Twenty-nine attendees gathered at the NUSS Kent Ridge Guild House to gain insight from a line-up of esteemed speakers, including NUS faculty, representatives from the MOH Office for Healthcare Transformation (MOHT), and the private sector. The speakers shared their expertise on various topics, such as digital transformation, change management, and healthcare innovations using Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Professor Chia Kee Seng, Founding Dean of Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, renowned for his public health and policy expertise, highlighted the need to achieve a more holistic and sustainable healthcare system amid shifting healthcare paradigms. An in-depth exploration of the Healthier SG initiative gave participants a comprehensive understanding of the policies, strategies, and practical steps to achieve a more holistic and sustainable healthcare system.

“Be careful of a reductionist approach for complex problems,” Prof Chia advised. “It is important to first establish frameworks providing a clear connection between outcome, output, and input in health policies.”

Prof Chia Kee Seng, Founding Dean of Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, speaking on the importance of a holistic and sustainable healthcare system amid shifting healthcare paradigms.

Another key aspect of the Masterclass was the focus on digital transformation and innovation in healthcare. With rapid technological advancements, healthcare organisations must adapt quickly to stay ahead of the curve.

Professor Robert Morris, Chief Technology Strategist at MOHT, discussed the crucial role of data and information in healthcare, touching on topics like digitalisation, personalised care, and the latest developments in healthcare technology, including ChatGPT and its potential for bias and discrimination.

Meanwhile, Associate Professor Ngiam Kee Yuan, Group Chief Technology Officer, National University Health System (NUHS), and Head of the Department of Biomedical Informatics at NUS Medicine, underscored the importance of understanding the AI development process and addressing challenges such as data quality and interpretability. “We can’t do trustworthy AI without ethics,” A/Prof Ngiam said.

A/Prof Ngiam Kee Yuan, Group Chief Technology Officer, National University Health System (NUHS), Head of the Department of Biomedical Informatics in NUS Medicine, spoke about AI in Clinical Practice, and its challenges.

In his talk, Programme Director Mr Maurice Tan described the four core domains that created new value propositions for digital interventions in healthcare: sensors, algorithms, data connectivity, and services. He described how these forces interact and collaborate to develop cutting-edge digital solutions within the context of the Digital Transformation in HealthSG programme.

In a case study session, Mr Tan was joined by Ms Janice Weng, Senior Assistant Director of mindline.sg, MOHT, and Mr Keith Sng, Director and Principal Engineer, Future Primary Care, MOHT, where they talked about the implementation and impact of digital health platforms in the public sector.

Dr Tan Weng Mooi, Director, Integrated Health, MOHT, presented plans for social, ageing, and community care transformation in Singapore. “With a shrinking and older workforce, there is a need to leverage on technology and data to reshape healthcare delivery, facilitate better decision-making, and nudge adoption of healthier behaviours,” Dr Tan explained.

Mr Maurice Tan, Programme Director at NUS Medicine, shed light on the core domains that created new value propositions for digital interventions in healthcare.

Mr Lim Cher Wee, Chief Operating Officer of MOHT, presented insights on future inpatient wards, Mobile Inpatient Care @ Home, transitional care, and shared care. He noted, “We have an opportunity to advance care model innovation in Singapore, focusing on addressing fragmentation in hospitals and acute-to-community transitions.”

The case studies of Singapore’s digital health projects allowed participants to uncover best practices from different digital health projects in Singapore. The HealthTech innovation showcase allowed participants to experience the latest digital health innovations presented by leading startups from our healthtech and medtech ecosystems.

Notable industry speakers, including Mr Sirko Pelzl, Chief Executive Officer of ApoQlar, and Mr Hagen Wilhelm from Siemens Healthiness, provided insights into the latest advancements in medical training, mixed reality, and healthcare 4.0. Furthermore, representatives of promising startups like Fathom X Chief Executive Officer Mr Stephen Lim, Aevice Health Co-founder Mr Edmund Shao, and EyRis Senior Vice President Mr Steven Ang provided demos of healthtech projects. They offered a glimpse into the future of healthcare.

The networking sessions allowed participants to learn from one another, share their experiences, and develop new strategies for overcoming common challenges in healthcare.

In her LinkedIn post, Commercial Strategist Ms Erin Koek noted that the “exceptional speakers … have ignited a fire of inspiration within me, leaving an indelible imprint on my consciousness.”

In their evaluation, participants found the two-day Masterclass to be “extremely engaging and insightful”, where they “gained deeper insights and made valuable connections”. Some would “highly recommend” the programme, while others highlighted the “thought-provoking presentations”.

Overall, the DTX HealthSG Leadership Masterclass was a valuable opportunity for participants to gain insights into Singapore’s digital transformation strategies in healthcare and connect with relevant stakeholders and enterprises. Whether they were looking to build their organisation’s digital health strategies or create another growth engine for their business, this Masterclass provided them with the tools and knowledge they needed to succeed.

If you missed this opportunity and wish to be informed of our upcoming sessions, please click here to register your interest and we will reach out to you in our next run.