Where the Brightest Healthcare Stars Shine

SingHealth and 16 healthcare institutions today honored 2,694 healthcare professionals for their outstanding contributions to the healthcare industry at the annual Singapore Health Quality Service Award. The national award, the first of its kind dedicated to the healthcare industry recognises the unique nature and demands of the healthcare industry. At the heart of healthcare are diverse groups of healthcare professionals who have worked hard to deliver the best possible care for patients. This award pays tribute and gives formal recognition to these service champions, all of whom have played in role in raising the service standards of public healthcare.

SingHealth Chief Professor Tan Ser Kiat succeeded by Professor Ivy Ng, CEO of KKH

Professor Tan Ser Kiat, SingHealth’s Group Chief Executive since its inception in April 2000, will retire after 40 years in public service and pass the leadership baton to Professor Ivy Ng, currently Deputy Chief Executive of SingHealth and Chief Executive of KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH). In taking up the Group CEO role, Professor Ivy Ng will relinquish her duties as CEO of KKH and hand over the reins to Associate Professor Kenneth Kwek, who is currently the hospital’s Chairman of the Medical Board (CMB). Professor Alex Sia will be appointed as the Hospital’s new Chairman of the Medical Board. The SingHealth leadership changes will take effect on 22 January 2012.

The inaugural SingHealth Charity Golf Tournament 2011 kicked off at Tanjong Course, Sentosa Golf Club today with Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong as the Guest of Honour. The charity event raised more than $380,000 in support of research programmes at SingHealth and budding researchers at Singapore General Hospital (SGH) Division of Surgery. The event came to a meaningful close with a fundraising dinner and silent auction at the Club.

SingHealth Transplant, the healthcare group’s consolidated transplant services, launched its inaugural Transplant Awareness Roadshow at Suntec City Mall today with Minister for Health Mr Gan Kim Yong as the Guest of Honour. The exciting weekend roadshow from 27 to 28 August 2011 aims to increase public awareness of life-saving transplantations and encourage organ and tissue donation in Singapore.

Singapore Health, the SingHealth-Singapore General Hospital bimonthly educational publication for patients, stands tall among the giants of publishing such as Singapore Airlines inflight magazine, Silver Kris, after winning two prestigious international awards for editorial excellence.

• National Heart Centre Singapore staff wins a brand new Subaru Impreza 1.5MT in lucky draw
• SingHealth Foundation’s SaveMoney SaveLives raises more than $200,000 for needy patients at SingHealth institutions

SingHealth staff dug deep to support needy patients at their healthcare institutions by raising more than $200,000 for SingHealth Foundation’s SaveMoney SaveLives campaign. They were joined in the effort to save lives by like-minded organisations. Motor Image Enterprises, the wholly owned subsidiary of Tan Chong International Limited and exclusive distributor of Subaru cars, supported the campaign by sponsoring a prize Subaru Impreza 1.5MT Sedan, worth $60,000. National Heart Centre Singapore research administrator Gladys Lin won the car in a lucky draw held at the end of the campaign.

SingHealth has established the inaugural Singapore Health Quality Service award to focus on top service performers in the public healthcare industry. The award, the first of its kind dedicated to the public healthcare industry recognises the service commitment of more than 2,500 staff from SingHealth institutions and partner organisations, such as Bright Vision Hospital and St Andrew’s Community Hospital. Going forward, SingHealth would like to invite other members of the public healthcare family to join the awards to reinforce service excellence in healthcare. Among the winners at the inaugural awards, four outstanding performers were conferred the Superstar Awards. Two outstanding teams were also presented with the Best Teams awards to recognise their efforts in process improvement and enhancing patient care.

The SingHealth Medicine Scholarship will grant up to four scholarships annually to outstanding first-year medical students studying locally, and who have a desire to serve in public healthcare. Through the scholarships, SingHealth aims to groom committed talent to be the next generation of medical leaders for Singapore. SingHealth also unveiled the name of a new 13-storey twin-tower building, to be ready in 2013, which will house SGH pathology services, and SingHealth research and education facilities.  

Some 400 allied health professionals from across the island celebrated Singapore’s first Allied Health Professionals Community Day that was marked with Minister for Health, Mr Khaw Boon Wan, launching the first dedicated book of profession profiles. Organised by SingHealth, the event  themed “Many Talents, One Passion”, brought together staff from more than 40 professions in Allied Health from SingHealth and other healthcare groups. The event celebrated and recognised the contributions and dedication of this diverse yet indispensable group of healthcare professionals. The SingHealth Allied Health Innovative Practice Award was also presented to winning projects that improve patient care.