Challenging common perceptions surrounding hospital fare, our chefs at Mount Elizabeth Hospital won top accolades in a prestigious international culinary competition. Beating reputable hotels and restaurants, the team won the "Best Chef of the Year" and also received awards in six categories at FHA2004 (Food & Hotel Asia 2004) Culinary Challenge (FCC).

In-house QAT (Quality Assurance Test) programs began in early 1995 based on the national Quality Circle (QC) philosophy that employees will take more interest and pride in their work if they have a share in the decision making process or input in how their work should be conducted.

Groups of employees are encouraged to come together to discuss ways to improve critical work processes for financial performance, operational effectiveness and customer satisfaction.

As a form of reward and recognition for employees, QAT teams are encouraged to participate in the National Quality Circle Convention (NQCC) organised by the then Singapore Productivity and Standards Board (now known as SPRING Singapore). This Convention is a platform for all companies to showcase their projects.

Since 1998, Mount Elizabeth Hospital has participated in NQCC and has achieved numerous awards. In 1998, the hospital achieved the Outstanding QC (Newcomer) Organisation Award. In addition, two of its teams were recognised as Outstanding QC (Newcomer) - Smooth Operator in 1998 and Tastebuds in 1999.

Since 1998, the hospital has achieved the awards in the following categories:

• NEWCOMER - A Newcomer Circle is a QC or WIT Work Improvement Team) which has completed only one project. This category allows new QCs and WITs (to compete on an equal footing at the Conventions.
• EXPERIENCED - This category brings together QCs and WITs that have completed two or more QC projects, regardless whether it is a first-time participant in the National QC Conventions or whether the Circle has presented at any in-house Conventions.

The People's Developer is Singapore’s quality standard to human resource development. It is a three-year certification scheme that gives recognition to organisations that bring out the best in people for better business results. Launched in December 1997, the People Developer Standard offers organisations a systematic process to review their people practices, develop staff and improve training effectiveness.

The standard consists of three components – Commitment, Implementation and Follow-up. Within the components are 38 requirements that organisations need to meet in order to be certified as the People Developer Standard.

Mount Elizabeth Hospital is proud to have been awarded the People Developer Standard in June 2000. The prestigious national recognition proves that the hospital has in place a systematic process for reviewing human resources practices and providing staff with training and career development opportunities. This will in turn greatly facilitate the achievements of business goals and objectives.

In our quest for excellence in healthcare provision, it is important that staff are continually motivated to give their best for the organisation. The Standard sets the pace for spurring our staff to constantly upgrade themselves to reach their fullest potential and be equipped with the necessary skills to stay relevant in the fast changing business environment.

• First private hospital in Singapore to perform open-heart surgery and neuro surgery.
• Currently holds the record for performing the most number of open-heart surgeries and neurosurgeries in the private sector in Singapore.
• First hospital in Asia to successfully perform a cardiomyoplasty procedure and transmyocardial revascularisation procedure with the heart laser.
• Established first Nuclear Medicine Centre in the private sector.
• First private hospital to initiate Continuing Medical Education programmes for doctors. The programmes enable them to keep up with the latest cutting-edge techniques and to remain at the forefront of the fast-changing world of medicine.
• First private hospital in Asia to include butler and concierge services for its patients.
• Highest number of cardiac and neuro specialists among private tertiary hospitals.
• First hospital in Southeast Asia to install and use the PET-CT (Positron Emission Tomography - Computed Tomography) scanner, a highly advanced diagnostic tool for scanning tumours.
• First in Southeast Asia to perform Minimally Invasive Robotic Surgery for general surgery, cardiac and urological procedures using the four-arm da Vinci surgical system.
• First in Asia to install a fully functional EndoSuite, incorporating among other things, the Hermes voice-command system which recognises the voice of individual doctors, allowing them to control all the equipment in use verbally.
• First private hospital in Singapore to carry out an artificial corneal implant.
• First private hospital in Singapore to perform laparoscopic hernia repair (patient was discharged on the same day of operation).
• First private hospital in Singapore to perform laparoscopic pyloromyotomy.
• First private hospital in Singapore to perform carotid stenting.
• First private hospital in Singapore to perform abdominal aortic aneurysm stenting
• First private hospital in Singapore to perform fibroid embolisation.
• First private hospital in Singapore to perform vertebroplasty

Singapore Quality Class (SQC) is a scheme to recognise organisations that have attained a commendable level of performance in the journey towards business excellence. Mount Elizabeth Hospital is proud to have held that distinction since 1998. This ties in very well with our own goal of being among world class organisations that are able to sustain this high level of performance in productivity and quality.

Mount Elizabeth Hospital is proud to be awarded Superbrands status for two years running, both in 2002/2003 and in 2004.

The Superbrands status is awarded by an independent panel of judges. The panel seeks to identify the strongest corporate brands in the country. Only the most deserving of brands attain the credential.

Superbrands promotes the discipline of branding and pays tribute to exceptional brands. Only brands that have shown its worthiness in these five categories - Market Dominance, Longevity, Goodwill, Customer Loyalty and Overall Market Acceptance - can be known as a Superbrand.

In 2002/2003, out of the thousands of brands available in Singapore, only 108 were appointed Superbrands. Out of the 108 brands, only 2 of them were hospitals - Mount Elizabeth Hospital and sister hospital, Gleneagles Hospital.

Achieving the Superbrands status represents the recognition of consistent outstanding quality trusted by our patients and doctors.