Speech by Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Health and Environment & Water Resources, at the launch ceremony of the Alexandra Health Forum held in conjunction with Alexandra Health Nursing Fest, 25 August 2016

Mr Liak Teng Lit, Group CEO of Alexandra Health System,

Board Members of Alexandra Health System,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning.

Introduction

1.    It is my great pleasure to join you this morning for the launch of the third Alexandra Health Forum, held in conjunction with the Alexandra Health Nursing Fest.

2.    Today, we have many local and overseas healthcare leaders and administrators gathered here. I hope this forum will be a good platform for all of us to exchange ideas, share best practices and explore new models of care.

Shifting paradigms for the population

3.    The theme of this year’s Alexandra Health Forum is “Healthcare for the Future: Shifting Paradigms for the Population, Patients and Professionals”. This theme is particularly relevant for the changing realities that confront the healthcare landscape in Singapore as well as the region.

4.    Singapore is not the only country facing the challenges of a rapidly ageing population, increasing life expectancy and pressures to keep healthcare affordable.

5.    We need a paradigm shift in order to create a more sustainable system for better health, better care, and a better life. In particular, we need to move beyond healthcare to health, and good health to be exact.

Shifting paradigms for patients and public

6.    Taking ownership of our own health is key to maintaining good health. To encourage healthy living, MOH and the Health Promotion Board (HPB) have taken a whole systems approach and worked to make healthy living more accessible, natural and effortless for Singaporeans. For example, HPB introduced initiatives such as the Healthier Dining Programme to ensure the availability and accessibility of healthier food options when Singaporeans dine out, and the Healthy Workplace Ecosystem which offers customised and targeted health programmes for employees co-located in cluster work sites.

7.    In this regard, Alexandra Health System has also explored moving from caring for the ill to keeping people healthy and out of hospital. Through the Population Health Programme which was launched in 2013, local communities and residents learn to take charge of their own health. Residents can participate in free health screening to assess their health and lifestyle habits. Early detection of chronic diseases and conditions will enable residents to seek medical treatment early and be encouraged to make lifestyle changes, such as giving up smoking, eating healthily or being more physically active.

Shifting paradigms for the professionals

8.    As we shift our focus from caring for the ill to caring for self, we will also need to shift the way we develop and nurture our healthcare workforce to be future-ready. It is important for our healthcare professionals to be well-trained in their clinical specialities and in new medical innovations and technology. MOH has several funding mechanisms to support our healthcare professionals for clinical and research training, such as the Health Manpower Development Programmes (HMDP) and National Medical Research Council (NMRC) Research Training Fellowship.

9.    As patient needs become more complex, a multi-disciplinary team approach to enhance chronic disease management is key, whereby different healthcare professionals complement each other.

10.    An example is Alexandra Health System’s Transitional Care Programme which aims to reduce hospital utilisation rate through post-discharge home visits by a multi-disciplinary team of doctors, nurses and therapists. The programme started in April 2012 and has already seen 2,400 patients. The team did an evaluation and found that after six months in the Transitional Care programme, the patients’ total length of stay for re-hospitalisation reduced by 4.2 days. This resulted in a better quality of life as well as cost savings for the patients, as they were able to manage their conditions at home or through outpatient visits.

11.    It is encouraging to see that our healthcare professionals have been preparing for the future. Similar to past years, we are holding the poster abstract competition as part of the Alexandra Health Forum, which is a good opportunity to showcase and exhibit healthcare research and quality improvement efforts. I am heartened to see more than 200 abstract submissions from across the clusters and institutions, a significant increase from the last edition. This reflects the strong innovative spirit among our healthcare institutions.

Conclusion

12.    As we continue on this journey to innovate and transform our healthcare system, we should always keep in mind our vision – for all Singaporeans to live well, live long, and with peace of mind.

13.    I wish you a fruitful and fulfilling time ahead. Thank you.