Centralised platform, patient empowerment among key gaps in Singapore healthcare

Singapore residents prefer a more integrated healthcare ecosystem involving both public and private healthcare providers, according to new findings published by regional private healthcare provider, HMI Medical.

The key challenges highlighted in the survey include the lack of a centralised platform for public and private healthcare providers, complex administrative procedures, and patients' uncertainty over what actions to take in their healthcare journey.

The findings were based on a nationally representative survey conducted among 1,000 Singapore residents aged 21 to 75 across different gender, ethnicity and age groups on concerns and desires influencing healthcare decision making in Singapore.

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Integrated healthcare enables seamless healthcare journey

Respondents would like more healthcare integration when it comes to a centralised platform onboarding both public and private providers, as well as seamless referrals for patients.

The desire to access a centralised platform for both public and private healthcare services was more prominent among those aged above 40 years (53 per cent).

Currently, Singapore’s Health Hub app only allows patients to access health records, medical appointments and referral letters from public healthcare institutions, including polyclinics and hospitals.

The same respondents underlined the need for more seamless transitions for patients from private to public healthcare, and vice versa.

When it comes to healthcare records, The Straits Times recently reported that about 30 per cent of private clinics and practically all private hospitals were still not part of the National Electronic Health Record (NEHR) system.

NEHR has been in place since 2011. The government is currently reviewing a proposed Health Information Bill that would mandate private healthcare players contribute key patient data to the NEHR system as well as establish a framework for health data sharing.

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Personalised assistance, simplified processes to empower patients

More than half of the respondents (53 per cent) indicated a preference for referrals tailored to their personal needs.

The survey highlighted an opportunity to improve healthcare navigation experiences for residents, as feelings of stress and uncertainty emerged as a top concern among the respondents.

Stress and uncertainty were attributed to a lack of control over what actions to take (28 per cent), complexity of the healthcare system (23 per cent), and uncertainty about which provider to choose (23 per cent).

Simplifying administrative procedures and receiving personalised assistance were some possible solutions raised to tackle the concerns.

An integrated healthcare ecosystem enables a “more harmonised healthcare management and service delivery,” said HMI Medical’s advisory board member and Singapore Management University (SMU)’s Professor Emeritus of Finance, Prof Annie Koh, in an official statement.

She also proposed a model with healthcare navigators to provide the psychological counseling needed by residents seeking additional support and guidance when handling their healthcare journey.

HMI has 25 years of experience and serves over three million patients per year across Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

The survey was conducted in the background of Singapore’s population health strategy, Healthier SG, and focuses on key themes including ageing population, rising healthcare costs, preventative health and digital transformation.

Synapxe’s Programme Manager of Data aNalytics and AI, Salman Jaffar, recently shared with GovInsider how the national health tech agency applies agility in developing and implementing Healthier SG.