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 There are new advancements in medicine all the time. This makes the future very bright for every one of us who needs occasional help in the health department.
SINGAPORE GENERAL HOSPITAL (SGH)
At SGH, state-of-the-art technology complements its doctors' clinical and surgical expertise, resulting in safer and faster procedures with greater precision. For instance, SGH has the region's first real time, intra-operative 3-D imaging system (for MRI, CT, etc) coupled with computer navigation for spinal surgery. Over 800 major spine operations are done each year. SGH also recently became the first hospital in the Asia-Pacific region to be equipped with imaging capabilities coupled with computerised navigation all within the operating room.
Just last year, too, a unique digitally integrated surgical centre was set up at the hospital by Singapore Health Services (SingHealth), the largest healthcare group in Singapore, and BrainLAB AG, a global leader in software-driven systems for targeted, less invasive medical treatments.
This centre includes five operating suites, three of them with integrated intra-operative imaging capabilities. The facility sets a new standard in patient care, from diagnostics through treatment, for improved clinical results and higher cost effectiveness.
KK WOMEN'S AND CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL (KKH)
Women who previously had to undergo invasive and surgical intervention for treatment of uterine fibroids can now have their fibroids treated without surgery. KKH's MR-guided Focused Ultrasound Ablation (the first in South-east Asia) is a treatment alternative that uses high-intensity ultrasound waves to heat the area where the fibroid is located, killing the cells.
Magnetic resonance images are also used during treatment to enable doctors to see 3-D images of the fibroids and surrounding organs. The procedure is done without the need for incisions, hospitalisation and anaesthesia; most women are able to return to work after one to two days.
The KK Breast Centre is the first in the world to use Computed Radiography for mammography combined with Computed-Aided Detection, which is superior to traditional film mammography.
This technology enables more cancers to be detected earlier and is significantly more accurate in detecting cancer in women younger than 50 years old, women with dense breasts, and premenopausal and perimenopausal women.
CHANGI GENERAL HOSPITAL (CGH)
To help athletes with undiagnosed heart or other health problems alleviate the risk of sudden death, Changi Sports Medicine Centre initiated the development of the Athlete Medical Screening Packages, which include medical screening tests that aim to detect abnormalities that may lead to sudden cardiac death.
For mental health, CGH has two new programmes: One is the Community Psychogeriatric Programme (CPGP), to improve the mental health of older persons in the community through partnerships with eldercare agencies.
The other is the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Singapore. Its programmes include teaching Singaporeans how to apply "mental health CPR" to persons who are developing a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis situation. The hospital monitors the quality of training provided by the accredited organisations to participants and provide refresher courses.
NATIONAL CANCER CENTRE SINGAPORE (NCCS)
NCCS has raised standards of cancer treatment with the application of Image-Guided Radiotherapy. IGRT enables the use of sophisticated imaging techniques integrated with the Linear Accelerators systems to significantly increase dose delivery accuracy to the cancer target for improved cancer control and correspondingly minimise the dosage to critical organs and normal tissues.
NCCS now also conducts trials that use genomic information to match the right drug to the right patient. Molecular data classification generated from an individual's cancer biopsies is used to predict whether a particular chemotherapeutic drug will help or be toxic to an individual.
By identifying the differential molecular responses of different cells from different cancer patients, potentially beneficial or harmful responses by the patient to a particulai drug can be predicted. The benefit of this is that every cancer patient will receive treatment based on his or her own individualised genetics and unsuitable treatment is avoided.
In addition,NCCS hasjoined forces with SGH to establish a formal networkof GPs to provide non-acute treatment to cancer patients. With their NCCS oncologist's referral, these patients can now go for basic treatment such as treatment of side effects of cancer treatment, care of oncology devices and catheters at approved clinics in the vicinity of their homes.
USING GENOMIC INFORMATION GENERATED, NATIONAL CANCER CENTRE SINGAPORE IS ABLE TO MATCH THE RIGHT DRUG TO THE RIGHT PATIENT.
NATIONAL DENTAL CENTRE (NDC)
NDC has acquired a cone-beam computer tomography (CT) machine that allows precise 3 D visualisation of the dentofacial skeleton at a fraction of radiation exposure to patients, compared to conventional medical CT machines.
This, together with another recently acquired computer software called SIMPLANT, allows dentists to better diagnose and manage patients who require dental implants and complex jaw surgery.
NATIONAL HEART CENTRE SINGAPORE (NHC)
NHC is the first hospital in Asia to treat atrial fibrillation using the Epicor System. Atrial fibrillation is a disorder in the electrical systems of the heart that causes irregular heartbeat.
The Epicor System utilises high-intensity focused ultrasound to treat the disorder instead of the regular, more invasive cardiopulmonary bypass.
NHC also became the first in South-east Asia to deploy ViTAL Connect - a networking solution that enables clinicians to review cardiac CT from any personal computer connected to the ViTAL Connect server.
This is similar to having access to a full workstation with 3-D functions. Within the cluster operations, this has improved workflow significantly and reduced the need for readers of cardiac CT to travel between hospitals to interpret the scans.
NHC currently has three cardiologists who ate certified to read cardiac CT.
NATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE INSTITUTE (NNI)
The Neuroradiology Department of NNI is the first imaging centre in Singapore to provide 24-hour MRI scanning for acute stroke patients.
Using fast imaging techniques, the centre can complete a scan in half the time usually needed for MRI stroke protocol; a scan can even be completed in five minutes.This service enables doctors to decide on the most appropriate management for the stroke patients.
With short scanning times, patients diagnosed with an acute stroke in the Emergency Department can get an MRI scan done promptly at the department, en route to the acute ward or Neuro Intensive Care Unit.
As an improvement of its acute stroke service, the NNI now provides acute thrombolysis treatment for all patients admitted to its Tan Tock Seng Hospital campus witli ischemic stroke under three hours of symptom onset.
Such treatment can be critical for some stroke patients because acute thrombolysis given thin a few hours after onset has been shown to improve outcome with potential for significant or even complete reversal of neurological deficits.
In addition, all patients admitted for stroke receive MRI scans by the Neuroradiology Department as the primary neuroimaging modality round the clock.
SINGAPORE NATIONAL EYE CENTRE (SNEC)
At SNEC, cataract surgery is carried out as a day/ambulatory procedure. The centre uses a wide range of the latest intraocular lenses (IOL) that include wavefront, multifocal, yellow, toric, and microincision lOLs to cater to patients' needs. It has the latest ultrasound machines to perform cataract surgery through much smaller wounds down to 1.8mm.
SNEC's SingLasik Centre has four excimer laser systems to treat a broad range of refractive errors, catering to the individual needs of all patients.
This includes the latest laser treatments like aspheric LASIK and wavefront-guided LASIK.
The centre also has two of the latest femtosecond lasers, such as the Intralase, for creating corneal flaps without using a blade but through tiny ultra-precise pulses of laser light.
Another new development is the use of the Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) for the treatment of very high degrees of myopia in patients who were previously unsuitable for LASIK.
SNEC'S SINGLASIK CENTRE HAS FOUR EXCIMER LASER SYSTEMS TO TREAT A BROAD RANGE OF REFRACTIVE ERRORS, CATERING TO THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF ALL PATIENTS. |
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Singapore Health Services Pte Ltd (SingHealth)
SingHealth is the largest healthcare group in Singapore, offering a complete range of multi-disciplinary and integrated medical care. The group consists of three Hospitals, five National Specialty Centres, and a network of nine primary healthcare clinics. There is a faculty of internationally qualified medical specialists and the group is also well equipped with advanced diagnostic and treatment medical technology. SingHealth is dedicated to providing quality healthcare that is affordable and accessible to patients. Through clinical excellence, commitment and collaboration, it aims to be the trusted leader in healthcare for its patients, partners, staff and the community. | |
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