The Singapore government announced in January the reorganization of its public healthcare system to better meet the future patients’ needs.
The Ministry of Health said that three integrated clusters, instead of the current six, will be created to conform to the three key shifts in the healthcare system in the country:
– the implementation of the the Healthcare 2020 Masterplan;
– improving quality of healthcare;
– improving enhance affordability of healthcare.
This new project aims to reinforce dialogue between the different entities by encouraging them to combine their high tech solutions and their human skills to be more efficient.
Six to three innovative healthcare clusters beyond 2020
Currently, Singapore’s public healthcare system is organized into six regional health centers:
- 1. Alexandra Health System (AHS);
- 2. Eastern Health Alliance (EHA);
- 3. Jurong Health Services (JurongHealth);
- 4. National Healthcare Group (NGH);
- 5. National University Health System (NUHS);
- 6. Singapore Health Services (SingHealth).
These systems build partnerships between the various healthcare providers (acute hospitals, community hospitals, primary care providers, long term care providers, nursing homes, …) in their respective regions.
Under the new system, only three entities will exist:
- 1. the cluster of the Central region: a merger of NHG and AHS;
- 2. the cluster of the Eastern Region: a merger of SingHealth and EHA;
- 3. the cluster of the Western region: a merger of NUHS and JurongHealth.
These new clusters should be operational beyond 2020, the Ministry of Health said.
« We will still face many challenges » (Gan Kim Yong, Minister of Health)
« This reorganization of the public healthcare clusters will enable us to meet our future healthcare challenges, Mr Gan Kim Yong, Minister for Health, said. I am confident that we will be able to better optimize resources and capabilities, and provide more comprehensive and patient-centred care to meet Singaporeans’ evolving needs. »
« Over the last few years, MOH has significantly improved the accessibility, affordability and quality of healthcare in Singapore under our Healthcare 2020 Masterplan. Nevertheless, we cannot afford to stay still as there remain many challenges ahead, such as our ageing population, increased chronic disease burden and the need to manage future growth in healthcare manpower and spending, » he added.
Merging human and technical skills to offer a more efficient healthcare system
Each of these new clusters will have more quality resources, both in terms of medical services and facilities but also networks across different care settings. It will be able to work closely with the other two clusters of the country to combine their technical and human assets in order to deliver more efficient, comprehensive and person-centred health care, disease prevention, curative and rehabilitative care for the population in their respective regions.
The polyclinics will also be reorganized to improve their effectiveness
In parallel, the polyclinics will be reorganized as well by earlier 2018, in line with the development of the three new clusters: the National University of Singapore Polyclinics Group will be formed under NUHS, joining SingHealth Polyclinics and NHG Polyclinics as the third polyclinic group of Singapore.
« This reorganization allows long standing partners in the western part of Singapore to come together as a fully integrated team to provide seamless care from prevention to home care, and with our academic institutions, to continue to develop solutions for Singapore’s healthcare challenges, and nurture the next generation of healthcare professionals, » said Pr John Eu-Li Wong, Group CEO, National University Health System (NUHS).