Speech by Mr Gan Kim Yong, Minister for Health, at the National Excellence Medical Awards Ceremony, 21 Aug 2015

Distinguished colleagues and guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good evening

Introduction

1.            I am happy to be here this evening for the 2015 National Medical Excellence Awards (NMEA) Ceremony. Tonight, we celebrate and recognise a group of talented healthcare professionals who have made significant contributions in research, mentoring and education, clinical practice and healthcare delivery.

2.            For this special year, you would have seen the various SG50 celebrations held island wide earlier this month. I was also happy to see the SingHealth contingent at the National Day Parade, especially the nurses who were part of the Vintage Parade re-enacting the early days of Singapore’s independence.

3.            We have indeed come a long way in the last 50 years. Our healthcare services have advanced significantly, particularly in the provision of acute care. We have organised into six regional health systems to better provide health services to the people, ensuring good and affordable medical services to all Singaporeans. We will have to continue to transform the way we deliver care to the community, to stay in line with changes in Singapore’s demography and health needs.   As you know, we are implementing MediShield Life this year to provide universal health insurance coverage for all Singaporeans, and this is one of several innovations for our healthcare system to remain relevant and responsive.

Promoting Medical Excellence

4.         At its heart, healthcare is delivered by dedicated professionals who contribute in various roles to achieve the best care outcomes and inspire younger colleagues.  This includes translational medical research through which we can discover better ways to advance healthcare and enhance existing practices, leading to better health outcomes of our patients.

5.         Having the right research focus is important, and we have identified five strategic disease priority areas, namely cardiovascular diseases, neurological and sense disorders, infectious diseases, metabolic diseases and cancers, for which research in Singapore will have a potentially significant health impact. We will also dedicate resources to research on ageing and health services. I am glad to share that our awardees for this year have contributed to a range of speciality areas including paediatrics, cardiology, neurology, surgery and metabolic diseases.

6.         Let me now say a few words about each of the award winners tonight. First, we have Professor Koh Tian Hai, who is awarded the National Outstanding Clinician Mentor Award. Professor Koh was the longest serving Medical Director and now Senior Advisor at the National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS). Under his leadership, NHCS is now a national specialist centre for cardiovascular disease with many ‘firsts’ such as novel minimally invasive treatment modalities which have put NHCS on the global map for pioneering complex cardiac therapies. One of his many outstanding mentees is Adjunct Professor Terrance Chua, current Medical Director of NHCS, who won the NMEA National Outstanding Clinician Award in 2013.

7.         Professor Lee Chuen Neng, also winner for the same award, was a founder, head or director at various stages of the development of Academic cardiothoracic services in Singapore, and this has since been grouped together to form the National University Heart Centre Singapore. Professor Lee’s mentees include outstanding surgeons such as Professor Krishnakumar Madhavan and Associate Professor Chang Kin Yong from NUHS. Professor Lim Shih Hui, winner of the National Outstanding Clinical Educator Award, spearheaded efforts that put Singapore on the Asia-Pacific map for neurology education.

8.         Better health outcomes can also be achieved through early intervention and engagement of community services. This winning team for the National Medical Excellence Team Award, led by Associate Professor Lim Sok Bee from KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, demonstrated impactful contributions to the growth and development of the younger generation, especially children with developmental needs. I am glad that the Developmental Support Programme which they developed has secured support from the Ministry of Social and Family Development, and will be made available in preschools and childcare centres over the next 3-5 years.

9.         In the area of research and development, our winner for the National Outstanding Clinician Scientist Award for this year is Professor Tai E Shyong. Professor Tai facilitated translational clinical research in the area of diabetes, which is one of the common chronic diseases in Singapore. His dedication to understanding the prevalence of diabetes in the Asian population potentially could lead to improved population health and maximise the impact of our healthcare system.  

10.       Our two awardees for the National Outstanding Quality Champion Award have effectively harnessed the power of information technology and successfully integrated technology into the healthcare system to streamline daily operations and improve patient care. Associate Professor Thomas Chee from Tan Tock Seng Hospital established a system to allow rapid seamless information sharing while Associate Professor James Yip from the National University Health System drove the development of Singapore’s first integrated tele-health monitoring system.

11.       It’s been seven years since the NMEA was first launched in 2008 and MOH, together with our healthcare clusters, continues to celebrate and support the outstanding healthcare professionals, as we work towards a common vision to champion a healthy nation and allow our people, to live well, live long and with a peace of mind.

Conclusion

12.       Let me extend my warmest congratulations to all the winners this year.  You are the role models of commitment and innovation whom we honour and appreciate. I wish you all every success as you continue to dedicate yourselves to the pursuit of medical excellence.

13.       Ladies and gentlemen, have an enjoyable evening. Thank you.