Speech by Minister for Health, Mr Gan Kim Yong, at the Launch Ceremony of the Alexandra Health Forum Held in Conjunction with Alexandra Health Nursing Fest at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, on 6 November 2014

Ms Jennie Chua, Chairman of Alexandra Health System,

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

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen

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

2.            I am heartened to see many local and overseas healthcare leaders and administrators coming together at this forum to exchange ideas, share experiences and explore new models of care. I hope we will be able to use our collective wisdom to address the common challenges unique to our region, and raise the standards of healthcare delivery for the benefit of our nation.

Transforming the care model

3.            The healthcare sector is at a pivotal moment. While our healthcare system has served our needs well in the past, we are now faced with new and evolving challenges. A rapidly ageing population, rising non-communicable diseases and increasingly complex medical care necessitate a paradigm shift. We need to approach healthcare from a collaborative and integrated angle, and deliver services with a team approach. Not just with doctors, but nurses, allied health professionals and involving patients, their families and the community at large.

4.            In this regard, Alexandra Health System has responded with initiatives such as the Diabetes Empowerment Programme where patients and their families are empowered with the necessary knowledge to take control of their own health. Patients on this programme understand the goals of therapy better, and have shown greater adherence to their care plans. As a result, their risk of diabetes-related complications is reduced.

5.            To address the challenges of an ageing population, our model of care must gradually extend from one that is hospital-based to a community-oriented or home-based model. We must also advance towards fuller integration of care, transcending institutional boundaries between health, social and mental health services to holistically serve the varied needs of the population.

6.            Under the Alexandra Health Systems' Ageing-In-Place Programme, a network of nurses from Khoo Teck Puat Hospital is embedded in the community. They work directly with patients and caregivers in their homes, and help them to avoid the need for institutionalised care. They are supported with research and data methodologies that also help to evaluate the effectiveness of the programme. I have been told that the Ageing-In-Place Programme has now touched the lives of more than 1,700 patients, and I am certain you will continue to strive to provide excellent care for our patients and the community.

7.            Events such as this Alexandra Health Forum will offer us opportunities to learn from each other and forge new collaborations with like-minded partners. The three-day event which includes oral and poster presentations, symposiums and breakout sessions will enable us to harness the knowledge of experts from leading healthcare and academic institutions. I am confident that with the support from organisations such as the Singapore Workforce Development Agency, such forums will serve to nurture the next generation of leadership for the public healthcare system.

Promoting innovations and improvements in healthcare

8.            Even as we invest in research and innovation, it is important not to lose sight of the fundamentals for affordable, accessible and quality healthcare. We need to make the best use of our resources and ensure that whatever we spend now is sustainable in the long term. We must always strive to innovate, raise productivity and develop more cost-effective models of care.

9.            Through the Alexandra Health Nursing Fest’s workshops and the poster competition for the Alexandra Health Forum, healthcare workers are encouraged to develop new ways of thinking and partnerships. It is encouraging to note that more than 170 submissions from various healthcare clusters were received. This number is a significant increase from the previous Forum, and reflects the strong innovative spirit and practice among our healthcare institutions.

Conclusion

10.          As we continue to innovate, challenge our traditional assumptions, we hope to create meaningful and impactful change to benefit our patients and keep them healthy.

11.          I wish you a fruitful and fulfilling time. Thank you.