Issue 55
Sep 2025
THE BANYAN TREE
To meet the growing healthcare needs of Singapore and equip healthcare professionals with future-ready skills, the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine) offers bite-sized, credit-bearing courses. These enable participants to gain valuable knowledge in informatics, quality improvement, value-driven outcomes, and the optimisation of electronic medical record systems.
These SSG-approved courses are contextualised to Singapore’s healthcare system, aiming to build a more productive healthcare workforce. Participants will benefit by gaining new skills, enhancing existing competencies, improving processes in their roles, and delivering better care.
Thriving in a changing world
As healthcare continues to evolve with digital and artificial intelligence (AI)‑driven advancements, building capabilities in informatics, data visualisation, and process improvement is critical. The Epic EMR system is also constantly evolving, and healthcare professionals must keep pace.
This Executive Certificate provides the practical, targeted training needed to ensure Singapore’s healthcare workforce remains efficient, innovative, and ready to meet tomorrow’s challenges.
The skill sets taught in these courses will ensure that healthcare professionals and staff can use these systems and tools efficiently to further improve our healthcare system despite the nation’s pool of limited resources.
Why this programme matters
Healthcare professionals require core skill sets to function efficiently. They face the ongoing challenge of improving systems and workflows. This Executive Certificate addresses key gaps through four courses that equip learners with practical competencies in data visualisation, value-based healthcare design, quality improvement, and the effective use of the Epic system. All four courses must be completed to attain the certificate.
Overview of the four core courses
The Executive Certificate programme comprises four core courses specifically tailored to improve learners’ skill sets in key areas required for daily job functions.
Quality Improvement in Healthcare
(two days onsite)
This course equips healthcare workers with quality improvement tools and techniques for problem-solving and process improvement. Participants are guided through theoretical and reflective exercises to help familiarise them with various quality improvement programmes and tools that can be used in a quality or patient safety project.
Key outcomes:
|
• |
Describe the Model for Improvement, Diagnostic quality improvement tools and PDSA |
|
• |
Understand specifics of measuring for improvement |
|
• |
Implement customised interventions to bring about changes |
|
• |
Successfully spread and sustain quality initiatives |
“In-depth discussion on quality improvement, which is closely relevant to my role. Trainers come from the same industry and share relatable experiences.”
How to Make the Most Out of Epic
(one day onsite)
This course is designed for doctors, nurses, and allied health staff who use the Epic Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system. It focuses on optimising use, reducing screen time, and improving integrated patient care. Learners will:
|
1. |
Utilise several QuickWin features within Epic
|
||||||||||
|
2. |
Utilise SmartPhrases and Smartlinks individually and at department level
|
||||||||||
|
3. |
Utilise SmartLists
|
||||||||||
|
4. |
Set up letters as a means of communication within Epic |
||||||||||
|
5. |
Customise preference lists for efficient ordering |
||||||||||
|
6. |
Set up SmartSets/Order Sets to streamline patient encounters |
||||||||||
|
7. |
Develop interprofessional understanding through patient scenarios |
“The Epic course was very informative and useful in learning more about the Epic interface.”
“Excellent course for those interested in learning how to personalise and make Epic work for you.”
Healthcare Informatics & Data Visualisation
(two days virtual)
This course introduces foundational concepts in healthcare informatics, healthcare data, regulations, consumer health technology, and data visualisation. It is delivered by experienced faculty through the use of case studies, discussions, and hands‑on experience with health devices and tools.
Key outcomes:
|
• |
Understand the relevance of informatics in healthcare |
|
• |
Appreciate foundational concepts of healthcare informatics |
|
• |
Understand healthcare data and its uses |
|
• |
Understand the regulations around responsible use of healthcare data |
|
• |
Gain experience with consumer health devices |
|
• |
Discuss case studies in healthcare |
|
• |
Demonstrate the use of a data visualisation tool |
“I highly recommend this course for our clinicians as it provides a foundation of health informatics and data visualisation which can be helpful for better planning in view of the changing healthcare landscape.”
“Covers topics at a strategic level not often known on the ground. Teaches an open‑source data management tool that is relatively simple to use.”
How Informatics Can Enable Value–Based Healthcare
(two days virtual)
This course explores “Value–Based Healthcare” concepts and how they can be implemented in Singapore. Participants learn a structured data management framework, key clinical quality measurements, and outcome tracking. It includes real-life case studies from NUHS.
Key outcomes:
|
• |
Understand “Value–Based Healthcare” and key enablers for its implementation |
|
• |
Recognise the role of data and informatics in “Value–Based Healthcare” |
|
• |
Learn how NUHS has applied “Value–Based Healthcare” in Singapore |
“This course is helpful for users who need to do presentations with huge amounts of data. Tableau can help to minimise the operations workload, enabling us to better support clinicians.”
Next Intake
The next run is scheduled for March/April 2026.
Click here to register your interest.
To find out more, send us an enquiry at nusmedcet@nus.edu.sg
This column is dedicated to the pursuit of continuous learning and development and takes its name from the banyan tree. It has roots that grow deep, anchoring it firmly in the soil. The tree spreads its shade wide and far and provides space for reflection and discussion. We invite you to come and take a seat under its shade.
More from this issue
