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Dancing in the footsteps of Podiatry
Singapore Youth Award nominee Marabelle Heng inspires teens
Going bare and staying stylish
Fashion tips on baring in style
One for All
Radical changes as SingHealth Medical Social Workers focus on patients' needs
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LIFE at SGH Campus ¦ May/Jun 2014
e r u feat
Dancing in the footsteps of Podiatry
Singapore Youth Award nominee Marabelle Heng inspires teens
How did we do?
Results from the MOH service survey
03 06 08 12
One for All
One for all
Radical changes as SingHealth Medical Social Workers focus on patients' needs.
You have multiple medical conditions. You are seeking help from Medifund to pay for your bills, incurred at SGH and various centres on Campus. At each centre, you are assessed by a Medical Social Worker (MSW). Sometimes, you qualify for a different level of funds. You wonder why and feel frustrated by the tedious, repeated interviews and requests for documents.
Going bare and staying stylish
We give you some tips on baring in style
Advisor Tan-Huang Shuo Mei
in every issue 10 13 14 18 19 20
quality pulse spree in action campus buzz cross culture your take the last page
contents
Contributors Estee Chan, Geoffrey Gui, Chia Kuok Wei, Ratna Abdul Rahman, Vanessa Peters, Jennifer Wee, Michelle Scully, Goh Sai Luan Distribution Helen Yang On the Cover Singapore Youth Award nominee Podiatrist Marabelle Heng on page 6. ----------Life@SGH Campus is published every two months in print and online by the SGH Communications Department
In a massive action and major change from earlier efforts, SingHealth MSWs pulled together and came up with one standardised assessment for the institutions to use for all patients.
Office for Service Transformation (OST), which facilitated and lent impetus to the project as a Cluster-wide initiative. It also brought in resources to make the wide-reaching changes possible. The push for this project and the setting up of OST signal determination to bring about similar, radical transformations to focus on patients needs. It s the right time to make changes to the way we work, as One SingHealth, in a significant way.
Since November last year, such patients are assessed only once to qualify for aid at SingHealth institutions, within a six-month period. The change will benefit more than 2000 patients, the number who underwent multiple assessments for Medifund in 2013. In their quest, the MSWs were supported by the
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LIFE at SGH Campus ¦ May/Jun 2014
feature
(continued from Page 3)
MSS heads (from left to right): Esther Lim (SGH), Priscilla Lim (SNEC), Genevieve Wong (NHCS) and Teo Lay Hua (SHP)
One for All
When GCEO Prof Ivy Ng first floated the idea of a standardised Medifund assessment in SingHealth, concerns over fundamental differences in processes and governance threatened to overwhelm the project before it even began. Today, we are the first healthcare cluster to achieve One Medifund Assessment (OMA). Something s brewing ‒ January 2013
How? We all have our own processes and governance. How can we align them? Esther Lim, Head of SGH Medical Social Services (MSS), recalled the flurry of email exchanges with other Heads of MSS and the Group Allied Health office when GCEO first raised the matter in Jan 2013. Many were resistant and doubtful, citing the many differences and challenges to consolidate the workflow. But GCEO was not letting up. It was clear something big and serious was brewing.
From Why to Why Not?
We already have some standardisation, the MSWs told GCEO at the first major meeting of all the institutions CFOs and Heads of MSS. For straight-forward cases that had to meet only the income criteria, we could honour each other s Financial Assistance Memo, they suggested.
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"Go all the way with the complex cases too," countered GCEO. She urged the MSWs to look at the value this project could create and do for the patients, and challenged the MSWs to change their mindset - instead of asking Why , ask Why not? . It was clear and undeniable that the project would bring a huge improvement to patients. Encouraged by the strong support from the leadership, the MSWs committed to a radical change in thinking ‒ even though they could not see any solutions then.
No letting up
In June, GCEO checked in on the progress. Esther reported that her team gave themselves at least three months. She was almost floored when GCEO jokingly quipped How about three weeks? To provide momentum, GCEO set up an OMA Taskforce in August.
Demolition and construction works
It was like a plot of land with many buildings in place. Now, we have to erect a new big building and demolish the rest, said Esther. Three main work streams were set up: Workflow and Systems, Assessment & Training and Approval Guidelines. The greatest challenge was to fit the OMA into each institution s workflows. Besides MSS, billing processes and interfacing IT systems had to be enhanced. Pharmacists processes were reviewed as charges for nonstandard drugs were affected. There was a lot of negotiation as each institution passionately put forth its case for holding on to certain processes. The MSWs gathered input from colleagues from the other areas. They would
In addition to challenging our own comfort zones, the MSWs had to challenge others comfort zones as well. — MSW LIM CHING YEE,
SingHealth Polyclinics.
then discuss ways to weave the requirements into the new workflow. The group developing common assessment criteria fell back on SGH operating guidelines previously shared with the other centres. A norm took shape after much brainstorming. Alignment was achieved when every MSW
MSS heads having fun preparing desserts for MSW day (from left to right): Priscilla Lim (SNEC), Genevieve Wong (NHCS), Gilbert Tong (NCCS) and Esther Lim (SGH)
was put through structured training on the refined guidelines.
Mutual respect is the foundation of our collaborative relationship.
All for One ‒ November 2013
MSW Lim Si Min from NHCS noted, Job satisfaction is higher now as we have more time to spend with patients, with fewer Medifund assessments. Our patients are less frustrated, making them more willing to comply with treatment.
After four months of unceasing, gruelling hard work, OMA was rolled out in November 2013.
Esther named three key components as the secret to success. When the project structure was set up, with the three main work streams, everything fell in place. Next was the clarity of the key issues. Most important of all was the engagement of stakeholders. Listening to the feedback and ideas of partner departments such as Pharmacy was very important.
Today, the MSWs are a close-knit community. What helped the most was having the patients in mind. We argued sometimes, but it never got ugly. When we really listened to each other, it became clear we were actually on the same page ‒ we were all fighting to do this for our patients, said MSW Tin Yin Mei from SNEC.
OMA Taskforce • Taskforce co-chaired by Assoc Prof Celia Tan, Group Director, Allied Health and Ms Lee Chen Ee, Director, Office for Service Transformation. • Workgroup co-led by Heads of MSS Esther Lim (SGH) and Genevieve Wong (NHCS), with institution representatives. • KKH will be included after IT enhancements following the completion of a national eMSW system around 2015.
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LIFE at SGH Campus ¦ May/Jun 2014
up close
Marabelle with her ballet teacher, after a National Day Carnival performance in 2000.
Science. After NUS, I spotted an SGH scholarship ad. The curriculum for podiatry was very appealing. I was also drawn to the hands-on aspect of the profession which includes administering injections and conducting nail surgery.
Dancing in the footsteps of Podiatry
Tell us about your first solo research project. My study concerns flat footed people with Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD). This occurs when the lower leg tendon is inflamed or torn. I m exploring the link between hypermobile joints in the feet and the development of PTTD. I am also introducing a new way to measure and quantify stiffness in small foot joints. Currently, podiatrists do this by a subjective clinician's assessment feel.
A dancer for over 15 years, she aspired to study ballet in Russia. Today, Marabelle Heng is a Podiatrist at SGH and Vice President of the Podiatry Association of Singapore. She has recently been nominated for the Singapore Youth Award, given to young people below age 35 for their contribution to society.
Tell us how are you involved in the community? I ve been serving as youth leader in my church for four years, supporting youths from 13 to 17. We take a keen interest in their lives, and are in touch with them daily. Even their parents have our telephone numbers. Collectively, our youth ministry takes care of over 1000 youths. Together with the youths, we serve the community as well. For instance, we arranged a block party for the elderly in Chinatown. We got youths to partner their parents as volunteers and they had to go through three weeks of preparations together. We wanted to foster a closer relationship between the parents and their children at the same time. What is the biggest challenge faced in mentoring these youths? I need to understand the difficulties they face. Some of them come from difficult family backgrounds. Today, gaming addiction, cyber-bullying and the role that social media plays in their lives are experiences that are quite different from what I went through.
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Can you share with us your journey into Podiatry? I took up ballet when I was six till the age of 24. Ballerinas get injured a lot, especially when dancing en pointe (on the tips of the toes). It s common for us to suffer blisters, cracked nails and toe bleeds. On one occasion, my injuries were so bad, my teacher referred to me to two podiatrists. At my first encounter, I was struck by how noble this profession was, as they gently removed bits of nail and dressed my toes. I still wanted to be a professional dancer, but the seeds of interest in this profession were sown. What eventually led you to choose the profession? By the time I reached my early 20s, I realised that a professional ballet dancer is subjected to intense scrutiny. If I continued, it would push my body to beyond its natural limits. I decided to study Biomedical
Where do you find the time to do so much? From young, my parents inculcated a habit of maximising life. I was always kept busy with swimming, dance, piano and other co-curricular activities. My parents always made sure I enjoyed the activities. As an adult, l ve carried this habit over and like to keep my life occupied with meaningful projects too. What s your hope for Podiatry? In Singapore, I hope it will become a sought-after profession. I would also like to see a foot care screening system in all schools so we catch problems at an early age. At SGH, our HOD Michael Wilding s vision is to make ours the best Podiatry department in the world! Currently, we already have the biggest podiatry department in the world, with 27 of us, which allows a hotbed of discussion and innovative research. With the focus on academic medicine at SGH, we can work together with other departments like orthopaedics and endocrinology to move forward. So yes, I think it s possible to achieve this goal.
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LIFE at SGH Campus ¦ May/Jun 2014
focus
Going bare and staying stylish SGH staff are now required to go bare below elbow when attending to patients. The new policy is intended to minimise infection risk and facilitate hand hygiene. For those out of uniform, we present our take on how to stay stylish when stripped of accessories, watches and ties.
Staff Nurse Loh Li Fen from Ward 64 shows us the ideal attire standards for nurses: • No wrist watches ‒ all nurses are given special watches to clip on to their uniforms. • No bracelets, rings or nail polish. • No lanyards allowed. • Long hair has to be bunned up.
I actually hate shopping. So when shirts get old, I throw them out. I go to the nearest shop with short sleeve shirts and buy three new ones, then I run away as soon as possible.
I like to go for cute, fun clothing to mix and match like this dress and shoes. It s important to have fun with your dressing! ̶ KLARA WHAT, Medical Technologist, Cytogenetics Laboratory
We roll up our sleeves with patients at the heart of all we do ̶ ASSOC PROF AGNES TAN with her staff
̶ DR MACIEJ PIOTR CHLEBICKI, Senior Consultant, Department of Infectious Diseases Dr Chlebicki likes his shirts short sleeved and simple
Go for smart shirts with different colours on the inner and outer sleeves so when you fold them up, there is an interesting contrast. ̶ KEITH TAN, Senior Medical Social Worker
I started wearing bow ties 10 years ago when I realised my ties would get wet or pick up more dirt when washing my hands. I bought my first bow tie when I was overseas. The salesperson taught me how to tie it. Tip: Practise hard to master tying a bow tie manually.
̶ PROF HWANG NIAN CHIH, Senior Consultant, Department of Anaesthesiology
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If you are just starting out, choose cheongsams with zips ‒ they re easier to wear. The material is important too. Choose cotton for everyday wear, cheongsams with lining for formal occasions.
Prof Hwang (front row with lanyard) inspires students to take a bow
̶ ASSOC PROF ONG BIAUW CHI, Senior Consultant and Head, Department of Anaesthesiology
Assoc Prof Ong is known for her signature cheongsam look
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LIFE at SGH Campus ¦ May/Jun 2014
quality pulse
Getting Lean - how the Allied Health Division did it Do you feel bogged down by too much dead weight ? Do you wish you could trim some unnecessary fat ? We re talking about work! Learn how the Allied Health colleagues get Lean and shape up to work more efficiently.
The Lean principle is based on improving how efficiently you work, through cutting out unnecessary steps and modifying existing processes to waste less time, effort and energy. It is a key tool in Quality Improvement (QI). Director Ms Ang Hui Gek has been cultivating Lean culture in the Allied Health Division for a while. To further promote Lean culture and increase Lean adoption, a committee was set up in July 2012.
Taking LEAN steps
The committee s main aim is to inspire staff to use Lean principles to improve efficiency and effectiveness
implementing solutions and sustaining the results
of operations. Headed by Assistant Director, Mr Yeo Han Seng, the committee first developed a strategy plan and roadmap for the departments to follow. Its members, Lean champions, are tasked to spearhead efforts in their departments through various initiatives:
• Encourage staff to attend the SGH-I and RIE workshops organised by Service Operations
Staying LEAN
• Educate staff through roadshows, posters and e-newsletters • Share challenges and good practices at division and department meetings, as well as explore possible solutions and foster a learning culture • Coach staff working on QI or Rapid Improvement Event (RIE) projects in analysing root causes,
The committee alone is not enough to uphold the Lean culture. There has to be a determined and concerted effort from everyone in the division to improve processes which value-add to their work. Lean culture is more than just meeting a target number of completed improvement projects. As Mr Yeo shares, Staff now have a good grasp of the professional Lean culture we aspire to attain. We hope to raise awareness to a level where staff breathe, talk and practise Lean daily!
Allied Health Lean champions dish out QI nuggets Our QI team worked closely with our colleagues to find out their challenges. We were able to implement solutions and the outcome was better than expected. ̶ YANG JIE, Dietitian
DATE !
QI fest 2014
12 jun • deck on 9 Come and be inspired! 10
̶ AMANDA TAN, Senior Executive, Medical Social Services
It's encouraging to see how small efforts and initiatives can go a long way towards improving workflow and service quality as seen in our RIE project.
It's important for QI facilitators to journey with staff and encourage them to embrace QI. Passion, an open mind, attitude for continuous learning and perseverance are needed for successful QI projects.
̶ WU XIAOYUAN, Occupational Therapist
̶ LEE YENG CHING, Principal Pharmacist
The biggest challenge we face in QI projects is collecting baseline data. We're currently brainstorming to find the most efficient way to do this — always thinking Lean. ̶ ALEXANDRA JULIA GUINEE , Podiatrist
SAVE THE
During the Team Excellence-Innovative and Quality Circles competition, our strong teamwork encouraged me to improve and think on my feet.
QI not only provides a framework for tackling general problems at work, but also helps us come up with solutions specific to our environment.
Being in the Lean committee with such passionate people has been very inspiring and enjoyable. We discover similar issues in our departments through sharing and learn from each other. ̶ ONG PECK HOON, Principal Physiotherapist
̶ GOH HUAI ZHI , Speech Therapist
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LIFE at SGH Campus ¦ May/Jun 2014
spree in action
AN SGH MOMENT
What did our patients say? How did we fare in the latest annual MOH Patient Satisfaction Survey? CEO Prof Ang Chong Lye called the results a mixed bag , but emphasised that we must always do the right things first, clinically .
A&E: Against the odds
CEO commended the A&E team for the improvements, despite suffering from a footprint that was built 40 years ago. He shared that we had invested resources and improved on bed management to manage the bed crunch situation.
Streamline processes
We will spare no effort in streamlining many of the processes, said CEO, to help patients and their caregivers better navigate our system. He thanked the wards for improving the discharge process, which have been commended by patients. At the Campus level, the One Medifund Assessment, a result of Medical Social Workers collaborating across the SingHealth group, has already bore fruit. (See story on page 3).
Right siting to be kind
There will be new measures to right site patients. It may seem brutal to say that patients who do not need us should never come to this Campus. But being brutal is being kind to the patients who truly need our care, said Prof Ang.
Our focus must remain on clinical outcome for our patients
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A patient was spared a long wait at the A&E department when two Nurse Clinicians took charge and came up with flexible and simple solutions beyond standard procedures.
Dear SGH,
Clinical outcomes come first
The survey helped to spot gaps in our delivery of care, and CEO called on line managers to address the gaps where possible. However, our focus must remain on clinical outcome for our patients , he said. The most important thing is looking after patients and that they get healed as much as possible by our team of doctors, nurses and Allied Health staff.
Out-of-system response solves out-of-system problem
Snapshots • A&E department improved all round, especially on overall satisfaction and patient experience. • Wards continued to be rated highly, though lower in some indicators than the previous year. • Patients generally tend to be more satisfied with our services than the caregivers interviewed. There exist opportunities to engage caregivers in terms of their needs. • A total of 1,113 patients responded to the survey conducted from 9 to 22 September 2013.
My father is a patient of yours, who has a Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy (PEG) tube attached to his stomach. One night, we discovered dad had accidentally pulled it out. We tried our best to put the tube back in for eight hours, but failed. This meant we had not been able to feed him milk. We brought bring him to the A & E department at SGH. It was very crowded, and knowing about the hospital bed crunch situation, I decided to call Ms Janet Chong, a PEG specialty nurse who had cared for my father and provided us with her number. I was extremely delighted that although she was not on duty, she readily agreed to come down to the hospital to help us. In the meantime, she spoke with Nurse Clinician Ms Tan Leh Hong who was in charge of Ward 54, for support and permission to treat our father. Within a few minutes, Sister Tan provided a room for Janet to re-insert the PEG tube into my father’s stomach. It was all done within 10 minutes and we were able to bring our father home and feed him. If not for these nurses’ high competency and professionalism, my father might have been warded under observation for a few days, taking up a bed which another patient could have used. Please communicate my heartfelt appreciation to Janet who has already helped us on many other occasions and Sister Tan for her flexibility in quickly arranging for a ward room where Janet could help our father. These two nurses have exhibited the highest nursing standards in Singapore and I am really happy to know them. Thank you and most warm regards
*patient’s and NOK’s names have been omitted to protect their privacy
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LIFE at SGH Campus ¦ May/Jun 2014
campus buzz
Appointed
Guess who s back? JCI! The Joint Commission International (JCI) re-accreditation audit for SGH will take place from 23 June to 27 June.
ASSOC PROF ONG HOCK SOO
Head, Upper GI/Bariatric Surgery, SGH
MR WONG LOONG KIN
Deputy Group Chief Financial Officer (Clinical Services and Business Systems) Chief Financial Officer, SGH (concurrent)
Developed by international healthcare experts, JCI sets standards for managing all clinical and managerial functions of a hospital to monitor and improve patient care and safety.
DR MARJORIE FOO WAI YIN Head, Renal Medicine, SGH
New this year is our accreditation as an Academic Medical Centre. This means that we will also be evaluated for our medical education and research activities. Look out for the following in May: • Integrated Internal Audit • Department Self-Assessment • Staff briefings
• JCI Practicum Survey Simulation (Patient Tracer) • JCI 101 e-letters
• JCI Corner on intranet • Staff handbook • JCI posters • Revamped Gold Card
MS GRACE LIM SIEW WAH
Deputy Group Chief Financial Officer (Service Transformation and Education) Chief Financial Officer, KKH (concurrent)
DR DAVID NG CHEE ENG
Head, Nuclear Medicine & PET, SGH
More information can be found on the intranet, at the JCI Corner.
Performance Appraisal goes online
Intelligent pharmacy system wins CIO Award
This year, the Electronic Performance Appraisal (ePA) system was rolled out to staff in the SingHealth cluster.
SGH s Automated Pharmacy Dispensing System (APDS) in the outpatient pharmacy won the prestigious CIO Asia Award in March for IT excellence.
Why switch from hardcopy to softcopy? The online platform allows more than one appraiser to evaluate a staff. It also enables appraisal records to be saved in the archives and makes it easier to retrieve performance information. How does this change the way we are appraised? You and your supervisor will be able to customise your individual Key Results Areas, objectives and targets, key performance factors, and assign weightages to each area. Our performance rating system is now based on a 5-point rating scale instead of 4. Assistant Directors and above will also be evaluated by their peer via a 360-degree feedback feature.
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MR JOHNNY QUAH
Deputy Group Chief Financial Officer (Shared Services and Research)
ASSOC PROF TAN THUAN TONG Head, Infectious Diseases, SGH
Inducted
Susan Lee, Deputy Director, IHIS with Lim Mun Moon, Director of Pharmacy
The system s use of Radio Frequency Identification technology, robotics and LED technology allows us to handle high prescription loads in a safer and more efficient manner. Medication errors have been significantly reduced and patients now get their medicines faster. The annual CIO Asia Awards recognises the five most outstanding companies in Asia that have used IT in creative and innovative ways to deliver competitive advantage to the organisation and propel growth.
Prof Teh and Prof Ong have been inducted into the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI). The ASCI is one of America s oldest and most respected medical honour societies whose aim is to advance research to improve patient treatment as well as to mentor future generations of physician-scientists. The society selects up to 80 new members a year based on their significant research accomplishments. As nominated members must be 50 years and younger, Prof Teh s and Prof Ong s induction also points to their significant achievements relatively early in their careers.
Prof Teh Bin Tean, Principal Investigator, National Cancer Centre Singapore
Assoc Prof Ong Sin Tiong, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School and Visiting Consultant, SGH & NCCS
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LIFE at SGH Campus ¦ May/Jun 2014
campus buzz
NHCS, green at heart Taking pains to deliver faster relief
The new National Heart Centre Singapore building boasts eco-friendly features which won it the BCA Green Mark Platinum Award in 2012. Some features you might not know:
SGH is working with the Singapore Civil Defence Force on a one-year trial to administer pain relief to accident victims before they even reach the inside of an ambulance. Paramedics can now race to the victim with Pentrox and Tramadol in easily portable packages and offer pain relief on the spot. Previously, pain relief was only available within the ambulance, from nitrous oxide gas contained in bulky eight kg cylinders. Pain control can help prevent injuries from worsening and allow better pre-hospital assessment for patients.
• The new building has no direct West facing façade, reducing solar heat and air-conditioning consumption • 2,200 sqft of greenery improves air quality and lowers the building s temperature • Its lifts generate energy when moving, saving 27 percent of energy needed to work the lifts • Its car parks ventilation system is auto activated when it detects a preset carbon dioxide level • In the plans are charging stations for electric vehicles.
Help for your children s fees Do you know any colleagues who could use help with paying for their children s education? SGH is offering staff an award to subsidise the cost of their children s education.
Freewheeling shuttle services
This award was made possible by Dr Liew Geok Cheng who made a generous donation for this purpose in honour of her late father. The Award categories are: • University Bachelor Degree S$5,000 (for local universities, NUS/NTU/SMU/SUTD/SIT/ UniSIM) • Polytechnic Diploma/Advanced Diploma/ Specialist Diploma S$2,000 (for local polytechnics, NYP/NP/RP/SP/TP) • ITE Certificate NITEC/Higher NITEC
S$500
Application opens on 21 August 2014 via intranet and email blasts. Enquiries: Wendy Ng, 63266551, wendy.ng.m.l@sgh.com.sg Candy Lee, 65762344, candy.lee.k.l@sgh.com.sg
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Community hospital on this campus To meet the needs of wheelchair users, a dedicated shuttle service was introduced in April. Specially fitted vans will call at the wheelchair pick-up and drop-off points along Eu Tong Sen Street, opposite Cantonment Police Complex and Campus institutions served by the regular shuttle service. For SGH it will stop at Block 5 instead of Block 3. The vans can carry up to two wheelchair users and four to five companions. They operate the same hours as the SGH Campus shuttle bus services.
A community hospital will be built on the site of the former School of Nursing and Sisters Quarters. The new hospital which will provide post-acute continuing care, will enable us to right-site patients who do not need acute care at SGH. The site, including most of Car Park E, will be cordoned off from 1 July 2014. You can now find HR Recruitment & Service Centre at Bowyer Block A, Level 2, while the Little Skool House childcare centre shifts to 226 Outram Road in June.
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LIFE at SGH Campus ¦ May/Jun 2014
time out
y o ur e 2nd tak
Cross Culture:
The guessing game
I come from a land Down Under When Speech Therapist Benjamin Smoker first arrived from Australia, he was struck by how convenient our public transport system is. Although cars are much more expensive here, it is much cheaper to spend a night out and have a nice meal! What are the biggest changes you
Any similarities between home
had to adjust to? Definitely the heat. While Australia gets very hot during summer, it s a different kind of heat as it s dry. Singapore is very humid and sticky. I m glad most places in Singapore are air conditioned!
and here? Australia and Singapore both have • A large variety of cultures and languages • Great food • Great speech therapists • 9 letters with 5 consonants & 4 vowels
Another change I ve had to adjust to is the language barrier with patients. While we work around this, I always wish I could jump in and communicate fluently with all my patients. I did take a basic Mandarin course, however! Have you encountered any funny incidents because of a cultural difference? I was at a hawker centre buying lunch, and a man behind me kept saying Hello! Hello! Hello! I thought he was being sociable. It turned out he just wanted me to move out of the way.
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What are some impressions Singaporeans have of Australians? There is the stereotype that Australians are lazy. We do have a fairly relaxed attitude to many things in life, but that doesn t mean we are lazy. I read that we have some of the longest working hours in the Western world. No, we don t use kangaroos as a mode of transport. Though that would be fantastic.
One of my colleagues said I thought Australians were cool . I don t need to name names.
Your Take has undergone a revamp and is now, Your 2nd take. Instead of asking you to submit photos, we will be providing you pictures featuring medical items of long ago. Your mission is to invent a short description of what the item is used for. In the subsequent issue, we will reveal the real purpose of the item and its background. Here s the first item:
Tell us some interesting facts not known about Australia. In Australia there is a dish called Singapore noodles , which is obviously not a Singaporean dish.
Most interesting and creative (not most accurate) answer wins a $20 voucher.
There is an Australian beer (Foster s) which is only sold in other countries. Australians would never drink it! Also, be careful if you spend time in the Australian bush. We have many deadly animals! For example, if you stay under a tree, you may be attacked by a drop bear. What do you do outside of work? One of my favourite activities now is yoga. It s really a great allround way to keep healthy and in shape. I ve also found it to be fantastic for reducing stress, which was particularly useful when I first started working! It s also an excellent cardio exercise for people (such as myself) who absolutely loathe the thought of jogging.
Please send your answers to mysgh@sgh.com.sg. Closing date: 20 June 2014 Please limit answers to a maximum of 100 words.
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st a l theage p
In celebration of Mother’s Day and Father’s day, we asked about the best present you’ve given your parents, or received from your children. The best gift for my mum is giving her a full day of my undivided attention, cherishing our time together while reminiscing over how naughty I was as a child. It was all about making her feel very important even after I have started my own family. ̶ JEREMIAS JR CARBONEL CILLO, Radiographer, who is a new father
The best gift that my child has given me is the opportunity to experience motherhood, which is very humbling. ̶ YETTA CHAN, Principal Occupational Therapist, who is expecting her second child
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The best gift for my parents is sponsoring/making overseas trips together with my parents. I d travel to any country in the world they want to visit as it allows us to spend quality time together.
I think the best present that I have given to my mum was a necklace she bought herself. She claimed reimbursement from me as she knew that I am always cracking my brain over what to buy for her. The funny thing was I saw it only on her birthday.
̶ LOW WAI YAN, Principal Physiotherapist
̶ CANDY LEE, Human Resource Development Executive
The best gift I ve given my parents is what I have achieved through my studies and work, to arrive at where I am now. ̶ NUR RAUDHAH AZIMAT, Senior Staff Nurse, Resident Nurse, Ward 76