The. Our Patients, Our Focus Our People, Our Pride. Future of Healthcare

Transcription

1 The Our Patients, Our Focus Our People, Our Pride Future of Healthcare

2 National University Hospital Tertiary Referral Centre with an Academic Medical Centre Mission A million patients pass through the doors of NUH each year. The countless patient success stories and triumphs over illness continue to motivate our staff to strive to provide the highest standards in treatment and care. 2

3 Equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and experienced staff, NUH is a major referral centre that provides advanced medical care for a comprehensive range of medical, surgical and dental conditions such as Cardiology, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ophthalmology, Oncology, Paediatrics, Orthopaedic Surgery, and Hand and Reconstructive Microsurgery. The Hospital also provides organ transplant programmes for adult (kidney, liver and pancreas) and is the only public hospital in Singapore to offer paediatric kidney and liver transplant programme. Being part of an academic medical centre and a key member of the National University Health System means the NUH hosts some of the best and brightest medical and scientific brains. Our clinicians and scientists work hand-in-glove to achieve major advances in patient care, in areas ranging from cancer to heart diseases, to neurological illnesses and infectious diseases. Thriving research findings translate to new drugs, devices and treatments benefiting our patients. Working closely with the National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry and the Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, NUH plays a pivotal role in nurturing future healthcare professionals and leaders. In the fast changing healthcare landscape, the Hospital continues to challenge boundaries and chart new territories, bringing hope to patients and enhancing Singapore s reputation for medical excellence. NUH opened its door on 24 June 1985 as Singapore s first restructured hospital. The Hospital came under the governance of the National University Health System in 2008, the nation s first Academic Medical Centre. 3

4 National University Hospital Our Patients Our Focus At NUH, our patients are the reason for our existence. They inspire us to continue our quest to break new medical boundaries and be at the forefront of quality care and service. Competent staff, advance systems and considered processes amalgamate to meet the growing needs of our patients. 4

5 Hope for patients with Type 1 diabetes Led by the National University Centre for Organ Transplantation team, the nation s first simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplant was successfully carried out in The landmark surgery spells new hope for patients who suffer from diabetes and kidney failure. A successful SPK transplant increases the five-year survival rate to more than 90% from 35% without a transplant. More importantly, patients enjoy better quality of life, free from dialysis. Less is more for children with cancer Thanks to a new chemotherapy treatment protocol, children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia are now spared serious complications such as organ damage. Their cure rate and quality of life are improved. The multi-centre study in Singapore and Malaysia, led by the Department of Paediatrics, found that 86% of the patients can be given a significantly lower dose of chemotherapy without affecting their long-term cure rate. The results were published in 2012, in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Removing stomach tumour without incision In 2011, our gastroenterologist took the technique a step further with the Master and Slave Transluminal Endoscopic Robot (MASTER), where patients with stomach cancer can have their tumours removed via the mouth without a single incision or scar. While it is currently designed for the removal of tumours, developments of interchangeable effectors will allow MASTER to be used in other surgeries. International accreditation for stem cell transplant programme Our stem cell programme was the first in Asia to be recognised by the prestigious Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, USA in This means that our patients can be assured that the quality of care they receive meets the most rigorous standards in every aspect of stem cell therapy. This international accreditation is the gold standard for healthcare institutions offering stem cell transplant. Dedicated heart and cancer care Housed within NUH are two national centres: The National University Cancer Institute, Singapore and the National University Heart Centre, Singapore. As patients are increasingly seen with multiple co-morbidities, having the two specialist centres in the same campus translates to coordinated and integrated care. This ensures that our patients are treated in the most appropriate environment. These centres draw from the vast expertise of specialists who are at the forefront of academic medicine, teaching and research. Collaboration to provide integrated patient care Our responsibility towards patients does not end when they are discharged. Working with a network of partners, we ensure that they are well taken care of within the community after they leave the hospital. For instance, patients requiring step-down care receive priority admission at St Luke s Hospital, a community hospital in the western part of Singapore. Those with stable chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension, and who require long-term follow-up care are referred to family medicine practitioners who adopt the same care protocol. This way, our patients continue to receive quality and timely medical care, in the most appropriate healthcare environment. In 2006, NUH pioneered the publication of clinical outcome data on its website, providing greater transparency and benchmarking against international outcomes. NUH led the way in evidence-based nursing care in Singapore. This includes the introduction of allocation of nursing resources based on patient acuity and the collaboration with Joanna-Briggs Institute, Australia. 5

6 National University Hospital Pushing Research Boundaries With its strong research culture, NUH healthcare professionals are constantly pushing the boundaries of what they know to break new ground from conducting research to better understand patient conditions, to pioneering treatment therapies and procedures. Growing a straight spine In the past, children with curved spines would need to undergo surgery which in turn could affect their growth and spinal flexibility. In 2010, doctors from the Hospital s University Spine Centre were the first in the world to successfully pilot the implant of a spine-straightening device called the Scoli-Tether (Miscoli) System. The surgery involves implanting a flexible contraption in the spine via keyhole surgery. The screwdriver-shaped contraption allows the spines of young patients to be straightened without compromising the backbone s capacity for growth and flexibility. As the new surgery is done through a series of small incisions, the patient suffers less pain and recovers more quickly. Local children are sleeping less To find out if pre-schoolers were getting enough sleep, the Department of Paediatrics embarked on a three-year study of 372 children aged two to six. Their findings, published in the Annals Academy of Medicine in 2012, found that local children were sleeping significantly less than Swiss children. The study found that the most common problem was sleep resistance and that 80% of the children co-sleep, which could compromise their quality of rest. One of the first few studies to profile the sleep behaviour of pre-schoolers in Singapore, doctors noted that the lack of quality sleep might have implications on their long-term health and academic performance. Seeing light once more More than 1.5 million patients worldwide, who are blind due to an inherited eye condition, may be able to see again. An NUH ophthalmologist, working with researchers at the University of Oxford, has demonstrated the principle that sight can be restored to the blind. In a trial, the team successfully transplanted immature cells into the eyes of blind mice to reform a full light-detecting layer on the retina to restore vision. This is the first time that completely blind animals have had their sight restored by replacing immature retinal cells. They also found that when enough cells are transplanted, the retina not only becomes light sensing but also regenerates the connections required for meaningful vision. Ten out of the 12 mice responded to the light and ran away to the dark, indicating that their retinas were sensing light. Moving forward, the researchers hope to work towards using stem cells generated from the patient s own cells, such as skin or blood cells, and to direct them to form precursors of retinal cells. NUH is the only public hospital in Singapore to offer adult, paediatric and obstetrics and gynaecology services. In 2004, NUH became the first local healthcare institute to achieve the prestigious Joint Commission International accreditation an international stamp for excellent clinical practices in patient care and safety. 6

7 Nurturing Tomorrow s Healthcare Professionals NUH upholds the time-honoured tradition of mentoring and training students and plays a leading role in nurturing Singapore s future healthcare professionals. Residency programme In 2010, NUH welcomed the pioneer batch of medical and nursing residents in Singapore. To-date, we have 14 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education International* accredited training programmes and will be rolling out another 10 in July The programme offers a rich educational experience through evidence-based medicine taught through strong and effective teaching and pedagogy. Medical Residents are strongly encouraged to engage in community health services and humanitarian work. They learn that in giving, one benefits most and through this, grow to be compassionate and caring healthcare leaders. In 2009, NUH was the first in Asia Pacific to implement an intelligent inpatient medication system to ensure that the right dose is delivered to the right patient at the right time. The Hospital s senior leadership, including our Chief Executive Officer and our Chairman, Medical Board, bond with the Residents at the start of their training through an innovative three-day orientation conducted at an offshore island. A first in Singapore, our Nursing Residency programme offers an evidence-based curriculum developed for an academic medicine environment. It supports our new graduate nurses in their transition to become competent professionals. Results from other centres have shown that the programme enhanced job satisfaction, clinical leadership and retention. Training for fertility experts In response to the growing demand for fertility treatments, NUH set up CREST (Centre for Reproductive Education and Specialist Training) in It is the first fertility training centre in Asia Pacific. CREST is a dedicated facility for training clinicians, nurses and embryologists seeking to develop their skills in Assisted Reproductive Technology. It boasts a teaching faculty comprising experienced embryologists and infertility specialists from NUH. Providing good-as-real simulation training facilities NUH houses Asia s first dedicated training facilities for nurses in a hospital setting the Mrs Lee Kong Chian Critical Care Nursing Simulation Laboratory. The High Dependency and the Intensive Care Unit Simulation Laboratories are exact replicas of the actual room set-up and size to give a sense of realism. Live feed facilities and a high-fidelity mannequin which can simulate most critical medical conditions and respond to the treatment rendered, help refine and strengthen the staff s clinical skills. NUH improved patient safety by leveraging technology critical laboratory results are automatically sent to alert the doctors so that intervention can take place promptly. * Based in USA 7

8 Vision Shaping Medicine for the Future Mission Advancing Health by Integrating Excellent Clinical Care, Research and Education Value Teamwork Respect Integrity Compassion Excellence 5 Lower Kent Ridge Road Singapore Tel: (65) Fax: (65) Company Registration No R Copyright National University Hospital All Rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission in writing from National University Hospital This brochure is printed on environmentally-friendly paper.