Quick answer: If you need a kidney specialist you can really lean on, Dr Lye Wai Choong is the name for transplant work, and Francisco Kidney Medical Centre is a strong choice for home-based dialysis and house calls that bend around your schedule. Dr Tan Choon Hian Roger handles the most complex dialysis and transplant cases, while The Kidney Health Care Clinic brings a steady, patient-first approach to long-term management. The others on this list have their own strengths – it comes down to who feels right for you.
Dr Lye Wai Choong
Dr Lye Wai Choong sees patients at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, and his CV reads like someone you want in your corner when things get serious. Visiting assistant professor in Oregon, consultant at NUH, over 100 peer-reviewed articles – he has been in the deep end for a long time.
What really puts him on the map is a quiet milestone from 2008: Singapore’s first ABO incompatible and positive crossmatch kidney transplant. Not the sort of thing you pull off without knowing your craft inside out. His whole practice is built around advanced kidney disease and transplantation, from that first worrying diagnosis right through to treatment, without jargon or rush. You get the sense he has seen it all and still pays attention.
Address: 304 Orchard Road #05-23, Lucky Plaza, Singapore 238863
Phone: 6736 4692
Dr Lye Wai Choong
He suits you if you are facing a transplant decision or a complicated kidney condition and want someone whose name other doctors respect without hesitation.
Francisco Kidney Medical Centre
Francisco Kidney Medical Centre sits inside Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre and is led by Dr Francisco Salcido-Ochoa, who practised nephrology for more than 24 years across the UK and Mexico before landing here. What makes them different is how they bend around your life – telemedicine, nephrology house calls, home peritoneal dialysis. If dragging yourself to a clinic every other day feels sian, this set-up takes a lot of the weight off.
They do in-clinic consults too, customised renal diet plans for chronic kidney disease, haemodialysis, post-transplant follow-up, and management of linked conditions like hypertension, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and gout. It is all under one roof, and you never feel like just another case file.
Address: 38 Irrawaddy Road #07-32, Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, Singapore 329563
Hours: Mondays to Fridays, 9:00am to 5:00pm
Francisco Kidney Medical Centre
This clinic is a good match if you are juggling work or caregiving and need a specialist who treats you at home – literally. Also ideal if you want diet guidance baked into your kidney care from day one.
This is our own selection, not a paid one. Tell us if there is somewhere we should have included.
Dr Tan Choon Hian Roger
Dr Tan Choon Hian Roger works out of Gleneagles Medical Centre and is the sort of specialist other doctors in the region learn from. He helped shape Ministry of Health guidelines and trained physicians across Southeast Asia in peritoneal dialysis. His subspecialty sits right where things get complex: dialysis, kidney transplants including ABO-incompatible and second transplants, chronic kidney failure, hypertension, and autoimmune kidney conditions like lupus nephritis.
Everything runs on precision. He manages ongoing kidney failure oversight and high-risk transplants without unnecessary drama. He has also served as honorary treasurer and secretary for the Singapore Society of Nephrology and been a visiting consultant to the National Kidney Foundation, so he has seen the full spectrum of what kidney disease can throw at a person.
Address: 6 Napier Road #04-16, Gleneagles Medical Centre, Singapore 258499
Phone: +65 6474 7974
Dr Tan Choon Hian Roger
Choose Dr Tan if your situation is high-stakes – a second transplant, an incompatible donor, or an autoimmune condition that needs someone who does not have to look up the protocol. While you are getting your health sorted, you might also want to have a look at our guide on ENT Specialists in Singapore if ear, nose or throat concerns are on your radar too.
The Kidney Health Care Clinic
Also inside Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, The Kidney Health Care Clinic is run by Dr Alvin Ng, who brings over 20 years of experience and a few public healthcare awards to the table. What strikes you about his approach is how he bridges hard evidence and human concern – patients walk out understanding their condition properly, not just clutching a prescription and feeling lost.
The clinic handles complex stuff like glomerulonephritis, pregnancy-related kidney issues, and chronic kidney disease. They perform ultrasound-guided kidney biopsies and dialysis catheter insertions on site, and peritoneal dialysis training is part of the package too.
Address: 38 Irrawaddy Road #07-32, Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, Singapore 329563
Phone: +65 6970 0020
Email: [email protected]
Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00am-12:30pm, 2:00pm-5:00pm; Sat 9:00am-12:00pm
The Kidney Health Care Clinic
This is the practice for you if you value clear explanations and need a clinic that can handle a broader range of kidney conditions – including those that surface during pregnancy or alongside gout. It is the kind of place where you can ask the same question three times and nobody makes you feel paiseh about it.
Dr Leong See Odd
Dr Leong See Odd sees patients at Gleneagles Medical Centre, and his focus is tightly wound around diabetes, end-stage renal disease, and glomerulonephritis. He is also CEO and co-founder of StemCord Private Limited, which tells you his mind works across both immediate treatment and the longer arc of medical science. An HMDP fellowship took him to Guy’s Hospital in the UK – one of the old-school nephrology powerhouses – and he has since published quite a bit while speaking at international conferences.
Address: 6 Napier Road #03-08, Gleneagles Medical Centre, Singapore 258499
Phone: +65 6472 2460
Email: [email protected]
Hours: Mondays to Fridays, 9:00am to 5:00pm
Dr Leong See Odd
If your kidney trouble is wrapped up with diabetes or you are already at the end-stage and need a physician who thinks a few steps ahead, Dr Leong is a steady pick. And while you are lining up your healthcare support, our round-up of Elite Skin Specialists in Singapore might be useful if dermatology is next on your list.
SH Tan Kidney Medical Clinic
SH Tan Kidney Medical Clinic opened in 2008 after Dr Tan Seng Hoe spent nearly two decades in public service, and it shows in how he runs things – no fuss, thorough, grounded. The clinic covers the full sweep: general kidney conditions, hypertension and diabetes management, kidney failure oversight, dialysis, transplantation, procedures, and preventive medicine. He has a Commendation Medal from the National Day Award for Overcoming SARS and a Courage Star Award from the National Healthcare Group, which says a lot about how he handles pressure.
Address: 6 Napier Road #07-18, Gleneagles Medical Centre, Singapore 258499 (more branches available here)
Phone: +65 6476 5087
Email: [email protected]
SH Tan Kidney Medical Clinic
This is the clinic for you if you want a doctor who has seen it all from the public side and now offers that depth of experience in a private setting, with branches that may be closer to home.
The Kidney Clinic Pte Ltd
The Kidney Clinic Pte Ltd is led by Dr Ho Chee Khun, whose training in dialysis and critical care nephrology anchors a practice that covers both kidney and internal medicine. You can walk in with blood in your urine, a stubborn kidney infection, hypertension, or protein in your urine and get a full work-up. They do not stop at pills and lifestyle advice – they also offer extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy when that is what the condition calls for. The main branch sits at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, with more locations available.
Address: 3 Mount Elizabeth #12-09, Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, Singapore 228510 (more branches available here)
Phone: +65 6737 9022
Email: [email protected]
Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00am-5:00pm; Sat 9:00am-12:00pm
The Kidney Clinic Pte Ltd
This clinic works well if you are looking for a nephrologist who also manages the broader internal medicine picture, or if you need a particular procedure like lithotripsy under one roof.
This is our own selection, not a paid one. Tell us if there is somewhere we should have included.
How to choose
The right kidney specialist is the one who matches the specific journey you are on. If a transplant is on the horizon, look at who has done difficult ones: Dr Lye and Dr Tan both have a track record with ABO-incompatible cases. If the thought of frequent hospital trips drains you, Francisco Kidney’s home dialysis and house calls become a practical lifeline. For long-term management of a chronic condition, The Kidney Health Care Clinic and SH Tan’s practice offer a broader, more preventive lens.
Location matters more than you think when you are visiting regularly. Gleneagles Medical Centre hosts three on this list, while Mount Elizabeth Novena and Orchard have the others. Check which MRT or parking situation you can live with week after week. Cost is another quiet factor: private kidney care varies widely, so always ask for a fee estimate before your first appointment. All the clinics here can give you one if you call ahead. A good move is to book a short first consult just to see if the doctor’s style and the clinic’s rhythm fit your personality – there is no substitute for that.
While you sort out your healthcare decisions, you might also want to get your finances in order – we have a guide on Mortgage Loan Specialists in Singapore that could be useful. For vision concerns, our Eyes on Excellence piece rounds up the top eye specialists.
Summary
These seven kidney specialists and clinics cover the ground well – from high-stakes transplants to the quiet, daily management of chronic kidney disease. Each brings a different blend of experience, procedure know-how, and bedside manner. The only real homework you have is deciding which combination feels right when you walk through the door for the first time.
Disclaimer: All information provided here has been compiled from publicly available sources. While we have made every effort to ensure accuracy, we do not guarantee that the information is complete or error-free. We disclaim any liability for inaccuracies or omissions. If you find any errors or have concerns about the content, please let us know so we can address them promptly.
| Specialist / Clinic | Main Focus | Notable Procedures & Services | Awards & Milestones | Price Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr Lye Wai Choong | Advanced kidney disease, transplantation | ABO incompatible transplant, complex renal diagnosis | First ABO incompatible and positive crossmatch transplant (2008), 100+ peer-reviewed articles | Check with the business |
| Francisco Kidney Medical Centre | Home-based dialysis, personalised chronic care | Telemedicine, nephrology house calls, renal diet plans, home peritoneal dialysis | Over 24 years of practice, National Kidney Foundation affiliation | Check with the business |
| Dr Tan Choon Hian Roger | High-risk transplants, dialysis, autoimmune kidney conditions | ABO-incompatible and second transplants, lupus nephritis management | MOH guideline contributor, trained regional physicians in peritoneal dialysis | Check with the business |
| The Kidney Health Care Clinic | Glomerulonephritis, pregnancy-related kidney conditions, chronic kidney disease | Ultrasound-guided kidney biopsy, dialysis catheter insertion, peritoneal dialysis training | Multiple public healthcare awards, international conference speaker | Check with the business |
| Dr Leong See Odd | Diabetes, end-stage renal disease, glomerulonephritis | Advanced diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for kidney failure | HMDP fellowship at Guy’s Hospital (UK), extensive publications | Check with the business |
| SH Tan Kidney Medical Clinic | General kidney conditions, preventive medicine, dialysis | Hypertension and diabetes care, kidney failure oversight, transplantation | Commendation Medal for Overcoming SARS, Courage Star Award | Check with the business |
| The Kidney Clinic Pte Ltd | Dialysis, critical care nephrology, internal medicine | Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, management of urinary tract infections and hypertension | Broad scope in kidney-related and associated conditions | Check with the business |
Frequently asked questions
What should I bring to my first kidney specialist appointment?
Bring your NRIC or passport, recent blood test and urine test results if you have them, a list of current medications with dosages, and any discharge summaries or scan reports from previous hospital visits. Having a written timeline of your symptoms helps too.
How do I know if I need a nephrologist instead of a GP?
A GP will usually refer you when blood tests show persistently abnormal kidney function, you have uncontrolled high blood pressure, there is protein or blood in your urine, or you have a condition like diabetes that puts your kidneys at risk. You can also see a nephrologist directly if you have a family history of kidney disease and want a baseline check.
Are these specialists covered by MediSave or private insurance?
Coverage depends on your specific Integrated Shield Plan or employer insurance. Most private nephrologist consultations are not claimable under basic MediSave, but certain procedures like dialysis or kidney biopsies may be. Always check with your insurer and the clinic’s staff before your visit.
What is the difference between haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis?
Haemodialysis is done at a centre a few times a week, filtering your blood through a machine. Peritoneal dialysis uses the lining of your abdomen and can be done at home, often while you sleep. Several clinics on this list offer training for home peritoneal dialysis if your lifestyle makes regular centre visits difficult.
If I need a kidney transplant, which specialist should I see?
Look for a nephrologist with a strong transplant track record. Dr Lye Wai Choong and Dr Tan Choon Hian Roger both have extensive experience with complex transplants, including ABO-incompatible cases. They can assess your suitability, coordinate with a transplant team, and manage your care before and after surgery.
Can I get a teleconsult for a kidney issue?
Yes, some practices like Francisco Kidney Medical Centre offer telemedicine for follow-ups and initial discussions. It is not suitable for a physical exam or urgent issues, but it can save you a trip if you need to review blood results or adjust a care plan.
