Healthcare professionals lauded for contributions to medical sector

SINGAPORE: The pursuit of medical excellence through research must improve patient outcomes in the end.

Speaking at this year’s National Medical Excellence Awards, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said it must also make treatment more accessible to patients.

Mr Gan said these are some of the criteria in selecting the award winners.

He added that his ministry will continue to retain, attract and develop medical talents here.

Marking the fifth edition of the Health Ministry’s initiative, 10 healthcare professionals from various fields, including paediatric liver transplantation and orthopaedic surgery, were lauded for their contributions to the medical sector.

This year, there are two winners for the National Outstanding Clinician Award.

They are Professor K Prabhakaran, a pioneer in paediatric liver transplantation here and Professor Wong Hee Kit, a trailblazer in orthopaedic surgery.

Both are from the National University Hospital.

Singapore General Hospital’s Professor Pierce Chow brought home the National Outstanding Clinicial Scientist Award, while Professor George Yeo from KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital was honoured as the country’s Clinician Mentor.

For his contribution in grooming future medical talents, Associate Professor Lim Tock Han from the National Healthcare Group received the Outstanding Clinician Educator Award.

The National Outstanding Clinical Quality Activist Award went to Adjunct Associate Professor Tai Hwei Yee from Tan Tock Seng Hospital for her efforts in driving patient safety and clinical quality.

Last but not least, the NUH team led by Associate Professor Sophia Ang clinched the National Clinical Excellence Team Award this year.

Her team members are Dr Sharon Saw, Associate Professor James Yip and Dr Sandhya Mujumdar.

The group came up with the "Critical Lab Result Alert System" that leverages on technology to improve standards and quality of patient care at NUH.

— CNA/cc