I

DEC 2017ISSUE #2

A HEALTH INSIDER BY SENGKANG GENERAL HOSPITAL

DESIGNED FOR PATIENTS

Sengkang General Hospital looks to the patient in planning for a hospital for the future.

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CONTENTS

Publisher

Sengkang Health Pte. Ltd.

Editorial Team

Cecilia Pang (Editor)Loretta LeeRenee Seow

Advisors/Contributing Experts

Dr Luke Low Sher GuanChan Ya LingGrace LimSiti Mariam Bte Md SalimShi JinBernice LiuDr Tan Choon ChiehDr Victor KwokFrance ArchambaultMohamad Rizal Bin Mohd RazaliGarreth LiBernard Chan

We value your feedback on how we can improve skoop. Please send in your comments and queries to skh.skoop@gmail.com

skoop is published by Sengkang Health Pte. Ltd. Copyright © is held by the publisher. All articles in this publication are for information only and are not meant to substitute any advice provided by your own doctor or other medical professionals.

All information is correct at time of printing. Reproduction in part or whole without permission is prohibited. All rights reserved. MCI (P) 170/03/2017.

90700-002-1217

COVER STORY

CEO’S INSIGHTS

INSIGHTS

COVER STORY

ON-THE-GROUND

BETTER LIVING

PG 4

A SPACE TO HEALProfessor Christopher Cheng, CEO of Sengkang General Hospital, shares his insights on why calm and vibrancy in a hospital matters.

LIVING &LEAVING AT YOUR FULLEST

PG 10

The best lives lived are the ones that stay meaningful and relevant to your personal wishes.

FIGHT THE SEDUCTION OF SITTINGPG 13

How many hours do you spend

sitting in a day? Find out why

sitting too much is bad for you.

DESIGNED FOR

PATIENTS

MAKING HEALTHY HAPPEN IN SENGKANG

PG 16

PG 6

Let’s take a peek into the details that have gone

into providing a homely harbour of health for the

northeast community.

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My family doesn’t like to waste food, so we frequently keep leftovers and heat them up for the next meal. Unless they smell or taste bad, leftovers are safe to eat, right?

This may be a thrifty way to live but eating leftovers may mean that you are consuming incorrect portions of food groups and an unbalanced meal the next day. Storing and reheating leftovers inappropriately also run the risk of food poisoning. Alternatively, you can:

I’m having an operation soon, and my friends are advising against seafood and chicken after surgery. Do we really have to avoid certain foods before/after surgery?

We are sometimes advised not to eat these foods because according to traditional Chinese medicine, they are known to affect wound healing. There is little evidence however to back this up. On the contrary, chicken and seafood are well-documented good sources of protein and protein is one of the components needed for your body to heal. Surgery creates stress for our bodies, which can deplete nutrients and weaken our immunity, increasing the risk of infections.

If you wish to play safe, there are many other protein sources to choose from – think fish, pork, mutton, egg white, tofu, beans and legumes. More importantly, eat a healthy, balanced diet and a wide variety of foods in order to heal well. For those with dietary restrictions or poor food intake, we encourage you to seek a dietitian’s advice.

I’m on a course of antibiotics but I need my caffeine and I love spicy food. Can I still have them?

While coffee makes you alert, your body has to break it down to get rid of it. Some antibiotics can change the way your body processes caffeine, slowing its breakdown. This can cause you to feel jittery or experience headaches – surely, you don’t want that when you’re trying to recover from an infection.

The milk in caffeinated drinks also weakens the absorption of antibiotics, making your body less effective in fighting off infections. Remember, caffeine also exists in sodas, energy drinks and chocolates.

Spicy food and caffeinated drinks can worsen diarrhoea and nausea, common side effects of some antibiotics. It will be wiser to go easy or better still, avoid your favourite ‘tom yum’ and ‘kopi’ until you’ve completed the course of antibiotics!

HEALTH BITES

• Plan, prep and store food correctly to prevent leftovers.• Portion out and keep the extra food in clean covered containers if you are cooking more than one meal.• Always spoon out the portion you want to eat onto a separate dish to prevent contamination of the remaining food.

• Bacteria multiply in the temperature danger zone of 5 to 60oC. Do not leave food in this danger zone for more than 2 hours. Otherwise, refrigerate it (4 oC) and throw out any food that has been left out standing for more than 4 hours.• Consume cooked food within 2 to 3 days of cooking and these should not be reheated more than once.

• Young children, pregnant women, the elderly, transplant patients, chemotherapy patients and patients on immune suppressing medications should avoid eating leftovers, as they are more vulnerable to getting food-borne infections and developing serious complications.

Grace Lim Eng Fui,

Pharmacist

health myths Learn the truth behind some of the common health myths.

Chan Ya Ling, Dietitian

Chan Ya Ling, Dietitian

2

One day, Mrs J* fell and fractured her hip – she had been feeling giddy, and has diabetes and high blood pressure. She underwent surgery to fix the fracture but had difficulty walking after the operation, and was later found to have fallen a second time when her blood sugar dropped too low.

For many patients like Mrs J, chronic diseases often take a toll on their health, with complications setting in as the diseases progress.

Even though more people live longer today, they may not necessarily be living better. Some may be frail to begin with, and have a serious illness requiring hospitalisation. Others are prone to falls and fractures, or have undergone major operations that place stress on their already weakened bodies.

As such, it is not uncommon for these patients to start declining in all areas of health, physically and mentally. They will require a longer period of recovery and will often benefit from a period of rehabilitation in a hospital.

Rehabilitation is not just for the frail or those who had surgery – it benefits anyone suffering a loss of function due to disease, injury or disability.

BRIDGING CARE INTO THE COMMUNITY

By Dr Luke Low, Consultant, Department of Family Medicine, Sengkang General Hospital

The rehabilitation team journeys with the community, working hand-in-hand with individuals to maintain independence and quality of life on home ground.

Helping patients achieve meaningful health goals

Teamwork is the key factor in rehabilitation where a multi-disciplinary team works together to provide the best care for each patient, which includes understanding their functional, psychological and social needs. Rehabilitation does not single out a problem area. Instead, we treat the whole person to get patients home and back into the community.

The team comprises family physicians, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, dietitians, medical social workers and pharmacists, each performing their own roles to provide holistic care.

Although the care focuses on rehabilitation, family physicians in the hospital continue to provide medical attention to stabilise medical conditions, treat chronic diseases, along with carrying out vaccinations and preventive screening for osteoporosis.

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HEALTH FILES

3

We involve patients in many healthcare decisions and respect their choices, so that they can continue to live meaningfully in spite of their existing medical conditions. In scenarios where patients depend greatly on their caregivers, the rehabilitation team can provide training for caregivers to look after them at home.

Bridging care, building communities

Patient care management does not stop with discharge from the hospitals. Family physicians and the team of nurses and allied health professionals anticipate the evolving conditions of their patients post-discharge, and coordinate care as a patient moves out of the hospital.

Post-discharge care preparations include planning which primary care doctors (general practitioners) the patient should see, and which day-care or rehabilitation centres they should go to receive ongoing therapy.

Home visits are also arranged to ensure that a patient will be safe at home after discharge. These visits may include instructions to modify existing home environments so that patients are able to move around independently and safely.

To prevent falls, occupational therapists may recommend home modifications such as grab bars and anti-slip tiles. For HDB flats requiring home modifications, these can be subsidised under the Enhancement for Active SEniors (EASE) programme.

The healing journey may begin in hospitals, but by connecting patients with the wider health care teams within their own communities, they can continue receiving the medical, nursing and therapy care when they return home – all in a day’s work for us in bridging care and building communities.

*Name kept anonymous for privacy reasons

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Trained to manage both acute and chronic conditions – a fractured leg and diabetes, for example – family physicians provide comprehensive, well-rounded care, preventing patients from spiralling into more complications.

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CEO’S INSIGHTS

“Functional elegance” comes to mind when we think of our upcoming Sengkang General and Community Hospitals. While we are right in the heart of a dense, built-up environment – just next door to HDB dwellings, in fact – we are happy to blend in on the outside, staying close to the communities that we serve.

The details that will make all the difference are woven within the hospitals’ environments, which will surprise and hopefully delight visitors, after they step in from a conservative façade.

Professor Christopher Cheng, CEO of Sengkang General Hospital, shares his insights on how calm and vibrancy can come together in a hospital built with the patient in mind.

e have worked hard and creatively within the constraints of time, resources and requirements to build a hospital that will inspire wellness in visitors,

patients and staff alike. My favourite design point is how we have plotted in pockets of airy, green spaces throughout the hospitals. Such spaces breathe life into the urban environment and offer a brief respite for people to pause while going about a busy day of healing or caregiving.

These pockets of greenery, along with our rooftop garden, are gems of connection to nature and sunshine. They serve as “chargers” to kick-start ourselves, reminding us of our humanness and allowing moments of restorative reflection.

DETAILS THAT MATTER

Artist’s impression

5

he hospitals have a first level that is raised, with a ‘kelong’ effect. Several entrances will lead visitors into a wide, common space

that we call the “Community Heart”. This bright and spacious space will have an open skylight welcoming visitors and it is also where cafes, retail outlets and event spaces will be.

In keeping with the open concept, we like to begin a culture that encourages patients to open their hearts and minds to active participation in their own care and treatment.

Leading upwards, we have our clinics and wards. The wards start from the fourth storey, as we wanted to elevate restful places for better ventilation. Our floor vinyls, curtains and built-up materials are noise-absorbent to support the calmness that helps patients recover.

With the General Hospital’s connectivity to the Community Hospital, patients can sense their recovery progress as they move from high acuity places – like Intensive Care or Accident & Emergency – to a stable and recuperative space at the Community Hospital.

OPENNESS AND CALM

COMMUNITY HEART

WELL-NESS

HEAL

REST

SENSE

e also add a dash of liveliness to the environment with what we call a “West End” at the Community Hospital, which

also houses our auditoriums, theatres and a childcare centre. This area will have a higher concentration of activities, where residents and children can come for engagement workshops, health fairs, play music and enjoy the open space which we lack so dearly in our urbanised lives.

Hearing noise of the right kind, like laughter of children, can be a plus to convalescing patients. It is at the Community Hospital that we are linked directly to the surrounding BTO blocks too.

e are using technology to help us in our work so that we continue to deliver quality care to patients. For better

usage of manpower resources and improved efficiency, we are tracking equipment, health outcomes and patients using technology. We are exploring new ways to deliver healthcare such as through telehealth where we give consultations over video. Even so, we are mindful of the human side of healthcare. Our culture of mindfulness reminds us that people are important in the equation, be it patients, visitors, or staff. Whether it is attending to patients or discussing work among colleagues, focusing on being ‘in the moment’ helps us deliver care more thoughtfully instead of looking at it as just a routine.

Come the second half of 2018, residents, patients and caregivers can look forward to a hospital that is built around their needs and with them in mind. We look forward to serving the community soon.

A DASH OF FUN ANDCOMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

A MARRIAGE OF MINDFULNESS AND TECHNOLOGY

6

DESIGNED FOR PATIENTS

Sengkang General Hospital looks to the patient in planning for a hospital for the future. Let’s take a peek into the details that have gone into providing a homely

harbour of health for the northeast community.

7

BETTER WARD DESIGN FOR FASTER RESPONSE

As a patient, it is reassuring to know the nurse is nearby. That is why we have moved nursing stations from a centralised hub to smaller, easier-to-access stations for every cluster of five to six beds. This improves the visibility of patients to nurses and reduces unnecessary walking. More importantly, it encourages more interaction with them, which enhances patient care.

FAST FACTS

• Decentralised nurse stations increase nurses’ visibility and contact with patients.

• Digital bedside patient charts for easier care management of patients.

• En-suite showers and toilets for every 5-6 beds in subsidised wards, instead of the traditional communal toilet for the entire ward.

REDUCING INFECTIONS FOR SAFER CARE

Infections only make sick people sicker. To better protect our patients, we have built single-patient rooms in our intensive care and high dependency wards. In single-bed rooms, patients will have the best chance of protection against picking up a new infection or passing what they have to someone else.

FAST FACTS

• Single-patient rooms in ICUs/ HDUs with easy-access hand sanitisers reduce infection risks.

• Special built-in bedpan disinfectors in selected isolation rooms to limit spread of waste contamination.

• Separate dirty utility rooms with demarcated clean areas to prevent cross-contamination.

DESIGNED FOR PATIENTS

COVER STORY

FASTER TEST RESULTS

Our Laboratory will run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. What this means is fast and reliable test results, facilitating faster treatment decisions.Availability of round-the-clock testing for diseases such as dengue will allow us to identify and respond promptly to potential disease outbreaks.

FAST FACTS

• 24/7 lab services provide quick, accurate test results which will be especially helpful to the A&E.

• Urgent tissue biopsies can be done via direct access to frozen section labs in major operating theatres.

• Speedy pneumatic tube system will deliver test specimens in minutes, saving critical time.

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COVER STORY

KEEPING HOT FOOD HOT, COLD FOOD COLD

Imagine that you are recovering in hospital, and when dinner arrives, your soup is not steaming hot as it should be and your slice of watermelon is warm. Thanks to special food trolleys, we will be able to serve food at the right temperature. The trolleys also speed up service by cutting down on handling, improving the patient’s dining experience.

FAST FACTS

• Hot and chilled compartments in food trolleys ensure hot food stays hot, cold food stays cold.

• Patients can expect freshly prepared meals, with at least 4 choices to choose from a menu of 6 cuisines.

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GETTING AROUND EASILY

For someone in need of medical attention or rushing to visit a loved one in hospital, getting to the right place swiftly and safely is important. What can make all the difference is how we plan many accessible entrances, place clear directories and wayfinding signs, and incorporate user-friendly features to suit all ages and abilities.

FAST FACTS

• Highly accessible via a link bridge from Cheng Lim LRT station and 10-minute walk from Sengkang MRT station.

• Visible and clear directory signs with Braille maps; Braille indicators also placed on staircase handrails.

• Non-slip floors and furniture with rounded edges to prevent falls or injuries.

• Wheelchair-friendly ramps and counters, as well as wide corridors and doorways.

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MOBILE ROBOTS FOR SMOOTH HOSPITAL OPERATIONS

Driver-less Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGVs) will be used 24/7 365 days a year to transport trolleys of linen, food and other medical supplies around the hospitals. They assist staff to do their jobs more efficiently, which will contribute to a positive experience for patients.

FAST FACTS

• Efficient and quiet transport of supplies around the hospitals.

• Operating round the clock, they allow staff to spend more time looking after patients.

• Collision avoidance sensors prevent damage and injury, improving safety overall.

A HEALING PATIENT EXPERIENCE

Bright, welcoming spaces to let in natural light, pockets of greenery to help one relax, and appropriate lighting that minimises glare to prone patients – we have taken care to create a conducive hospital environment that supports the healing journey.

FAST FACTS

Light & Space • Spacious ‘Community Heart’ with airy, open skylight where people can unwind and socialise.

• Indirect, diffusing lights installed in consultation rooms and wards reduce discomfort from glare.

Peace & Quiet • Noise-absorbing ceiling and floor finishes in all resting areas to reduce noise levels.

Airy & Green• Green spaces dispersed throughout hospitals to reduce stress and aid recovery. • Wards set in north-south direction minimises heat and boosts natural ventilation.

Artist’s impression

10

BETTER LIVING

If you and your family enjoy good health, it is hard to imagine a time when you would be unable to express your wishes about your health care.

But imagine when crisis suddenly strikes and your family is left to guess or speculate what your preferences could be. They will be placed under much stress, having to make difficult decisions for you.

How can such a situation be made less stressful? With advance care planning (ACP), you can plan ahead and make your wishes known earlier.

WHY TALK ABOUT IT?

Having conversations with loved ones in advance about your wishes and preferences allows you to have a shared understanding of what matters to you. Making a plan gives them assurance and peace of mind they are fulfilling your wishes. It also guides the healthcare team on how best to care for you.

Also, if you have assets, you may see this as a chance to appoint a donee through an LPA (Lasting Power of Attorney – refer to table) to uphold your wishes, should you have concerns about the well-being of your estate.

In consultation with: Siti Mariam Bte Md Salim, Senior Medical Social WorkerShi Jin, Senior Advance Care Planning CoordinatorSengkang General Hospital

The best lives lived are the ones that stay meaningful and relevant to your personal wishes.

SO HOW DO WE START THE CONVERSATION? IT CAN BE A LITTLE DIFFICULT AND AWKWARD.

Start by speaking to your doctor or getting advice from an ACP facilitator in the respective healthcare institution that you are treated at. A thorough understanding of your own medical condition is a good start in seeking opportunities to bring up the topic with family members.

Meaningful conversations can arise even when watching television as a family, should a programme featuring someone with critical illness be screened. Or initiate the topic after visiting or hearing about someone who is critically ill.

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LIVINGLEAVING

FULLESTAT YOUR

AND

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Just 4 simple steps :

What does Living Well mean to you? What gives your life purpose? What makes each day meaningful?

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For more information about Advance Care Planning, visit www.livingmatters.sg

Think about it1 Discuss with

your loved ones

2 Put your wishes in a Plan

3 Review your preferences4

ADVANCE CARE PLANNING (ACP)

IS IT LEGALLY BINDING?ACP is not a legal document. It helps loved ones make future healthcare decisions for you.

Those with medical conditions can get their ACPs done at public hospitals, polyclinics and/or national health centres.

Guided by the Mental Capacity Act in Singapore.

WHAT IS IT? Advance care plan that will guide your loved ones/caregivers and the medical team to make decisions on your behalf during an emergency.

This plan is accessible to all public healthcare institutions when needed. ACP conversation covers some aspects of AMD and LPA (refer to following page)

WHO IS IT FOR? Anyone, regardless of age, and especially for those with medical conditions.

WHEN DOES IT TAKE EFFECT? When you lose mental capacity and critical healthcare decisions need to be made.

CHANGE YOUR MIND? Contact your ACP facilitator to change your care plan.

As you discuss your wishes and preferences in your ACP, questions about completing legal documents such as the Advance Medical Directive and the Lasting Power of Attorney may come up. If you are confused on which directive to do, here’s a simple comparison below (and the following page) to help you understand the differences.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

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BETTER LIVING

IS IT LEGALLY BINDING?AMD is a legal document that has to be signed in the presence of two witnesses including your doctor.

You do not need a lawyer or legal advice to make one.

Document is made under the Advance Medical Directive Act in Singapore.

WHAT IS IT? Legal document signed in advance, stating your personal decision to stop life-sustaining treatment if you become terminally ill, incapable of expressing decisions and death is imminent.

Healthcare professionals can access it only when you are terminally ill, provided they are informed about it.

WHO IS IT FOR? Any adult of at least 21 years of age, with mental capacity.

WHEN DOES IT TAKE EFFECT? When you are terminally ill and have lost your mental capacity to make end-of-life healthcare decisions.

CHANGE YOUR MIND? You can revoke or terminate an AMD at any time by signing a revocation form in the presence of at least one witness.

ADVANCE MEDICAL DIRECTIVE (AMD)

IS IT LEGALLY BINDING?Legal advice is necessary to make an LPA.

Document is made under the Mental Capacity Act and Singapore Code of Practice.

WHAT IS IT? Legal document allowing you (donor) to appoint one or more persons (donees) to make decisions on your behalf should you lose the mental capacity to do so.

Donee(s) can be appointed to act in two areas: personal welfare and/or property and affairs.

WHO IS IT FOR? Any adult of at least 21 years of age, with mental capacity.

For those with loss of mental capacity, the application is to apply for court-appointed deputy.

WHEN DOES IT TAKE EFFECT? When you have lost your mental capacity to make decisions in these related areas.

CHANGE YOUR MIND? You can revoke or terminate an LPA at any time by signing a revocation form and notifying the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) and your donee.

LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY (LPA)

Find out more: www.moh.gov.sg/content/moh_web/home/policies-and-issues/advance_medical_directiveamd.html

Find out more: www.publicguardian.gov.sg/opg/pages/the-lpa-the-lasting-power-of-attorney.aspx

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BY Bernice Liu, Department of Physiotherapy, Sengkang General Hospital

How many hours do you spend

sitting in a day? At work, on the

drive or ride home, and in front of the

television. In fact, most of you are probably

sitting while reading this.

INSIGHTS

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While a brief period of sitting here and there is natural, sitting for long periods of time can seriously impact your health, with research showing that having inadequate physical activity can cause a host of health risks.

INACTIVITY IS A NEW DISEASE

SITTING TOO MUCH AND ITS RISKS

Advances in today’s modern world have reduced our need to stay active, with people ending up sitting for many hours at a time, day after day.

This leads to: • Raised risks of heart disease and stroke, diabetes and obesity, high blood pressure, cancer and depression• Poor posture and slouching, neck and back pain, osteoporosis, and increased predisposition to falls and injury

3.2 mil deaths each year

INSIGHTS

* Extracted from What are the risks of sitting too much? By James A. Levine

50% increased

risks of deathfrom any cause

125%increased risks of heart attack, chest pain or

similar ailment

In one study* comparing adults, those who sat longer had:

A simple way to sit less as shown by SKH CEO Prof Christopher Cheng who walks the talk by converting his desk into a standing workspace.

Physical inactivity has been identified as the fourth leading risk factor for global deaths, causing approximately 3.2 million deaths each year. It is a serious yet insufficiently addressed health problem, with the World Health Organisation reporting that 1 in 4 adults globally is not active enough and more than 80% of the world’s young population – from both developed and developing countries – lead sedentary lifestyles.

A Singapore National Health survey in 2010 also showed that only 19% of adults aged 18 to 69 years old exercise regularly and more than half of people in Singapore do not exercise during their leisure time.

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INACTIVITY IS A NEW DISEASE

LET’S MOVE IT!

Any activity is better than no activity. Sitting less and moving more are the only ways to minimise the risk of developing serious and chronic illnesses. Simple ways to get moving throughout the day:

BUT doing these simple activities alone cannot erase the negative effects of prolonged sitting. You need to also include enough regular exercise in your life to get the most health benefits.

• Reminders, reminders Set alerts on mobile phones, smart watches or activity trackers to remind yourself to move every other hour.

• Drink up Keeping hydrated and answering nature’s call can serve as a good mini-break away from work, not to mention the health benefits of water.

• Go the extra mile Park/alight a little farther. A short jaunt can go a long way to keep the heart pumping.

• Step up Take the stairs, instead of the lift, to get your blood pumping.

• Clean home, fit body Clean your home regularly! Housework involves plenty of walking, lifting and stretching, all of which is good for your body.

• Know your neighbourhood Go for walks and explore your estate.

• Get an exercise buddy A buddy is always up for a good ballgame together!

• Playtime is exercise time Get active during recess or after school. Borrow a football or skipping rope and make use of your school field or gym.

• S-T-R-E-T-C-H Stand up and stretch or move between lessons. Movement keeps our brain active and you’ll be less sleepy in class.

AT WORK IN SCHOOL AT HOME

Any aerobic exercise (e.g. brisk walking, soccer) for 30

- 45 mins

Any aerobic exercise (e.g. brisk walking, soccer) for 30

- 45 mins

Any strength exercise

(e.g. squats, lunges) in

3 sets of 10 repetitions*

Doing the laundry or

grocery shopping

Outing with family/friends at the park or

beach

Rest day!

Any strength exercise

(e.g. push-ups, sit-ups)

in 3 sets of 10 repetitions*

3 – 5 simple stretches every day

For those who are ready to start an exercise routine, here is a simple one to kick-start your journey!

15*Do more or less, depending on your fitness and endurance.

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Is diabetes preventable? Does grip strength provide clues to your health? And how can a colonoscopy save your life?

Residents from northeast Singapore discovered the answers to these questions and more at a community health fair held at Compass One Mall from 29 May to 4 June 2017. At the fair, over 6,000 residents discovered ways to age well, combat frailty, prevent diabetes and cancer by participating in interactive and education activities.

They got the chance to try out surgical equipment actually used in operating theatres and learnt how the upcoming Sengkang General and Community Hospitals will be like. There were also other activities such as mass workouts, games and an immersive virtual reality section, where residents were able to put on special 3D goggles to witness what happens during a surgery.

As we prepare our hospitals for opening in the second half of next year, stay tuned for announcements on our upcoming community health event. We hope to see many of you again!

ON-THE-GROUND

1717

“I discovered a lot of health tips, such as how sinful my favourite ‘char kway teow’ is. The calorie count is too much, so I will eat less of that,”

Ms Janet Ho (pictured on left), also a Sengkang resident.

“As a healthcare worker, I know the workload is high in a hospital,

and why waiting times can get long. However, as a family member, I would want the best and timely care for my

loved ones. Hopefully, the new hospital can ease the workload and improve

waiting times!”

Ms Iris Lim (right), a lab technician working in Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

“I live nearby, so I’ve watched the hospital grow from a field patch to the current building. My younger son had to go to KKH when he broke his arm. With a hospital nearby, it will definitely be more convenient.”

Ms Liao, Sengkang resident

For her elder son, Shu Lei (pictured wearing yellow), the fair was a fascinating learning ground feeding into his aspirations to become a doctor.

“I wasn’t scared when I watched the virtual reality clip – I also learned how to perform an operation!” Shu Lei, Ms Liao’s son.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Orthopaedic Knowledge Update for Family Physicians Please note these are not public talks.

Penetrating the Difficult Layer of Diagnosis: Common Mental Health Problems in Our Society

Please note these are not public talks.

Covering a broad range of topics from head to toe, this talk aims to update family physicians on the latest insights in medical innovation and technology through an exchange of knowledge with orthopaedic surgeons from Sengkang General Hospital’s Sports Surgery, Adult Reconstruction, and Foot and Ankle Services. Dr Chew Chee Ping will share on common shoulder disorders encountered in primary care and when to refer, while Dr Poon Kein Boon will discuss treatment options for osteoarthritic knee and minimally invasive total knee replacement. Dr Anandakumar S/O Vellasamy will share on common foot and ankle disorders in the community and minimally invasive foot and ankle surgery.

Dr Victor Kwok, Head of the Department of Psychiatry, Sengkang General Hospital, will share about mental health disorders that may disguise themselves as physical complaints like headaches or chest pain. He will also talk about psychiatric co-morbidities in diabetes mellitus, back pain and pregnancy.

CONNECT WITH US fb.com/sengkanghealth instagram.com/sengkanghealth

Date : 13 Jan 2018, SaturdayTime : 12pm – 4pm Venue : Jelutong Room, Level 5, SAFRA Punggol, 9 Sentul Crescent, Punggol, Singapore 828654

Date : 17 Mar 2018, SaturdayTime : 12pm – 4pm Venue : Jelutong Room, Level 5, SAFRA Punggol, 9 Sentul Crescent, Punggol, Singapore 828654

This workshop is accredited with 2 CME points.

This workshop is accredited with 2 CME points.

To RSVP, please email Ms Yvonne Ho at yvonne.ho.l.l@skh.com.sg

To RSVP, please email Ms Yvonne Ho at yvonne.ho.l.l@skh.com.sg

For GPs

only!

CME p

oints

awar

ded.