SingHealth Impact Report 2024/25

Stories that define us

From scrubs to sustainability: CGH's environmental champions

At Changi General Hospital (CGH), Dr Joanne Yeo and Dr Michelle Tan are proving that ground-up initiatives can transform healthcare, one sustainable practice at a time.

As members of the hospital’s Committee of Sustainability, the two doctors from the Department of Anaesthesia and Surgical Intensive Care work alongside a diverse team of healthcare professionals. Together with colleagues from the perioperative team, Pharmacy, Data Analytics, Environmental Services, Operations, and Facility Management, they drive data-informed changes that align with SingHealth’s vision of embedding sustainability into every corner of healthcare.

In the operating theatres (OTs) where they spend most of their time, both doctors have led several meaningful initiatives over recent years to reduce CGH’s carbon footprint while maintaining excellent patient care. Their achievements include significantly reducing the use of desflurane – an anaesthetic gas with high global warming potential – by 91 per cent; and implementing a more efficient nitrous oxide delivery system that prevents the release of over 400 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually. They have also successfully halved IV paracetamol usage by introducing a carefully designed pre-operative oral medication protocol.

These efforts address crucial environmental challenges in OTs, which tend to be energy-intensive due to heavy electricity usage for the maintenance of sterile operating conditions. OTs are also waste-heavy due to the amount of single-use items and equipment required for surgery. Inhaled anaesthetics, while vital for patient care, are potent greenhouse gases that contribute significantly to a hospital’s carbon footprint.

The team’s impact has been far-reaching: through collaborative sharing of these best practices, other hospitals are rolling out similar projects in OTs across the island. The CGH perioperative team has thoughtfully integrated these changes into their workflows, optimising waste segregation and recycling to reduce waste while maintaining high standards of care.

Beyond clinical-based initiatives, their creative approach to sustainability extends to other areas of the hospital. For instance, when Dr Joanne and Dr Michelle discovered that old hospital scrubs were being incinerated, they saw an innovative opportunity to turn them into reusable OT caps. Working with CGH’s skilled in-house sewing department, the team upcycled hundreds of scrub caps, giving new life to what would have been waste.

Another initiative involves reusing AA batteries that have only been used for minutes to power disposable surgical pulsed lavage devices - tools used to clean and irrigate wounds and surgical sites with sterile saline. This effort draws together perioperative staff who collect the battery packs, environmental services colleagues who dismantle the packs, and a group of passionate nurses who redistribute the still-juiced batteries for use in sanitizer dispensers and biomedical equipment. Pez-style dispensers are also installed at various areas of the hospital, such as lift lobbies, to encourage staff to pick up the still-good batteries for reuse “We fill it up and half an hour later, it’s empty!” Dr. Michelle said, chuckling.

While pioneering change has its challenges, particularly in shifting long-established mindsets and practices, the committee remains steadfast in their belief that lasting organisational change starts with individual actions.

As Dr Joanne thoughtfully reflects,

“Big companies, even big hospitals, are made up of individuals. Every little action by every individual is what creates change or action in these big companies.”

In a world where climate change increasingly affects public health, the CGH Committee of Sustainability demonstrates that sustainability is not just a buzzword – it's achievable through practical, measurable steps. Thanks to their efforts, CGH is making a difference not just for patients, but for the planet too.

Speak up with SORA

“SORA is a reminder to all of us to embrace an environment that is safe for every one of us to speak up.” – Prof Ng Wai Hoe, GCEO, SingHealth

At SingHealth, when one thinks of psychological safety, a cute, cuddly orangutan known as SORA (Speak up the ORAngutan), pops into mind. Instead of an 800-pound domineering gorilla that ignores the feelings of others, SORA’s approachability is a reminder to staff that they can offer their honest opinion without fear of reprisal.

Research has shown that psychological safety is the most crucial factor in promoting good teamwork and building successful teams. SORA’s goal is to foster a culture where open dialogue is encouraged, and diversity of views are respected and embraced so that staff feel respected and heard.

“Staff wellness is about every single one of us being in the optimal physical, mental and emotional state every single day. So that as we come to work, we are in the best possible condition to care for our patients and fellow colleagues,” said Prof Ng.

Stories that define us.

Championing Patient Safety & Quality Care since 2017!

We are proud to introduce two key players who have been transforming patient care at SingHealth since 2017. Meet the

SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute for Patient Safety & Quality (IPSQ), and
SingHealth Patient Advocacy Network (SPAN), supported by the SingHealth Group Office of Patient Experience (OPE)

IPSQ trains staff to become leaders in patient safety while building a strong patient safety and continuous improvement culture in our institutions. Their impact extends beyond our shores. IPSQ has a strategic partnership with the World Health Organization Patient Safety Unit. It hosts the Global Knowledge Sharing Platform for Patient Safety, which promotes and shares good practices, tools and resources in Southeast Asia and globally.

On the patient front, SPAN connects patients, caregivers and our care team, making care more personal and creating the best possible experience and outcomes for everyone who walks through our doors.

Through specialised areas of expertise, IPSQ and OPE enable SPAN to play a key role in staff training. SPAN-BPexTM, launched in 2022, is a unique programme co-created and delivered by SPAN advocates to healthcare professionals. Since then, over 220 newly promoted nurse managers have learnt how to communicate better with patients in mind to create a smoother, more thoughtful experience. When our nurses lead with understanding, our patients feel the difference.

Image courtesy of The Straits Times

Stories that define us.

Successful surgery on conjoined twins places SGH team among world’s best

Singapore made global headlines in 2001, when a team from Singapore General Hospital (SGH) successfully separated a pair of 11-month-old twins who were joined at the head. The twins from Nepal, Ganga and Jamuna, went through a life-changing surgery that spanned five days, where their brains and interwoven blood vessels were separated in an operation that was vital for their survival.

A multidisciplinary team, comprising 20 specialists, operating theatre nurses, neonate ICU and neurosurgery, and allied health professionals was formed, and extensive preparation work was done over six months before the surgery.

Speaking on the high stakes of the surgery, which involved risks such as stroke, neurologic deficits, brain swelling, and scalp and bone reconstructive difficulties, then-SGH Chief Executive Officer, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, said, “We (SGH) had to be sure that we were really up to the mark, and that this was certainly not going to be a medical experiment or publicity stunt.”

The groundbreaking surgery was a success and the twins were hospitalised for a few months for treatment and rehabilitation, where Ganga’s clef palate was also addressed. The twins were discharged after a 13-month stay in SGH.

SGH is privileged to have played a pivotal role in the twins’ lives, giving them a chance at survival. It was also a defining moment for the hospital, which received an Excellence for Singapore Award, a recognition for putting the country’s medical expertise on par with the world’s best.

From scrubs to sustainability: CGH's environmental champions

At Changi General Hospital (CGH), Dr Joanne Yeo and Dr Michelle Tan are proving that ground-up initiatives can transform healthcare, one sustainable practice at a time.

“Big companies, even big hospitals, are made up of individuals. Every little action by every individual is what creates change or action in these big companies.”

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