Health services research (HSR) has many definitions in the scientific literature, but they all revolve around a common theme of examining and solving problems in healthcare related to cost, quality and accessibility and the dynamic inter-play between the three.

SingHealth embarked on a strong drive to promote HSR in recognition of the increasing complexity of healthcare, balancing the new missions of SingaporeMedicine and academic practice with providing good, affordable public healthcare and the need to adopt a holistic systems perspective in healthcare solutions.

Our efforts were aided by a timely boost from none other than Minister for Health, Khaw Boon Wan, who stated in parliament “Excellent health services research will lead to evidence-based clinical improvements”. That simple statement perhaps encapsulates the ultimate goal of HSR, and all bio-medical research for that matter, which is to improve clinical care.

With this goal in mind, we set out to ensure that our research would shed ‘enduring insights’ to pressing issues in healthcare and deliver ‘empowering solutions’ for our patients, our frontline clinical colleagues and the health system as a whole.

We have been very privileged to be able to contribute to some of the most exciting developments in SingHealth and Singapore, including the work carried out by the Affordable Healthcare Working Group chaired by Minister of State (Health), Mr Heng Chee How, and the thought leadership around academic medicine in Singapore. Our work has also helped to inform thinking in specialty-specific issues such as waiting times in nephrology (Renal Medicine Specialist Clinics interventions for blocked vascular access in kidney failure patients) and clinical outcomes in orthopedics and respiratory medicine, as well as national policy issues such as the number of hospitals needed, right-siting and the role of international medical graduates in Singapore’s healthcare system.

All this would not have been possible without the support of our many sponsors and collaborators. We are indebted to so many within SingHealth and outside the organization for believing in this fledging team, but particular mention must be made of SingHealth Foundation, which has supported us from our very first day of inception.

Moving ahead, we have organized our efforts into three domains to better meet SingHealth’s aspirations- Outcomes Research, Health Technology Assessment and Systems Design. We look forward to the future with optimism and excitement, and hope to continue to contribute to improving clinical care and patient outcomes.”