Innovative Technology

Established in 2013, the HIMSS-Elsevier Digital Healthcare Awards aims to identify and recognise organisations in Asia Pacific that leverage health information technology to successfully improve quality of care and patient safety.

This award recognises the most innovative, creative and "out-of-the-box" ICT (information and communications technology) solutions used to improve patient care and safety. Innovation can be in the form of leveraging on existing technology to come up with new and creative usage of ICT to significantly enhance patient care and outcome or developing a groundbreaking technology that leads the way in ICT adoption.

NTFGH received this award for our Project OneCare, which resulted in a single fully integrated Electronic Medical Record system composed of 12 key clinical functions and the integration of 976 medical devices. We offer a "4-less" environment for our patients - Chartless, Scriptless, Filmless and Paperless.

HIMSS Analytics EMRAM Awards

HIMSS Analytics developed the EMR Adoption Model (EMRAM) in 2005 as a methodology for evaluating the progress and impact of electronic medical record (EMR) systems for hospitals in the HIMSS Analytics™ Database. There are eight stages (0-7) that measure a hospital's implementation and utilisation of information technology applications. The final stage, Stage 7, represents an advanced patient record environment.

EMRAM Stage 7

In collaboration with IHiS (Integrated Health Information Systems) - the Health Ministry's IT arm that manages information technology and innovations at all public healthcare institutions - NTFGH achieved  HIMSS EMRAM Stage 7 in October 2016. It is the first hospital in Singapore and ASEAN, and the fifth hospital in Asia Pacific to achieve Stage 7.

NTFGH's technological transformation achieved many firsts in Singapore, including the implementation of the most number of medical devices (976) interfaced directly into the EMR system and the achievement of a 4-Less environment: Chartless, Scriptless, Filmless and Paper-less.

EMRAM Stage 6

Reaching Stage 6 is a result of focus, good direction and a steadfast commitment from the leadership. Stage 6 institutions have established clear goals for improving safety, minimising errors, and prioritising IT implementations.

Jurong Community Hospital is the first community hospital in Singapore to achieve Stage 6 in January 2017.

Winner: Adj A/Prof Gamaliel Tan (Chief Medical Informatics Officer & Head, Orthopaedics, NTFGH)

Voted by participating sponsors and exhibitors at HIMSS AsiaPac 17, this award recognises the Healthcare IT Leader who is leading change to healthcare using technology.

Organised by Centre for Healthcare Innovation (CHI) and supported by the Ministry of Health, the annual National Healthcare Innovation and Productivity Medals recognise local healthcare and community care institutions that have demonstrated thought leadership through the implantation of innovative productivity projects.

Automation, IT and Robotics Innovation Best Practice Medal
Ng Teng Fong General Hospital
Project Title: Automated Code Red Alerts (ACRA) and ICU Outreach Nursing (ICUORN) Service

The team developed the ACRA system, an automated early recognition and alert triggering system for patients at risk of deterioration in the general ward. This innovation also ensures timely alert notifications to senior clinicians. Additionally, the team implemented a job redesign initiative, upskilling ICU nurses to provide critical expert support to acutely ill patients in the general ward.The team developed the ACRA system, an automated early recognition and alert triggering system for patients at risk of deterioration in the general ward. This innovation also ensures timely alert notifications to senior clinicians. Additionally, the team implemented a job redesign initiative, upskilling ICU nurses to provide critical expert support to acutely ill patients in the general ward.

Workplace Transformation Best Practice Medal
Ng Teng Fong General Hospital
Project Title: Vertical Integration of Hardware and Software Automation in Pharmacy (VIP)

This project was developed to adopt the vertical integration of hardware and software automation capabilities and data visualisation within NTFGH’s Outpatient Pharmacy, with the objective of improving efficiency and foster innovation. The project has also led to workforce transformation whereby pharmacy staff are deployed to perform high-value tasks and are trained to identify the core skills on the automation of software, as well as relevant troubleshooting and project management.

Automation, IT and Robotics Innovation Best Practice Medal
Ng Teng Fong General Hospital and Jurong Community Hospital
Project Title: [OTSIGHT] Data-driven Workforce and Process Transformation for Operating Theatre (OT) Optimisation

The project involves an ecosystem that was designed and developed to empower a broad-scope analysis to improve OT organisation and processes through a data-driven and value-based approach. The implementations have brought about improved efficiency and staff satisfaction, optimised education outcomes, and also relieved operational bottlenecks.

Automation, IT and Robotics Innovation Best Practice Medal
Ng Teng Fong General Hospital and Jurong Community Hospital
Project Title: Placing Sustainability at the Core of Everything We Do at JurongHealth Campus

The JurongHealth Campus Green Committee embarked on a "Go Green Journey" to look at how NTFGH and JCH can promote a sustainable healing environment for our patients. Through incorporating sustainable practices to improve energy and water efficiency, our efforts aim to mitigate climate change and improve the health of not just our patients, but also our planet.

Automation, IT and Robotics Innovation (AIR) Best Practice Medal
Ng Teng Fong General Hospital
Project title: Development of A Real-Time Risk Score to Reduce 30-day Readmission in Singapore

The project team, which consisted of Emergency Department (ED) physicians, Inpatient Clinicians, Nurses and Community Leads, used real-time patient stratification in Electronic Medical Records (EMR) supported by in-house machine learning models to determine which patients are at higher risk of readmission during Day 2 admission. The project used the Quality Improvement framework to formulate bundled interventions for reducing readmissions at several fronts. Risk stratification enabled the teams to better align resources to the higher risk patients and enable sustainability in the long term. The efforts of the group were coordinated by the Quality, Innovation and Improvement (QII) Department.

Automation, IT and Robotics Innovation (AIR) Best Practice Medal
Ng Teng Fong General Hospital
Project title: Technology with Right Activation Parameters and Good Clinical Response: SAVE LIVES

Led by the Cardiac Life Support Committee, the project was conducted across all acute wards in the hospital, with support from the Intensive Care Medicine department doctors, respiratory therapist, ward doctors and nurses, medical informatics, facilities and biomedical department. The previous manual alert process was enhanced by integrating the existing digitalised activation process with the automation of alerts from the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system. When criteria are met, an EMR built-in algorithm triggers an alert to be sent to the automated activation system, which in turn activates all code blue team members simultaneously within 25 seconds.

The National Health IT Excellence Awards is an annual accolade presented by the Health Minister to recognise initiatives and individuals that have achieved healthcare excellence through IT.

National Health IT Excellence Awards 2017

Champion for Health IT Excellence Award
Adj A/Prof Gamaliel Tan
Chief Medical Informatics Officer & Head, Orthopaedics, NTFGH

Adj A/Prof Gamaliel was the key clinical driver who led the JurongHealth Campus team to implement a single integrated electronic medical record (EMR) system across NTFGH and JCH and achieve a 4-less environment -- Chartless, Scriptless, Filmless and Paper-less. NTFGH was the first in Singapore and ASEAN, and the the fifth hospital in Asia Pacific to achieve HIMSS EMRAM Stage 7 and JCH is the first community hospital in Singapore to achieve HIMSS EMRAM Stage 6.

"IT Excellence: Beyond Quality to Value" Category

This award recognises IT initiatives that deliver value to patients through appropriate care and the efficient use of resources and manpower.

The JurongHealth Campus team worked with Integrated Health Information Systems (IHiS) - the Health Ministry's IT arm - to adopt the Closed-loop Barcoded Product Administration with the aim of increasing efficiency, reducing errors in blood product transfusion and ultimately improving patient care.

The Project Management Institute Singapore Chapter is the country chapter of the Project Management Institute (PMI). PMI is the leading not-for-profit professional membership association for the project management profession. Its worldwide advocacy for project management is reinforced by its globally recognised standards, certification programmes, academic and market research programmes, chapters, and volunteer and professional development opportunities.

IHiS received this award for the implementation of IT systems at the new Ng Teng Fong General Hospital and Jurong Community Hospital. Project OneCare is a transformation project and a realisation of JurongHealth Campus' goal of achieving digitised and state-of-the-art hospitals. Primarily, it aimed to digitise and link patient information across different departments to synergise work and provide better care for patients using an integrated system.

The PS21 ExCEL (Excellence Through Continuous Enterprise & Learning) Awards recognises teams and public officers who best exemplified the spirit of innovation and continuous learning.

PS21 ExCEL Silver Award – Most Innovative Project

IHiS implemented the Real-time Location System (RTLS) & Warehouse Management System (WMS) in Ng Teng Fong General Hospital and Jurong Community Hospital. This innovative project has made significant improvements in the productivity of healthcare, which allows for more time to be spent on direct patient care.