The Magazine of the Singapore Computer Society
or changing appointments is one such feature. Hence, before clickable SMSes could be discontinued, our healthcare providers might need to change the way they arrange appointments. The process of change is often complex, and takes time and cooperation with our healthcare partners and stakeholders. Q: Why is it so important to protect data and ensure ethical practices in the public healthtech domain? SY: If it gets to the point where people are unwilling to share data for fear of where the data is going or how it’s being used, then we will lose out on huge benefits that tech can bring. That’s why even as IHiS focuses on leveraging tech to realise these benefits and meet user needs, we also strive to give people the assurance that their data is well protected. Ethics and data protection are central to conversations in the healthcare space. Naturally, there are strict rules and regulations governing ethical use in the public healthcare sector. There are ethics boards to review projects independently. When it comes to data, we have strict controls around who can access the data and how data can be used. When data is used for analytics purposes, it is first de-identified – we walk the fine line in ensuring that data is anonymised enough to protect the source but not to the point where it loses usefulness. The good thing for IHiS is that we are building tech to support better healthcare and better lives in Singapore. This public service mission is the secret sauce that makes IHiS’ potential for impact so much greater. Of course, there will always be bad apples – malicious actors who break the rules. But IHiS’ emphasis is on building and securing an environment so that healthcare providers can do what they need to do. We know we need to do the right things to support our healthcare partners in achieving their mission.
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Q: Given all these safeguards, why do some healthtech projects still fail? SY: For projects to be successful, the tech, people and business need to be aligned. So when something fails, we need to understand why. For example, we had the capability to do telehealth for many years now. But no matter how we tried to encourage adoption, people still wanted to go to the clinic, see the doctor in-person and get their medicine immediately. It was hard to change the status quo. Then COVID-19 hit – and the technology was already there and we could immediately deploy our telehealth and vital signs monitoring solutions. So that’s an instance when the tech initially ‘failed’, but succeeded in the end when the tech, people and business came into alignment. Other times, it fails when the tech is built around old business processes. I’ve seen systems that people say are hard to use. Then you realise that rather than transforming the process through technology, a manual process was simply digitised. These are the moments when tech doesn’t achieve its full potential. For tech projects to be successful, people and tech need to be in sync. Q: What roles do you foresee healthtech and IHiS playing in public health in the near future? SY: Beyond benefits like care continuity and analytical capabilities that I mentioned earlier, tech will help us achieve our Healthier SG goals at the speed and scale it needs to go. In fact, I would go as far to say that healthcare transformation would be impossible without technology.
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and helping us leapfrog our capabilities. So IHiS’ role here is to make sure our foundation is strong and our backend is built on sound architecture – so that innovation can flourish. For instance, when care models change and healthcare providers want to try something new, they can do so quickly while still supporting interoperability and continuity of care for Singaporeans. Also, as individuals take greater ownership of their own health, health apps and gadgets are the channels through which to extend our reach, put useful information in people’s hands, nudge them to go for regular health screening, complete their fitness routines or just get moving. So technology really empowers healthcare to be more effective, agile and speedier. That is the instrumental role IHiS plays – bringing technology into the healthcare space. Q: Having just become IHiS’ new CEO early this year, how has the transition been like? SY: Having been with the Ministry of Health for five years, the healthcare space is a familiar one. During that time, I worked very closely with IHiS – I was on the IHiS board, and we walked through some organisational transformations together. So for me it’s been a relatively natural transition – it almost feels like homecoming. And what I really like about IHiS is the public service mission. Through combining tech and healthcare, we harness the best of technology to transform healthcare – making for better health, better care and better lives for Singaporeans.
As we move to preventive healthcare – beyond traditional brick and mortar institutions – with Healthier SG, I believe technology will be key to unlocking
“In trying to figure out what’s best for IHiS and public healthcare, my philosophy is to do the right thing, and do the thing right. It’s about having the right moral compass and making sure your decision frame is correct. But what’s important is also having the humility to understand that your answers can always be sharpened and improved by others – who have different and valuable input to contribute.”
