Restoration is

introduced to treat patients left partially blind by
stroke or brain injury.

The hospital’s Trauma Centre organises the first

Basic Trauma Life Support Course and Basic
Emergency Sonography for Trauma Course in
restructured hospitals.

TTSH integrates the Smart Messaging System with

the CCOE system to send test results and patients’
prescriptions to doctors’ handphones for verification
and authentication.

TTSH adopts filmless technology, leading to

shorter waiting times for results and seamless
transference of information between care providers.
2006
Online Patient Dashboard Information System to
send real-time bed supply and demand information
for better assignment decisions is introduced.

Publishes an educational booklet “8 Important

Things to Know About Bird Flu” for 250,000
households in Singapore, with the Central Singapore
Community Development Council.

The Art of Healing, a programme employing all art

forms for its therapeutic quality, is launched.

TTSH is the first hospital to win the ASEAN Energy

Efficient Building Award (Retrofitted Building) and
the Platinum Award in the 2006 BCA Green Mark
certification for its green efforts.

Emergency Department embarks on a three-year

project with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
industry sponsors to provide training for Thai
emergency physicians.
2007
Corporate Communications, Nursing
and volunteers start the region’s first
Night Sitter Volunteer Programme
to reach out to patients in geriatric
wards.

The Rheumatology, Allergy and

Immunology Department introduces
the region’s first Nailfold Video
Capillaroscopy system for patients
with rheumatic diseases.

Palliative Care Services is accredited

as a Palliative Medicine training centre
by the Specialist Accreditation Board.

The Orchid Botanica garden and the

TTSH orchid are launched, bringing
holistic healing beyond wards and
clinics.
2008
The Musculoskeletal Centre, Eye Alignment Clinic
and Children’s Eye Centre are opened.

World-renowned musician Kitaro visits TTSH for the

Art of Healing programme.

2008 The hospital collaborates with artistes T’ang

Quartet, Phoon Yew Tian and Katryna Tan to release
a classical music CD, Truly TTSH: The True Sound of
Healing, a world’s first for a hospital.

The DOT-Diabetes programme is implemented for

a smoother transition between hospital care and
family physicians.

The robotic orthosis, Lokomat, is introduced to

provide better rehabilitation outcomes for patients
with gait problems.

A Memorandum of Understanding is signed with

Singapore Polytechnic to collaborate in the
teaching and research of clinical optometry.

The Division of Integrative and Community Care,

encompassing the departments of Geriatric
Medicine, Continuing and Community Care, and
Palliative Medicine, is launched.
2009
A Memorandum of Understanding with Ren Ci
Hospital and Medicare Centre to provide clinical
expertise and improve the quality of step-down care
is signed.

The hospital signs a Memorandum of Understanding

with Thailand’s Sirindhorn National Medical
Rehabilitation Centre to promote mutual
collaboration in rehabilitation manpower
development.

The CSI (Clean, Safe, Infection-free): Wash & Win

Promotion marks the first time a hospital launches
a public education campaign to increase awareness
of good hand hygiene, rewarding participants with
the grand prize of a sponsored car.

The first Influenza A (H1N1-2009) patient is

admitted to TTSH on 26 May.

TTSH’s lean management and human resource

development projects win two Excellence Awards
(runner-up) in the Asian Hospital Management
Awards.