Serve All with Love 2019 Year in Review Be praised, my Lord, through our sister Mother Earth, who feeds us and rules us, and produces various fruits with coloured flowers and herbs.
St Francis of Assisi, Canticle of the Sun
CONTENTS
01 At a Glance 14 Executive Management Team 30 Community Outreach 02 Our Founding Story 16 New Specialist Doctors 33 New Hospital Developments 04 Our Ethos 23 Governance 35 Enhancing Patients’ Experience 06 Message from Sister Jane 24 Reflecting 58 Years of Care and 36 Our Digitalisation Journey Bertelsen Service to All 37 Improving Patient Care 08 Message from Chairman 26 Stewardship 38 Nurturing Our Healthcare 10 Message from Chief 27 Highlights in 2019 Professionals Executive Officer 28 Growing Our Positive Impact 39 Our People, Our Pride 12 Board of Directors 2019 Year in Review
AT A GLANCE 2019 Founded in Delivered 1961 >5,800 by the Sisters from the Franciscan babies Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood (FMDM). The first baby was delivered on 12 March 1961 Outreach clinics – one dental and two medical, to reach out to the underserved Serving All with Love for 58 years Total outreach 5,484 beneficiaries from various Singapore’s first private and Social Service Agencies only not-for-profit Catholic acute tertiary care hospital
A 6-bedded ward to cater to those who hope to seek private medical care at an affordable cost, Total of is named after our patron saint 319 beds St Francis of Assisi
We are the only Specialist Doctors hospital that provides Clinical Pastoral Care >20 >200 specialties on campus Mind Body Spirit >1,200 accredited
01 Mount Alvernia Hospital
OUR FOUNDING STORY
In the summer of 1947, three FMDM Sisters left England for China. They had been commissioned to work with the Irish Friars Minor in their Franciscan Missionary outreach. However, with the advancement of the Communist troops in China, the Sisters were ordered to abandon their mission and go to Hong Kong instead, where they stayed with the Maryknoll Sisters.
At that time they heard that Bishop Olçomendy of Malacca was looking for Sisters to care for tuberculosis patients in Singapore. This disease was both life threatening and contagious during World War II then.
02 2019 Year in Review
On 7 March 1949, Sister Angela On 4 March 1961, the hospital was Mount Alvernia Hospital today McBrien arrived in Singapore from officially opened with 60 beds. The reflects the wisdom and inspiration of Hong Kong, followed by Sisters Sisters were professionally trained as our founding Sisters and those who Mary Camillus Walsh and Mary nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, contributed to our organisation. The Baptista Hennessy. They took over the radiographers, laboratory technicians hospital remains wholly owned by the tuberculosis wards at Tan Tock Seng and other support services and staffed FMDM congregation. The leadership Hospital, which eventually became the hospital. team in the United Kingdom ensures known as Mandalay Road Hospital. that our hospital is compliant with They also served the “Lepers Camp”, The hospital takes its name from La governance guidelines and exercises a community of lepers housed in Verna, a mountain in Italy, where St responsible stewardship. Trafalgar Home at Woodbridge. Both Francis of Assisi was believed to have centres were managed as self-contained received the Stigmata (an imprint of the units as isolation was deemed the best five wounds of Christ). He led a life of treatment at that time. radical simplicity and joy, sharing God’s love for all people and all creation by In 1952, the Sisters were given an loving and honouring each and every opportunity to start a private hospital person he met, from lepers to sultans to bring nursing care and services to and popes to the ordinary townspeople. the population. Thus the FMDM Sisters began canvassing for donations. In addition to pooling their savings and salaries, many generous individuals and companies responded to the call to donate.
03 Mount Alvernia Hospital
OUR ETHOS
Mount Alvernia Hospital is a mission values in our work – providing holistic supported by over 1,200 accredited of faith, hope and courage to bring healthcare, raising the quality of care doctors with more than 200 specialists life and light into the lives of people and support for people where needed. located on campus. and the community. The work by the FMDM Sisters in 1961 to care We believe in proactive collaborations As a not-for-profit hospital, Mount for lepers and tuberculosis patients and mutual support, partnering Alvernia Hospital channels our surpluses is a call to love all, especially the with doctors and other healthcare to the communities we serve. Significant marginalised and the poor. organisations to bring about charity efforts are made towards providing and social service that empower outreach healthcare services to the At the heart of the Franciscan spirit is sustained growth in healthcare. This underserved in the community. a joy that comes from an appreciation enables us to appropriately respond for life. This gives rise to a deep to the needs of an ageing population The hospital is part of the FMDM global commitment to relationships with whilst continuing to deliver new life as network spanning Singapore, Malaysia, people and all creation – to be life- a hospital reputed for maternity care. the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, giving, all-inclusive and just. Australia, Nigeria, Zambia and Zimbabwe We are a 319-bed general acute care – reaching out to the sick, the poor and The sacredness of life, the dignity of health institution with tertiary medical the marginalised through healthcare, each individual and the love for the capabilities and multidisciplinary pastoral care, counselling, education, as community compel us to live out our specialist centres. The hospital is well as prison and parish ministries.
MISSION OUTREACH AROUND
THE WORLD IRELAND (From left to right) Sisters Maria Kiely, Finola Kidney, Angela Yioh, Anne O’Brien walking for charity – ZAMBIA Galway Hospice Walk, Ireland (From left to right) . Sr Jean at Chelstone School’s Guidance and Counseling office . Sr Rogita (Coordinator of Home Based Care Project in Kasanka, Zambia for those affected by HIV AIDS) gives advice to a young mother on a rural road . Sr Maura runs HIDDEN VOICE Project, providing education for special needs children
NIGERIA (From left to right) ZIMBABWE . Sr Celsus Nealon in young (From left to right) offenders prison, Jos . Midwife Sr Teclar with newborn . Sr Helena McEvilly child. Sr Teclar is the National in Young Women’s Coordinator of PROMPT – Making Empowerment Centre, Jos Childbirth Safer . Sr Mary Jean Rogers with a . Sr Yeyani teaching in Fatima school polio patient . Sr Angeline Lim (feeding the poor)
04 2019 Year in Review
COMPASSION OUR OUR C The capacity to enter into VISION CORE another’s joy and sorrow HUMILITY VA LU E S Recognising that we are all Mount Alvernia Hospital seeks to H brothers and sisters in one continue and embody the healing global, human family ministry of Jesus Christ to serve They guide the delivery all with love. of our mission, influence how we act and reflect our INTEGRITY Franciscan roots founded I Seeking always to act, speak by St Francis of Assisi. and make decisions that reflect our values in a spirit of OUR honesty and authenticity MISSION RESPECT R Treating each person we Mount Alvernia Hospital shares encounter with reverence in the worldwide mission of the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood, providing PEACE compassionate, excellent and P Being committed to building holistic healthcare. life-giving relationships with all
CHINA UNITED KINGDOM Sr Isobel Loong – Congregational Leadership Team (CLT) Outreach to the poor and General Secretary Sr Jane Bertelsen – Congregational Leader Members – Srs Helen Doyle, Monica Weedon, Helena McEvilly General Secretary – Claudia Lee MALAYSIA (From left to right) . Sr Marie Therese Ng who runs EDUCARE (An education project for the poor and marginalised in Port Klang, Kuala Lumpur) . Sr Jennifer, Clinical Pastoral Care at Mt Miriam Cancer Hospital
MIDDLE EAST Sr Bridget – Caritas International, Gaza, Middle East
SINGAPORE (From left to right) . Baby blessing by Sr Bernadette at Mount Alvernia Hospital, Singapore. . The Sisters explore the site of the future Mount Alvernia Hospital. AUSTRALIA (From left to right: Sisters Baptista (From left to right) Hennessy, Camillus Walsh, Raphael ITALY . Sr Marina visiting the elderly and frail in Western Sydney McDowell, Angela Brien and Sr Carmel helping a student . Sr Shirley with school children in Billiluna, home of the Philippa Crofton-Sleigh) at the Beda College, Rome Kururrungku Aboriginal community, Kimberly, Western Australia
05 Mount Alvernia Hospital
MESSAGE FROM SISTER JANE BERTELSEN Congregational Leader, FMDM
“I am proud to say both in the ‘normal times’ When I look back at 2019, I appreciate and value the ‘constants’ as well as the recent ‘COVID-19 times’, which, whilst always evolving and transforming to meet changing I have seen the Mount Alvernia Hospital Team needs and circumstances, were in embrace tensions and creatively discover new Mount Alvernia Hospital’s service and outreach to the Singapore possibilities of expressing our fundamental community. These constants include: • Attentiveness to improving our values of Compassion, Humility, Integrity, efforts to ‘Serve All With Love’ Respect and Peace.” • An ever widening awareness of those we can reach out to who may otherwise fall through the safety net of healthcare provison in our community • The constant care and support offered to our FMDM Sisters in Singapore – for which we are so grateful • Ongoing discernment as to how Mount Alvernia Hospital can best fulfil its Mission and what steps need to be taken to respond to the changing landscape in which we serve
It is in the context of these constants that the ongoing work of embedding fundamental values rooted in our Franciscan tradition throughout every dimension of the organisation – people, policies, processes etc. – continues. The Mission Team supported by the rest of the hospital’s leadership have been faithful to this vital work through their various programmes, projects and, most of all, the way they serve and minister to those they work with – right relationships always lie at the heart of any Franciscan Mission.
06 2019 Year in Review
In September 2019, Mount Alvernia Hospital’s Board and Executive Team joined the Boards and Executive Teams of our sister healthcare ministries – Assisi Hospice and Mount Miriam Cancer Hospital, Penang, for a Mission Formation Day which took the theme: ‘Working with Possibility – Exploring Creative Tensions in Mission-Led Ministries’.
At that time, no one dreamed to what extent we would be called to live this theme as the implications of COVID-19 took hold four months later. But even without a global pandemic, offering leadership in healthcare ministries whose key The living out of these values are clearly in the compounds where social distancing focus is making available The Healing witnessed – our colleagues throughout and regular hand washing is impossible. Ministry of Jesus Christ to All within the hospital go the extra mile for Most people live hand to mouth; take the complexities of the economic, one another, and their patients and their daily work away and they have political, ethical and technological families; our doctors giving their time nothing and no means to put food on the healthcare landscape certainly brings beyond the call of duty; our outreach table. Is it better to die from hunger or the creative tensions. I am proud to say teams meeting the needs of whoever virus? What to do? We started to make both in the ‘normal times’ as well as crosses their paths; leadership leading face masks, source soap and food for the the recent ‘COVID-19 times’, I have by example in their care for those children who would normally get food seen the Mount Alvernia Hospital impacted by the pandemic, including from school. I kept reminding myself that Team embrace these tensions and our Malaysian colleagues who needed God is in this……….” creatively discover new possibilities to stay in Singapore, the migrant of expressing our fundamental values workers, those who were ill with Mount Alvernia Hospital has, since its of Compassion, Humility, Integrity, coronavirus and those who cared for beginnings, been a reminder to those in Respect and Peace. them… to name a few examples. darkness and fear of sickness that ‘God is in this’. Our 800 years of Franciscan And it is not just on the local front. tradition reminds us that God is with us I Mount Alvernia Hospital has always in the present – not just in the past or in H seen itself as an expression of, and our hopes for the future but in the now, R a part of, the wider global FMDM amidst all that is happening. Each of us C mission. It is so easy to get caught up is called, whatever our role, whatever our in our own local needs and lose sight of situation, to pray with St Francis P the bigger picture. I am always inspired by Mount Alvernia Hospital’s care Therefore let nothing hinder us, and concern for our Sisters working in nothing separate us, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. nothing come between us. A member of the Hospital’s leadership Wherever we are in every place, at team took time to sell bags made by our every hour children in Little Assisi – our Special Needs School in the compounds of at every time of day, every day Lusaka, Zambia – and made sure the let all of us truly and humbly love and proceeds got to this special place. serve……. (St Francis Earlier Rule Chapter 19) Sister Kay who is the Coordinator of Little Assisi wrote in our FMDM Mount Alvernia Hospital shines a true ‘Beginning a Conversation – the light on this truth, and it is a joy to see invitation and learnings of COVID-19’: what our Sisters began more than five “As the reality of COVID-19 sank in, decades ago being grown, deepened and St Francis of Assisi my thoughts were for our poor people strengthened.
07 Mount Alvernia Hospital
MESSAGE FROM MR HO TIAN YEE Chairman
The early months of 2020 is defined and maintaining a high cleanliness It is in a crisis like this that defines by the COVID-19 outbreak – standard for equipment, facilities who we are as an institution – how we consequence of which is the ongoing and shared spaces. Other operational behave and live up to our values. I am global pandemic. Around the world, measures such as daily temperature heartened to note that this outbreak governments and healthcare agencies taking and strict adherence to good has brought out the best in all of us. are grappling with effects and personal hygiene are also enforced. responses to the new coronavirus. While masks are made mandatory Thank you. At Mount Alvernia Hospital, we for all staff on premises, protective are strengthening our capabilities gear has to be donned when and resilience, in preparation for an performing nursing or clinical tasks. extended campaign. The severity and durability of the outbreak will In this regard, I would like to test our systems, processes and express my sincere gratitude to our resolve to adapt to living and all at Mount Alvernia Hospital working in this new environment. for their deep sense of duty, spontaneous responses and In response to the nation’s call, we display of unity in mind and joined other private institutions in spirit towards their colleagues caring for some of the COVID-19 and patients. This has allowed us patients from public hospitals. As to keep patients and the such, we admitted over 80 recovering hospital safe. COVID-19 patients. We are happy to note that they have since recovered and been discharged. There is a great sense of pride to see our mission spirit and the nursing team responding spontaneously to attend to these patients. Under CEO James Lam’s leadership, the nursing team, operations, clinical staff and our partners, worked seamlessly together to stay operationally ready.
Under the national plan for a phased reopening of the economy, a Safe Distancing Office has been set up to provide a safe and secure work environment for staff returning to work. So far, strict measures on infection control have ensured no community transmission within the hospital. Some of these institutional measures include separating teams to minimise physical interaction, implementing strict work-from-home arrangements for non-nursing staff
08 2019 Year in Review
“It is in a crisis like this that defines who we are as an institution – how we behave and live up to our values. I am heartened to note that this outbreak has brought out the best in all of us. ”
Reflecting the milestones in 2019 this was also the time when the FMDM Sisters 2019 was a transformative and busy year acquired the land at Thomson Road, our for Mount Alvernia Hospital. The most current location, before the construction of the notable being the start of the new building hospital. construction, designated to be our new paediatric and maternity centre. However, due Having been with Mount Alvernia Hospital to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 since inception, Sister Tarcisius had not only outbreak, the project which was originally helped deliver, but also witnessed the birth of slated for completion in 2021, will now be many babies. She held the honour of helping delayed. In another significant initiative, we in the delivery of the first baby born in Mount will be partnering ICON Cancer Centre to set Alvernia Hospital in 1961. up an integrated cancer centre. Both projects will enable Mount Alvernia Hospital to better In her own words, Sister Tarcisius said Mount support the community’s healthcare needs and Alvernia Hospital is “like a comfortable home increasing complexities of healthcare services. where everyone knows everyone. We all help each other out. We chat with doctors, we spend Our sister organisation, Assisi Hospice time talking to the patients – it’s like a big celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2019. As family.” we join them in celebrating the provision of hospice care services, we will also continue to Beyond her work at the hospital, she inspired grow our community outreach programmes. many through her zeal and sense of adventure. This year, we answered the call to raise In this regard, she had volunteered in local awareness for the rare diseases programme. communities in China and Ethiopia. Sister Given the long-term nature of treatment and Tarcisius had touched many hearts and lives the cost of medication, we hosted an event with her spirit of love, joy and enthusiasm, with Community Chest and others to raise enriching many individuals who know her. She awareness and funding for those afflicted by was truly an inspiration to all of us and would such diseases. be missed fondly.
Remembering Sister Tarcisius Stronger together In fondness, we bade farewell to Sister Tarcisius As we gradually resume our activities, learning Leong who was called home to the Lord on 6 to live and work in the new environment, let’s March 2020. Sister Tarcisius was the first local continue to stay vigilant, practise good personal person to join the mission of FMDM. After hygiene and be socially responsible towards one her initial two and a half years of religious another. On this note, I would like to thank the formation, Sister Tarcisius furthered her Board, Executive Team and every one of you for vocation by undergoing nurse training in the your leadership, dedication and commitment UK. She returned to Singapore in 1958 as a State in these testing times. Together, we will emerge Registered Nurse and Midwife. Coincidentally, stronger and more resilient from the pandemic.
09 Mount Alvernia Hospital
MESSAGE FROM DR JAMES LAM KIAN MING CEO
“As a Catholic hospital, we will grow our FMDM’s mission of bringing hope to each and every patient who enters our doors, and hopefully reach out to the needy and marginalised outside the hospital, through our outreach programmes.”
The start of Year 2020 was a period of challenging times not just for us, but for Singapore and the world as well.
In such tough times, this is when we show our character and grit, staying united and strong. It is also in such tough times that all of us in the healthcare sector can make an even more significant contribution to our patients and community. I am very heartened by colleagues for going above and beyond the call of duty to manage the pandemic together. The COVID-19 pandemic is an example for us to live and demonstrate our Mission, through providing love, comfort and care for patients and their families. Thank you for the great work and dedication!
10 2019 Year in Review
Our mission and community Infrastructure developments and Remembering our Mission outreach programmes partnerships Reflecting on the year’s journey, For the past five decades, the hospital’s The year 2019 also saw the hospital the work that we do at the hospital community outreach programmes adding more two-bedder and four- continues to be imbued with the grew out of the spirit of compassionate bedder rooms to St Francis ward, Franciscan spirit of compassion, love and mission to be inclusive thus increasing our total bed count humility and kindness in serving and to give the gift of good health to 319 beds. others. As a Catholic hospital, we to individuals who needed an extra will grow our FMDM’s mission of helping hand. The efforts started The Alvernia Obstetric Screening bringing hope to each and every when the FMDM Sisters cared for Centre was opened to provide antenatal patient who enters our doors, and the chronically ill and palliative screening for pregnant mothers. This hopefully reach out to the needy patients, thus leading to the formation service has enabled us to provide and marginalised outside the of Assisi Hospice which celebrated comfort to parents for majority of the hospital, through our outreach its 50th anniversary in 2019. Assisi pregnancies which are normal, as well programmes. Hospice has since grown from its as allowing us to journey with and humble beginnings to a six-storey provide pastoral care for the parents As we embrace new lifestyles to purpose-built hospice, providing care with abnormal pregnancies. live with the COVID-19 disease for patients across the continuum of for the long haul, we will continue Home Care, Inpatient and Day Care. Planning of a new integrated cancer to pursue our long term plans and facility had also commenced, with dreams – to build the new hospital Mount Alvernia Hospital had also services set to be open for cancer block and cancer centre, to grow expanded our focus to care for patients in 2022. The centre would our outreach efforts and to grow other vulnerable and marginalised provide a holistic approach to cancer the Mission identity in each of communities in Singapore through our care by bringing together medical us. Under the guidance of our Mount Alvernia Outreach Medical and oncology, haematology and radiation very supportive FMDM Sisters, Dental clinics, including persons with oncology for Singaporeans in need of Chairman, Board, leadership of disabilities, isolated seniors, foreign cancer care. the Executive Team and Heads workers, and vulnerable groups such of Department, and with the as transnational families. In 2019, we broke ground for the dedication of our staff, I am new maternity and paediatric centre, confident that we can overcome We were also proud to be the first which would also be ready in 2022. this pandemic together and private hospital, in partnership with The 10-storey facility would house continue to write more chapters Community Chest and partners, to our maternity and paediatric wards, of Mount Alvernia Hospital’s raise awareness for rare diseases, delivery suites, neonatal intensive beautiful history. which can be very costly to treat, care unit, allied health services and through a community carnival event ancillary hospital services. This new entitled “Hope Should Not Be Rare”. centre will transform the Mount Alvernia campus not only in terms of In partnership with KK Women’s its landscape, but also in expanding and Children’s Hospital, our nursing our capacity and capabilities in the and community outreach teams years to come. were also in Cambodia to provide training in Kampong Chhnang on In view of the increasing healthcare infant resuscitation and paediatric needs of Singaporeans, we formed a respiratory care. This was the third partnership with Prudential, one of year of the programme and it was the top life insurance companies in very heartening to see their patients Singapore, allowing policyholders to benefitting from improved standards leave the hospital without having to of care. pay any out-of-pocket expenses, thus giving them the peace of mind to focus on getting well. With the convenience of cashless medical service, we hope to touch more lives with our quality care and compassion.
11 Mount Alvernia Hospital
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
1 1. Ho Tian Yee 4. Dr Ho Kheng Thye Chairman Board Member Member since 2015 Since 2014 Tian Yee is the chairman of the board of Kheng Thye is a senior consultant 2 Fullerton Fund Management Company cardiologist. He was previously head of Ltd and an investment advisor to Blue cardiology at Tan Tock Seng Hospital Edge Advisors Pte Ltd. (TTSH), chairman of the Chapter of Cardiologists, College of Physicians Currently, Tian Yee also serves as (Singapore), and sat on various 3 chairman of FFMC Holdings Pte Ltd, advisory committees to the Ministry and non-executive director of DBS of Health, and the Singapore Armed Group Holdings and DBS Bank. He Forces. Kheng Thye is also actively holds a degree in Economics from involved in cardiac imaging research, Portsmouth University (Hons), UK and authoring professional research 4 a Master of Business Administration papers, book chapters and speaking at from the University of Chicago. international medical conferences.
2. Sister Elizabeth Lim 5. Tan Su May 5 Board Member Board Member Since 2014 Since 2014 Sr Elizabeth was assigned to the A partner with Allen & Gledhill, mission in England, Jordan and Su May has extensive experience in a Zimbabwe. She also worked in the wide range of corporate and merger 6 Apostolic Nunciature in Singapore. and acquisition transactions including share acquisitions and business 3. Eddie Chau acquisitions, direct investments and Board Member local and regional joint ventures. Since 2014 She represents leading corporations 7 and has worked on transactions of Eddie is a serial entrepreneur international significance in a variety and angel investor. He founded of industries. five companies and one seed investment fund since 2000. Two 8 of the five companies – e-Cop and 6. Chan Chia Lin Brandtology, were acquired in 2007 Board Member and 2014 respectively. He currently Since 2017 advises several institutes of higher Chia Lin is the director of Holywell learning, startups as well as social Pte Ltd, a private investment company. 9 enterprises. Eddie holds an MSc in She is vice president of the National Communication Engineering from Council of Social Services and chairs Imperial College, London. its investment committee. She also serves on the boards of several other non-profit organisations, including 10 HealthServe which provides medical and other assistance to migrant workers. She was previously the chief investment officer of Fullerton Fund Management Company.
12 2019 Year in Review
7. Dr Kwa Chong Teck at Harvard and Oxford. He currently 10. Tham Sai Choy Board Member sits on the Singapore Management Board Member Since 2017 University board of trustees and is also Since 2018 Chong Teck began his career as a a board member of a charity board, Sai Choy is a chartered accountant. dental surgeon in the Singapore Caritas Singapore. Previous boards He is a board member of Singapore- Armed Forces. He is trained in oral include Mediacorp, National Library listed DBS Group Holdings and pathology and oral & maxillofacial Board, Singapore Examinations Keppel Corporation, and a number surgery in London. He was the and Assessment Board, COMPASS, of statutory boards: Housing and founding executive director of the Ministry of Education and Montfort Development Board, Nanyang National Dental Centre Singapore Care (a charity operating three Polytechnic and Accounting and and is currently its senior consultant family service centres, amongst other Corporate Regulatory Authority. He in oral pathology. He was also the activities). is also the chairman of the Singapore founding executive director of the Institute of Directors. He built his SingHealth Foundation until it 9. Dr Ong Eng Keow professional practice career at KPMG, was succeeded by the SingHealth Medical Advisory Board Chairman where he was for many years a member Fund. Chong Teck is a member of Board Member of its global board and chaired its Asia the SingHealth Board of Advisors Since 2018 Pacific operations. He is a Fellow of and holds advisory positions at the A neonatologist, paediatric intensivist the Institute of Singapore Chartered National Dental Centre Singapore, and paediatrician, Eng Keow has Accountants and the Institute of the SingHealth Duke-NUS Disease been in private practice for 23 years. Chartered Accountants in England Centres, the SingHealth Duke- He is currently serving as chairman and Wales. NUS Pathology Academic Clinical of the medical advisory board at Programme and the SingHealth Mount Alvernia Hospital. He held International Collaboration Office. various clinical and non-clinical positions at Alexandra Hospital, 8. Beh Jit Han, Paul TTSH, KK Women’s and Children’s Board Member Hospital (KKH) and Singapore Since 2018 General Hospital during his tenure Paul is President, Asia Pacific of Reed in restructured hospitals. He was Exhibitions and a member of the trained in paediatric intensive care Worldwide Board. Reed Exhibitions medicine at the Royal Children’s is a division of RELX Group with a Hospital, Melbourne, Australia, after portfolio of over 500 events across 43 which he established the Paediatric countries. Reed Asia Pacific organises Intensive Care Unit at TTSH. He was over 120 trade exhibitions in major in the pro-tem committee preparing Asian cities in Singapore, Malaysia, the development of the present Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, South KKH before coming out into private Korea, Australia and multiple cities practice. His passion is in looking across China. Before joining Reed, after children who are premature and Paul was the managing director and also in journeying with parents in partner of a regional publishing managing their children’s health. He company. Prior to this, he spent several still helps out in teaching at KKH in years with Singapore Airlines holding the paediatric critical care course. various marketing management positions. Paul holds a Bachelor of Economics (Hons) as well as graduate diplomas in Financial and Marketing Management. He also attended executive management programmes
13 Mount Alvernia Hospital
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT TEAM
Dr James Lam Kian Ming Annie Lim Shirley Tay Chief Executive Officer Director, Finance Director, Nursing With more than 20 years’ experience Annie joined Mount Alvernia Shirley oversees the nursing division in the healthcare industry, James Hospital in 1993. A Fellow of focusing on raising competency, brings with him strong leadership the Association of Chartered standards, patient safety and care and expertise in the clinical and Certified Accountants (UK) and delivery service experience. She medical community. He formerly Fellow Chartered Accountant was previously with TTSH and served as the chief executive officer Singapore, she started her has held appointments at Raffles of Thomson Medical Group where career as an auditor at Coopers Hospital. With more than 35 years he was responsible for the Group’s & Lybrand, Singapore. While of healthcare experience in both business in Singapore. James also in Australia, she worked in government and private institutions, led as group director of the Applied the travel and manufacturing she brings with her a wealth of Sciences Group and Blood Services sectors handling accounting & experience in nursing leadership Group at the Health Sciences finance and information systems. and quality. She holds a Bachelor Authority (HSA) of Singapore. Annie oversees the accounts in Nursing from Griffith University He managed various departments, and finances, business office and attended the Managing including finance, operations, operations and risk management Healthcare Delivery programme information management and of the hospital. from Harvard Business School. emergency planning under corporate development, and the HSA Academy.
14 2019 Year in Review
Goh Hock Soon Karen Poon Gus Teoh Director, Corporate Development Director, Mission Director, Hospital Operations Hock Soon joined Mount Alvernia Karen joined Mount Alvernia Gus has more than 20 years of local Hospital in 2012. He was previously Hospital in 2014. A lay associate of the and overseas healthcare experience with the civil service and held Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine in areas of operations, process appointments in the Ministry of Motherhood (FMDM) congregation, improvement, service planning and Health and People’s Association. she is responsible for the hospital’s business development in primary and His experience includes marketing social mission and oversees the tertiary healthcare institutions. He and business development, research Clinical Pastoral Care department. joined Mount Alvernia Hospital in and statistics, and partnership Previously, she held appointments as 2019 and is currently overseeing the and membership. He oversees brand director and head of strategic operations and materials management strategic planning, business marketing for financial institutions and of the hospital. Gus holds a Master of analysis, strategic marketing, not-for-profit organisations. She holds Business Administration from Murdoch marketing communications, tenancy a Bachelor of Business Administration University. management, community outreach from NUS. and patient liaison services. He Leah Yoong holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences Dr Mok Ying Jang Director, Human Resources (Honours) in Sociology from NUS. Director, Clinical Services Leah joined Mount Alvernia Hospital Ying Jang has more than 25 years in 2017 from Raffles Medical Group, Bruce Leong of healthcare experience, ranging where she served as Director Human Director, Technology and Strategy from clinical practice to business Resources. Prior to Raffles, she Bruce brings with him close to 20 years management, both locally and in was Director – Policy, Planning of information technology experience Shanghai and Hong Kong. He joined and Manpower Development in various industries and domains. Mount Alvernia Hospital in 2017, and at SingHealth. A career human Prior to joining Mount Alvernia led Clinical Services. Prior to Mount resources professional, she brings Hospital, Bruce was with iHiS Pte Alvernia Hospital, he worked in Raffles with her more than 20 years of human Ltd supporting IT infrastructure Medical Group (RMG) serving as the resources experience and expertise for Singapore’s northern cluster general manager of Raffles Health in healthcare and other industries in of restructured hospitals. He led Insurance and Raffles Medical GP both private and public sectors. She various teams in commissioning IT network, and he was also the former provides leadership management and infrastructure for new hospitals such medical director of RMG Hong Kong personnel development for the human as Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Yishun operations. He led as group director resource function of the hospital. Leah Community Hospital, as well as at HSA for Corporate Services and graduated with a Bachelor of Business Admiralty Medical Centre. Bruce has took on a posting in Shanghai with Administration from the National experience in building data centres, World Link (currently Parkway University of Singapore. network, storage, cybersecurity, Health) Medical & Dental Centres virtualisation, IT operations and from 2005 to 2008. Ying Jang obtained vendor management. He was also his medical degree from NUS and an responsible for all IT infrastructure Executive MBA (Dean’s List) from project implementation. Bruce is also Singapore Management University. the hospital’s IT security information He is also a designated aviation officer, responsible for the hospital’s medical examiner (Australia). cybersecurity protection. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering from the National University of Singapore (NUS).
15 Mount Alvernia Hospital
NEW SPECIALIST DOCTORS
Anaesthesiology
Dr David Woo Dr Mary Tan Dr Pay Lu Lu Dr Yvonne Lim Agape Women’s Specialists The Anaesthetic Clinic @ Tony Tan Women and Fetal The Anaesthetic Clinic @ • Dr Woo is a consultant Alvernia Clinic & PLL Anaesthesia Clinic Alvernia anaesthesiologist with • Dr Tan has a Bachelor of • Dr Pay obtained her MBBS • Dr Lim has dedicated her life subspecialty training in both Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery in NUS in 1993, and her to caring for patients in the obstetric anaesthesia and pain (MBBS) and a Master of specialist qualifications in operating theatre and delivery medicine. Medicine in Anaesthesiology anaesthesia in 2000. She was suite, ensuring that they have • After completing his from the National University awarded a HMDP scholarship the best care and the most advanced anaesthetic of Singapore (NUS). to further train in obstetric positive experience. training, Dr Woo embarked • She was a consultant anaesthesia in Guy’s and • Honing her skills at KKH on his overseas Health obstetric anaesthesiologist St Thomas’ Hospital in and the Royal Hospital for Manpower Development at KKH and had carried out London in 2003. Women in Sydney, she has Plan (HMDP) in 2010-2011 several research activities • An experienced anaesthetist been attending to patients focusing on acute and chronic and published her papers in private practice since 2008, and expecting mothers for the pain especially in women at in different professional she provides anaesthetic last 20 years. Royal North Shore Hospital, journals. services in major local private • She specialises in the peri- Sydney, training under • She had also taught at Yong hospitals. partum management of high some of the early pioneers Loo Lin School of Medicine • She worked in the anaesthesia risk pregnancies. in pain management. Upon as a Clinical Lecturer and was departments in local hospitals his return, he was one of the an Adjunct Instructor with (e.g. Singapore General cofounding doctors who Duke-NUS Graduate Medical Hospital (SGH), Changi started the Women’s Pain School, Singapore. General Hospital (CGH), and Centre at KK Women’s and • She was awarded a HMDP KKH). She was consultant Children’s Hospital (KKH). scholarship for a training anaesthetist at Women’s • His research and publications stint in obstetric anaesthesia Anaesthesia, KKH, till 2008. cover areas such as Chronic in Obstetric Critical Care at • She has done many epidural Back Pain in Women and Royal Perth Hospital in 2012. procedures for patients in methods of improving • She has brought relief to labour, spinal anaesthesia epidural analgesia. mothers on their peri- for patients undergoing • Dr Woo’s focus on providing operative journey for over Caesarean section, excellent patient care is 15 years, and been in private intravenous sedation for reflected in awards like practice since 2014. minor surgical procedures Excellent Service Award and general anaesthesia for (Silver) 2008, Excellent other surgeries. Service Award (Gold) 2009, Service from the Heart 2009 as well as the Singapore Health Quality Award (Star) in 2013.
16 2019 Year in Review
Cardiology
Dr Kelvin Wong Dr Leow Khang Leng Dr Tan SvenSzeat Orchard Heart Specialist Clinic Nobel Heart Centre Orchard Heart Specialist Clinic • Dr Wong undertook • Dr Leow subspecialises in • Dr Tan was conferred with subspecialty training in interventional cardiology, a Bachelor of Medicine, cardiac electrophysiology and and is experienced in invasive Bachelor of Surgery & cardiac rhythm management. cardiology procedures such as Bachelor in the Art of • His areas of expertise include balloon catheter angioplasty, Obstetrics degree by the the treatment of cardiac coronary angiography, National University of Ireland arrhythmia, performing coronary stenting, emergency in 2004. He completed device implantations heart attack treatment and his residency in Internal (pacemaker, defibrillator) and intra-aortic balloon pump Medicine and obtained his ablations for supraventricular insertion. postgraduate Membership tachycardia, atrial fibrillation • In 2011, Dr Leow received of the Royal Colleges of and ventricular tachycardia. the HMDP award under Physicians of the United Kingdom in 2009. • Between 2008 and 2010, the auspices of Khoo Teck Dr Wong was the research Puat Hospital (KTPH) to • He specialised in cardiology fellow for electrophysiology further subspecialise in with the Advanced Specialist at John Radcliffe Hospital, interventional cardiology at Training Programme in 2013. UK, where he was appointed Liverpool Hospital in Sydney, • He also trained further in locum consultant in 2012 Australia. interventional cardiology and at Oxford University • He returned to KTPH and at the University of Ottawa Hospital’s NHS Trust. helped build the 24-hour Heart Institute, Canada, in • He was previously a primary angioplasty service 2015-2016, managing patients consultant cardiologist in the northern region of with more complex coronary at CGH where he helped Singapore. artery diseases and chronic develop the electrophysiology • Dr Leow held several key total occlusions. service. Other clinics he leadership positions at KTPH • He has treated patients with helped set up include the and also sits on the hospital’s major heart attack needing inherited cardiac conditions medical device committee, immediate ballooning and clinic and the atrial representing KTPH at the stenting of the blocked fibrillation clinic. National Pharmacy and arteries. • Dr Wong is also the recipient Therapeutics Committee • During his Fellowship in of many research grants meetings. Canada, he was a member and principal investigator of the Heart Team in for several published transcatheter aortic valve independent research replacement dealing projects. with patients with severe aortic stenosis whom are unsuitable for surgical valve replacement.
17 Mount Alvernia Hospital
NEW SPECIALIST DOCTORS
ENT Gastroenterology
Dr Adrian Siew Ming Dr Chong Chern Hao Dr Lee Keat Hong Dr Loh Poh Yen Saurajen gutCARE AliveoMedical gutCARE Nobel ENT Centre Digestive.Liver. • Dr Lee is a gastroenterologist Digestive.Liver. • Dr Saurajen has subspecialty Endoscopy Associates and hepatologist who Endoscopy Associates training in sleep medicine • Dr Chong has subspecialty brings with him a wealth • Dr Loh graduated from the and surgery and a special interests in fatty liver, viral of experience in caring for University of Malaya in 1999 interest in sinus surgery hepatitis B, hepatitis C, patients. and subsequently obtained (balloon sinuplasty) and liver cancer and other liver • He treats all general his MRCP and MMed from paediatric ENT. related disorders. gastroenterology and NUS in 2006. • He is one of the few ENT • He believes in providing hepatology conditions with • He is one of the few local surgeons worldwide who end-to-end seamless subspecialty interest in doctors who is accredited has a formal qualification care for all patients, via advanced diagnostic and by MOH and registered in sleep medicine – having healthcare education that therapeutic endoscopic as a specialist in both done his Masters of emphasises on disease ultrasound (EUS). gastroenterology and Medicine (Sleep Medicine) prevention, early detection, • He is also a visiting advanced internal medicine. at the University of Sydney and early treatment to consultant at the National • His interest in the treatment under Professor Colin prevent progression. University Hospital (NUH) of advanced liver diseases led Sullivan (inventor of the • He attained the master of and contributes to the him to be later trained under CPAP machine for sleep medicine and Membership training of future doctors Professor Chen Chao Long, apnoea). of the Royal Colleges of and gastroenterologists. who is a pioneer in living • He has a special interest in Physicians of the United • Dr Lee has been invited to donor liver transplantation, paediatric ENT (adenoids/ Kingdom (MRCP) in 2013. speak at prominent global in Kaohsiung Chang tonsils) / sleep apnoea/nasal • In 2016, he was and national medical Gung Memorial Hospital conditions and minimally accredited as a specialist conferences such as the – the leading hospital invasive ENT surgeries. in gastroenterology by Asian-Pacific Digestive performing living donor liver • He was also instrumental Ministry of Health (MOH) Week, Asian-Pacific transplantation in Asia. in performing the balloon and admitted as a Fellow of Association for the Study • He was instrumental in the sinuplasty for chronic the Academy of Medicine, of Liver, and Asian EUS setting up of the liver clinic in sinusitis patients in Asia Singapore. meetings. CGH. – a minimally invasive • Whilst practicing at • Notably, his procedure where a balloon is Woodlands Health accomplishments in inserted into the paranasal Campus (WHC), he led clinical research work in sinus openings and then the WHC medical team to viral hepatitis B have been dilated to reventilate the pilot the first medical ward. published in reputable sinuses. He received the Service medical journals such as Excellence Award in Hepatology International 2019 as recognition of his and Antiviral Therapy. contribution.
18 2019 Year in Review
Haematology Infectious Diseases
Dr Ronald Ng Dr Ting Wen Chang Dr Piotr Chlebicki Icon Cancer Centre Icon Cancer Centre Infectious Diseases Mount Alvernia Mount Alvernia Medical Clinic • Dr Ng graduated from the • Dr Ting had his haematology • Dr Piotr has been practicing Hong Kong University in training during his in Singapore since October 1969 with a gold medal in fellowships at the Welsh 2000. Internal Medicine. National School in Cardiff, • He graduated from the • He held various academic UK, and the Fred Hutchinson Medical Academy of Warsaw, and clinical positions at Cancer Research Centre, Poland, and completed his Hong Kong University, the Seattle, USA. internal medicine residency University College Hospital • Dr Ting was awarded the training in USA. He was Medical School, London, and Federal Scholarship to study certified by the American was a senior research fellow at medicine at the University Board of Internal Medicine in the Memorial Sloan Kettering of Malaya and the ASEAN 1999. Cancer Centre, New York. Fellowship in Internal • He specialised in infectious • He was a member of the Medicine at NUS. diseases training in SGH in Singapore National Medical • He contributed to the 2003, and has experience Research Council (NMRC), development of Singapore’s combating the SARS outbreak and is currently a member bone marrow transplantation at SGH. of SingHealth Centralised programme and was a • He was awarded specialist Institutional Review Board, member of the team who accreditation in Internal which is responsible for successfully performed the Medicine and Infectious reviewing ethical aspects of first bone marrow transplant Diseases in 2003 and 2005 in research studies. in Singapore in 1985. Singapore. He then received • He is also the principal • He was a member of the further training in infectious mediator at the Singapore Haematology Resident diseases at the University of Mediation Centre, a volunteer Advisory Committee, Joint Wisconsin in Madison, USA. court mediator at the State Committee on Specialist • He was actively involved Court, and is on the panel of Training and an examiner for in research that resulted mediators of MOHH. Haematology Exit Exam till in more than 40 scientific • Dr Ng has published in 2019. publications. These results leading journals and his • His other current were presented at several current clinical interests are appointments include visiting international infectious in the treatment of anaemia, consultant to the Blood diseases congresses and clotting and bleeding. Services Group of the Health meetings around the world. Sciences Authority and consultant haematologist of Parkway Laboratory.
19 Mount Alvernia Hospital
NEW SPECIALIST DOCTORS
Medical Oncology
Dr Lee Guek Eng Dr Lim Sheow Lei Dr Tan Chee Seng Icon Cancer Centre OncoCare Cancer Centre OncoCare Cancer Centre Mount Alvernia • Dr Lim’s clinical expertise • Dr Tan obtained his • Dr Lee graduated from the includes the treatment of medical degree from NUS, NUS with a double degree in gynaecological cancers. postgraduate qualification Medicine and Science (with • She was a senior consultant from the Royal College of honours). She obtained her medical oncologist Physicians, UK, and his Masters degree in Medicine, at the Department of advanced specialist training in and completed her specialist Gynaecological Oncology at medical oncology from NUH. training in medical oncology. KKH, an adjunct associate • He was later awarded the • She specialises in women’s professor at Duke-NUS prestigious Academic cancer with a keen interest Medical School, and visiting Medicine Development Award in breast cancer research, consultant at the National fellowship to subspecialise in specifically on young women Cancer Centre. personalisation of lung cancer with breast cancer. • She was the chairperson therapies at Addenbrooke’s • For her work in breast cancer of the Singapore Cancer Hospital, Cambridge research, she was awarded Network’s gynaecological University, UK. He was also the international competitive cancer workgroup that the recipient of several grants. overseas fellowship research developed the national • Dr Tan’s main interests are in grant from NMRC and consensus guidelines on the lung/thoracic and head/neck trained in the renowned Dana- treatment of ovarian and cancers. He was principal or Farber Cancer Institute, USA, uterine cancers. co-investigator for several focusing on young women and • Dr Lim was the principal international multicentre pregnancy associated breast investigator of numerous cancer clinical trials and has cancer. She won a second clinical drug trials also authored or co-authored competitive grant by NMRC investigating novel publications in peer-reviewed for her research in treatment of treatments, including international journals. brain metastases in advanced immunotherapy, for • He had been invited to speak breast cancer patients. gynaecological cancers. or chair in local and regional • Her research interests include • She was awarded research oncology meetings and identifying barriers to trial grants by the Japanese routinely held public talks. participation amongst the government for collaborative Asian population as well as research work with Japanese in young women with breast researchers in investigating cancer. the role of intraperitoneal • She is the programme director chemotherapy for the of the Icon Young Women’s treatment of advanced ovary Cancer Program, where she cancer. oversees the unmet needs of newly diagnosed young women.
20 2019 Year in Review
Neurology Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Dr Queck Kian Kheng Dr Candice Wang Peiying Dr Timothy Lim Dr Tony Tan KK Queck Neurology Centre ACJ Women’s Clinic Pte Ltd Timothy Lim Clinic For Women Medical Director of AOSC, • Dr Queck completed his • Dr Wang graduated from and Cancer Surgery Tony Tan Women and Fetal Clinic Internal Medicine Residency NUS in 2006 and obtained • Dr Lim obtained his medical & PLL Anaesthesia Clinic Training with SingHealth in her Masters of Medicine in degree at NUS in 1998, • Dr Tan obtained his MBBS 2012 and attained his MRCP Obstetrics and Gynaecology trained in Obstetrics and in NUS in 1993 and specialist in the same year. there in 2012. Gynaecology (O&G) at qualifications in O&G in • He started his neurology • She is currently a member KKH/ SGH and obtained the 2000. He was further trained training with SingHealth of the Royal College MRCOG in 2003. in foetal medicine including Senior Residency Training of Obstetricians and • He obtained the masters twin pregnancies at Queen programme from 2013- Gynaecologists (MRCOG), degree in medical law and Charlotte’s Hospital, London in 2016 and obtained his UK, and has been made ethics at the University of 2003. accreditation in neurology a Fellow of Academy of Edinburgh in 2016. • He was consultant O&G and from MOH and Singapore Medicine, Singapore. • He was awarded the HMDP clinical director of maternal Medical Council in 2016. • Dr Wang is experienced in to train in minimally invasive foetal medicine in private • He contributed to the ultrasound scan, prenatal gynaecological cancer surgery practice from 2006-2019. hyperacute stroke treatment and antenatal screening, at the Department of Surgical • He specialises in the roster at SGH, making instrumental vaginal Oncology, Institut Claudius management of high-risk decision for intravenous delivery, caesarean section, Regaud Cancer Centre, pregnancies with special thrombolysis for hyperacute management of patients Toulouse, France, in 2008. interests in: twin pregnancies stroke and endovascular with menstrual, fertility and • He served as head of (both monochorionic and therapy, as well as developing menopause concerns, as well department of Gynaecological dichorionic), miscarriages, electronic stroke clinical as gynaecological surgeries. Oncology, KKH for six years screening and diagnosis pathway at SGH and • She was appointed clinical and was instrumental in the of foetal abnormalities, Sengkang Hospital. lecturer in NUS and was part development of minimally amniocentesis and chorionic • He is active in medical of the Physician Faculty for invasive gynaecological villus sampling, detailed education, serving as clinical Transitional Year Residency cancer surgery as a standard ultrasound scans in the first, lecturer in NUS and Lee Programme and organised of care in KKH as well second and third trimesters, Kong Chian medical schools postgraduate examination as starting the ICG-NIR prevention and management of and has won numerous courses. Sentinel lymph node biopsy preterm labour, management of pre-eclampsia and intrauterine awards during his training • Dr Wang was also involved in in early endometrial cancer in growth restriction, and and service in restructured research – publishing papers 2016. strategies to prevent stillbirth. hospitals. in local and international • He was the principal journals and giving oral investigator in a multicentre • He was a past president of and poster presentations in HPV vaccine trial as well Obstetrical and Gynaecological international conferences. as co-investigator in several Society of Singapore and a chemo trials in KKH. past chairman of Maternal Foetal Medicine, Asia Oceanic • He is the current president Federation of Obstetrics and of the O&G Society of Gynaecology. Singapore and the president of the society for colposcopy and cervical pathology of Singapore. 21 Mount Alvernia Hospital
NEW SPECIALIST DOCTORS Respiratory Medicine and Intensive Care Paediatric Medicine Medicine Urology
Dr Wendy Sinnathamby Dr Yip Hwee Seng Dr Png Keng Siang Dr Tan Yung Khan Kids Clinic @ Mt Alvernia The Respiratory Practice Lung. FeM Surgery @ Alvernia Urohealth Medical Clinic • Dr Wendy graduated from Asthma. Cough. Allergy • Dr Png has a special interest • Dr Tan is the medical director Guy’s and St Thomas’ • Dr Yip’s areas of interest in treating urological cancers of Urohealth Medical Clinic, Hospitals in the UK in 1994, include severe asthma, using minimally invasive providing specialised care in and subsequently completed community acquired techniques, and surgical prostate and kidney cancers, her paediatric specialist pneumonia, endobronchial treatment of benign prostatic kidney stone and bladder training there. ultrasound, intensive care, hyperplasia. diseases and men’s health • For two years, she worked and point-of-care ultrasound. • He is proficient in robot- issues. as a consultant in paediatric • He treats conditions such assisted operations using the • He is one of the few medicine, with an interest in as acute bronchitis, asthma, da Vinci surgical platform accredited surgeons in robotic accident & emergency care, chronic cough, lung cancer, for prostate cancer, kidney and minimally invasive at the Medway Maritime pneumonia, and tuberculosis. cancer, bladder cancer, laparoscopic procedures who Hospital in Kent. • Dr Yip served as the clinical pelviureteric junction successfully performed the • In 2007, Dr Wendy returned director of the Medical obstruction and other human robotic kidney stone as a paediatrician in Intensive Care Unit in NUH reconstructive robotic surgery. ambulatory and adolescent from 2013-2019 where he operations. • Dr Tan is accredited in major medicine at NUH and was oversaw a range of quality • He completed a fellowship private hospitals and is involved in setting up the improvement projects at the in minimally invasive and currently a visiting consultant Adolescent Medicine services. hospital. robotic surgery at Indiana with TTSH and KKH. • She was in private general • In 2012, he was awarded University in USA. • Dr Tan completed dual practice for more than nine the Academic Medicine • He was a member of the fellowships at Columbia years before coming onboard Development Award MOH Health Technology University Medical Kids Clinic @ Mount (Individual) by NUH Assessment Committee for Centre, New York and UT Alvernia. to pursue his interest in robot-assisted surgery in Southwestern, Texas. • While Dr Wendy’s areas intensive care at The Alfred 2015, and was subsequently • Dr Tan initiated and of interest are general Hospital in Melbourne. appointed as the only established three major paediatrics, she is also • In 2015, Dr Yip was awarded urologist in the workgroup medical technologies during experienced in newborn the Academic Medicine advising MOH on robotic his tenure at TTSH. screening and follow-up, Development Award (Team), surgery matters in 2018. growth and development where he led his team to • He is the founding life screening, emergency Johns Hopkins Hospital member and vice president of paediatrics, vaccination, in Baltimore to learn early the Robotic Surgery Society travel advice and adolescent mobilisation of intensive care of Singapore and honorary medicine. unit patients in from world secretary of the Singapore leaders. Urological Association from 2018-2020.
22 2019 Year in Review
GOVERNANCE
Governance and leadership structures are in place to guide us in providing quality services as well as exercising responsible stewardship, accountability and controls.
The Board members are appointed by the Trustees of the hospital, acting on behalf of the FMDM Congregation, for a term of To assist in the execution of its three years. The appointment is responsibilities, the Board has renewable for up to two terms. established seven Committees, namely: The Board provides oversight in the following areas: • Audit & Risk Management Committee (ARMC) • Approval of broad policies, • Ethics Committee (EC) strategies and objectives for the • Finance Committee (FC) hospital • Hospital Development • Corporate governance Committee (HDC) • Monitoring of management • Medical Advisory Board (MAB) performance • Nomination & Remuneration • Approval of annual budgets Committee (NRC) • Overseeing the processes for • Technology Strategy evaluating the adequacy of Committee (TSC) internal controls, financial reporting and compliance The Medical Advisory Board is elected by specialists and appointed by the Board to provide oversight of clinical governance matters. The Chairman of the Medical Advisory Board is also a member of the Board.
23 Mount Alvernia Hospital
REFLECTING 58 YEARS OF CARE AND SERVICE TO ALL
1985 2009 – 2010 The Clinical Pastoral Care Department A hospital-wide community was established as part of holistic care outreach programme was officially to support patients and their relatives. launched to bring health screening services to the poor and needy.
Alvernia Parentcraft Centre was launched as a dedicated one- stop centre for antenatal care, childbirth education and newborn baby care. 1961 On 4 March, Mount Alvernia Hospital started as a 60-bed hospital entirely staffed by the FMDM Sisters who were trained nurses. The first baby was delivered 1996 – 1997 at the hospital on 12 March 1961. Medical Centre A was opened, adding medical suites, operating theatres, delivery suites, an endoscopy centre and rehabilitation centre to the hospital.
1965 More medical suites were added with The late Mr Lee Kuan Yew the completion of Medical Centre B. officially opened a new five-storey wing, which brought the total The total number of hospital beds was number of hospital beds to 127. increased to 303.
2004 The Day Surgery Centre and the 24-hour Walk-in Clinic and Emergency Services were opened and ready to serve the public.
2011 1971 The Mammography Screening Centre was launched. Our first By 1971, three extensions of the building overseas office, Mount Alvernia had been added and were officially Hospital Information Centre opened by the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew. (MAHIC) was officially opened in Jakarta on 6 May.
24 2019 Year in Review
2015 2016 –2017 The opening of St Dominic medical Our Laboratory Services were and surgical wards and St Michael redeveloped and expanded to provide maternity wards provided additional increased capabilities and procedures bed capacity to reduce waiting time based on the most contemporary and increased inpatient admissions. medical laboratory methodologies and systems. These changes enabled rapid We officially opened our first outreach turnaround times, a 24/7 service, a medical clinic at the Enabling Village comprehensive and expanding menu located at Redhill to provide healthcare of tests and quality results. services to people with disabilities and the underserved in the community. Our second outreach clinic comprising 2013 medical and dental services opened at Our third endoscopy room became Agape Village in Toa Payoh. Emeritus Archbishop Nicholas fully operational to cater to emergent Chia officially opened our newly- endoscopic assessments and treatment We successfully transited from ISO renovated Chapel. planning for patients. 2008 standards to ISO 2015 standards hospital-wide. We became the first hospital in Singapore to expand our magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) services for prostate, breast and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) with the new 3 Tesla MRI digital scanner with Ambient Experience.
2014 Mr Gan Kim Yong, Minister for Health and Archbishop William Goh, officially opened Medical Centre D. The number of on-campus specialist clinics was increased to 89. 2018 – 2019 Our Alvernia Endoscopy Centre was redesigned into a one-stop service facility with a minor operating theatre so that We began construction of a new patients can undergo colonoscopy and maternity and paediatrics centre. follow up with other minor surgeries The centre will be ready in 2022. within the same premises.
Our electronic medical records system, christened HealthAngel went ‘live’. HealthAngel will enhance hospital operations and integrate into the national healthcare network.
25 Mount Alvernia Hospital
STEWARDSHIP
The report provides an overview of Inpatient Admissions what has been accomplished towards 24,232 24,390 delivering value-based high quality 23,564 23,243 24,012 patient care and healthcare standards.
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Surgeries Performed Babies Delivered Outpatient Visits
59,444 58,240 54,437 50,953 16,099 15,846 15,369 15,774 15,589 6,090 5,693 5,800 5,616 5,881 42,565
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Participants of Healthcare Community Partners Mount Alvernia Outreach Outreach Activities Engagement Beneficiaries
7,793 7,825 7,391 5,484 65 4,855 5,708 60 4,473 54 44 3,776 31 1,488
68
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
26 2019 Year in Review
HIGHLIGHTS IN 2019
01 02 03 We are the first private hospital to Our healthcare team was Announced our partnership with partner Community Chest to raise honoured at the Singapore Health Icon Cancer Centre to build a new awareness and rally support for the Quality Service Awards. They integrated cancer facility at the Rare Disease Fund. received their awards from Deputy hospital premises offering services Prime Minister and Minister for like haematology and radiation Finance, Mr Heng Swee Keat. oncology.
04 05 06 Began construction of a new Added new wing to Opening of the Alvernia maternity and paediatrics centre. St Francis Ward with two Obstetric Screening Centre to The centre will be ready in 2022 sets of two-bedders and provide antenatal screening for after a groundbreaking ceremony 4-bedders – bringing our bed pregnant mothers. This service on 6 September to mark the count up to 319. enables us to provide comfort to significant milestone. parents with normal pregnancies as well as journey with and provide pastoral comfort to parents with abnormal pregnancies.
07 08 Partnership with Prudential In partnership with KKH, – allowing patients to enjoy our nursing and community the convenience of cashless outreach teams were in medical service. Cambodia to provide training in Kampong Chhnang on infant resuscitation and paediatric respiratory care. This is the 3rd year of the programme and it is very heartening to see their patients benefitting from improved standards of care.
27 Mount Alvernia Hospital
GROWING OUR POSITIVE IMPACT
Clinical Pastoral Journeying with patients Care (CPC) at the Alvernia Obstetrics Department Screening Centre (AOSC)
In the spirit of St Francis of Assisi, the CPC Clinical Pastoral Care (CPC) support is a unique service team seeks to be instruments of peace and offered only at Mount Alvernia Hospital and Assisi healing. Frailty and vulnerability are part Hospice, and has become an integral part of the care of humanity. What unites us as a family team at the AOSC since its official opening on 15 July of humanity is the longing to be loved and 2019. accepted as we are, especially when we feel down or affected by poor health. CPC offers Our CPC team works collaboratively with O&G doctors spiritual accompaniment to our patients, to support patients referred to us for pastoral support. their families and our fellow colleagues, We provide spiritual and emotional support to all upholding all with care, compassion and expectant parents, with compassionate concern for understanding. their child in the womb. We take special care to journey with them and are especially careful and sensitive to expectant parents facing the challenges of a pregnancy or a birth that may be at risk.
The first AOSC Memorial Service organised by CPC took place on 15 November 2019. It was a gathering of staff who had, in one way or another, supported the parents whose babies had not made it to full term; it was a time to come together to pray for peace and healing for the parents and all who have journeyed with them.
Our care for parents and their newborn go beyond the pregnancy experience; at each baby blessing service in our chapel, we join ourselves to every parents’ joy and celebration as we pray with them for God’s blessings on their child and themselves.
28 2019 Year in Review
Commissioning Mass of Mission Team and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
Celebrated by Rev Fr Jerome Leon, SJ on 18 October 2019, the annual Commissioning Mass was held at the hospital’s chapel to bless the work of the Mission Team, Ministers of Holy Communion and CEO, Dr James Lam, in our Catholic healthcare ministry. The blessings and prayers strengthen our call to continue the legacy of care handed to us by the FMDM Sisters, to serve all with love.
Mission Formation Retreat
Working with Possibility – Exploring 1. Mission integration – The creative tensions faced by Creative Tensions in Mission Led Ministries a private hospital that operates in a competitive and Mount Alvernia Hospital, Assisi Hospice and Mount changing landscape that imposes pressures on financial Miriam Cancer Hospital (Penang) came together and resource management; while having a mandate to for our annual Mission Formation Retreat as sister reach out to all including the poor and marginalised. organisations founded by the FMDM congregation. 2. Being a Charity Today – The creative tensions in being After our opening reflection, we worked with the a Singapore charity today in governance and regulatory theme “Working with Possibility - Exploring Creative compliance, meeting community needs and public Tensions in Mission Led Ministries”, thinking about perception. how tensions can be creative and new possibilities emerge. 3. Call to our Gospel Mission – The creative tensions implicit in and the ‘demands’ of being a Catholic mission All organisations have their challenges and to bring the healing ministry of Christ and in so doing - opportunities as they exist to serve a purpose and to be inclusive, respectful and caring in a multi-racial and operate in communities with their stakeholders. We multi-religious society. choose to take the perspective that challenges which bring about tension are opportunities for creativity It was a day of sharing experiences of our realities and and innovation as opposed to tensions paralysing learnings. Clearly, the importance of having clarity of and diminishing us. Some creative tensions that were purpose and grounded in faith helps us stay the course to explored: bring compassionate care and authentic concern to those in need.
Service brings out the best in the giver to stand in solidarity with the poor and marginalised. We believe our faith and commitment can only lead to even greater possibilities to bring hope and love to the community of Singapore.
29 Mount Alvernia Hospital
COMMUNITY OUTREACH Driven by compassion to bring care, comfort and hope to the lives they touch, our Community Outreach colleagues are actively engaged in various Community Outreach initiatives around the island and sometimes even beyond our shores.
The Big Event
The team spearheaded a community carnival in partnership about one in every 40,000 live births and patients can incur with Community Chest and Punggol Coast Constituency, medical expenses in excess of S$500,000 each year. in support of the Rare Disease Fund (RDF). The event, aptly called “Hope Should Not Be Rare” raised more than S$200,000 Mr Tong also commended Mount Alvernia Hospital for its for the beneficiaries of the Rare Disease Fund after a 3-to-1 focused and dedicated community outreach efforts. “Mount Government matching. Alvernia Hospital is driven by a strong social mission and has consistently utilised its surpluses to fund outreach programmes At the opening address, our hospital’s CEO Dr James Lam, that serve and help the community in many different ways. The expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be part of the great hospital’s community outreach medical and dental clinics, located RDF cause, and acknowledged the efforts of our colleagues in at the Enabling Village at Redhill and Agape Village at Toa Payoh, this community outreach event. “We are very humbled to have have benefitted many families from disadvantaged backgrounds,” the opportunity as the first private hospital, in partnership he said. with Community Chest, to come together in solidarity to raise awareness for rare diseases and rally support for the On a more heart-warming note, carnival-goers got to meet two Rare Disease Fund. The work that we do at the hospital is special young people who are living with rare diseases. One of them, imbued with the Franciscan spirit of compassion, humility and Christopher, was on stage with his parents. He shared about living kindness in serving others, to be life-giving and all-inclusive,” with a rare disease together with his specialist doctor. The other Dr Lam said. “I was very heartened by the tremendous Mount beneficiary, Zecia was present to lend her support to the event. Alvernia Hospital team spirit that could be seen and felt throughout the whole event!”
Mr Edwin Tong, Senior Minister of State for Law and Health, graced the event as the Guest-of-Honour. In his speech, Mr Tong expressed his hope for more companies, community groups and individuals to step forward and support the RDF in future, so that more diseases and more patients could be covered. He also announced that the RDF, which covered three conditions at the time of its launch in July 2019, now covers a fourth rare disease – namely Pompe disease, a rare inherited neuromuscular disorder. Pompe disease affects
30 2019 Year in Review
Dental Screening Homeless Hearts for Foreign Healthcare Day
Domestic Workers An article in the local newspaper on the homeless situation in Singapore made us aware of the good work being done Following our first ever dental screening event held by the Homeless Hearts of Singapore (HHOS). As the jointly with the Centre for Domestic Workers (CDE) at rough sleepers were on the radar of our outreach team, we Lucky Plaza in March, we held another event in June. contacted HHOS in 2018 with the hope of meeting their We attracted a total of 136 patients for both events. beneficiaries’ primary medical and dental needs. A team of volunteer dentists from Singapore Dental Health Foundation conducted dental screening and This cumulated in the Healthcare Day on 20 July 2019 counselling for the domestic workers and members when we conducted a community outreach tie-up with of CDE. HHOS to reach out to the homeless by providing medical checkups and free flu vaccination at the Yio Chu Kang Each screening included a gum and teeth examination Chapel. for oral diseases, followed by counselling and sharing of tips on oral hygiene. Patients who required follow- At the event, our volunteer doctor, Dr Eileen Soon held a up dental treatments were offered the option to visit mobile clinic and flu vaccination session. A referral was our outreach dental clinic. made for one of the homeless friends to see a cardiologist for further investigation. Post-event, our on-campus The Centre for Domestic Employees (CDE) is an specialist Dr Brian Khoo saw the patient pro bono. He initiative of the National Trades Union Congress was also referred to the outreach medical clinic for the (NTUC) set up in January 2016. management of his chronic condition.
Our outreach team identified some homeless friends who required primary care and referred them to our outreach clinics. In the days leading up to the Healthcare Day, the HHOS team also went around educating the homeless friends about the importance of taking care of their health and encouraged them to attend the event.
We hope to continue partnering HHOS and other commendable organisations whose values and missions align with our own. Alone, we can do so much. Together, we can do so much more.
31 Mount Alvernia Hospital
Fourth Outreach to Cambodia
Our nursing colleagues have been conducting a Train-the-Trainer programme to impart maternal and neonatal care knowledge and skills to their counterparts in Kampong Chhnang, Cambodia, since 2017.
This latest instalment saw the work done in collaboration with KKH over the past three years bearing fruit. The training was conducted by local trainers who were identified and trained at previous training sessions while their Mount Alvernia Hospital trainers looked on with pride.
The Provincial Health Department also shared that through the knowledge transfer and trainings, maternal mortality in Kampong Chhnang had dropped from the peak of 16 cases in 2010 to only one death in 2019.
There was also a sharing of how the training on Smiles for Good Umbilical Vein Catheterisation (UVC) by our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Nurse One hot Saturday afternoon, an unsuspecting golfer Manager, Juliet Wee, saved a life. One little baby boy was moved into action when he came across a was saved by a local doctor, Dr Rany, following the hardworking caddie who was toothless except for two training conducted by Mount Alvernia Hospital. canines. Immediately, the kind-hearted golfer decided Sensing that the neonatal resus algorithm had no to launch a project to provide free dentures to the needy response, she administered adrenaline through UVC and commit to fund the first 40 dentures himself while as taught by Juliet. rallying the support of Caritas Singapore (CS) and Mount Alvernia Hospital’s Outreach team. Thus Smiles This is a partnership with WAH (Water and for Good was birthed. Healthcare) Foundation, a Cambodia registered non- government organisation whose mission is to improve Four beneficiaries of this programme – 73-year-old the lives and conditions of rural communities in Mr Tan Sioh Tee, 80-year-old Mdm Oh Swee Kim, Cambodia. 58-year-old Mr Ng Say Huat and 89-year-old Mdm Julia Ng were referred separately by Society of St Vincent de Paul and Thye Hua Kwan Senior Activity Centre at Toa Payoh. They were thrilled and grateful for the new dentures and certainly looked better with the new set of pearlies. In total, eight beneficiaries completed the denture programme in 2019.
Having a proper set of teeth is very important. Apart from nutrition and health implications, being toothless can result in a reluctance to smile or communicate due to low self-esteem, and can even lead to depression.
Conversely, a conscious effort to smile can trigger the release of feel good hormones like dopamine and serotonin and ‘trick your brain’ into happiness. Smiles are also catching. Smiles for Good hopes to get the whole world smiling, one restored smile at a time.
32 2019 Year in Review
NEW HOSPITAL DEVELOPMENTS
Some of the green features of this new facility include a Groundbreaking of Our communal terrace with greenery that provides a healing New Hospital Facility environment, a well-designed ventilation system to improve air quality, and the use of environmentally-friendly products in the The groundbreaking ceremony was held on 6 September interior fit-out. In addition, the centre will incorporate energy 2019 for our upcoming new maternity and paediatrics and water-saving features, and special parking lots for electric centre, on the site of the former Assisi Hospice. and e-hybrid cars with charging stations.
Targeted for completion in 2022, this 10-storey facility Come 2022, we look forward to serving more patients with will house our maternity and paediatric wards, delivery love at our new maternity and paediatrics facility. suites, the NICU, allied health and ancillary hospital services, and be connected to our main hospital building via a link bridge.
The new development helps to position us for the future, equipping us to meet the needs of Singaporeans in the years ahead.
Embodying the spirit of St Francis of Assisi, our patron saint’s deep respect for the environment, the new facility has been designed with sustainability features that meet the highest certified Platinum rating standard under the Building and Construction Authority’s Green Mark Scheme.
33 Mount Alvernia Hospital
Alvernia Obstetric Screening Centre (AOSC)
Opened to provide antenatal screening for pregnant mothers, the AOSC enables us to provide comfort to parents with normal pregnancies as well as journey with and provide pastoral comfort to parents with abnormal pregnancies.
Integrated Cancer Centre
Mount Alvernia Hospital and Icon Cancer Centre, a well-established cancer care provider in Singapore, are collaborating to build and manage a new state-of-the- art integrated cancer centre on campus. Planning of the cancer facility has commenced, with services set to be open for cancer patients in 2022. The integrated cancer centre will provide a holistic approach to cancer care by bringing together medical oncology, haematology and radiation oncology for Singaporeans in need of best- practice treatment.
Taking a holistic approach to cancer care, the upcoming facility will offer: • a 10-chair day oncology hospital delivering chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapy; • a radiation therapy centre with the latest Linear Accelerator and capacity for a second machine; • on-site PET-CT; • pathology; and • pharmacy services.
Mount Alvernia Hospital and Icon share the same patient- centred values, utilising the latest technologies and expert medical specialist teams to deliver the full continuum of care at the time when patients need it most.
New Wing of St Francis Ward
The expansion increased the St Francis Ward nursing team from two to three teams. The new wing has two sets of 2-bedded rooms and 4-bedded rooms, thus increasing our total bed count to 319 beds.
34 2019 Year in Review
ENHANCING PATIENTS’ EXPERIENCE
Cashless Medical Service
Customers can now enjoy the convenience of cashless seamless experience during admission and discharge, they medical service from participating on-campus specialists at are able to leave the hospital without having to pay any Mount Alvernia Hospital if they are Prudential Singapore’s out-of-pocket expenses. This will minimise the financial stress qualifying PRUExtra Premier customers. on our patients and their family members, and allow our patients to focus on getting well. With this new initiative in place, qualifying patients do not have to pay a deposit at admission nor make a payment upon A PRUPanel Connect concierge team is now available on-site discharge, as Prudential will settle their medical expenses at Mount Alvernia Hospital to assist Prudential’s customers on directly with Mount Alvernia Hospital. PRUShield-related enquiries from Mondays to Fridays. As part of the value-added services provided, they offer complimentary This partnership with Prudential allows our patients to hospital parking coupons or taxi vouchers to policyholders enjoy the benefits of cashless hospitalisation. And the who are admitted for inpatient treatment or day surgery. Enhanced eLog process not only allows patients a more
Working Together to S.E.R.V.E. All with Love
A joint collaboration with Mission, Corporate Development and Human Resource developed a new training programme based on new service quality standards: Safety, Environment, Reliability, Values- centre-care, Efficiency.
The team also embarked on the redesign of the Customer Service Survey framework to engage patients and identify ways to improve patients’ experience and clinical safety.
35 Mount Alvernia Hospital
OUR DIGITALISATION JOURNEY
Human Resources Information System (HRIS)
A new HRIS with comprehensive modules was rolled out on a cloud- based model resulting ePorter System in cost savings. The new features include We collaborated with a group of ICT Software a mobile Employee Self Service (ESS), staff’s leave, Engineering students from the Singapore Institute of e-claims, attendance-roster and payroll modules. This Technology (SIT) to develop a porter management enhancement brought about a significantly greener mobile application prototype. The mobile app was able environment with less usage of paper. to assign jobs to porters with timestamps automatically recorded and progress monitored. Overall, there was an improvement in efficiency as tedious, manual processes were eliminated.
Scrubber Autonomous Faster Bed Turnaround; Machine (SAM) Less Waiting Time
To address the challenge of a lack of housekeeping staff due Working with SIT students, a project was initiated to the labour crunch, the hospital worked with our cleaning to reduce patients’ waiting time for beds. This was vendor to introduce SAM (Scrubber done with the help of a simple and cost-effective Autonomous Machine) in near-field communication (NFC) card, a mobile app July 2019. This friendly robot and a desktop dashboard. is able to perform general, labour-intensive tasks such as Discharged patients only need to drop the NFC mopping a large floor area, card into a specially designed box before leaving thus helping the hospital their ward. This triggers housekeeping staff to to save an average of 65 clean the room and once the task is completed, the percent in manpower hours. housekeeper will update the status on their mobile Meanwhile, existing staff app. This in turn, alerts ward staff on the availability were redeployed to more of the beds. intricate tasks that cannot be performed by a robot. The Piloted at St Gabriel Ward, the project was a huge hospital continues to work with success and was rolled out to the rest of our wards. the vendor to explore ways in which SAM can further aid the team and hospital.
36 2019 Year in Review
IMPROVING PATIENT CARE Imaging Urinary Stones Preventing Diabetes
Our Diagnostic Imaging Department upgraded the Since the success of the inaugural event in 2016, the extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) machine, putting annually held World Diabetes Day seminar continues us at the forefront of urinary stones treatment. ESWL is the only to attract general practitioners and specialists as our non-invasive treatment for kidney stones, requiring no incision delegates. The seminar brought medical specialists, or internal telescopic device. Using water bath technology, the nurses and dietitians together to share their expertise procedure is painless and effective in fragmenting urinary stones and knowledge in diabetes prevention. into small and easily excreted particles. The advanced software uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to locate and target stones hence aiding the radiographers and doctors in the treatment process. Health Screening
The team redesigned its business model by focusing on Step Up on Pressure customised health screening packages. For corporates, pre-employment healthcare services were launched, Injury Prevention student visa health check for foreign students and vaccination services were also rolled out. These tailored To reduce the risk of pressure injury of ICU patients, ICU nurses services were in addition to the executive health apply form dressing over pressure points and bony areas for screening services that were being offered at our Health patients, particularly bedridden ones, with poor skin integrity. Screening Centre. To step up on their pressure injury prevention, St Clare ward decided to adopt the above as an additional protocol on top of their current routine care. This has resulted in a nil pressure injury report for the ward. Tele-health Dietetic Service Reducing Skin Injury for Another first is our newly launched tele-health dietetic service for the outpatient clinic. This service enables Newborns the close monitoring and follow up of our clients. Many clients have chosen follow up via tele-health as it is Current identity bands are stiff and most are not exactly convenient. This resulted in improvements in not only suitable for neonates in NICU as they have been observed to clients’ health outcomes, it was noted that satisfaction of develop redness or scratches easily from wearing the bands. the department has also improved. To overcome this, nursing care team used micropore tape and patient’s label as ID tag on neonates. The result is encouraging with lesser incidence of skin injuries. Programme FEASt
The Nutrition & Dietetics department collaborated Non-Invasive Test for with Rehabilitation Care team to establish a feeding clinic tailored for problem eaters. The aptly named Jaundice FEASt (Feed Easy Approaches and Strategies) is a multidisciplinary programme for assessing and treating A pilot trial of a non-invasive test for jaundice in newborn children with feeding difficulties and weight or growth babies was conducted by the nursing care team, in which a problems. The principles of the programme are based transcutaneous bilirubinometer assesses the risk. Using light on the Sequential Oral Sensory (S.O.S) Approach to instead of a needle, it allows the nurses to easily measure feeding. Led by a Senior Dietitian and Speech Therapist, serum bilirubin levels. Since blood samples are not required, both of whom are trained in the S.O.S Approach. The this is a pain-free approach compared to the traditional heel programme allows a child with feeding difficulties prick test for jaundice. Results are faster as blood analysis to interact with food in a playful, non-stressful way, in a laboratory is not necessary. This also allows for faster facilitating gradual food acceptance. discharge from our hospital.
37 Mount Alvernia Hospital
NURTURING OUR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS
Continuing Medical Baby Friendly Hospital Education (CME) Initiatives (BFHI) Training
The Medical Affairs Department organised over 20 CME Together with Alvernia Parentcraft Centre, several BFHI topics spanning across medical and surgical specialties trainings were conducted to ensure best practices in for specialists and general practitioners in the year. supporting mothers breastfeeding their newborn babies Specialised workshops featuring interactive, hands-on and prepare the hospital to be BFHI-accredited. components were also added. Obstetrics Emergency Drill Electronic Medical Obstetrics Emergency Drill was introduced and Records (EMR) Training conducted for Maternity Wards, NICU and Delivery Suite nurses and midwives to enable them to better To enhance their digital knowledge, regular EMR training handle emergency situations. was held for nurses and healthcare assistants. Courses in the administration of medicine and IV therapy for enrolled nurses using Knowledge-Based Medication Administration were also conducted. Neonatal Resuscitation Programme (NRP)
We collaborated with the Penang Adventist Hospital Life Support Education Centre (PAH LSEC) for the 7th Edition NRP. It was designed to enhance our nurses’ skills in the management of neonatal resuscitation. The training methodology included didactic lessons and hands-on training during an emergency situation.
Peri-operative Training
This training was conducted to equip nurses at the Endoscopy Centre with peri-operative knowledge for Blood-taking for better patient care. Paediatric Patients
Paediatric patients may be more emotional when it Collaboration with comes to drawing blood for tests. To boost confidence Polytechnics in Singapore of nurses taking blood for paediatric patients, the 24-hour Emergency clinic nurses were attached with This collaboration aimed to attract more nursing students our phlebotomists in the Laboratory as part of their to do their student attachments in Mount Alvernia training. This enabled our nurses to better support our Hospital with the longer term view of recruiting more phlebotomists in taking blood from young patients when locally trained nurses to join the hospital. phlebotomy services are not available.
38 2019 Year in Review
OUR PEOPLE, OUR PRIDE
Recognising and Nurturing Our Healthcare Professionals
Our people reflect our values and mission in action.
Singapore Health Quality Service Awards (SHQSA) Launched in 2011, the SHQSA is Singapore’s dedicated Congratulations to our healthcare team who was honoured at platform to honour healthcare professionals who have the SHQSA. Our colleagues received an impressive nine Gold demonstrated remarkable commitment in delivering awards and 39 Silver awards. quality care and excellent service to patients.
Improving Safety with Nurse-led Discharge To improve the discharge process, policies can be redesigned by empowering nurses to perform discharges for ambulatory post-surgical patients in a safe and timely manner. This could address long waiting time and bed crunch situation. All nurses will have to attend training and assessment before taking up the extended nurse-led discharge role.
Recognised for this initiative, Ms Agnes Dass, Senior Nurse Manager presented a poster titled “Improving Safety with Nurse-led Discharge” at the 2019 International Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare in Taipei.
39 Mount Alvernia Hospital
Celebrating Nurses’ Day Community Chest
FMDM Sisters together with Director of Nursing, our Heartstrings Walk nursing deputy and assistant directors and CEO at our annual Nurses’ Day celebration. Our Mount Alvernia Hospital’s staff and family members joined in a 4km fun walk to help raise funds for the Community Chest. The funds go towards supporting children with special needs, youths at risk, adults with disabilities, needy families, vulnerable seniors and people with mental health conditions. The walk is organised by our outreach partner, Community Chest, together with Marina Bay Sands.
Our Choir
Our amazing choir, made up of staff volunteers from various departments in Mount Alvernia Hospital and Assisi Hospice, staged heart-warming performances annually during the Feast of St Francis, Assisi Hospice’s Christmas Light-up and delighted patients with beautiful Christmas carols at the wards.
40 Most High glorious God, bring light to the darkness of my heart. Give me right faith, certain hope, and perfect charity, insight and wisdom, so I can always observe Thy holy and true command. Amen.
The Prayer of St Francis before the Cross at San Damiano MOUNT ALVERNIA HOSPITAL 820 Thomson Road Singapore 574623 6347 6688 [email protected] mtalverniahospital mtalverniahospital www.mtalvernia.sg