Speech by Mrs Tan Ching Yee, Permanent Secretary for Health, Handover Ceremony of Ang Mo Kio Family Medicine Clinic, 27 February 2016

Professor Philip Choo, Group Chief Executive Officer, National Healthcare Group

Adjunct Associate Professor Chua Hong Choon, Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer (Clinical), National Healthcare Group

Adjunct Associate Professor Chong Phui-Nah, Executive Director, Ang Mo Kio Family Medicine Clinic and Chief Executive Officer, National Healthcare Group Polyclinics

Dr Tan See Leng, Group Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Parkway Pantai Limited

Dr Lim Suet Wun, Group Chief Operating Officer, Parkway Pantai Limited

Ms Veronica Allen, Chief Executive Officer, Parkway Shenton

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

1.    It gives me great pleasure to be here today at the official handover ceremony of Ang Mo Kio Family Medicine Clinic (FMC). Established in May 2013, the FMC was set up to cater to the rising demand for chronic disease care in the Ang Mo Kio area. I am happy to note that since its inception till the end of January this year, there have been nearly 55,000 patient visits to the FMC, with chronic patients making up a bulk of these visits.

Changing Population, Growing Needs

2.    Our population is ageing. By 2030, the number of seniors aged 65 years and above will double. Rapid ageing is the key driver of healthcare demand in Singapore. Longer life expectancy and changing lifestyles also increase our chances of being diagnosed with chronic diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension. We need to transform the way we deliver care to ensure that we can support Singaporeans’ care needs.

Primary Healthcare - the Foundation of a Robust Healthcare System

3.    Primary care is the bedrock of a good healthcare system. It provides a continuous line of care for individuals throughout their different life stages. It is also a vital first point of contact before patients seek more specialised or intensive treatment. 

4.    The Ministry of Health, with inputs and feedback from the primary care community, introduced a few new models of primary care progressively from 2012, to better look after Singaporeans with chronic diseases. The Family Medicine Clinic is one such model. It harnesses the talents and resources of our private primary care sector, and brings together medical and supporting services under one roof, to deliver comprehensive team-based care for our patients.

5.     The FMC model works together with other innovations in primary care. In January 2012, the Primary Care Partnership Scheme was re-launched as the Community Health Assist Scheme. Through this scheme, more than 1 million Singaporeans can now benefit from subsidies at private GP and dental clinics. Just last month, about 98 percent of the attendances at AMK FMC comprised CHAS patients.

6.     When MOH embarked on the various innovations, we were not sure how well each would do. So we adopted a prototyping approach. Our different public healthcare groups, including the National Healthcare Group (NHG), took the lead in inviting private primary care partners to join them on this journey of innovation. Our goal was for the public healthcare groups to act as incubators and partners in care. 

7.    I am glad that the partnership between NHG and Parkway Shenton has done well. It combines the strength and experience of the public sector, such as in care protocols and team-based care, with the capacity and capabilities of the private sector, such as in practice efficiency.

8.    National Healthcare Group Polyclinics (NHGP), the primary care arm of NHG, has lent strong support in the operations and management of Ang Mo Kio FMC. IT integration between Ang Mo Kio Polyclinic and the FMC, close engagement with the community stakeholders, and the proximity of the FMC to Ang Mo Kio Polyclinic, have enabled the FMC to receive more than 8,600 patients from the polyclinic. This synergy has been a win-win for both partners.

9.    AMK FMC is now ready to “graduate” from being a prototype and move into the next phase of its development, while retaining its clinical relationship with NHG.

10. MOH is keen to get more Singaporeans to embrace our vision of ‘One Singaporean, One Family Doctor’ – where each Singaporean has a regular family doctor. In this way, a trusting relationship between patient and doctor is built up. This allows the doctor to become the trusted adviser on all health matters for us, giving us sound advice not just when we fall ill but also advice on how to keep healthy and well. We look forward to working closely with our primary care doctors, in both the public and private sectors, to realise the vision.

Conclusion

11. In closing, I would like to thank NHG, NHGP and Parkway Shenton, as well as the healthcare and operations team and management committee of Ang Mo Kio FMC, for their contributions in planning, developing and operationalising the FMC.

12. Congratulations to all healthcare staff and administrators for your role in ensuring Ang Mo Kio FMC’s success. With today’s handover of Ang Mo Kio FMC to Parkway Shenton, we look forward to the continued success of this public-private partnership in bringing quality and affordable primary care closer to the community.

Thank you.