8
S ngHealth and Duke-NUS has done a lot in establishing an Academic Healthcare Cluster. They have achieved in the past four years what would typically take ten years or more to establish. Professor Ivy Ng, SingHealth Group CEO, and Professor Ranga Krishnan, Duke-NUS Dean, both agreed that the key objective is to protect the future of Academic Medicine by making the implicit relationship explicit, even as the structures of SingHealth and Duke-NUS become more porous for collaborations across the two organisations. “The academic culture has begun to flourish. The distinction between the two institutions is narrowing, the membranes are getting very permeable,” Prof Krishnan said. “Research and education can’t occur in isolation from the hospital, so the people are the cement between the two organisations.” Prof Ng added that the process allowed the focus to be on the right things, such as fusion of functions as research and educational programmes merge between institutions, “We are trying to create a culture of thinking through problems for better solutions. “We want to create dynamic teams who bring in their knowledge and get excited by what we can do for the benefit of patient care. The way forward is for us to bring multi- functional teams focusing on specialty areas together so that they can have common protocols, research projects, databases and plans for the talent pipeline.” The first unified SingHealth Duke-NUS Department of Head & Neck Surgery and the National Neuroscience Research Institute Singapore (NNRIS) established this year are testimonials to the successful paving of the Academic Medicine vision, besides the establishment of ten Academic Clinical Programs (ACPs) involving multi-institution departments (see more in centre spread). Despite all the action inside the partnership, the Dean was mindful that the real stakeholder is the layperson in the community. For true success, its logic and advantages have to be communicated to the community. “It will be an educational effort because it hasn’t happened anywhere else in Asia. The Academic Medical Centre concept is still very, very new here and there were also failures. In some other countries, for example, there was integration at the top but you don’t get integration at the bottom, and it just didn’t work out. Our partnership will evolve into an Academic Medicine system - where we really pull everything together,” he shared. The two leaders stressed that the real change will be when everyone has the same sense of mission in curiosity fuelling healthcare advances. It takes moving the focus away from just clinicians and tying in with allied healthcare professionals and the nurses to make it work – they become pivotal for culture change because they form the front line of the system at every single minute. Prof Ng said, “It’s also teamwork that goes beyond our institutions, beyond the local setting because people are networked with international collaborators. So the work of that entire network serves that one patient with the complex condition at the end of the day.” Prof Krishnan added, “It takes time because it is a whole culture change. It may be easier within the hospitals. The main challenge is extending outwards and pulling the networks together, especially those who are further away or who may not think of themselves as part of the bigger whole. “From what we have seen, people on the ground have real ideas on how to improve patient care and are pretty passionate about it. So it tells you there is a lot of goodwill, intent and understanding.” Both have confidence that Academic Medicine will bring hope and the best treatments to the patients because it is how therapies, technology and research at the forefront of Medicine can be offered, which the private sector cannot emulate. It is also where the right people are - the curious ones driven by patient-centric challenges. A PUBLICATION OF THE SINGHEALTH ACADEMIC HEALTHCARE CLUSTER THE VOICE OF ACADEMIC MEDICINE MEDICINE TOMORROW’S ISSUE 9, MAY – JUNE 2014 MICA (P) 143/07/2013 No longer just lip service Academic Clinical Programs (ACPs) are providing real benefits to the practice of Medicine. Hear it from a leader who was Academic Chair of an ACP and is now the Group Director of Academic Medicine. Research and education can’t occur in isolation from the hospital, so the people are the cement between the two organisations. – Prof Ranga Krishnan, Dean, Duke-NUS Our partnership will evolve into an Academic Medicine system - where we really pull everything together. – Prof Ivy Ng, Group CEO, SingHealth A partnership in curiosity SingHealth and Duke-NUS leaders focus on what really matters for true success in the future of Medicine Continued on page 3 Prof Tan Kok Hian Prof Ranga Krishnan and Prof Ivy Ng I n May 2011, Professor Tan Kok Hian was appointed Academic Chair of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology (OBGYN) ACP, one of three pioneer ACPs formed during the early stages of the SingHealth Duke-NUS partnership. One of the first things he did was test the ground. A survey was conducted through the ACP faculty and staff, and the results only spurred his enthusiasm for the exciting journey ahead. “I was happy to discover that our staff were very positive on having a learning and innovation environment in this Academic Medicine partnership, but there will be an issue if the resources are not readily available,” he shared. Prof Tan’s staff were not the only ones who were worried about resources. A cluster-wide engagement yielded similar responses. The whole concept of ACPs was new and daunting, and it was a bold step for many to go beyond familiar territory. Three years on and seven more ACPs formed, the buzz word is still “resources”. Only this time around, as they saw the successes of ACPs, clinicians themselves are asking for more ACPs to be formed so that they can synergise and receive funding and infrastructural support to further develop their craft in Medicine.

Tomorrow's Medicine Issue 09 - May-Jun 2014

Embed Size (px)

DESCRIPTION

In this issue of Tomorrow's Medicine, we take a look at milestones in the SingHealth Duke-NUS partnership and what people involved in the journey have to say.

Citation preview

Page 1: Tomorrow's Medicine Issue 09 - May-Jun 2014

SngHealth and Duke-NUS has done a lot in establishing an Academic Healthcare Cluster. They have

achieved in the past four years what would typically take ten years or more to establish.

Professor Ivy Ng, SingHealth Group CEO, and Professor Ranga Krishnan, Duke-NUS Dean, both agreed that the key objective is to protect the future of Academic Medicine by making the implicit relationship explicit, even as the structures of SingHealth and Duke-NUS become more porous for collaborations across the two organisations.

“The academic culture has begun to flourish. The distinction between the two institutions is narrowing, the membranes are getting very permeable,” Prof Krishnan said. “Research and education can’t occur in isolation from the hospital, so the people are the cement between the two organisations.”

Prof Ng added that the process allowed the focus to be on the right things, such as fusion of functions as research and educational programmes merge between institutions, “We are trying to create a culture of thinking through problems for better solutions.

“We want to create dynamic teams who bring in their knowledge and get excited by what we can do for the benefit of patient care. The way forward is for us to bring multi-functional teams focusing on specialty areas together so that they can have common protocols, research projects, databases and plans for the talent pipeline.”

The first unified SingHealth Duke-NUS Department of Head & Neck Surgery and the National Neuroscience Research Institute Singapore (NNRIS) established this year are testimonials to the successful paving of the Academic Medicine vision, besides the establishment of ten Academic Clinical Programs (ACPs) involving multi-institution departments (see more in centre spread).

Despite all the action inside the partnership, the Dean was mindful that

the real stakeholder is the layperson in the community. For true success, its logic and advantages have to be communicated to the community.

“It will be an educational effort because it hasn’t happened anywhere else in Asia. The Academic Medical Centre concept is still very, very new here and there were also failures.

In some other countries, for example, there was integration at the top but you don’t get integration at the bottom, and it just didn’t work out. Our partnership will evolve into an Academic Medicine system - where we really pull everything together,” he shared.

The two leaders stressed that the real change will be when everyone has the same sense of mission in curiosity fuelling healthcare advances. It takes moving the

focus away from just clinicians and tying in with allied healthcare professionals and the nurses to make it work – they become pivotal for culture change because they form the front line of the system at every single minute.

Prof Ng said, “It’s also teamwork that goes beyond our institutions, beyond the local setting because people are networked with international collaborators. So the work of that entire network serves that one patient with the complex condition at the end of the day.”

Prof Krishnan added, “It takes time because it is a whole culture change. It may be easier within the hospitals. The main challenge is extending outwards and pulling the networks together, especially those who are further away or who may not think of themselves as part of the bigger whole.

“From what we have seen, people on the ground have real ideas on how to improve patient care and are pretty passionate about it. So it tells you there is a lot of goodwill, intent and understanding.”

Both have confidence that Academic Medicine will bring hope and the best treatments to the patients because it is how therapies, technology and research at the forefront of Medicine can be offered, which the private sector cannot emulate. It is also where the right people are - the curious ones driven by patient-centric challenges.

A publicAtion of the SingheAlth AcAdemic heAlthcAre cluSter

the voice of AcAdemic medicine

medicinetomorrow’S

iSSue 9, mAy – June 2014MICA (P) 143/07/2013

No longer just lip serviceAcademic Clinical Programs (ACPs) are providing real benefits to the practice of Medicine. Hear it from a leader who was Academic Chair of an ACP and is now the Group Director of Academic Medicine.

Research and education can’t

occur in isolation from the hospital, so the people are the cement between the two organisations.

– Prof Ranga Krishnan, Dean, Duke-NUS

Our partnership will evolve into an Academic Medicine system - where we really pull everything together.

– Prof Ivy Ng, Group CEO, SingHealth

A partnership in curiosity SingHealth and Duke-NUS leaders focus on what really matters for true success in the future of Medicine

Continued on page 3 Prof Tan Kok Hian

Prof Ranga Krishnan and Prof Ivy Ng

In May 2011, Professor Tan Kok Hian was appointed Academic Chair of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology (OBGYN) ACP, one of three

pioneer ACPs formed during the early stages of the SingHealth Duke-NUS partnership.

One of the first things he did was test the ground. A survey was conducted through the ACP faculty and staff, and the results only spurred his enthusiasm for the exciting journey ahead.

“I was happy to discover that our staff were very positive on having a learning and innovation environment in this Academic Medicine partnership, but there will be an issue if the resources are not readily available,” he shared.

Prof Tan’s staff were not the only ones who were worried about resources. A cluster-wide engagement yielded similar responses. The whole concept of ACPs was new and daunting, and it was a bold step for many to go beyond familiar territory.

Three years on and seven more ACPs formed, the buzz word is still “resources”.

Only this time around, as they saw the successes of ACPs, clinicians themselves are asking for more ACPs to be formed so that they can synergise and receive funding and infrastructural support to further develop their craft in Medicine.

Page 2: Tomorrow's Medicine Issue 09 - May-Jun 2014

When we talk about embarking on a journey to become an Academic Medical Centre (AMC), we are

aware there are significant challenges to tackle, structures to build, partnerships to forge and people to engage.

I was privileged to be selected as an Eisenhower Fellow* to visit the top academic medical and research institutions in the US for two months, with an aim to broaden my horizons on our vision to build up Singapore’s largest Academic Healthcare Cluster. I realise that while we have a long way to go, in many aspects, we are off to a great start.

Several observations in particular struck me and are worth emulating.

First, successful institutions are led by clear and visionary leaders who embrace and consciously nurture a culture of innovation and excellence. Leaders encourage and have a high tolerance for changes; some leaders even say, “change is expected” as part of the culture. Furthermore, there is an expectation that “failure leads to success” with no stigma of failing.

Second, there is a strong tradition of celebration and sharing successes. In Stanford and Harvard, decorated hallways celebrate successes and outcomes from their Academic Medicine journey, reinforcing the core vision and creating a culture that makes the institutions a great place to work for top talents. I even observed these at the train stations in Pittsburgh and in the airport in St Louis. Universities and hospitals showcase their innovation in science and medicine and there is a commitment for Academic Medicine to reach out to the community.

Third, a committed partnership between the medical school and the hospital brings

transformation to the entire healthcare system as well as the community at large. An example of this is the role of University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre (UPMC) in the transformation of what was a “coal and steel economy” in the 1970s to now being a global giant in Academic Medicine and centre for innovation.

While the promise of a better tomorrow might steer us in the right direction, there are still several hurdles we have to clear in order to make our mark in the world of Academic Medicine.

First, we have to clearly ration the emphasis we place on our tripartite missions. Patient care, research and education must each stand on equally important grounds and support one another in achieving a level of growth that is both organic and impactful.

In research, bridging the gap between physician and scientist remains one of our biggest challenges, as it is even in traditional powerhouses such as Harvard, Mount Sinai Hospital and University of California, San Francisco. It is vital that we establish a culture of understanding and a successful “marriage” of the two will result in the nurturing of more clinician scientists and translational outcomes that benefit our patients directly.

Singapore has the disadvantage of a small size with a small patient base. Thus, we need to make “every patient a research participant”, focusing on medical intersections where the need for a cure meets the availability of local expertise. We have to develop our key strategic areas. We can then dedicate the limited resources to achieving long-term outcomes without the stresses of immediate returns on investment.

These are not uncommon issues, but no

journey is started without an end in mind. If one takes a closer look, our SingHealth Duke-NUS partnership is actually already well on its way to improving the lives of our patients through high quality clinical care, innovative education, and breakthrough research. We can do this by establishing a culture of medical excellence that exemplifies every successful AMC.

TomoRRoW’S medIcINe - ISSUE 9, MAY – JUNE 2014PAGe 2

*A programme where outstanding leaders worldwide visit and consult with key players in the US to further their contributions to society. Notable past recipients from Singapore include several current and former Permanent Secretaries and Ministers.

edIToRS-IN-cHIefTan-Huang Shuo MeiAudrey Lau

edIToRSJennifer WeeArthur WongStephanie JadeJanson YapRachel Kelly

JoINT edIToRIAl TeAmGoh Sai Luan (SGH) sub-editorIchha Oberoi (KKH) sub-editorChristina Valerie Wee (NNI) sub-editorEdwin Yong (NCCS)Caroline Chia (NDCS)Jessica Koh (NHCS)Eric Lim Wei (SHP)Dr Thiyagarajan Jayabaskar (SNEC)Wee Lai Ming (Duke-NUS)

deSIGNRedstone Communications

coPyWRITINGHedgehog Communications

MAY – JUNE 2014

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without the written permission of SingHealth and the publisher. The views and opinions expressed or implied in the publication are those of the authors or contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of SingHealth and the publisher. Whilst due care has been exercised, both SingHealth and the publisher do not accept responsibility for errors in advertisements or articles, unsolicited manuscripts, photographers or illustrations. Tomorrow’s Medicine reserves the right to edit all materials submitted for publication. While contributors will be given the opportunity to comment on articles for factual accuracy, this policy is about ensuring a consistent and clear writing style throughout.

members of the SingHealth Academic Healthcare cluster

Singapore General Hospital (SGH)KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH)

Sengkang Health (SKH)National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS)National Dental Centre Singapore (NDCS)National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS)

National Neuroscience Institute (NNI)Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC)

SingHealth Polyclinics (SHP)Bright Vision Hospital (BVH)

Partner in Academic medicineDuke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore

(Duke-NUS)

www.tomorrowsmed.com

monthly PaperIn-depth view and

highlights in research, education, &

clinical outcome

mobile AppAvailable on the Apple

App Store & Google play

Videoswww.youtube.com/

tomorrowsmed

facebookwww.facebook.com/

singhealth

Visit Tomorrow’s Medicine online

News over multiple channels

Tomorrow’s Medicine welcomes comments from our readers. Write to us at

[email protected]

by Professor Wong Tien YinGroup Director of Research, SingHealthSenior Consultant and Deputy Medical Director, Research, Singapore National Eye CentreVice-Dean, Office of Clinical Sciences, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore

Learnings of an Eisenhower Fellow

At its launch, the Academic Medicine Education Institute (AM•EI) set itself a bold goal – to create an

inclusive and inter-professional community of educators that will develop better ways of teaching, tapping on the spirit of Generativity.

One and a half years on, Professor Robert Kamei, Co-Group Director of AM•EI and Vice Dean of Education for Duke-NUS, believes they have done just that. He said, “I think what you’d find if you talk to our educators, the difference now is AM•EI provides them a place to hold a conversation with other people with educational interest.”

Generativity has had concrete impact on the system in 2013. AM•EI has taken the approach to cultivate educational expertise internally instead of relying on external experts as ‘one-time teachers’ – a method

that rarely provides long term, sustainable improvements.

AM•EI Co-Group Director and Group Director of Education at SingHealth, Associate Professor Koo Wen Hsin, echoes his counterpart’s sentiments, “AM•EI empowers inter-professional healthcare educators to share their knowledge and enables recognition of their education contributions. We give them an opportunity to advance their interest and keep the passion alive.”

The challenge in 2014 is to uncover ways to innovate and make teaching more efficient with limited time and resources.

“We are committed to developing each and every educator to build the teaching pipeline. Now that the platform is established, it is also important to encourage participation and expand the community,” said Prof Koo.

Prof Kamei added, “What are the challenges in healthcare education? What are the big problems to solve? These are what AM•EI will look into as it gains more educational in-

house expertise, starting with the work of the AM•EI Fellows.”

The first cohort of the AM•EI Fellows Program, or Pioneer Fellows, has begun to teach in educational workshops and conduct academic research. Using their expertise as multidisciplinary clinician educators, they contribute towards faculty development, education research and education programme development.

As the AM•EI Fellows develop in their specific healthcare education fields, they will also be trained in physician leadership, preparing them for administrative roles that demand know-how in managing change, developing and administrating educational programmes, and programme funding and selection.

“We’ve now got a group of people who have been tasked to improve their education programme. While there’ve always been people thinking about how to make their programmes better, it has never used such a structured approach. We’re poised to make an impact because of this,” affirms Prof Kamei.

making an impact on healthcare educationAM•EI prepares to make a greater difference on healthcare education in 2014 with its Pioneer Fellows

Generativity – sharing of knowledge to nurture the next generation and stretch their academic impact. AM•EI does this by developing better educators who build up others to improve patient care.

Showcasing culture of innovation and change at University of california, los Angeles

celebration of success at Stanford School of medicine

celebrating result of transformation through partnership at UPmc

Page 3: Tomorrow's Medicine Issue 09 - May-Jun 2014

Internationally prominent figures in the Academic Medicine Advisory Council(AMAC) provide the SingHealth Board and the Duke-NUS Governing Board independent advice and guidance on the development of Academic Medicine.

Prof Sir Keith Peters (Chairman)Emeritus Regius Professor of Physic, School of Clinical Medicine University of Cambridge

Prof Sir Sabaratnam ArulkumaranProfessor Emeritus of Obstetrics & Gynecology, St. George’s University of London

Prof Arthur RubensteinProfessor of Medicine Raymond & Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania and former Executive Vice President, University of Pennsylvania Health System

Prof Dame Sally DaviesChief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Adviser, Dept of Health, United Kingdom

Prof Eugene BraunwaldDistinguished Hersey Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, and Eminent Cardiologist, Founding Chairman of the TIMI Study Group, Brigham & Women’s Hospital

During their visit from 7 to 9 April 2014, the AMAC held several intense dialogues with the senior leaders and key appointment holders from SingHealth, Duke-NUS, the joint institutes AMRI and AM•EI, Academic Clinical Programs and the Duke-NUS Signature Research Programs.

The AMAC shared their recommendations for the cluster to further advance our Academic Medicine journey and ensure that our patients continue to receive the best possible care, such as:

• More intense training and career development for future leaders

• Adopting best practices to retain the best talents

• Further enhancing the rich research culture

• Using opportunities available in Singapore for core medical disciplines

• Proactive planning for managing of the three medical schools in Singapore

• Leveraging on the strengths of Duke Durham

• Pursuing medical technology to get ahead of the competition

PAGe 3

With an ageing population in the UK and

Singapore, both countries face similar challenges such as the provision of health services to ageing populations, tackling long-term conditions including dementia, antimicrobial resistance and understanding how best to address revolutionary changes to healthcare such as the rise of genomics. These challenges, coupled with the rising expectations of public healthcare from patients and the public, make public health a key focus for many governments – and clinical academic research is needed to provide the solution.

Dame Sally stated that “Research underpins our response to these challenges. Government commitment to research is very important for allowing public health systems to respond to these growing challenges. Advances in health research improves health outcomes and participation in the research process improves quality of care. Research also contributes to the growth of the national economy. ”

She further described how health research was made a government strategy to improve public healthcare in the UK. As Director‐General of Research & Development for the Department of Health and the National Health Service (NHS) in England, she established the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) in 2006, with the budget rising to current £1 billion per year. Since being formed, the NIHR has transformed health research by creating an integrated health research system in the National Health Service, supporting projects with direct research funding, with a robust and comprehensive research infrastructure and by providing high quality training for the next

generation of clinical research leaders. NIHR commissions and funds health research in the NHS, as well as social care and public health research to support decision‐making by professionals, policy‐makers and patients.

One of the initiatives highlighted was the NIHR Research Professorships where a range of multidisciplinary healthcare personnel, from surgeons to physiotherapists to MRI physicists, are given five‐year funding to carry out research in their particular fields – research in topics that matter, anchored around the needs of patients and the public.

She shared with her Singapore audience that “the UK government remains committed to funding research. But this cannot be done without commitment to long-term investment.” Dame Sally cited a study which demonstrated that a £1 public funding in cardiovascular research produces a stream of benefits equivalent to earning £0.39 per year in perpetuity – proof that research is a good investment.

Dame Sally added “You need to show researchers that you value them by giving them the time and infrastructure to do their research. You need to show support for all levels of research personnel, including those in supporting roles such as laboratory technicians; providing clear career pathways and career progression.”

The future of public healthcare: Why Academic medicine is importantResearch is no longer a luxury but a necessity to overcome rising challenges faced by public healthcareExtract from Academic Medicine Keynote Lecture by Professor Dame Sally Davies, 9 April 2014, Academia

Professor Dame Sally Davies was in SingHealth recently to deliver her keynote lecture as part of the SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medicine Advisory Council biennial meeting (see sidebar).

Prof Dame Sally is the Chief Medical Officer for England and Chief Scientific Adviser at Department of Health, Richmond House, London. She is a Distinguished Member of the SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medicine Advisory Council.

On an international front, Prof Dame Sally is a member of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Advisory Committee and a member of the International Advisory Committee for Singapore’s A*STAR.

Advances in research improve health outcomes and participation in the research process improves

quality of care. Research also contributes to the growth of the national economy.

– Professor Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, London, Distinguished Member of the SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medicine Advisory Council (AMAC)

Academic medicine Advisory council

TomoRRoW’S medIcINe - ISSUE 9, MAY – JUNE 2014

Now Group Director of Academic Medicine, Prof Tan has a birds’ eye view of all ACPs. He sees the encouraging trend and feels the strong buzz and pulse of ACPs.

“There is recognition of the value of ACPs and what clinicians, united in their specialties, can do to improve their work. These are synergies that allow the ACPs to grow – funding, collaborations, critical mass, research and education between SingHealth, Duke-NUS and across institutions.

“The potential is enormous, both within and across specialties,” he added, “Especially with the launch of the Radiological Sciences (RADSC) ACP, the tenth ACP to date and arguably the most complex.”

With six departments across five institutions

working together, its formation is a key milestone in the continued growth of the whole ACP framework. Prof Tan explained, “Other ACPs can harness what RADSC ACP brings and further expand what they have already done. This is a key ACP that supports and complements many institutions. It allows more people with different strengths to rise up and build their passion in clinical care, research and/or education.”

Unlike the initial impressions, it is clearer now that not everyone is expected to do everything in Academic Medicine. Structures

have been established and evolved to ensure that our academicians are optimally supported. Staff can develop and capitalise on their strengths to contribute to improving patients’ lives in a meaningful way.

“In fact, we have developed a remarkable framework for Academic Medicine which allows sustainable funding, integrated synergy and protected time.

“More synergies will arise from leveraging on the research and education capabilities of Duke-NUS. Effective joint institutions have been set up to move this along, together” said Prof Tan.

With structures in place and resources well on the way, clinicians in the ACPs are in a better position to discover, integrate, apply and teach for the improvement of our patients’ care.

No longer just lip service Continued from Page 1

This time around, clinicians are asking for their own ACP to be formed

Page 4: Tomorrow's Medicine Issue 09 - May-Jun 2014

OBGYN ACPFormed in Q3 FY2011

Research • Clinician Scientists and Clinician Researchers received

accolades on individual research strength• Inaugural SingHealth Duke-NUS OBGYN ACP Research

Day on May 2013• REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) Database

rolled out

Education• Decentralisation of SingHealth OBGYN Residency Program

to OBGYN ACP• PROMPT (PRactical Obstetric Multi Professional Training)

course, an evidence-based multi-professional training for obstetric emergencies, introduced

• Inaugural OBGYN ACP Education Day on October 2013• Recruitment of two PhD residents to strengthen the pool of

future academic leaders

Leadership & Talent Management• Multiple clinician achievers who excelled clinically, in

medical education and published quality research articles in internationally acclaimed and peer-reviewed scientific/medical journal

• Funding Support from Healthcare Manpower Development Plan (HMDP)

Other Achievements• OBGYN ACP Progress Booklet published in February 2014• Annual Retreat held on March 2013 to review progress and

achievements, and new workplan discussion • Monthly Council Meetings among key appointment holders• Academic Medicine culture survey to identify areas for

improvement

PAEDS ACPFormed in Q2 FY2011

Research• Four Clinician Scientists currently under PAEDS ACP

including strategic hires• Launch of Young Researcher Pilot Grant Award and Young

Researcher Grant Award for emerging researchers• Two ACP research focuses identified

> Growth & Development (GUSTO)> Immunomics/Immunology (STIIC)> GUSTO (Growing Up in Singapore Towards Healthy

Outcomes) project execution• Set-up of a regional first: the SingHealth Translational

Immunology and Inflammation Centre (STIIC) in July 2013 • Research grants and awards roll call including: SingHealth

Foundation Research Grant Award, Khoo Pilot Award and Health Services Research Competitive Research Grant

Education• Paediatrics Core Curriculum Committee (PCC) set up to

standardise teaching approaches across three medical schools

• Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine Away-Days on in November 2013 to introduce KKH key faculties, Paediatricians and O&G curriculum to the NTU-Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine with Team Based Learning as its main teaching methodology

• First MMed (Paeds) / MRCPCH Preparatory Course conducted over two weekends on August and September 2013

• Internal transition process incorporating SingHealth Pediatrics Residency Program into ACP structure

Administration• 2014 Festschrift honouring Professor Tan Cheng Lim on

February 2014• Creation of the Paediatrics ACP Nomination Appointment

Committee• Academic Visiting Expert Program in progress

MED ACPFormed in Q2 FY2011

Research• Nurturing Clinician Scientist scheme launched in 2011• Health Service Research team formed in September 2012• Program to Enhance research collaboration Across Key

Strategic (PEAK) themes launched in 2012• 1st Pitch for Funds program launched in April 2013

Research Achievements:• Over 490 publications authored and co-authored by

clinician researchers• Principal Investigators won 88 institutional / national

competitive quantum of $20,437,169 including three National Medical Research Council grants and two Biomedical Research Council grants

Education• A 55% rise in the intake for Internal Medicine Residency for

junior residents between 2010 to 2013 (from 23 to 51)• First batch of 36 senior residents received in July 2013• Faculty Education Development of five core competency

workshops in bedside teaching and evaluation skills started in 2012

• Medical Grand Round revitalised in July 2012 to encourage educator participation

• Educators recognised for their valuable efforts and received multiple SingHealth Excellence, NUS and AM•EI teaching awards

Clinical Services & Improvement• Residents’ Quality Improvement

> Projects mandated as successful exit criteria from the Internal Medicine Residency Program

> Development of competencies in systems-based practice and practice-based learning and improvement

• Resident project won Team Excellence-Innovation and Quality Circles Gold Award winner and 9th MOH NHQI Merit Award

Learning Experiences• 12 representatives undertook a study trip to Duke University

to understand > IM Residency> Faculty development for medical education

CVS ACPFormed in Q3 FY2012

Achievements• Office of Training and Education was established in 2013• Broad-based attachment programme for Duke-NUS and NUS-YLL students launched• Inaugural batch of 12 senior residents inducted (60% of the entire national cohort)• Research retreat held in October 2013 focused on the setting up of the National Heart Research

Institute Singapore• National Research Institute of Singapore officially formed in December 2013 • Researchers developed the world’s first in-vitro heart-cell model of arrhythmogenic right

ventricular cardiomyopathy using patient’s skin cells• Research genetics programme translated

> Inherited cardiac disease gene panel for molecular autopsy diagnostics currently used

Education• 4th CTO Interventions Live Course held on 4-5 October 2013 with live demonstrations

transmitted from the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory• The Asia PCR-Live course (5th Edition) was held on 16-18 January 2014

Research • Competitive funding for research grants increased with six national research grants awarded in

2013> Focus areas are cardiac genetics, quantitative advanced imaging, disease modeling and

regenerative medicine• SingCLOUD embarked to eventually link up cardiology patient databases across the nation’s

restructured hospitals for sharing of outcomes, medication use and blood results• Participation in regional networks such as the Asia-Pacific Evaluation of Cardiovascular

Therapies Collaboration• Sharp increase in postgraduate and undergraduate interest in cardiology research, from 31

opting to join the ACP for research attachments in 2013, compared to ten in 2012

ONCO ACPFormed in Q4 FY2012

Research• Discovery of potential drug treatment for NK/T-cell lymphoma • Uncovered workings of the gene hindering treatment response in cancer patients• Discovery of world’s most potent carcinogen• Scientific Advisory Board critical review completed in November 2013• Addition of three clinician scientists in 2013, with one National CS award winner and two Cluster

CS award winners• Seed Funding programme proposed for young researchers

Education• 1st Singapore Sarcoma Consortium Education & Research Meeting launched• Launch of general practitioners symposium to gauge interest of GPs in onocology. Curriculum

development for the Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine equivalent course specifically for GPs to run cancer survivorship programmes

• Strategic aim for development of an Undergraduate Oncology Program to expose at least 30% of all medical students to a formal programme of oncology, in line with prevalence of cancer in local population

• Targeted set-up of electronic platform by 2016 for data management • Aims to have ten certified medical educators by 2015

Clinical Services• Plans to embed research into clinical sites

> Via consolidating practices at site-specific clinics for better delivery of patient-centric care> Aid in the facilitation of translational research collaborations between scientists and clinicians

• Programme proposal to provide funding> Development of clinical data management via coordinators> Enhance clinical and research programmes

SingHealth - duke-NUS Academic clinical Programs: progress from every angleJourney markers of SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Clinical Programs (ACPs) from 2011 till dateExtracted from the ACPs’ report to the Academic Medicine Advisory Council, April 2014

WAVE 1

WAVE 3

Page 5: Tomorrow's Medicine Issue 09 - May-Jun 2014

SURG ACPFormed in Q4 FY2011

Research• Research foci identified

> Device Development Office set up to develop healthcare-inspired medical devices and to nurture clinician inventors

> Biometrics lab set up to consolidate and strengthen biometrics research

• Increased external collaborations> Partnerships with engineering schools in local

universities, polytechnics and national research institutes under the A*STAR umbrella

• Increased research resources> Seed Grant implemented: five projects awarded with a

total of $230,000> Research Mentorship programme implemented to

match faculty with mentors> Introduction to Medical Research course established

with NTU and SUTD non-medical post-graduate students with medical research interest

Education• Academic titles awarded to faculty• First Education Retreat in May 2013 to bring education

stakeholders together and relook education in a holistic manner, examine training of doctors and explore opportunities for improvements

• AM•EI Membership registration via Surgery ACP• SGH Surgical Skills Centre set up to provide training

infrastructure and support

Leadership & Talent Management• Administrative managers with experience in research within

public and private sectors, national grant administration and education to provide different perspectives for research and education initiatives within the healthcare sector

• Junior surgeons encouraged to apply for the Singapore-Stanford Biodesign program

• Promotion of Bioengineering research

Others• 1st SingHealth Congress (held in collaboration with

biennial 19th Asian Surgical Congress of the Asian Surgical Association)

• Medical illustration workshop conducted in January 2014> Created awareness, gauge interest level and need for

medical illustration> Engaged a Korean medical illustration company for

advice and as extended resources> Engaged local arts institutes such as NAFA and LaSalle

for partnerships• Key driver of SingHealth Golf Charity to raise funds for

research

EYE ACPFormed in Q4 FY2011 Research• Breakthroughs in eye research

> First international discovery of three genes linked to primary angle closure glaucoma

> First international discovery of genes for central corneal thickness that may cause potentially blinding eye conditions

> Established a myopia progression cure through research and clinical trials of ultra-low dose of atropine eye drops

• Success in securing research funding> 2nd TCR Flagship Fund renewal: $25 million> Centre grant application: $18 million> STAR award renewal for Prof Wong Tien Yin> Total competitive grants secured: $177 million

(1996 to 2013)• Established new research collaborations

> SERI-Duke Eye Centre research symposium> SERI-Roche Drug Development program> SERI-IMCB Strategic Alliance

Education• New pedagogy for residency education with technology

enabling education• National Ophthalmic Research Round held, a first for all

Ophthalmology Residents across 3 sponsoring institutions• Duke-NUS Year-4 students offered elective posting with

SNEC• Developed new Elective Sub-Internship Program for final

year Duke-NUS students• Ophthalmic Education framework developed for primary to

tertiary levels• Educational programmes developed for community and

primary levels to enhance integrated care framework• Ongoing educational partnerships with international

institutions> Including nursing team collaboration with International

Ophthalmic Nursing Association and allied health training programmes’ accreditation

Leadership & Talent Management• Prof Aung Tin appointed as Executive Director of SERI from

1 January 2014• Deputy Medical Directors appointed for Research,

Education and Clinical departments• Academic appointments awarded to clinical educators and

clinical scientists• Support structures developed at cluster level and effort is

made to provide protected time for educators similar to the CSAs

NEUROSC ACPFormed in Q4 FY2011

Research• Research programmes streamlined from nine to five to

focus on areas with greatest potential for international distinction

• Awarded ACP Program Grant in October 2013• NEUROSC ACP and Duke-NUS were awarded A*STAR

Translational Clinical Research Partnership grant award of $25 million over five years to support collaborative research projects in basic and translational clinical sciences

Education• NEUROSC ACP educators awarded for teaching excellence

despite heavy clinical duties• 83% (five out of six) of local and overseas applicants chose

to specialise in SingHealth Neurology Senior Residency Program

• E-learning is increasingly used for learning, coursework, discussions and assessments

• ACP Program Grant application submitted to build an alternative Learning Management System beyond Blackboard> Conduct e-learning activities for non-SingHealth

employee learners> Allow collection of learning analytic data to improve

teaching and conduct education research• Neurology Senior Residency Traning Guide developed and

approved on 30 August 2013

Leadership & Talent Management• NNI Health Research Endowment Fund for young clinicians

who demonstrate research aptitude and passion• NNI Singapore Post-Graduate Training Centre Fellowship

offered to young neurosurgeons from development countries. The fellowship curriculum is accredited by the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies and approved in 2013

PATH ACPFormed in Q4 FY2012

Education • Trial in progress for South Asian locally advanced breast cancer with NCCS• Setup of Translational Pathology Center with collaborative grant with SGH Pathology and other

partnering institutes• Collaboration in liver cancer medical device development and fluid base nanotechnology for

protein analysis• Ten collaborative and two competitive grants secured

Education • PATH ACP Communication Sessions 2013 conducted to share the progress of ACP

implementation on October 2013 (at Academia) and November 2013 (at KKH)• Digital and web-based technology adopted• Clinical Pathology• Continuation of NTU core Pathology module and elective (non-clinical) programme• Guest lectures at Temasek Polytechnic• Ongoing KKH-SGH Cytogenetics practical and tutorials at Singapore Polytechnic• Continuation of Duke-NUS GMS Elective (Clinical) Program

Strategic Programme • Projects execution to foster closer collaboration with existing partner institutes• More intellectual, technical and informatics integration planned ahead• Advanced technologies, analytical expertise and informatics infrastructure will be key focus areas

of translational effort

RADSC ACPFormed in Q1 FY2014

Research • Clinician-Investigator positions

> Provide protected time for physicians interested in research• Research “Pitch for Funds” scheme established• Provision of four Nurturing Research Grants• Planned development

> Cluster-wide Online Medical Image Application > Medical Image Research Database

• Niche areas identified> Immune cell imaging> Oncologic imaging

Education • To establish Clincian-Educator positions• To create RADSC fellowship positions

Staff Academic Physician Program• Establish Staff Academic Physicians positions

Strategy and Innovation• Targeted seamless imaging IT capabilities across SingHealth• Planned utility of Common RIS-PACS system for clinical services• Engaging partners in industry and academic programs via

> Post-graduate Emerging Technologies Program > Joint Innovation Projects Program

Clinical Services• Staged roll-out of cluster-wide subspecialty RADSC clinical services• Unified Paediatric Imaging Clinical Service planned• Vascular and Interventional Radiology links between SGH and KKH to be further enhanced• Aim to develop Unified Breast Imaging service

SingHealth - duke-NUS Academic clinical Programs: progress from every angleWAVE 2

Page 6: Tomorrow's Medicine Issue 09 - May-Jun 2014

Academic Medicine has become a buzzword in our campus. The many changes in structure, communication

and process have been attributed to the need to improve our patients’ lives through continual advancement of Medicine.

The doctors were the first to lead the change, uniting in disciplines to form specialty-specific Academic Clinical Programs (ACP) that cut across institutional boundaries, sharing each other’s clinical, research and educational expertise across the entire cluster.

Our allied health and nursing colleagues have also begun their climb up our Academic Medicine pyramid. Associate Professor Alvin Lim, Director of Allied Health Education in the Pathology ACP and Deputy Head, Cytogenetics and Assistant Director of SGH Pathology, thinks it’s the right way to go.

His team of Medical Laboratory Technologists (MLTs) plays an active role not only in the training of future MLTs, but also of fellow and resident pathologists, as well as medical students who are on rotations.

“In any discipline, the doctors are never always working by themselves. A lot of work is also done by nurses and allied health professionals. By being a part of an ACP, I want to position ourselves so that there can be some recognition for MLTs and

other AHPs for their work in education and research,” he said. A prerequisite for this is the setting up of education modules that allow his MLTs to teach at the polytechnics. And they are already doing it. A collaborative venture between Singapore Polytechnic and the Cytogenetics labs in SGH and KKH allows future MLTs to receive training in both campuses in the areas of pre- and postnatal cytogenetics and cancer cytogenetics.

Prof Lim’s vision for his fellow AHPs is clear. Rooting for a place in ACPs gives the profession the potential for growth in formalised career tracks, supported by cross-cluster collaborations and rewarded with adjunct titles from Duke-NUS.

“Many AHPs already meet the criteria for adjunct titles, and are performing roles in research and education in Academic Medicine. An academic appointment is a formal recognition of that role,” asserts Prof Lim.

In the Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences ACP (EYE ACP), nurses and allied health professionals are proving to be an academic force to be reckoned with.

Recently, the SNEC’s allied health training received a significant boost by getting an international accreditation by the Joint

Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO).

This means EYE ACP will be able to bring the current SNEC training programmes for AHPs to an international level and link it with the professional development in AHP career paths. SNEC will be launching its pilot course for ophthalmic technicians and assistants in late May, with a joint affiliation with Duke-NUS. The course will also be made available to international participants next year.

For their nurses, the EYE ACP sees value in pushing for development in the areas of research and education, and Ms Low Siew Ngim, Director of Nursing at SNEC relishes the support.

“We are building our training capabilities, identifying nurses who have passion in teaching and recruiting members of faculty to develop curricula and new educational programmes.

This allows us to keep pace with the evolving healthcare landscape – an ageing population and policy changes – to continue to provide seamless, standardised eye care across the nation,” she elaborates.

In the areas of research, nurses from the single-institute ACP work closely with doctors and researchers to conduct a cost utility study of glaucoma patients, and

another that compares the efficacy of hand washing versus alcohol rub, both of which have direct impact on patient care.

Nursing leaders are doing their part to further the role of nurses in the ACP by studying nurse training programmes around the world, and also with influential appointments in international associations.

Ms Low is currently a council member of the International Ophthalmology Nursing Association, and hopes to tap on her position to further collaborations and benchmark best practices in ophthalmic nursing.

She explained, “Rather than reinventing the wheel, open-platform sharing and collaborations will accelerate our mutual progress towards better patient care.”

In a recent note to The Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), Elder and colleagues1 lamented the

gradual demise of teaching bedside clinical skills in the US, resulting in the over-reliance on investigations. The authors strongly felt that their trainees lacked any incentive to sharpen these abilities, given the inadequacy of assessment and pervasion of technology. As a result, skills of physically examining patients have largely lagged behind other systems that emphasise them, such as that in the UK.

As physicians caring for ‘real’ and not ‘virtual’ patients, it appears paradoxical that such trends have found their way into Clinical Medicine today. The advent of the Internet and other real-time image recording capabilities has enabled medicine to be practised from afar. It becomes extremely tempting to conduct a daily clinical round in front of the computer screen.

Reflecting on my experience as a Neurologist, the teaching of Neurology in Singapore traditionally followed the British

system of education and evaluation. While non-bedside assessment of clinical knowledge has been introduced, emphasis on bedside clinical skills has not been compromised, for several reasons.

First of all, in many instances, it is not feasible or pragmatic to obtain a tissue sample to diagnose diseases involving the central or peripheral nervous system. The clinician is left with blood tests, electrical measurements, imaging and, mostly, sound clinical judgement.

Second, in reality, many neurological disorders do not show unique features that enable diagnosis even if tissue samples are obtained. For example, microscopic examination for demyelinating diseases or multiple sclerosis often serves only to rule out a cancerous lesion, but the likelihood of finding further diagnostic feature is remote.

Third, many neurological disorders are syndromic in nature, that is, a collection of features, both central and peripheral. A classic example would be the Guillain-Barré /Miller Fisher syndrome/Bickerstaff’s Brainstem Encephalitis spectrum of disorders which require clinical, radiological and immunological data to help make a diagnosis2.

Sophisticated imaging is often unremarkable and any microscopic examination would not be able to reveal the unique features of these disorders. Ultimately, it is the

clinical skill of history taking, judging clinical signs and putting evidence together that will contribute towards making the final call.

Finally, the temptation to order expensive investigations should be balanced with sensible clinical judgement. Many neurological investigations serve merely as extensions or correlations of clinical

examination.

For example, in degenerative spondylotic myelopathy, it can be technically feasible to do a scan to determine the extent of spinal cord compression. However, the patient’s complaints and presence of physical signs often determine the direction of treatment3. This cannot be reliably assessed by virtual means, such as using telemedicine, intranet or Internet communication tools. Accurate clinical examination is still mandatory here.

Other fields in Medicine may also find synergy from our experiences in the road to reviving bedside teaching4.

In short, Clinical Medicine has its rightful place at the bedside, and this should not change in the near future.

PAGe 6

By Associate Professor Lo Yew LongHead and Senior Consultant, Neurology, NNI (SGH Campus)Chief Editor, Proceedings of Singapore Healthcare

Clinical Medicine must not leave the bedside

References1. Elder A, Chi J, Ozdalga E, Kugler J, Verghese A. The Road Back to the Bedside. JAMA 2013; 310: 799-800.2. Lo YL. Guillain-Barre syndrome. Lancet Neurol 2008; 7: 1082-3.3. Lo YL, Chan LL, Lim W, Tan SB, Tan CT, Chen JLT, Fook-Chong S, Ratnagopal P. Systematic correlation of transcranial magnetic stimulation and cord compression on MRI in

cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Spine 2004; 29: 1137-45.4. Tamblyn RM, Barrows HS. Bedside clinics in Neurology. An alternate format for the one-day course in continuing medical education. JAMA 1980; 243: 1448-50.

Not just a doctor’s game In our ever-expanding Academic Medicine horizon, allied health and nursing colleagues add to the fervor, taking on roles in research and education working hand-in-hand with their doctor counterparts

It becomes extremely tempting to conduct a daily clinical round in front of the computer screen.

Many AHPs already meet the criteria for adjunct titles, and are performing roles in research and education in Academic Medicine.

– Assoc Prof Alvin Lim, Director, Allied Health Education, Pathology ACP

TomoRRoW’S medIcINe - ISSUE 9, MAY – JUNE 2014

ms low Siew Ngim, director of

Nursing, SNec

Page 7: Tomorrow's Medicine Issue 09 - May-Jun 2014

Patents Granted

PAGe 7TomoRRoW’S medIcINe - ISSUE 9, MAY – JUNE 2014

• Cancer and Stem Cell Biology• Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders• Emerging Infectious Diseases• Health Services and Systems Research• Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders

Duke-NUS carries out five Signature Research Programs (SRPs) that aim to impact on the biomedical sciences scene. Formed in 2008, each SRP represents a unique health burden for Singapore and the region to be studied in. The SRPs and SingHealth ACPs complement one another and collaborate by sharing facilities and expertise in research activities. With this collaboration, the partnership has seen outstanding research findings in research areas of focus.

The Duke-NUS Signature Research Programs develop key areas of research

The hub and spoke connectionProfessor Ang Chong Lye, Deputy Group CEO of Clinical Services and Informatics, SingHealth, and CEO, SGH, illustrates what a hub and spoke model is and how the network serves to provide key benefits of accessibility, quality and cost-effective care for patients

What does hub and spoke mean?Termed after a wheel with its hub and multiple spokes centrally connected, the “hub and spoke” model for healthcare means having multiple practising sites where the “hub” is the anchor site of the specialty area and the “spokes” are connecting secondary sites serving that specialty.

Can you give us an example of such model?The model can be applied across various industries and is best explained by drawing similarities with the airline industry. For example, United Airlines has a hub and command centre in Chicago and hubs in Dallas and other airports where they land. A big hub in Asia is Tokyo, where passengers from Singapore, China and Hong Kong go to Tokyo, en route to the US hubs, then to smaller cities, which are the spokes. These hubs are also where most of their crew are based and trained.

An airline may have landing rights in hundreds of airports but they have three to five big hubs. The undergirding factors are that the airline has common pilots and a common operating system.

Why are we using the hub and spoke model in healthcare? The main value of the hub and spoke model is in its connectivity: a uniform operating system across institutions, shared language, information technology, instruments and devices, as well as the consistent level of patient care with the same physicians practising across an integrated platform.

It means that we can have multiple practising sites for our patients’ easy access. SGH Campus, KKH Campus and NNI are national hubs - anchor sites where specialists practice. These hubs extend their service to patients at more accessible locations closer to the community. SGH doctors may practise in KKH, satellite clinics, or even Khoo Teck Phuat Hospital beyond SingHealth and eventually Sengkang General Hospital in the near future.

How is it applied in SingHealth?For SingHealth there are multiple hubs, which are simultaneously the spokes for different specialties. The hubs are where specialists can push the boundaries of science and elevate the practice of Medicine. They are where the operating systems and patient management procedures are developed, supported by IT to manage information.

An example in application, SNEC is the national hub for eye care while the healthcare staff also practise in other sites like KKH, Changi General Hospital (CGH) and their clinic in Balestier. If these sites receive more complex cases, the patients can be transferred to SNEC which has the expertise and sophisticated equipment needed.

NNI’s location in Tan Tock Seng Hospital is a hub, and their spokes are in SGH, KKH and hospitals nationwide where their doctors can reach patients in need of specialist care.

Another example is in oncology where NCCS set up a satellite clinic in CGH to receive patients. A patient with a straightforward case will receive care and follow up in CGH, and a more complex case will be referred to NCCS.

How does this model extend to healthcare training?This framework also applies to medical training where junior doctors get rotated between the hubs for tertiary and quarternary healthcare training and the spokes for secondary healthcare training. Physicians now get to train residents in multiple sites but with expertise and equipment being costly, it is more efficient to concentrate them in specific areas for both training and patient usage.

We can have multiple practising sites ... (where) the hubs extend their service to patients at more accessible locations closer to the community.

– Prof Ang Chong Lye, Deputy Group CEO (Clinical Services and Informatics), SingHealth

AmRI: Paving the way for researchersIn alignment with the SingHealth and Duke-NUS joint research master plan to achieve excellence in research, the

Academic Medicine Research Institute (AMRI) was formed with the aim of being an “academic home”. It enables the development of translational, clinical and health services research and provides scientific support to nurture the

academic careers of budding and established researchers in SingHealth and Duke-NUS. AMRI also fosters collaborations among scientific, clinical and quantitative experts in SingHealth, Duke-NUS, Duke-US and other institutions.

Prof Wong Tien Yin, Head of AMRI and Group Director of Research, SingHealth, explains, “We brought together people who are, at the heart of what they are doing, altruistic. People who are part of AMRI think about ‘How can I support other scientists to build up research and build their own career?’ No other institution in SingHealth, or in Singapore, has that aim.”

AMRI provides scientific support to all those who are pursuing a career in research. This is done by guiding the researchers through every stage of their project – from idea development, study design and development, study setup, to implementation and conclusion stage. Prof Wong added, “We are resolved about helping people. And the results show.”

SINGHeAlTH/dUKe-NUSAcHIeVemeNTS-AT-A-GlANce

PUBliCATiONS > 7,000 research papers in peer-reviewed journals (FY01 – Cal.Year 13)

AWARDS

1PSTM, 2 PSA, 1 PSA Team Award

CliNiCiAN-SCiENTiSTSNEW CORE

PlATFORMS & PROGRAMMES AMPL, POLARIS, Flow Cytometry, Clinical Pharmacology, Advanced Bioimaging (SingHealth only),Centre for Technology and Development (Duke-NUS only)

RESEARCH EDUCATiON

300+ Open Access VAP on Clinical SciencesCertificate Program in Regulatory Affairs (JADE Project)

iNDUSTRY liNKS GSK, Roche, Pfizer, Novartis, Abbott, AstraZeneca AB, Bayer, inviragen, imaginAb

COMPETiTiVE GRANTS$1.04B Competitive funding(FY01 – Cal.Year 13)

$148.52mPharma/Industry funding (FY01 – FY13 1st half)

GRANTS PRE-REViEWED

16/32

PATENTS

255191642012

AMRi GRANTS AND AWARDS

Invention Disclosures

Patent Applications

Filed

Registered Trademarks

Licenses Executed

(As at Apr 2014)

pre-reviewed proposals submitted were funded

iNFRASTRUCTURE Academia Discovery Tower • Opened on 20 July 2013• Core research facilities and

platforms• PI offices• Office of Research • AMRI

(as at May 2014)

National CSsSTaR Investigators

3810

CSA

TA

199

Cluster CSs27

Tanoto Awards

Khoo Student Research Awards

Graduated Khoo Scholars22

Won National Grants

Won Foundation Grants

Khoo Pilot Awards

1014145

5

seosja
Sticky Note
30
Page 8: Tomorrow's Medicine Issue 09 - May-Jun 2014

The Academic Medicine Partners Portal provides all the information you need on the Academic Medicine partnership in the cluster.

As administrators, what are your roles in the ACPs?JB: The roles of an ACP administrator, like myself, are unique as we are the facilitators for SingHealth and Duke-NUS in implementing the Academic Medicine strategic initiatives in our respective ACPs.

I am involved in managing the day-to-day running of ACP-related programs, working with our Key Appointment Holders (KAHs) on strategic planning and developing programmes to spur innovative changes and improve the culture and activities in education, research and clinical excellence. I also undertake special projects such as developing new training programmes for nurses and AHPs, developing new educational partnerships and working on philanthropy development for long term sustainability.

CT: We are the connectors between the clinicians and the leader, and the enablers and facilitators for new research and education activities. We are also partners to the ACP Chair and KAHs in executing their vision.

I facilitate the research activities of the Device Development Office. The concept of having clinical formulation solutions and implementing a development strategy is quite unfamiliar to most people here, so I need to constantly engage our stakeholders and emphasise the benefits of working with the team and set up new administrative policies for a smooth operation.

JX: Administrators work with a constantly evolving system and we also manage teething problems at the operational level. We are currently transiting Residency Programme into our ACP and there are issues we need to iron out, such as in finance, and staff reporting structures and flow. We have also recently raised funds for the ACP and worked on the process internally and with Duke-NUS.

What other areas of work are you constantly exposed to? JB: We proactively identify gaps in existing research, education and clinical areas, while proposing suitable initiatives to strengthen our academic mission.

JX: I am both an administrator for KKH Division of Medicine and for two ACPs. As I work across institutions and with different systems (KKH, SGH, SingHealth and Duke-NUS), I have the privilege to see the link between education, research and clinical work in a holistic view. The advantage is that I can bring the ACP team and clinical administrators together so that everyone works as a team, but I have to be cognisant that the two ACPs are different, though based in the same institutions.

You have different past work experiences. How have they helped you in your current roles?JB: My past experience in policy making, research management, and programme development in healthcare, pharmaceutical industry and government organisations has enabled me to explore new initiatives in these

areas and to connect to the right external agencies.

CT: Before my work with Surgery ACP, I was doing research in an A*STAR institute, and medical devices and diagnostics research at Johnsons & Johnsons. It provided clarity in identifying research focus, facilitate external collaborations and implement multiple research initiatives.

JX: My role in Division of Medicine, focusing on the clinical aspect prior to my expanded role in the ACPs, helps me understand the challenges experienced by our clinicians, identify their areas of needs and connect the right people.

What areas do you think should be enhanced to enable an ACP to progress?JB: We need to manage the expectations

of the relevant stakeholders involved and provide avenues to support new programmes that are future focused and develop ACPs as centres of excellence in the respective areas. ACPs also can do better in acknowledging nursing and AHP as an integral part of our journey.

CT: We should reconcile the roles of ACPs with existing institution structures and resources to effectively implement academic initiatives, handle challenges and plan for financial sustainability.

ACPs are formed to address the needs of the clinicians in the areas of research and education. If we understand the clinicians’ needs before devising and implementing any initiatives, the clinicians should (hopefully) be interested and proactively engage the ACPs.

one-stop gateway to Academic medicine

SingHealth Office of Research Grant Call Reminder

National Medical Research Council (NMRC) May 2014 Grant Call Closing Date: 2 June 2014, 5.00pm Grant Amount

Singapore Translational Research (STaR) Investigator AwardFunding quantum inclusive of -1. Grant support: Up to $5M for 5 yrs + 2. PI’s salary support: Up to $600k per yr +3. Start-up fund: $500K (one-time)

Clinician Scientist Award (CSA) i) INV: PI’s salary support + Grant support of up to $675K for 3 yrsii) SI: PI’s salary support + Grant support of up to $1.75M for 5 yrs

Transition Award (TA) PI’s salary support + Grant support of up to $375K for 3 yrs

Clinician Scientist Individual Research Grant (CS-IRG) Up to $1.5M for 3 yrs

CS-IRG New Investigator Grant (CS-IRG-NIG) Up to $200K for 2 yrs

Cooperative Basic Research Grant (CBRG) Up to $1.5M for 3 yrs

CBRG New Investigator Grant (CBRG-NIG) Up to $200K for 2 yrs

Health Services Research Competitive Research Grant (HSR-CRG) i) Phase 1 & 2: Up to $200K for 2 yrsii) Phase 3: Up to $1M for 2 yrs

Clinical Trial Grant (CTG) – Investigator-Initiated Trials (IIT -Early or Late phase) i) IIT - Early phase: Up to $5M for 5 yrsii) IIT - Late phase: Up to $2M for 5 yrs

NMRC Research Training Fellowship Up to $500K for 2-3 years (extendable to 4 years for PhD degree)

MOH Healthcare Research Scholarship Up to ≤$500K & ≤$800K for 4 yrs

For more information on funding sources and support for research in SingHealth, visit http://research.singhealth.com.sg or email [email protected]

PAGe 8

Keeping the programmes runningThree ACP Administrators share insights on their unique roles

dr lim chee Tiong (cT) Senior Manager, Academic

Affairs, Surgery ACP

ms Jaxii yong (JX)Senior Manager,

Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Paediatrics ACPs

dr T Jayabaskar (JB) Deputy Director, Academic

Affairs, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences ACP

Visit www.singhealthacademy.edu.sg/sdc for more information

TomoRRoW’S medIcINe - ISSUE 9, MAY – JUNE 2014

Visit the website to get access to:• Academic Medicine Education Institute (AM•EI) and Academic Medicine Research Institute (AMRI) • Academic Clinical Programs (ACPs)• The hottest news on our Academic Medicine landscape• Full calendar of Academic Medicine activities, including education and research workshops and events• e-library, publications and grant calls

www.academic-medicine.edu.sg

AM•EI EventsOpen to all SingHealth and Duke-NUS staff. For details and registration, contact the Academic Medicine Education Institute (AM•EI) at [email protected]. For membership enquiries, email [email protected].

PROGRAMMES AT SGH CAMPUS

8 Jul, 2.00pm-5.00pm Enhancing and enriching learning through effective facilitation

9 Jul, 2.00pm-5.00pm The “flipped” classroom: Using Team-Based learning to enhance the learning within your course

PROGRAMMES AT KKH CAMPUS

23 Jun, 2.00pm-4.45pm Bedside teaching – Focus on microskills (for residents only)

16 Jul, 2.00pm-5.00pm Bedside teaching – Creating a positive learning experience

AmRI events For details and registration, contact the Academic Medicine Research Institute (AMRI) at [email protected].

WORKSHOPS

27 May, 9.00am-5.00pm Sample Size Estimation Using PS Software Workshop