Promoting Use of Technology by Care Providers

NOTICE PAPER NO. 1819 
NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR ORAL ANSWER
FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON OR AFTER 22 MARCH 2023 

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong
MP for Hougang

Question No. 4405 

To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry is working with research centres in Singapore to pilot, promote and expand the use of productivity-enhancing technologies by care providers; (b) what is the budget that the Ministry provides annually for research and roll-out in this area; and (c) what are the measures of the impact and sustainability of these innovative technologies in terms of how they will improve caregiving or relieve human caregiving.

Answer

1     There are several efforts to encourage the use of technology to enhance care. Under Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2025 (RIE2025), the $90 million Population Health Research Grant supports projects that seek to improve health outcomes through a population health approach, including projects that aim to optimise resource allocation, improve healthcare manpower productivity, and leverage technology to improve health.  

2     The $18 million Community Care Digital Transformation Plan supports CCOs to adopt a comprehensive suite of digital solutions that help to raise digitalisation levels and improve productivity.

3     In addition, the National Innovation Challenge (NIC) on Active and Confident Ageing had awarded close to $70 million to 35 research projects to address the needs of seniors or improve productivity of care staff.  One example is a web-based system integrating technology to enhance care at home, including the use of (i) smart home sensors to detect falls, (ii) automated pill dispensers to track medication adherence; and (iii) and a nutrition database that recommends meals based on the senior’s health condition. Another used artificial intelligence to provide personalised educational resources and care triage services to caregivers.  Each project is measured for their impact, with a view to scale them up if proven to be effective.