Ophthalmologist Lee Hung Ming has become a master at wearing many hats at a time - whether as surgeon, entrepreneur or businessman, they all seem to fit.
Dr Lee is the founder and director of the Lee Hung Ming Eye Centre in Gleneagles Hospital and one of Asia's top three surgeons as recognised by Bausch & Lomb's global advisory board for refractive surgery.
Not only was he the head of refractive surgery at Tan Tock Seng Hospital and clinical director of the National University Hospital's vision correction centre, but he also started an intensive master's programme at the University of Science Malaysia for trainee doctors sitting their specialist postgraduate examinations.
Since graduating from medical school at the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 1989, the former Malaysian ASEAN scholar has been on his next endeavour - as executive vice-chairman of ISEC Healthcare, the first medical eye-care service provider to list on the Singapore Exchange (SGX).
The eye-care group, which has four outfits, in Singapore, Penang and Kuala Lumpur, raised $16.3 million in net proceeds when it joined the Catalist board on Oct 28.
Its placement of 70 million shares at 28 cents apiece, which represented 15.3 per cent of ISEC's enlarged share capital, gave the firm a market value of $128.38 million.
The stock hit a high of 39 cents on Oct 31 and a low of 32.5 cents on Nov 13.
The firm has plans to expand to other states in Malaysia, such as Johor and Malacca, as well as other places in the Asia-Pacific like Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Taiwan and India.
This is in line with Dr Lee's vision to set up a "pan-Asian eye practice".
He told The Straits Times: "There is really a huge demand for eye-care services... (In) Malaysia, the number of ophthalmologists is far, far behind those in advanced countries.
"We want to export the way we practise medicine in Singapore - to always do things better, faster and safer for our patients."
He plans to do just that for the group by tapping a personal network that he has built over 25 years in the business.
ISEC Healthcare, which is being run by chief executive and fellow doctor Wong Jun Shyan, aims to become a platform for eye specialists to "do what they're best at, to concentrate on giving the best care to their patients".
The group is the first to have operating theatres within its clinics, and its doctors can focus on honing their skills with the support of professional service staff who take charge of administrative work on their behalf, said Dr Lee, 50.
"As a solo practitioner, you'll never have the financial means to keep up to date with technology. Investing in state-of-the-art equipment is crucial for doctors, and that's important to attract and retain specialists. It's also what ISEC stands for."
Setting up an eye centre could easily cost $2 million, estimated Dr Lee.
A Lasik machine, for instance, could cost half a million dollars, and one centre would need at least two of these.
The SGX listing gives ISEC the firepower to keep abreast of technology and "replicate our business model all over", he said.
In a way, the practice of medicine is an "art", he noted. Doctors must not be like "robots" because the profession is also about managing patients' expectations and showing compassion.
But what really fascinates him is how the evolution of technology has driven the field of ophthalmology. "Till today, I'm amazed how a 15-minute operation can change a person's life," he said.
His fondness for the technical has helped him rack up a track record of "firsts".
He was the first in Singapore to successfully use "bladeless" laser technology to perform Lasik surgery in 2004, and a cataract operation in 2012.
Though it had always been his ambition to be a doctor, he does not like to deal with death.
Ophthalmology is right up his alley since it allows him to "improve the quality of life for patients", he said.
Though his new role might not take away his time as a doctor, he says it will mean less time for himself.
But the father of four is no stranger to multitasking.
"On top of a heavy medical curriculum in NUS, I was the president of the student union of the King Edward VII student hostel, played six sports for the medical faculty, was the captain of the NUS badminton team, and I still managed to find a wife, who was my classmate in medical school," he joked.
"It's always about staying focused in whatever I do, good time management and prioritising."
This article was first published on Dec 15, 2014.
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