Speech by Mr. Gan Kim Yong, Minister for Health, at the National Medical Excellence Awards Ceremony 2017, 24 August 2017

Distinguished colleagues and guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good evening

Introduction

1.     It is my pleasure to join you at this year’s National Medical Excellence Awards (NMEA) Ceremony. Currently in its tenth year, the Awards celebrate and recognise a group of outstanding and talented healthcare professionals who have made significant contributions in clinical research, practice, education and healthcare delivery.

2.     Our healthcare system has been ranked highly^[1] in the world, in terms of healthcare efficiency and outcomes. This would not have been possible without the passion and support of all our healthcare professionals, including our NMEA awardees, as well as everyone else in the system. All of you have contributed greatly to our healthcare system and in the provision of quality healthcare to Singaporeans.

Growing Research Capabilities and Innovation Adoption

3.     Even as we advance Singapore’s healthcare system, we are mindful of the challenges of a rapidly ageing population and changing healthcare needs. To ensure that Singaporeans’ future needs are met, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has embarked on key shifts in healthcare, including bringing care beyond the hospital to the community, as well as promoting individual responsibility in staying healthy by shifting beyond healthcare to health. Our care model should also be patient-centric, so that Singaporeans can receive care that is appropriate to their needs.

4.     Another key shift is to move beyond quality to provide value for our patients. R&D and innovation play an important role in this respect. Research grants are provided through the National Medical Research Council (NMRC) to support healthcare research projects with potential translational outcomes.

5.     To facilitate the adoption of innovations into clinical applications and health policy, NMRC established the National Health Innovation Centre (NHIC) in 2014. Since its inception, NHIC has facilitated many successful projects, one of which was driven by Associate Professor Marcus Ong from SGH, where aiTRIAGE (pronounced as “a-i-triage”), a portable device was developed. Currently used at the SGH Department of Emergency Medicine in an ongoing clinical trial, the device uses artificial intelligence and vital signs to risk stratify patients with chest pain, allowing staff at the emergency department to prioritise patients with high risk of cardiac arrest and enabling timely intervention and intensive monitoring of patients.

6.     Another notable mention is the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO), funded under the NMRC Translational and Clinical Research programme. The programme is driven by Associate Professor Chong Yap Seng from the National University Health System, who is also the winner of this year’s National Outstanding Clinician Scientist Award. The GUSTO study found that gestational diabetes (GDM) occurs in one-fifth of pregnant women, and that one in eight of these women go on to develop Type II diabetes within five years of their childbirth. This has led to an update of MOH’s policy, where screening for all pregnant women is now carried out at KKH, SGH and NUH; and that mothers with GDM are closely followed-up after delivery.

About the Winners

7.     I am very happy to present awards to six deserving recipients today, including Associate Professor Chong Yap Seng whom I mentioned earlier. They are recognised for their contributions to research, for significantly and passionately advancing the delivery of care to our patients, and importantly, for their dedication in educating, mentoring and inspiring future generations of healthcare practitioners.

8.     For the National Outstanding Clinician award, we have two recipients this year. First, we have Professor Christopher Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Sengkang Health. Professor Cheng is a prominent urologist who led the establishment and expansion of Singapore’s first urology centre at the Singapore General Hospital. He also introduced several medical innovations including the prostate biopsy robot, which led to the Urology Centre ranking among the best in the region. His leadership in the design and development of the upcoming Sengkang General Hospital is testament to his continued exemplary contributions.

9.     Another recipient for the National Outstanding Clinician award is Professor Arijit Biswas from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore. Professor Biswas led the Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the National University Hospital (NUH) for 17 years until 2016. He continues to support the department as the Director of Clinical Services and Head of the Fetal Care Centre. He has championed many clinical advances which improved obstetric care; and implemented the department’s first database of maternity records which helped maintain the hospital’s high standards of care.

10.     The National Outstanding Clinician Mentor Award is awarded to Dr Chumpon Chan from the National Neuroscience Institute (NNI). Dr Chan is an accomplished neurosurgeon who was instrumental in leading the advancement of neurosurgical training in Singapore. Dr Chan’s lifetime commitment to mentorship is indeed commendable, imparting not only practical skills but also values to many mentees and students. His outstanding mentorship record includes many present and past heads of various medical and surgical departments, such as Associate Professor Christopher Ang who is a national clinician scientist as well as Head of Department, Neurosurgery at NNI and Dr David Low, Consultant at NNI and Head of Department, Neurosurgical Service at KKH.

11.     Associate Professor Tham Kum Ying from Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) is awarded the National Outstanding Clinician Educator Award this year. She plays an active leadership roles in enhancing the teaching and faculty development programmes at TTSH and the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine in her current capacity as Associate Dean and Director of Clinical Training, and as Assistant Dean at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine. Associate Professor Tham is a firm believer that education is a necessary endeavour before clinical exposure, and advocates not only for clinical competence but also medical professionalism. She was the first to introduce a communications course for medical students at TTSH to be more aware and sensitive during their interactions with the patients and their families.

12.     Last but definitely not least, I would like to give a special mention to the late Associate Professor Joseph Manuel Gomez from KKH, our National Outstanding Clinical Quality Champion Award recipient for this year. He recognised and covered gaps which led to improvements in patient safety on a national level. As the Director of Medical Informatics and also Chairman of the Medical Safety Committee at KKH, Associate Professor Gomez was instrumental in the deployment of the Closed Loop Medical Management system at KKH. This was the pilot site for the SingHealth cluster and it greatly enhanced patient safety and improved the efficiency of the entire medication management process. We will remember and honour him not only for his outstanding contributions, but also as a good role model to his colleagues and mentees.

Conclusion

13.     Finally, let me once again extend my warmest congratulations to all our winners this year. We honour and appreciate your commitment and dedication to healthcare. You are an inspiration to all of us in the healthcare family. With that, I wish everyone a pleasant evening ahead.

14.     Thank you.

^[1] Based on the 2016 Bloomberg Health-Care Efficiency Index, which analyses and ranks the healthcare found in 55 countries based on how efficient it is deemed to be. Singapore was ranked second in 2015 and 2016.