engage JAN-MAR 2014 | ISSUE 19
@JurongHealth
Moving Closer to the West Jurong East Street 21
Alexandra Road
02-03
Topping Out of Ng Teng Fong General Hospital
06-07
Community Event at JEM
14-17
JurongHealth’s third Dinner & Dance: Marvel Manga Madness!
HIGHLIGHTS
04-05 SPOTLIGHT
06-17 Feature
18-19
SERVICE IMPROVEMENT & SERVICE QUALITY
FOCUS
making
History
20-21 HOSPITAL PLANNING
22-24
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
25-27
HAPPENINGS
28
MUSINGS
Writer Clara Chua Editor Elizabeth Loo Editorial Advisor Casey Chang
Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH) commemorated its topping out on 20 January 2014. 400 guests, board members and community partners were invited to witness this important milestone. The Topping Out Ceremony was held at the Devan Nair Institute for Employment and Employability, which provided unobstructed views of NTFGH’s upcoming clinic and ward towers. The final slab − bearing over 4,000 signatures and well wishes from members of the public, staff, and also the workers toiling ceaselessly at the building site – was hoisted to the top of the NTFGH ward tower. The hoisting was flagged off by the event’s Guest-of Honour, Mr Gan Kim Yong, Minister for Health. Other distinguished guests included Madam Halimah Yacob (Speaker of Parliament and Member of Parliament for Jurong GRC), Dr Amy Khor (Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Manpower, Mayor, South West District and Deputy Government Whip), A/Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Transport) and Ms Ellen Lee (Member of Parliament, Sembawang GRC).
Mr Foo Hee Jug, JurongHealth’s CEO cited connectivity as one feature patients and visitors can look forward to. Rain or shine, NTFGH will enjoy easy access to the Jurong East MRT station and bus interchange via Westgate through a network of elevated pedestrian bridges. The ward tower will be home to our Emergency Department, operating theatres, combined Intensive Care Unit and diagnostic services.
The all-new “One Bill, One Queue, One Patient Experience” process will also be implemented at the Specialist Outpatient Clinic when it opens, centring services and processes fully around the patient. A mass lo-hei was the grand finale of the celebration as guests enjoyed a spectacular lion dance performance and tossed yusheng for a better year ahead. Exploring the adjacent exhibition, they could also read about new hospital features and feel the excitement as we count down to the opening of NTFGH.
SPOTLIGHT
The Multi-Faceted Nursing Division The Division of Nursing comprises administrative, peri-operative, ambulatory, inpatient, emergency and critical care services. In this issue, Engage finds out what each department does in a sit-down with Ms Prema Balan (Senior Assistant Director, Nursing Education).
1.
Nursing Administration
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Under the leadership of Director, Nursing (DN), the Department of Nursing Administration is helmed by senior nurses with extensive experience in clinical systems, executive practice, professional communication, system development and health policy.
The department also oversees planning, organising, staffing, directing, operating and regulatory issues.
Who’s Who
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Director, Nursing (DN) The DN presides over the division and supervises the care of patients and nurses in Alexandra Hospital, Jurong Medical Centre, as well as the future Ng Teng Fong General Hospital and Jurong Community Hospital.
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Deputy Directors and Senior/ Assistant Directors Deputy Directors and Senior/Assistant Directors assist the DN in overseeing specific services, such as inpatient (medical and surgical services), peri-operative ambulatory services, emergency services, critical care services and training and development.
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Senior Nurse Managers/Nurse Clinicians Senior Nurse Managers/ Nurse Clinicians supervise nurses at the unit level and provide clinical guidance.Known as ‘sisters’, they oversee inter-disciplinary teams to uphold safe patient care. Reporting to the Deputy Director, Senior Assistant Director or Assistant Director of Nursing, they manage resources, nurses’ professional conduct, staff development, customer satisfaction, staff welfare and the day-to-day management of their unit.
• Nurse Educators Nurse Educators are responsible for orientating new nurses with the hospital and equipping them with the necessary training. They also coordinate training to ensure skill sets remain current and updated, and nurses maintain their expertise. • Infection Control Nurses Nurses in Infection Control are involved in the comprehensive surveillance of healthcareassociated infections and epidemiologically significant organisms to control the outbreak of infections. The department is in charge of enforcing infection control policies and conducting education programmes to reduce the transmission of pathogens in the hospital.
• HIV Screening Coordinators Registered Nurses serve as HIV Screening Coordinators who ensure HIV-infected individuals are aware of their status and receive timely care. • Nurse Call Associates Nurse Call Associates handle the follow-up of patients who have just been discharged. They make telephone calls to the patients or their next-of-kin to address concerns within 72 hours. • Care Coordinators Care Coordinators work closely with patients, their families and multi-disciplinary teams to maximise patients’ healing. Apart from identifying pre-discharge care issues, they also ensure a smooth discharge for patients and identify suitable post-discharge care facilities through the Agency of Integrated Care (AIC) and the Ministry of Health. • Specialty Care Nurses Specialty Care Nurses are nurses with clinical expertise and skills that enable them to care for patients with specific disease conditions. Advance Practice Nurse & Advance Practice Nurse Interns Advance Practice Nurses (APNs) and APN Interns manage a patient’s illness through advanced clinical skills, physical examinations, diagnostic reasoning, initiating referrals and therapeutic interventions. Combining education, research, management, leadership and consultation with clinical roles, they work closely with the patient and other healthcare professionals to develop suitable care plans that maximise healing.
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2.
Peri-operative Services
• Major Operating Theatre Nurses in the Major Operating Theatre possess clinical knowledge in peri-operative skills to assist the surgeon in services such as Ear, Nose and Throat, Ophthalmology, Genitourinary, General Surgery, Neurosurgery, Orthopaedics, Vascular Surgery and Dental Services.
05 •
• The ED also supports the Sub-Acute Ambulatory Care for Functionally Challenged and Elderly (SAFE) programme, which aims to reduce functional decline in the elderly after a visit to the ED. Nurses on the SAFE programme work closely with other multidisciplinary healthcare colleagues to heal and empower elderly patients.
Day Surgery Operating Centre Nurses at the Day Surgery Operating Centre assist in conducting elective eye, ear, nose and throat surgeries.
• Endoscopy Centre Nurses in the Endoscopy Centre provide day care services to patients who have undergone endoscopic treatments. • • Day Ward Before a patient enters the operating theatre, nurses at the Day Ward conduct a pre-operative preparation to address concerns prior to a procedure. Patients undergoing same-day surgeries also attend a similar preparation to learn how to care for themselves at home after the surgery.
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• Central Sterile Supply Department The Central Sterile Supply Department (CSSD) sterilises supplies in the hospital to lower the incidence of infections. Nurses from CSSD distribute sterilised supplies to different parts of the hospital, which include the in-patient areas, outpatient clinics, operating theatres, Endoscopy Centre and Intensive Care units.
4.
3.
EMERGENCY AND CRITICAL CARE SERVICES
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Emergency Medicine • Nurses in the Emergency Department (ED) assist doctors in a myriad of acute emergencies and non-emergencies. The ED works with the Ministry of Health’s Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Division to manage pandemic and emergency workflows in the hospital. An eight-bed observation ward – the Extended Diagnostic Treatment Unit (EDTU) – operates round the clock to care for and prepare patients for a safe discharge or admission.
Intensive Care Units (ICU 1 & ICU 2) • Nurses in ICU 1 and ICU 2 care for terminally-ill patients for complicated medical conditions, trauma or complex surgical procedures. High Dependency Unit • Nurses in the six-bed High Dependency unit monitors patients who have been discharged from the ICU. The unit supports patients who do not require the mechanical ventilatory support of the ICU but still require vigilant care.
AMBULATORY SERVICES
• Specialist Outpatient Clinic (SOC) The SOC offers services ranging from General Medicine services to specialised services such as Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) – Head and Neck Surgery, Dental Services, Cardiac Measurement and Sports Medicine. Nurses in the SOC perform health screenings, address care issues, educate, provide financial counselling and pain management through investigations and follow-ups. • Radiology Nurses in the Radiology Department work closely with radiologists to perform simple radiological examinations, imaging-guided interventions, invasive and advanced imaging techniques.
• Jurong Medical Centre (JMC) A one-stop specialist centre, nurses at JMC support the comprehensive services offered in outpatient clinics, diagnostic, day surgery and chronic disease management. They also perform health screenings and promote health and wellness. •
Inpatient Units Inpatient units offer round-the-clock care to patients, which include medical emergencies, emergency surgeries and elective surgeries. • Medical Wards Ward 2 is a male ward and Ward 3 is a female ward that admit patients for cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, geriatric, neurology, oncology, palliative, psychiatry, respiratory, rheumatology and urology conditions. • Multi-disciplinary Ward A multi-disciplinary ward, Ward 7 admits male and female patients for medical and surgical conditions and those who underwent invasive procedures and surgeries. • Renal Unit Patients with acute or chronic kidney conditions and those who require dialysis are admitted to Ward 9. • Transition Care Medicine and Rehabilitation Wards Ward 4 is a male ward and Ward 5 is a female ward. They are also the Transition Care Medicine and Rehabilitation Wards. Nurses in both wards work closely in multi-disciplinary teams along with care coordinators and community care services to optimise a patient’s functional capacity. • Surgical (including Orthopaedic) Wards Nurses in Wards 10, 11, 12 and 13 help patients recover from simple invasive surgeries, subspecialty and complex surgeries.
Feature
Community Event at JEM A community event was held at JEM on 11 and 12 January 2014 to allow residents in the west to be a part of Ng Teng Fong General Hospital’s (NTFGH) topping out. The final cement slab that was hoisted at NTFGH’s Topping Out Ceremony on 20 January 2014, was placed on site for members of the public to sign, so that they could leave their legacy in the new hospital. The slab garnered over 4,000 signatures and well-wishes, and visitors can look forward to a replica when we open our doors at NTFGH. Another event highlight was the anarmophic floor art installation depicting a 3D NTFGH. Visitors to the event posed gamely on the installation, pretending that they were standing at the top of NTFGH. With the help of construction helmets as props, quirky poses added a hint of realism to their pictures. Participants collected print-outs of their photographs at the instant photo booth. The best three photographs uploaded to Instagram with the hashtag #NTFGHToppingOut won attractive prizes. We share with you the winning photographs here. Winners of the instagram contest
07 Fans of Y.E.S. 93.3FM deejays, Xie Jiafa and Chen Ning, and Class 95FM deejays, Joe Augustin and Glenn Ong also welcomed the opportunity to come up close and personal with their favourite radio personalities. In addition, staff clad in the signature red JurongHealth T-shirt gave out mandarin oranges and specially designed red packets to members of the public. After two full days of engagement, we were happy to have made more friends with the community in the west!
feature
Healthy
Home 2014
09 After the successful launch of Healthy Home last year, 180 staff volunteers rolled up their sleeves once again to springclean 13 homes for the elderly in Taman Jurong. Held on 11 January 2014, Healthy Home 2014 was a collaboration between Community Relations and the NTUC Eldercare Co-operative Limited’s Senior Activity Centre, Silver Ace. JurongHealth staff turned up in full force to kickstart their Saturday meaningfully. The team included Mr Foo Hee Jug (Chief Executive Officer), Ms Joanne Yap (Chief Operating Officer), Ms Chow Siew Ying (Chief Financial Officer), Mr Lim Soo Tong (Chief Information Officer), Dr Gerald Chua (Head, Medicine), Dr Chua Chi Siong (Medical Director, Jurong Community Hospital), Ms Chee Thong Gan (Assistant Chief Operating Officer, Clinical Services and Director, Allied Health) and Mr Ng Kian Swan (Assistant Chief Operating Officer, Service Operations and Director, Jurong Medical Centre and Jurong Community Hospital Operations). Colleagues from Nursing, Allied Health and Administration and Ancillary were also part of the cleaning entourage. Scrubbing, cleaning and polishing, they gave the homes a new lease of life. Walls received a fresh coat of paint and doors had locks replaced to improve security. Residents of the 13 homes each received a $60 food hamper to enjoy ahead of the Lunar New Year. The Senior Activity Centre, where Healthy Home kicked off, was also a hive of activities. Occupational Therapists (OTs) and Medical Social Workers (MSWs) came together to engage and interact with residents by sharing tips to achieve independent living and simple home modifications that would make their homes more comfortable. Our OTs chose to celebrate Occupational Therapy Day this year at Healthy Home 2014, and engaged residents in games designed to keep elderly minds active and healthy. Likewise, our MSWs enlightened on the various support and community programmes available to empower and improve the lives of the residents. We thank everyone for their involvement in Healthy Home 2014!
Feature
SPREADING THE
festive cheer No one likes to stay in the hospital during Chinese New Year. So we thought we would spread some festive cheer at Alexandra Hospital on 29 January 2014. With bags of mandarin oranges in hand, Mr Foo Hee Jug (Chief Executive Officer) and A/Prof Cheah Wei Keat (Chairman, Medical Board) led a team that included Dr Gerald Chua (Head, Medicine), Dr Quek Lit Sin (Head, Emergency Medicine), Dr Chua Chi Siong (Medical Director, Jurong Community Hospital), Dr Yang Kok Soong (Director, Epidemiology), Madam Kuttiammal d/o Sundarasan (Director, Nursing), Ms Casey Chang (Director, Communications and Service Quality) as well as colleagues from Nursing, Service Quality, Communications and Community Relations to comb the wards, clinics and public areas. Many were pleasantly surprised when they were greeted by members of the entourage. The God of Fortune accompanied the entourage and livened up the atmosphere in the wards. Many wanted to take a photo with him – a symbol of good luck and prosperity during the Chinese New Year or simply to rub his gold ingot. At Jurong Medical Centre, patients received the same warmth on 28 January 2014, when colleagues wished them a Healthy Year of the Horse with mandarin oranges in hand. It is the little things like these that truly make a difference and show we care!
11
feature
Welcoming Epic Hyperspace’s First User
Epic welcomed its first Hyperspace user on 27 November 2013 when Mr Leontius Pradhana (Pharmacist) logged on as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) to experiment and gave his input on the system. SMEs hail from different departments in JurongHealth and are extensively involved in finetuning the system. Assisted by Mr Tean Kai Yuan (Application Analyst, Medical Informatics) and Ms Jessica Richards (Application Manager, Epic), Mr Pradhana’s comments were channelled to the Pharmacy team, “Team Willow” for analysis and adjustments after placing his first medication order. The aim is to familiarise users with the system that will unveil at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. In the coming months, more SMEs will have a go at the system as our Electronic Medical Records team build a system that is truly dynamic.
13 Unveiling the Document Management System If you enjoy working in a paperless environment, you will look forward to an intuitive electronic document repository coming your way this July. Corporate Planning and Information Technology’s (IT) various project teams have embarked on a comprehensive and highly integrated enterprise content management platform known as the Document Management System (DMS). It will be able to manage document life cycles with security and governance. Also known as EMC Documentum D2, staff can expect a more user-friendly portal that offers a personalised touch with widgets that make searching and sharing documents a breeze. Prompted by intelligent thumbnail previews that support instant content-viewing, the DMS can be accessed via Windows Explorer, Chrome, Firefox etc. and the Virtual Private Network (VPN). Since its pilot in July 2012, document repositories from five departments have been collated into one location (Documentum) to facilitate easy storage and retrieval of information. Various singlepoint-of-contact (SPOCs) identified from over 30 departments have also been working with the project team to identify suitable files and folder structures for the system. In the months to come, staff can expect to be more involved as surveys and taxonomy workshops are conducted to gather stringent requirements for the DMS. They include workflows for automation, policies and procedures and generic documents approval workflows. Departments will be supported by a dedicated Corporate Planning staff to help make this transition to the DMS a lot smoother.
Feature
L E V R S s S A s E e M M N n D d A a M A
A G G N N A A M M
his mcee t the “Nice e nd all a s see e k o j ood to nny G u . F b ! r r e a ye g!” ere sup growin ances w y il m r m o a f f per lth ongHea orker, the Jur ocial W S l a ic (Med ic Yap rvices) - Mr Er cial Se o S l a Medic
“This Dinner & Dance was an excellent bonding session for staff. Seeing one another in the MANY creative outfits showed the fun side of JurongHealth colleagues. We definitely had an awesome time!” – Ms Lynette Kwek (Executive, Clinical Operations)
s Office
e – Medical Record
Best Dressed Tabl
ry 2014. r and Dance on 21 Februa ne Din ird th r ou at a ng d into superheroes and favourite comics or ma he r rp ou of mo s ey ge th pa e as th rs o te int ac al actual char We stepped right manga costumes that could riv , while CMB rallied the an ing zy rm pe diz Su in o, d se er es rh dr pe Su me Staff ca ne’s favourite s! e Marvel pack as everyo right here in these page th ht led nig O at CE th s. om ain fr ill rv hs pe hig su live the y-skilled samurai. We re gang as Gintoki, a highl
Michael Patrick Murray Best Dressed Male, Mr , Occupational Therapy) (Occupational Therapist
“I had a wonderful time that night, unwinding and having fun with my colleagues, my family at JurongHealth. It was a great break from the day-to-day stress!” - Mr Michael Patrick Murray, Occupational Therapist, Occupational Therapy, Best Dressed Male
“The atmosphere allowed us to detach from work, forget everything and have fun! It also reminded us that as Superheroes, we have to be prepared and ever ready to face challenges. My team and I really enjoyed the evening of Marvel Manga Madness!” – Mr Jason Kwan, (Senior Optometrist, Optometry)
Janah Jade Best Dressed Female, Ms 3) rd Francia (Staff Nurse, Wa
“Dinner & Dance this year was a lot of fun! Speech Therapy came dressed as ghostbusters and we had a ball trying to exterminate the villains that night (kidding). We enjoyed ourselves and are definitely looking forward to the next one!” – Ms Ng Wan Tian (Speech Therapist, Speech Therapy)
ing of heroes and “It was a great gather I particularly liked villains that evening. it didn’t matter the video which showed as) won. As long as who (Marvels or Mang , we win because we combine our powers our patients benefit.” r Wellness - Mr Nathan Zhou (Senio sources) Coordinator, Human Re
Service ImprovEment
A Conducive
Space To Heal I was very surprised to see children running around, shouting and sitting on the floor in your C-class ward. Even though this is a subsidised ward, this is still a hospital and not a resort or hotel.
As a hospital that offers healing and rehabilitation to patients, managing noise and crowd control is something Nursing places great emphasis on. The feedback received via Service Quality has prompted more stringent checks in the wards. Strict visiting hours have since been implemented across all subsidised wards. They are also monitored closely by Nurse Clinicians and their teams, with nurses trained to be more sensitive to noise levels that interfere with a patient’s rest. Security has also been heightened to ensure that wards are safe for patients at all times. However, striking the right balance is key to managing visitors in the wards. Nurses are also trained to exercise flexibility should a patient’s condition require caregivers to be by their side, without causing any disturbance to the other patients.
Allaying Patient’s
Anxiety
I was upset when I saw that my bill came up to $2,587.95 for a 'C' Class Ward. It is exorbitant. Your hospital should provide a breakdown of the hospital bill to patients.
The Business Office has formed a Deposit Monitoring Team (DMT) to help patients navigate the hospital system better and address financial concerns with greater ease. In addition to helping them understand the components in their hospital bills, the DMT advises on paperwork required at inflight and checks for incomplete forms. They will also advise on alternative payment modes and address patient concerns.
Service Quality
19 Congratulations, Jurong Medical Centre!
Winners of Service Quality’s various initiatives are now on display at the “A+ Service” wall in both Alexandra Hospital and Jurong Medical Centre (JMC). This issue, we shine the spotlight on JMC for upholding the good work they do! Dr Maria Tang (Medical Officer, Clinic A) Ms Judy Lek (Staff Nurse, Clinic A) Ms Ng Mui Hoon (Patient Service Associate, Clinic A) The team at Clinic A provided consistent good service. From the Staff Nurse to the Patient Service Associate to the doctor, I’m impressed. Ms Lek was very prompt and efficient, and gave us the assurance that she was on top of things. Dr Tang offered clear explanations on my condition and appeared to be genuinely concerned of my well-being, which was very touching. She was also very helpful. Ms Ng is the friendly face that all patients look forward to seeing when they are sick. Together, they made the experience truly welcoming. Keep it up!
Dr Margaret Tan (Senior Resident Dentist, Clinic D) Ms Nurshiella binte Jumaat (Patient Service Associate, Clinic D) I would like to say a big "THANK YOU" to Dr Tan, who was very thorough in her follow-up and explanation on my teeth. She was also very cheerful and efficient. Likewise, Ms Nurshiella extended the same warmth at registration, which prompted me to leave them this service compliment. Well done, both!
Mr Roy Chia (Senior Podiatry Assistant, Rehabilitation) Mr Chia is very patient, courteous and helpful. I am impressed with the way he checked my mom's foot, which he did professionally and clearly. It is obvious he knows his work well as he advised us on assessment methods and offered professional advice. We’re impressed. Thanks, Roy!
Dr Juned Ansari (Senior Resident Physician, Clinic G) Ms Daphne Low (Senior Staff Nurse, Day Surgery) The professionalism of Dr Juned is something I will remember from my visit to JMC today. Not only was he caring and patient, his analysis allowed me to heal quickly. I can now return to work. Ms Low’s attitude was also superb, treating every patient like her family. It was consistent good service at Clinic G. Thank you!
Dr Wang Yuan (Dental Officer, Clinic D) Dr Wang is awesome. Her in-depth explanation, care and dedication towards her patients was honestly the best dental experience I could ask for. JMC ought to have more dentists like her. I will recommend her to friends and family any day.
Mr Leslie Tan (Patient Relations Associate, JMC Operations) Mr Tan is probably the first contact you will encounter at JMC. With a larger-than-life personality, he creates a very warm and inviting experience with his presence. I observed an elderly couple trying to exit JMC with some difficulty. Mr Tan immediately went over to assist. He also stopped to check if I had been attended to and went the extra mile to share with me on how I could manage future appointments at NHG clinics with the computer kiosk nearby. He is certainly a service ambassador you can be proud of!
Dr Thet Naing (Registrar, Clinic E) Gentle, patient and soft spoken, Dr Thet Naing is very helpful. I came for my appointment on the wrong date but she tried her best to accommodate me. Thank you very much.
All at Day Surgery and Endoscopy Centre JMC is the best medical centre I have visited. It’s interesting to note that the centre offers hot drinks and snacks to patients while they await consultation. It's a real comfort to receive such service. The Day Surgery also made calls to keep us posted on the latest news at JMC, which to me, is truly top class. I remain very impressed. Please keep up the good work.
Ms Grace Chow (Senior Patient Service Associate, JMC Specialist Outpatient Clinic) Ms Chow showed her utmost care to patients and is a great ambassador of JMC. She had this sparkle in her eyes as she went about attending to patients and made them feel very assured. She would also go the extra mile, genuinely wanting the best for their well-being.
Service initiatives at a glance… • A+ in Comms – To encourage frontline and back of the house colleagues to communicate with clarity, passion, sincerity and warmth that would make a difference to patient care. • A+ in Service – An initiative that focuses on the little things. Little things do add up and make a BIG difference. Small acts of kindness can transform lives, be it encouraging a colleague who is feeling down, or being pro-active to offer help even before you are asked. • A+ in Smiles – Never underestimate the power of a smile which can do wonders to the soul. This initiative aims to get colleagues to keep smiling. After all, we are a hospital and everyone can do with a smile that warms the heart.
Hospital Planning
Putting the Nuts and Bolts of Our New Hospitals In Place
21 As Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH) takes shape from ground up, many are understandably excited about what its interior will look like. On 6 December 2013, Hospital Planning, together with consultants, contractors and vendors, hosted the Senior Management at the site office. The latter was fitted out with life-sized mock-ups, walls in colourful hues and matching carpets which helped the team visualise some of the key areas in our future hospitals better. The Specialist Outpatient Clinic (SOC), inpatient wards and administrative offices were among those up for review. Commencing with the registration and pharmacy dispensing counters, which were based on input from earlier workgroup discussions, the walkabout allowed the Senior Management to nail down material sustainability and design functionalities of these fittings that will be installed in our new hospitals. Among the mock-ups were bright and contemporary-looking furniture for administrative offices. Feedback obtained from this walkabout and decisions made have allowed Hospital Planning to implement changes swiftly to these key areas. Patients, too, can look forward to more cheerful inpatient wards as colour schemes, bed head panels, curtain rails and sanitary fitments were reviewed to enhance comfort and safety. With these features nailed down, we are indeed getting closer to envision how our future NTFGH will look and feel like!
Le t
Employee Engagement
’s
s to a Tos
d o o G ar Ye ad Ahe
The JurongHealth family came together to toss to a healthy and prosperous year. Celebrations kicked off at Jurong Medical Centre (JMC) on 4 February 2014 as colleagues gathered around colourful yusheng, which is symbolic of good health, peace and prosperity. Our non-Chinese colleagues joined in the fun, reading the English translations of auspicious greetings as different ingredients made their appearance at the table. Mandarin oranges given out by the Senior Management also got everyone into the festive mood.
The same celebration awaited colleagues at Alexandra Hospital as they came together on 14 February 2014. Mr Foo Hee Jug (CEO) went round the room wishing one and all a happy Chinese New Year, adding to the lively festive cheer! There is nothing like ushering in Chinese New Year with family, and we are definitely at home in JurongHealth!
23 The Inside Story: It’s Never Too Late to Learn Interview with Ms Lee Hee Hoon (Senior Assistant Director, Allied Health / Head, Dietetics)
“One is never too old to learn”. This was what Ms Joanne Yap (Chief Operating Officer) told Ms Lee Hee Hoon (Senior Assistant Director, Allied Health and Head, Dietetics) as she encouraged the latter to pursue the Master of Health Administration offered by Australia’s Flinders University. The two-year part-time Masters programme enhances the competencies of healthcare service managers through industry-based projects and training on advanced management issues. It also equips them with the know-how to shoulder greater management responsibilities. Initially doubtful of her chances to be selected for the programme, Ms Lee thought opportunities like these tend to be reserved for more junior staff. Much to her delight, the Senior Management was very supportive of her application and she received the JurongHealth sponsorship to embark on the programme. After two years, Ms Lee graduated with flying colors and clinched an “Outstanding Graduate Award” for her hard work.
But the two years were not a bed of roses. Ms Lee had to make many sacrifices as she juggled family, work and studies. “It was tough to give up family time for classes, or burn my weekends studying.” But in the end, it was all worth it. She credits her efficient and responsible team for helping her get to where she is today as they ensured work stayed on track. She is also grateful to her family for their constant encouragement. Going forward, Ms Lee hopes to give back to JurongHealth by encouraging more Allied Health colleagues to expand their skill sets and advance their careers, so that likewise, they can uphold and provide excellent service to patients. Staff who wish to find out more about sponsorship opportunities or apply for JurongHealth’s Learning Award may refer to the information on our Intranet, or discuss with your Supervisors/Managers.
employee engagement
Stay Healthy, Cycle to Work As a health promoting organisation, JurongHealth piloted a “Cycle to Work” initiative on 31 October 2013. This collaboration between the Healthcare Services Employees’ Union (HSEU) and Human Resources, is a first of its kind in Singapore’s healthcare sector and was featured in The Straits Times’ careers section on 7 December 2013. “Cycle to Work” aims to encourage more staff to use the bicycle as an alternative mode of transport. Dr Tagore Rajat (Co-Chairman of the Cycling Committee) walks the talk by beginning his day with an hour of cycling. Although he does not cycle to work daily, the “me” time derived from these morning cycles has helped to kickstart his day better. On weekends, he ups his cycling duration to two hours. Currently, the Cycling Committee receives its support from the Health Promoting Health Services Committee of the Health Promotion Board and internally, from Hospital Planning and Human Resources. With the many park connectors in place at Jurong and future bicycle parking lots, lockers and shower facilities that will be incorporated in our future hospitals, cycling to work will be a breeze. To equip staff with “cycling-to-work” know-how, Employee Engagement will be organising night cycling activities, talks and hands-on sessions to share more on the benefits of cycling! A “cycling for beginners” session will soon be conducted to provide important information like road safety tips and repair shop contacts to ease any uncertainty associated with cycling to work. Come, ride your way to a healthier 2014!
Did You Know? 25-year-old Fred A. Birchmore circled the globe on bicycle in 1935. The entire trip included Europe, Asia, and the United States as he pedalled over 40,200 kilometres and wore out seven sets of tires! Cycling has been a competitive category in the Olympics since 1896. It is one of only five sports to have been included in every modern Olympics.
Cycling improves our general muscle function progressively, with little risk of overexercise or strain. It regularly strengthens the muscles in the legs, thighs, and rear end.
Cycling puts less strain on the hips and knees as compared to running, as your weight is taken by the saddle. Regular cycling will improve the mobility of your hip and knee joints
Cycling makes the heart beat in a steady manner and improves cardio-vascular fitness and stamina.
Cycling to work means you will never be stuck in traffic!
25 New Clinical Appointments
Dr Gerald Chua is now also Director, Clinical Education
Dr Lim Ghee Hian is now also Director, Clinical Risk Management
A Clinical Education (CLE) Office has been set up in JurongHealth to centralise the coordination of education delivery to undergraduate and postgraduate students. The CLE will oversee Continuing Clinical Education and the Simulation Centre to maximise resources and funding. This move follows the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) establishment of Education Offices in healthcare institutions to manage the increasing training load, expanding student intakes and pre-employment healthcare training programmes.
In his new role, Dr Lim will report directly to the Chairman, Medical Board, leading and advising the management on clinical risks, management of medical complaints, medico-legal issues, identifying organisation clinical risks and the proactive mitigation of these risks.
In his new role, Dr Chua will strategise, plan and oversee clinical education activities, lead and drive the quality and volume of clinical teaching. He will also manage the utilisation of funds and update the Clinical Training Oversight Committee, MOH and the Management of JurongHealth. Dr Chua also holds the positions of Head, Medicine and Associate Designated Institution Official for residency programmes in JurongHealth.
He concurrently holds the appointment of Senior Consultant at the Emergency Department (ED) and has been actively involved in clinical quality and risk management work in ED at the hospital level since November 2012.
Dr Andrew Ow is now Acting Director, Jurong Medical Centre Dental Clinic
Dr Ow specialises in Oral MaxilloFacial Surgery (OMS) and has been supporting the Director (Dental Services) and Director (OMS) to develop the OMS service in Alexandra Hospital (AH) since joining JurongHealth in April 2013. As part of his leadership development journey, he will assume the role of Acting Director (JMC Dental Clinic) and assist A/Prof Adrian Yap to oversee operations at JMC’s Dental Clinic.
Dr Wong Li Beng is now Acting Director, Preventive Dentistry
Preventive Dentistry covers the dental specialties of Periodontics and Orthodontics. As we develop and expand our dental services, dedicated attention is needed for the above specialties and community oral healthcare. The latter is especially important in view of scientific evidence documenting oral-systemic health interactions. Dr Wong joined JurongHealth in October 2013 and specialises in Periodontics. In his new role as Acting Director (Preventive Dentistry), he will support the Director (Dental Services) to drive initiatives that promote Preventive Dentistry, as part of the leadership development journey.
Happenings
Leader-Coach Workshop On 16 and 17 January 2014, 18 of our Senior Management staff attended Learning and Development’s (L & D) LeaderCoach Workshop at Kay Siang to identify ways to unleash hidden capabilities in staff. Through the workshop, participants learnt to appreciate the strengths of those they work with. Since its launch on 22 August 2013, over 47 colleagues have attended the workshop to become certified coaches. L & OD hopes to build a stronger coaching culture at JurongHealth with this workshop. It was not goodbye at the end of the two-day workshop. Participants continued to apply what they have learnt in the form of the “GROW” coach model in their respective work areas. They also reunited four weeks later to share any struggles or successes they faced as new coaches and attended a face-toface meeting with their facilitator two months later to reinforce the principles learned. These include the Goal, Reality, Options/Obstacles, Will (GROW) framework, Situation Behaviour Impact (SBI) model and mindfulness principles.
Opening of New Learning Centre at Kay Siang After months of renovation, the new Learning Centre at Kay Siang is finally open. Providing staff with more spacious areas to hold informal discussions, the rooms are equipped with soundproof features and flexible layouts that can be customised to training needs. “Having more training rooms will help us build a competent workforce for Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. With more staff on board, training needs understandably will expand. A dedicated space can also be set aside for our EMR and NonEMR IT training,” shares Mr Ken Lee, Director, Human Resources. The Learning Centre was made possible by the joint effort of Facilities Management and Learning & Organisation Development. Room bookings can be made at 6370 6211.
27 Health Screening at Yuhua
On 26 January 2014, JurongHealth supported the “Yuhua Prosperity Rice Package and Health Screening for Elders� by offering free chronic health screenings to 80 elderly residents. Over 1,500 residents turned up at the event graced by Guest-of-Honour, Ms Grace Fu (Minister, Prime Minister's Office, Second Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Advisor to Yuhua Grassroots Organisation). Ms Fu distributed rice packages and mandarin oranges to residents at the community centre as well as their homes. As their future healthcare provider for the west, we are glad to have been a part of this meaningful Lunar New Year event!
MUSINGS Give it away at
Christmas
1
Sell IT to Cash
Converters
Be different:
use it for your wedding photo shoot
2
9 recycle 3
Donate IT to salvation army
Your Dinner & Dance Outfit
Go to and audition for the next superhero film
Now that the dust has settled and you have checked “dressing up as my favourite superhero/villain� off your bucket list, we share with you some ideas on what to do with the costume you now have no use for.
7 6.
Amuse children (yours)
Use it as a picnic mat
Scare children (not yours)