For some patients, it could mean fewer tests being performed, as a laboratory test done at a polyclinic may be used when seeking treatment at a hospital later.
For others, it could mean a better diagnosis and prescription, as the doctor has access to the patient's drug allergies, laboratory test results, X-rays, surgery reports and medicine prescriptions in the common system.
The cluster has just finished integrating all medical records from its three hospitals, four specialty centres and eight polyclinics.
Previously, each institution used to have its own online system which others did not have access to.
Yesterday, Changi General Hospital chief executive officer T.K. Udairam told reporters that the system has already captured the medical records of 1.4 million people who have visited a SingHealth institution.
He said: 'For some, like Singapore General Hospital, the medical records go back as far as 20 years.'
The next step would be to add images of actual X-rays that doctors can look at, as well as the clinical notes made by any doctor during a consultation.
SingHealth, which includes KK Women's and Children's Hospital, declined to comment on the cost of the entire system, which was designed by I-Soft, a Britain-based software company.
Singapore's other health-care cluster, the National Healthcare Group, is also in the midst of implementing such a system.
Work at the accident and emergency clinic at CGH, which sees about 350 patients a day, is much faster now.
Dr Tan Wee Ping, 34, said: 'Before, when a patient came in, we had to wait up to an hour before the medical records for only CGH came back. Now, it is immediate and covers all the institutions.'
The system also helped Mr Mohamad Dol, 80, who was in the A&E yesterday because he was knocked unconscious after he slipped and cut his head.
His son-in-law, Mr Zainudin Awang, 46, a garbage collector, could not tell doctors if Mr Mohamad was on any medication or had any existing condition.
But by going online, doctors found out Mr Mohamad was on blood-thinning medication, which could lead to internal bleeding in the brain.
This prevented them from discharging him for a 'minor knock on the head'. Said Mr Zainudin: 'We are ordinary people. We don't know what medication we are taking or our condition. At least with the system, the doctors will know immediately.'