STRENGTH toSTRENGTH From - Tossing to a Prosperous Start Together - National Healthcare Group Polyclinics
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MCI (P) 124/07/2017
From ISSUE
01
to STRENGTH 2018
STRENGTH
Tossing to a
Prosperous Start
Together
Spreading Lunar
New Year Cheers
Making Smarter
Food Choices
02 Editor’s Note
l l o
he Contents
Editor’s Note 03
In and Around
W
Making Smarter Food Choices
elcome to the National Healthcare Group Polyclinics’
(NHGP) inaugural edition of our quarterly newsletter Tossing to a Prosperous Start
- Transforming Primary Care. This new newsletter is with Partners
designed to share NHGP’s journey in transforming primary care.
With an evolving healthcare system, polyclinics now play a key role 3rd Prize (Poster Category) for NHGP
in moving beyond hospital to community. The focus for primary care
Celebrating Lunar New Year with Ang
is on how we can bring patient-centric care closer to home, serve
Mo Kio Residents
as a platform to educate and promote health, and bring about
better health outcomes to the wider community. Are You Planning a Health Talk?
For us to continue transforming primary care to meet the growing
healthcare demands, we need to scale up our efforts in advancing
Family Medicine. This includes upskilling our family physicians to
04
prepare them to deliver enhanced patient care. In fact, many of
them have started to take the lead in nurturing the next generation
Transforming
of family physicians and to prepare them for the healthcare Primary Care
challenges ahead. In this first issue, Dr Tang Wern Ee shares how Advancing Family Medicine
NHGP is advancing Family Medicine through changes in its care
delivery model, innovation, research and medical education. You
will also get to hear from Dr Richard Lee as he talks about what
motivates him to mentor the junior doctors, and how NHG’s Family
06
Medicine Residency Programme has prepared Dr Jeremy Koh for
his role today.
Up Close With
Inspiring a New Generation of
This month also marks World Family Doctor Day, which recognises Family Doctors
our doctors’ contributions to our healthcare system. We would
therefore like to say a big ‘Thank You’ to all doctors for the
exceptional care shown to patients, and for not just being a doctor,
but also a friend and motivator. 08
What’s Up
Happy reading!
Care of the Elderly Workshop
The Editorial Team Making an Appointment at NHGP
Transforming Primary Care is a quarterly publication
by the National Healthcare Group Polyclinics.
© All rights reserved.
No part of this publication can be reproduced in any
Editorial Team Contributors form or by any means without the prior permission of the
Noraizah Z.A. Alvin Chua Jacinta Ong Ng Siew Ling publisher. For all editorial queries and feedback, please
Kirstie Wong Angeline Chin Joyce Tan Patrick Ong email to NHGP_CorpComms@nhgp.com.sg.
Joanne Teo Avan Neo Lee Ying Hui Pearline Lim
Berlinda Neo Yi Qing Polly Yeung
Clara Poh Ng Jia Jia Terence Tan
Clare Teo Ng Poh Ling Yeo Hui Qi
In and Around 03
Making Smarter Tossing to a Prosperous Start with Partners
Food Choices
A lunchtime Continuing Medical Education (CME) programme hosted by Professor Philip Choo,
Participants learning about food Group Chief Executive Officer, National Healthcare Group (NHG) (third from right) and
labels from NHGP Dietitian Ms Liow A/Professor Chong Phui-Nah, Chief Executive Officer, NHG Polyclinics and Primary Care
Hui Shi at the supermarket. (second from right).
I T
n conjunction with Dietitian’s ogether with members of the of diabetes including diabetic
Day, NHGP Dietetic Services and Central-North Primary Care eye complications and renal
Yishun Health Campus organised Network (CN-PCN), NHGP complications. The sharing was
a community event themed ‘Be a welcomed the Lunar New Year with informative and interactive with
Smart Shopper’ on 10 March 2018. a big ‘Lo Hei’ on 10 February 2018. the use of electronic live polling
Forty participants discovered how This programme is the first event where attendees voted for the best
to make healthier food choices by organised for General Practitioners care management plan in various
going on a supermarket tour and in the CN-PCN since the network’s scenario-based case studies
learning about nutritional values of inauguration in January 2018. using their mobile devices. Various
commonly purchased food items. booths were also set up by NHGP’s
They also took part in quizzes and Three specialists were invited Nursing Services department for
food tastings at activity booths. by NHGP’s Primary Care attendees to learn more about the
Academy (PCA) to share their effect diabetes has on patients,
expertise on the management such as diabetic foot ulcer.
Scan the QR
code now to
learn all about
reading food
Celebrating Lunar New Year with
labels on the Ang Mo Kio Residents
O
HealthHub
portal. n 24 February 2018, a
group of NHGP staff from
Ang Mo Kio (AMK) Polyclinic
gathered to spread festive cheer
3rd Prize (Poster by visiting and distributing goodie
bags to close to 80 households
Category) for NHGP
T
in the area. This home-visit
itled ‘Diabetic Foot was NHGP’s way of thanking
Screening Course – A the residents for their patience
Blended Learning Approach and understanding during the
to Reduce Out-of-Clinic Time for construction of the new AMK AMK clinic team paying a
Polyclinic facility. The new AMK home-visit to resident (centre).
Healthcare Professionals in Primary
Care’, the poster presented by Polyclinic has since opened its
Ms Yeoh Hui Ling,Trainer, PCA, doors on 29 January 2018.
and her team clinched the 3rd
prize in the poster category at the
SingHealth Nursing Conference 2018. Are You Planning a Health Talk?
A
The proposed approach allows part from being a one-stop, workshop PCA organised was for
both nurses and trainers to regional training centre Singapore Police Force staff to
spend more time on patient care, catering to the training needs learn about the common cancers
and has significantly improved and skills upgrading of primary in Singapore, the different types of
outcomes in the prevention of care doctors, nurses, allied health chronic diseases, and stress and
diabetic foot complications. professionals and ancillary staff in depression management on 13
primary care, NHGP’s PCA also March 2018.
conducts courses for the community
to enhance their knowledge in health
and wellness. PCA is also frequently Keen to plan
approached by public organisations such sessions for
and government agencies to your organisation? Write in
conduct customised, informative to secretariat@pca.sg or
and interactive health talks and call them at 6496 6127.
workshops. One such customised
04 Transforming Primary Care
Advancing
Family Author
Dr Tang Wern Ee
Medicine
Family Physician, Senior Consultant,
Education Director, Family Medicine Development
and Head, Clinical Research Unit
National Healthcare Group Polyclinics
Family Medicine centres on providing personal, comprehensive and seamless
healthcare for patients and their families. In this issue, Dr Tang Wern Ee shares
how NHGP is advancing Family Medicine through innovations in its care delivery
model, as well as research and medical education.
The Importance of Family of Family Physicians, as well as the need year will see NHGP expand primary care
Medicine in Singapore’s for more Family Physicians. capacity to meet the growing healthcare
Primary Care Ecosystem needs of an ageing population.
F
NHGP’s Approach to NHGP is also implementing quality
amily Physicians play a key role in Advancing Family Medicine improvement initiatives to promote
the health of the population and are patient safety and improve care delivery.
the first point of contact with the NHGP is committed to the vision of Under a National Medical Research
healthcare system for many patients. adding years to life and life to years for Council Centre Grant, NHGP is
With a rapidly ageing population, longer patients through innovative solutions to partnering the Institute of Mental Health
life expectancies and an increasing transform the primary care landscape. and NTU Lee Kong Chian School of
number of patients with multiple and One example is the holistic team-oriented Medicine (LKCMedicine) in building up
complex medical conditions, the role care model which pairs patients with core research capabilities in the area
of a Family Physician to anchor and a designated team comprising two of multi-morbidity, understanding and
coordinate care for the patients as well Family Physicians, a Care Manager, improving treatment related behaviours of
as partner patients and their families a Care Coordinator and Allied Health patients and the physical health needs of
as they navigate the healthcare system Professionals. Additionally, the Central- patients with mental health issues, thus
becomes increasingly important. This North Primary Care Network with 30 expanding our research capacity and
has resulted in an expansion of the roles General Practitioners established early this capabilities in the field of primary care.
Transforming Primary Care 05
ADVANCING FAMILY MEDICINE AND Nurturing future
TRANSFORMING PRIMARY CARE AT NHGP generations of
Family Physicians is
an important part of
Anticipating the future Advocating relevant
advancing primary care in
needs of patients and
the community and
changes in primary
care resourcing and
Singapore. I am grateful
developing new care infrastructure for the tremendous effort
delivery models
and commitment put in by
my fellow Family
Physicians to provide a
safe and nurturing
learning environment at
the polyclinics.”
- Dr Tang Wern Ee
Equipping medical, Improving existing
nursing and allied practice, translating Dr Low Kang Yih
health professionals
with the necessary
research to practice
and creating new from Ang Mo Kio
skills required to meet
current and future
knowledge to improve
patient outcomes and
Polyclinic is a
primary care needs care experiences holistic Family Physician
who addresses the
patient’s issue and his
warmth towards patients
All these efforts are aimed at one goal – care that is applicable to all medical have drawn great praises.
more comprehensive, coordinated and specialties. I have learnt the ideal
continuous care for patients.
Upon graduation, medical graduates model of Family Medicine
Nurturing the Next can apply for the NHG Family Medicine from him, to be
Generation Residency Programme where they will comprehensive in my
undergo a 3-year structured, competency-
At NHGP, grooming the new generation based training programme to gain a approach and to always
of doctors begins with the introduction comprehensive foundation in clinical be an advocate for the
of Family Medicine principles and skills
to medical students in their formative
knowledge and skills essential to the
practice of Family Medicine. Under this
patient.”
years in medical school. NHGP Family programme, they run full-day continuity - Ang Wee Kiat, LKCMedicine, Year 5 (2018)
Physicians are actively involved in clinics at NHGP with fellow residents under
teaching medical undergraduates the tutelage of family physician supervisors
from both NUS Yong Loo Lin School to see patients.
of Medicine (NUSMedicine) and
LKCMedicine. NHGP was recently the Professional Development community partners and other healthcare
training site for LKCMedicine’s first Opportunities institutions. They are also actively involved
Student Assistantship Programme (SAP) in collaborative work involving General
in Family Medicine – a first in Singapore. Family Physicians at NHGP are kept Practitioners and specialists.
In this experiential learning programme up-to-date and upskilled via in-house
aimed at improving the transition of continuous medical education learning Family Physicians play an increasingly
medical students to doctors, Year 5 activities such as talks and workshops. important role in the healthcare system.
students who had passed their final They are encouraged to pursue At NHGP, we strongly support the
clinical and written examinations were advanced Family Medicine training with advancement of Family Medicine to
embedded into clinic teams and closely the Fellowship Programme of the College strengthen the Primary Care Ecosystem
supervised by their clinical teachers. of Family Physicians Singapore and in Singapore.
develop their clinical skills in focused
Whilst not all medical students will areas such as geriatrics, paediatrics, and
become Family Physicians, the dermatology. In addition to their clinical Are you thinking of
taking up Family
undergraduate Family Medicine training roles, Family Physicians may take on
Medicine? Then scan
received will not only help to prepare added roles in healthcare administration, the QR code to find
medical students for work in an medical education and research. NHGP out more about NHG’s
outpatient primary care setting, but will Family Physicians lead inter-professional Family Medicine
also provide them with a good foundation teams in quality improvement projects, Residency Programme!
in a person-focused approach to patient research projects within NHGP, with06 Up Close With
Inspiring
a New
Generation
of Family
Doctors Dr Jeremy Koh,
Family Physician, Hougang Polyclinic Dr Richard Lee, Family Physician,
Consultant, Woodlands Polyclinic
With Singapore’s ageing population, family physicians are increasingly needed to
manage more complex medical conditions. Find out how NHGP’s Family Physicians
have developed from strength to strength and are prepared for the challenges ahead.
A
gainst this challenging backdrop, Family Medicine Residency What then drew you to join the
Family Physicians at NHGP Programme core faculty as NHG Family Medicine Residency
pitch in to mentor medical a tutor in the new academic Programme?
undergraduates and residents. In turn,
year. From Academic Year I was attracted by the fact that the
young doctors who have benefitted from NHG Family Medicine Residency
2018/2019, Dr Koh will be
this training do their part to impart the Programme provides an all-rounded
knowledge and skills they have acquired
teaching the NUSMedicine
training programme to prepare
to nurture the next generation of family students in Hougang residents for primary care practice. This
physicians, creating a cycle of continuous Polyclinic. includes being able to rotate through
sharing and learning. all the relevant departments across
How did you discover your both medical and surgical disciplines,
We get up close with Family Physicians passion for Family Medicine? ensuring that I would be well-prepared
My passion in Family Medicine began to deal with such cases in primary care
Dr Jeremy Koh and Dr Richard Lee, who
in my fourth year in medical school at after completing the programme.
share with us their experiences as part of
University College Cork in Ireland, when
this cycle to deliver forward-looking and
I was posted to a general practitioner’s Over the course of the programme,
holistic primary care to patients.
clinic in a rural area. Over there, the did you encounter any challenges?
clinic was the nearest medical care How did you overcome them?
After completing the NHG facility for patients as there was no Due to the demands of residency
Family Medicine Residency hospital for miles around. I saw a training, we were changing departments
Programme, Dr Jeremy Koh wide variety of cases ranging from so frequently that it could be difficult to
is now a Family Physician at emergencies like acute heart attacks keep up at times! This, coupled with
and strokes to less serious conditions a steep learning curve, made things
Hougang Polyclinic. Dr Koh like upper respiratory tract infections challenging. However, with the great
is currently teaching and abrasion wounds. Interacting with support and encouragement I received
LKCMedicine Year 5 SAP these cases and patients really sparked from my fellow residents and colleagues
students and will join the NHG my interest. from the various departments, I was ableUp Close With 07
to ride through these challenges, which
ultimately became valuable learning
experiences.
Now that you have completed the
programme and started practising,
GET TO
which aspect of the programme KNOW Dr Lee enjoy s eatin g
ice crea m and dess erts Every morn ing, Dr Lee arrives
DR
do you find most helpful to your with his two teen age
current work?
at Woodlan ds Polyclinic and
dau ghte rs. Afte r eatin g,
RICHARD
Starting from the first year of residency,
spen ds about half an hour
he hits the gym to work to refle ct and clear his mind
I was able to run my own resident
off the exce ss calories! befo re start ing a new day.
continuity clinic under the supervision of
senior Family Physicians. This aspect of LEE
the programme allowed me to follow-
up with my patients over the course
of three years, and helped me to learn
His profe ssion al hero is Ian
how best to manage patients with
McW hinn ey, a Cana dian
multiple conditions in a holistic way.
GP also known as the
Most importantly, I was able to learn and
‘Fath er of Fa mily Medicine ’.
develop the art of building a relationship
of trust with my patients over time.
All my fellow How can experienced family
Dr Richard Lee is a Family
residents and tutors physicians in the community do
Physician, Consultant at
have played important Woodlands Polyclinic and more to help in training the next
roles in shaping my Assistant Director of Family
generation?
Family physicians can work with
current practice by Medicine Development. He is different community partners to bring
helping and encouraging currently the Principal Lead Family Medicine into the heartlands
me, so kudos to them all!” of LKCMedicine Year 4 Family and collaborate with like-minded
Medicine Posting and core health professionals to do primary care
- Dr Jeremy Koh
tutor of NUSMedicine Year 3 research in the community. Results
Family Medicine Posting. from such research projects will
transform Family Medicine and improve
THREE THINGS Tell us more about your role as a
Principal Lead of LKCMedicine Year
the training of the next generation of
family physicians.
ABOUT 4 Family Medicine Posting.
DR JEREMY KOH
I oversee the Family Medicine Teaching What is the most important
Block across all LKCMedicine Clinical leadership lesson you have learnt,
Partners of the Year 4, and work closely and how is it valuable?
with the LKCMedicine Academic Affairs The most important leadership lesson
Curriculum Team and LKCMedicine I have learnt is that one needs to
Clinical Partners’ Education Offices to inspire trust and cooperation from all
ensure effective engagement of the stakeholders, while at the same time
He looks forwa rd to
cons ultat ion time with learning sessions in Family Medicine look for opportunities to innovate and
his patie nts, where he posting. I am also the co-Lead in Year 4 do better.
can help to effect a Exams and Assessment committee.
As he enjoy s
chan ge in their medical watching socce r, his Family Medicine is
condition s. drea m job as a child What is your role as a mentor to the rewarding for me as
young doctors at your clinic?
was to be a socce r
match com mentato r. Being a mentor to the young doctors at I can make a difference
the clinic includes guiding them through and be a companion to
e
the day-to-day clinic activities. We hold
regular feedback sessions to allow them
my patients on their
On d a y s of f, hlo re s journey of recovery.”
ex p
cy cles a n d tlet s. to reflect and grow at their own pace.
n ew din in g ou Being there for them in the clinic allows - Dr Richard Lee
the younger doctors to clarify doubts and
build on their learning gaps.08 What’s Up
Care of the Elderly Workshop*
The Primary Care Academy offers a training programme conducted
by experienced registered nurses to equip you and your caregiver
UPCOMING with the basic skills in caring for the elderly. If you are a caregiver or
employer of a caregiver, this training programme will enhance your
EVENT ability and improve your caregiver’s skills in providing excellent care
to your loved ones.
Date 29 August 2018, Wednesday
Time 9.00am – 6.00pm
Venue Primary Care Academy Learning Centre, 2 Teck Whye Crescent,
Singapore 688846
Course Fee $110 (excluding GST) | $10 (with CTG)
The course covers:
To register, please call
6496 6683
Or email us at
Hygiene and Feeding Waste Handling Safety Communication
secretariat@pca.sg
Grooming
* Approved under the Caregivers Training Grant (CTG), by the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC)
You no longer need to come early
Why just to queue! Book your same-day
appointment from the comfort of your
Queue? home to manage your waiting time via
the following methods:
Download the App
or visit www.healthhub.sg/appointment
NHGP Online Appointment System
www.nhgp.com.sg
NHGP Contact Centre
6355 3000
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Mon to Fri (pm) : 2:00pm to 4:30pm
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Sun & PH : Closed
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