SERVE ALL WITH LOVE 2016 Year in Review

Transcription

1 SERVE ALL WITH LOVE 2016 Year in Review

2 Our efforts are inspired by the Catholic values and the legacy of the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood. We know that healthcare is about science and medicine. We also recognise the spiritual significance of what we do.

3 CONTENTS 3 At a Glance 4 Our Ethos 6 Message from FMDM Congregational Leader 8 Message from Chairman 10 Board of Directors 12 Executive Management Team 14 New Specialist Doctors 18 Governance 20 Stewardship 22 Our Founding Story 24 Our Journey 26 Highlights in Rooted in Our Core Values 32 Empowered Our Mission to Serve 44 Outreach to Make a Difference

4 2 Mount Alvernia Hospital Photo: Zvonimir Atletic / Shutterstock.com Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures, especially through my lord Brother Sun, who brings the day; and You give light through him. And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendor! Of You, Most High, he bears the likeness. Saint Francis of Assisi, Canticle of the Sun

5 Year in Review AT A GLANCE Founded in 1961 by the Sisters from the Franciscan Missionaries of The Divine Motherhood Singapore s only not-for-profit Catholic private acute tertiary hospital Delivered >5,600 Babies We are the only hospital that provides Clinical Pastoral Care Mind Body Spirit Total of 304 Mount Alvernia >120 Beds Commissioned works of art donated by six schools The 6-bedded ward is named after our patron saint St Francis of Assisi Serving the underserved Opened the second outreach medical clinic at the Agape Village Total outreach 1,488 beneficiaries from various voluntary welfare organisations Specialist Doctors >160 on campus >1,200 accredited

6 4 Mount Alvernia Hospital OUR ETHOS Mount Alvernia Hospital (MAH) is a mission of faithfulness, hope and courage to bring life and light into the lives of people and the community. Our work began by the Sisters of the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood (FMDM) in 1961 to care for lepers and tuberculosis patients, is a call to love all, especially the marginalised and the poor. At the heart of the Franciscan spirit is a joyfulness that comes from an appreciation for life, and which gives rise to a deep commitment to relationships with people and all creation to be life-giving, all-inclusive and just. The sacredness of life, the dignity of each human person and the community compel us to live out our values in our work to provide holistic healthcare, and raise the quality of care and support for people wherever there is a need and a gap to be filled. We believe in proactive collaboration and mutual support, partnering with doctors and other healthcare organisations to bring about charity and social service that empower sustained growth in the healthcare sector. This will enable us to appropriately respond to the needs of an ageing population whilst we continue to be a deliverer of new life as a hospital reputed for maternity care. We are a 304-bed general acute care medical institution; with tertiary medical capabilities and multidisciplinary medical specialist centres. The hospital is supported by over 1,200 accredited doctors; with about 160 specialist doctors located on the campus. As a not-for-profit hospital, MAH channels all surplus to the communities we serve. Significant efforts are made towards providing outreach healthcare services to the underserved in the community. The hospital is part of the FMDM global network spanning Singapore, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Australia, Nigeria, Zambia and Zimbabwe; reaching out to the sick, the poor and the marginalised through healthcare, pastoral care, counselling, education, as well as prison and parish ministries.

7 Year in Review Our Vision Mount Alvernia Hospital seeks to continue and embody the healing ministry of Jesus Christ to serve all with love. Our Mission Mount Alvernia Hospital shares in the worldwide mission of the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood, providing compassionate, excellent and holistic healthcare. Our Core Values They guide the delivery of our mission, influence how we act and reflect our Franciscan roots founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. C H I R P Compassion: The capacity to enter into another s joy and sorrow Humility: Recognising that we are all brothers and sisters in the one global, human family Integrity: Seeking always to act, speak and make decisions that reflect our values in a spirit of honesty and authenticity Respect: Treating each person we encounter with reverence Peace: Being committed to building life-giving relationships with all

8 6 Mount Alvernia Hospital MESSAGE FROM SISTER JANE Congregational Leader, FMDM Our Mission Statement says: Mount Alvernia Hospital shares in the worldwide mission of the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood (FMDM), providing compassionate, excellent and holistic healthcare. The more I reflect on this the more I see it as a unique gift to each of us associated with Mount Alvernia Hospital and to the community of Singapore the gift being we are part of something much bigger than ourselves. As the Congregational Leader, I have had the privilege of visiting every part of our worldwide mission. I have shared in the life and mission of our sisters serving those families still suffering with HIV AIDS in Zambia; those struggling to find food for their families in Zimbabwe; those living with the fear of war in Gaza just to name a few. Each time I come back to Singapore and share in the life of Mount Alvernia Hospital, I experience the same spirit, the same compassion, the same love and personalised care in our hospital. I feel proud that amidst the highpowered, technological, efficiency-driven environment which is Health Care in the developed world; everyone who makes up the Mount Alvernia Hospital community, conduct their daily interactions according to this same mission not only in the hospital but also through our local outreach across Singapore. Health Care, wherever it is offered in the world, always touches at the heart of vulnerability, inter-dependence, and our human need to be supported by others. The challenge is always to keep this truth at the heart of all we do. People who come in need of our excellent and holistic healthcare also need our compassion, our care and our love. I do not underestimate the challenge of achieving this and we need to do all we can to keep this focus as we plan our future and continue to Serve All With Love Each of us, be it from a personal, family or community, national or global perspective lives in a world that constantly changes; that is constantly becoming. This becoming either builds the bonds of our human family or it damages them. We have to keep asking ourselves what is fundamental and essential and what can change or even need to change for the good of our mission?

9 Year in Review Sister Rogita, Home-based Care Coordinator, Kasanka, Zambia Sister Bridget getting ready for an outreach clinic in Gaza Sister Yeyani visiting rural families in Zimbabwe I often hear in the Boardroom, at Executive Management team meetings or in encounters with staff a deep awareness and connectedness with those on whose shoulders we stand our early pioneering FMDM sisters and those sisters who over the years have served so selflessly to build the Mount Alvernia Hospital s vision, mission and spirit we know today. A significant change for us is that we no longer have FMDM sisters in Singapore who can take the responsibility to continue the mission they began. We are not alone in facing this reality most Religious Congregations are facing the same diminishment. However this opens new possibilities to work ever more closely with our lay colleagues who continue to build and strengthen our vision, mission and values. We, the FMDM Leadership, commit ourselves to ensuring our hospital leaders are offered effective formation and support to continue to provide the gift of Catholic Health Care in Singapore into the future. So as I offer my prayers and blessings for Mount Alvernia Hospital and all associated with us in any way, I am reminded of this timely and challenging quote from Margaret Silf : The future is not some place we are going but one we are creating. The paths to it are not found but are made, and the making of those pathways changes both the maker and the destination. Health Care, wherever it is offered in the world, always touches at the heart of vulnerability, interdependence, and our human need to be supported by others.

10 8 Mount Alvernia Hospital MESSAGE FROM PHILLIP TAN Chairman One key life lesson from our founding FMDM Sisters is their simplicity and down to earth view when it comes to nurturing health and care for precious lives. There were no sophisticated medical technologies available at that time to help with disease diagnosis or nursing informatics to assist with patient monitoring. The Sisters were very attentive and meticulous in their care for each patient; and collaborated closely with visiting physicians so that no one was forgotten and no care was compromised. Their incredible journey and legacy have taught us that health is priceless and that everyone should be entitled to healthcare services. It has shaped our aspirations since our genesis in 1961 to establish a deep responsibility over the decades to help our patients overcome the pain of disease, and to give them the most appropriate treatment to put them on the road to recovery. It also motivates us to extend the care to the vulnerable and underserved to bring better health to all. Community outreach continues to receive our attention as we reach out to extend healthcare services to the vulnerable minority. We added a second outreach clinic this year at the Agape Village to provide both medical and dental services to the underserved, including the beneficiaries cared for by the member organisations of Caritas Singapore. In addition to our outreach clinics at both Enabling Village and Agape Village, our outreach health services went mobile and on the road to reach smaller pockets of communities who live and work among us, but are limited by circumstances to receive adequate healthcare services. Our deep respect for the power of good health tells us that without health, life stands on a brittle foundation. This is especially so for many vulnerable elderly who are living on their own, people with disability who are needy, ex-convicts struggling to reintegrate, and low-wage migrant workers who come to our shores to work so that they can provide for their families back home. It is our way of supporting an inclusive society in Singapore, and our respect for the dignity of life for all. During the year, we embarked on several hospital development projects with the aim of enhancing the healing environment for our patients, and creating a homely ambience for the patient s family. The ambitious project to In the next few years, the hospital will continue to evolve and grow to meet the rising demands and better support the health needs of the community.

11 Year in Review transform St Gabriel Paediatric Ward came to a close late last year with larger space for parents to room in comfortably, and upgraded facilities to offer a safe healing environment for young patients. We also remodelled the waiting areas at St Francis Ward, Day Surgery Centre and Diagnostic Imaging Centre to make our waiting rooms warm and welcoming. In the next few years, the hospital will continue to evolve and grow to meet the rising demand and better support the health needs of the community. Our new electronic medical record (EMR) system initiative is ready to take off with the appointment of several key technology solution providers and healthcare consulting partners. The initiative will enable our clinical team and doctors to access and exchange data in a secure environment at the click of a button. With the implementation of the EMR initiative, the hospital is now poised to integrate with the National Electronic Health Record to contribute to the One Patient, One Health Record goals set by the Ministry of Health. While these have been part of our evolution for more than five decades, we envision to be a better and more progressive healthcare institution through greater focus on excellence in whatever we do. Mount Alvernia Hospital is more than a place to work it s a family. This year, we bade farewell to a number of pioneering colleagues and friends, all of whom in their own way have given so much to the hospital. While some eased happily into retirement and other life opportunities, others were called home to the Lord. Sister Jean Marie was called home on 17 March. She was one of the pioneering Sisters who helped establish the hospital as a credible institution of care in A radiographer by training, she helped set up the X-ray Department within the hospital. We thank Sister Jean Marie from the bottom of our hearts, for building the hospital and making it a place of care for many. Our Board is committed to supporting the Management to continuously improve the quality of patient care and to carry on the mission of healing. I offer my sincere thanks to my colleagues on the Board, management and staff for their support and many contributions during another year of strong progress. I would also like to thank each and every one of you for making your vital contribution to Serve All With Love.

12 10 Mount Alvernia Hospital BOARD OF DIRECTORS Phillip Tan Eng Seong Chairman Member since 2007 Phillip is the Group Finance Director of Citystate Capital Asia group of companies and is currently serving on the boards of a number of statutory and charitable bodies. A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and a Fellow of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Singapore, he has been awarded the Public Service Medal, the Public Service Star and the Public Service Star (Bar). In addition, Phillip has served as Justice of the Peace for more than 15 years. Lau Beng Long Board Member Member since 2001 A hospital planner and director, Beng Long served at Mount Alvernia Hospital as Advisor to the Board (2010), Chairman ( ) and CEO ( ). He is currently the Managing Director of Sunway Group Healthcare Services, Malaysia, and a board member of Mount Miriam Cancer Hospital, Penang; Good Shepherd Welfare Centre and Kasih Hospice Foundation in Malaysia. Prior to joining Mount Alvernia Hospital in 1993, he was the General Manager of Pantai Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for nine years. Ho Tian Yee Board Member Member since 2015 Tian Yee is a manager and investor in the global financial markets. He is the Managing Director of Pacific Asset Management (S) Pte Ltd and Investment Advisor at Blue Edge Advisors Pte Ltd. He is a Director of Australia Networks Services, DBS Group Holdings Ltd and Chairman, Fullerton Fund Management Co. Ltd. He has a BA (Econs) Portsmouth University, MBA University of Chicago and attended the Executive Programme at Carnegie Mellon. He was awarded the PBM in Professor Lily Kong Board Member Member since 2015 Prof Kong is Provost and Lee Kong Chian Chair Professor of Social Sciences at the Singapore Management University (SMU). She was a faculty member in the National University of Singapore (NUS) Department of Geography from 1991 to A graduate of NUS and University College London, she is on a dozen international journal editorial boards, a member of Singapore s Public Service Commission and also serves on many local and international boards and committees. Known for her research in religion, cultural policy and creative economy, urban heritage and conservation, and national identity, Prof Kong received five international fellowship awards including the Commonwealth Fellowship Award and the Fulbright Fellowship Award. Eddie Chau Board Member Member since 2014 Eddie is a serial entrepreneur and angel investor. He founded five companies and one seed investment fund since Two of the five companies e-cop and Brandtology, were acquired in 2007 by a wholly owned subsidiary of Temasek Holdings and in 2014 by isentia, a listed company in Australia Stock Exchange, respectively. In 2014, Ant Financial, a unit of Alibaba, led a Series B investment round in V-Key which was co-founded by Eddie in He held senior management positions in IBM and Computer Associates before his entrepreneurship journey. Eddie holds an MSc in Communication Engineering from Imperial College, London. Tan Su May Board Member Member since 2014 A partner with Allen & Gledhill, Su May has extensive experience in a wide range of corporate and M&A transactions including share acquisitions and business acquisitions, direct investments and local and regional joint ventures. She represents leading corporations and has worked on transactions of international significance in a variety of industries, including healthcare, electronics, animation, real estate holding and private wealth management. Su May graduated from the National University of Singapore with an LLB (Hons) degree.

13 Year in Review Sister M. Cyrilla Board Member Member since 2009 Sister Cyrilla is presently working as Mission Director at Mount Miriam Cancer Hospital in Penang, Malaysia. A State Registered Nurse and Oncological Nurse, she has also worked as a Psychotherapist/Counsellor for the last 12 years in the UK and is presently in Malaysia. She is also a board member in Assisi Hospice, Singapore. Dr Wong Sen Chow Board Member Member since 2004 Dr Wong is a consultant surgeon in private practice since In 1981, he was in UK on a Singapore Government HMDP fellowship in colorectal surgery. On returning to Singapore, he was consultant surgeon in Tan Tock Seng Hospital & later in Singapore General Hospital. He has previously served as Chairman of the Medical Advisory Board of Mount Alvernia Hospital. He has postgraduate degrees, Master of Medicine in surgery from University of Singapore, Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and Fellowship of the Academy of Medicine Singapore. Dr Ho Kheng Thye Medical Advisory Board Chairman Board Member Member since 2014 Dr Ho is a senior consultant cardiologist. He is currently serving as Chairman of the Medical Advisory Board at Mount Alvernia Hospital. He was previously the Head of Cardiology at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Chairman of the Chapter of Cardiologists, College of Physicians (Singapore), and sat on various advisory committees to the Ministry of Health, and the Singapore Armed Forces. Dr Ho is also actively involved in research on Cardiac Imaging, authors professional research papers, book chapters and is invited as a speaker at international medical conferences. Kevin Ho Board Member Member since 2014 Kevin is a Director of Capital Asia Investments and has more than 20 years of experience in cross-border stakeholder management in Sovereign Wealth & Asset Management at several major banks. He has multicultural project experience in the Middle East, ASEAN & China, with regional CEO business awards whilst at Citibank and ABN AMRO. He earned his MSc Finance from the City University of New York (CUNY), and is a Certified Big Data Analyst. Married with three children, he is active in Catholic non-profit organisations and works towards the emergency & security preparedness of the Archdiocese. He is also a council member of several global and regional security and counter-terrorism associations and volunteers with the Singapore Police Force. Sister Elizabeth Lim Board Member Member since 2014 Sister Elizabeth has worked in Jordan, Zimbabwe and England and is currently working at the Apostolic Nunciature. Vincent Chen Wei Ching Board Member Member since 2008 Vincent spent 17 years in the banking industry with First National Bank of Chicago, Bank of America and Banque Francaise du Commerce Exterieur. Subsequently in 1988 he co-founded a financial consulting firm, Sidi, Chen & Associates. Since 1993, he has been managing his personal and family investments. In recent years Vincent has served as an independent director for a number of Singapore public listed companies and ARA Trust management (Suntec) Ltd which manages Suntec Reit. Vincent is also active in several other voluntary welfare organisations including Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital and Rainbow Centre.

14 12 Mount Alvernia Hospital EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT TEAM Karen Poon Director, Mission Karen is a lay associate of the FMDM. She is responsible for the hospital s social mission and oversees the Clinical Pastoral Care department. Previously, she held appointments as Brand Director and Head of Strategic Marketing for financial institutions and not-for-profit organisations. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the National University of Singapore. 2. Goh Hock Soon Director, Corporate Development Hock Soon was previously with the Civil Service and has held appointments in the Ministry of Health and People s Association. His experience includes marketing and business development; research and statistics; and partnership and membership. He oversees strategic planning, business analysis, strategic marketing, marketing communications, tenancy management, community outreach and patient liaison services. He holds a Bachelor of Social Science (Hons) in Sociology from the National University of Singapore. 3. Annie Lim Director, Finance Annie is a fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (UK) and Fellow Chartered Accountant Singapore, she was an auditor at Coopers & Lybrand, Singapore and has experience in accounting & finance and information systems in the travel and manufacturing sectors in Australia. Annie is responsible for the accounting & finances, materials management and business office operations of the Hospital. 4. Lee Suen Ming Chief Executive Officer Suen Ming brings with him a mix of leadership experience in engineering, healthcare, banking and finance. Previously, he was the Managing Director of Finance in Singapore Power Ltd. Prior to that, he was with the National Healthcare Group, where he led several hospital development projects. He had also held various appointments in DBS Bank, including General Manager of DBS Los Angeles. At the national level, Suan Ming has been invited to be a Management Committee member of the Singapore Quality Award to develop Business Excellence initiatives. Suen Ming has a Bachelor in Engineering (First Class Honours) from Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine. He has also completed his MBA and Advanced Management Programme. 5. Dr Christina Tiong Chief Operating Officer Dr Tiong joined MAH in 2016, taking care of Operations, Quality Resource Management and Geriatric Services. Prior to this, she was the Director of Medical Affairs and Administrative Director of Clinical Research and Innovation at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Christina had also served as a Consultant in the United Nations, Medical Division in New York and the Ministry of Health, Singapore.

15 Year in Review She has led improvement projects using Design Thinking, Lean Management and Information Technology. In terms of clinical practice, Christina has experience in Emergency Medicine, Geriatrics, Orthopaedics, Paediatrics and General Surgery. She obtained her Medical degree from Singapore and Masters in Public Health in Healthcare Management and Policy from Harvard University as a MOHH Healthcare Administration Scholar. 6. Dr Lee Hwee Huang Director, Clinical Services A trained and experienced medical practitioner, Dr Lee leads the clinical hospital administration as Director, Clinical Services. Under her charge, Clinical Services has expanded in breadth and depth to meet the aspirations of the specialist doctors and the demands of the patients, and kept up with the advancements in technology and medical management. The clinical ambience of the various facilities has also been transformed to give patients a calming and welcoming experience. She graduated from the National University of Singapore. 7. Ng Beng Lim Director, Technology & Strategy Beng Lim has over 20 years of experience in IT spanning major government healthcare projects including implementing IT systems for the Ministry of Health to manage the SARS crisis and the EMRx exchange hub for the sharing of medical records across all the public hospitals in Singapore. Prior to joining the hospital this year, he was the Chief Information Officer/ IT Director of a government agency. He will be leading the strategy and implementation of technology solutions for healthcare. A Certified IT Project Management Programme (CITPM) (Senior), Beng Lim earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Technology degrees from the National University of Singapore. 8. Shirley Tay Director, Nursing Shirley oversees the nursing division focusing on raising competency, standards, patient safety and care delivery service experience. She was previously with Tan Tock Seng Hospital and has held appointments at Raffles Hospital. With more than 35 years of healthcare experience in both government and private institutions, she brings with her a wealth of experience in nursing leadership and quality. She holds a Bachelor in Nursing from Griffith University and has attended Managing Healthcare Delivery programme from Harvard Business School. 9. Michael Teo Director, Operations Michael was previously with the Ministry of Health handling the physical development projects of public medical institutions. Michael oversees hospital development planning, building and engineering services, food and beverage services, housekeeping and security. He holds a Bachelor in Health Administration from University of New South Wales, Australia.

16 14 Mount Alvernia Hospital NEW SPECIALIST DOCTORS Dr Leslie Tay CARDIOLOGY Consultant Interventional Cardiologist and Physician Orchard Heart Specialist Clinic PROFILE: Visiting Consultant at National Heart Centre and Changi General Hospital Core faculty member for the Singhealth Cardiology Senior Residency programme and a Clinical Lecturer at NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine Member of the Royal College of Physicians (MRCP UK) Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist accredited by the American College of Sports Medicine since 2009 National Steering Committee member and principal investigator to numerous clinical trials Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (Glasgow), Fellow of the Academy of Medicine (Singapore), and Fellow of the Asian Pacific Society of Interventional Cardiology Co-authored a book entitled Medico-Legal and Ethical Issues in Cardiology and General Medicine (2010, McGraw Hill) Teaching faculty member of the Singapore Medical Association Centre for Ethics and Professionalism, and appointed by the Ministry of Health as a member of the National Transplant Ethics Committee SPECIALTY INTEREST: Mainly Interventional Cardiology, additionally Sports Cardiology and Cardiovascular CT imaging 2. Dr Colin Theng DERMATOLOGY Consultant Dermatologist The Skin Specialists and Laser Clinic PROFILE: Former Senior Consultant at the National Skin Centre (NSC) and Adjunct Assistant Professor at Duke-NUS medical school Former Chief of the Psoriasis Unit and Phototherapy unit at NSC, and Head of Subspecialty clinics President of the Psoriasis Association of Singapore Councillor with the International Psoriasis Council Treasurer of the Dermatological Society of Singapore A key opinion leader in the areas of psoriasis, biologic treatments, eczema, phototherapy and sun-related skin disorders Received the Healthcare Humanitarian award for his community work Speaker at World Congress of Dermatology, the Asian Dermatology Congress and many other regional and local conferences Over 30 scientific publications in peerreviewed dermatology journals SPECIALTY INTEREST: Eczema, Psoriasis, Skin Cancer, Phototherapy, Photobiology, and Laser Surgery 3. Dr Mark Tang DERMATOLOGY Consultant Dermatologist The Skin Specialists and Laser Clinic PROFILE: Visiting Consultant at NSC and Ng Teng Fong General Hospital Former Senior Consultant, Director of Research and Head of the Eczema and Wound Clinics at the NSC Clinical Associate Professor at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine Member of the Dermatology Residency Advisory Committee, Dermatology Specialist Accreditation Exam Committee, Course Instructor for the Dermatological Society of Singapore Aesthetic Practice Certificate of Competency Course Clinical Tutor, Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of Cardiff, United Kingdom Past Awards NSC Super Star and Gold Service Awards, NSC Best Teacher Award and the National Healthcare Group (NHG) Education Leaders Award SPECIALTY INTEREST: Eczema, immune-mediated skin diseases, wound healing and skin cancers, including skin lymphomas 4. Dr Wong Kong Min Reuben GASTROENTEROLOGY Consultant Gastroenterologist gutcare Digestive Liver Endoscopy Associates PROFILE: Adjunct Associate Professor at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine Visiting Consultant at the National University Hospital (NUH) Helmed the Functional Gastroenterology Clinic at NUH, and established the Gastroenterology-Psychology multidisciplinary service to offer an alternative treatment approach to IBS Clinical Director of the Gastrointestinal

17 Year in Review Motility Laboratory at NUH Faculty on the International Anorectal Physiology Workgroup Member of the National Colorectal Cancer Screening Committee President of the IBS Support Group of Singapore Recipient of three Young Investigator Awards, an MOH Quality Improvement Merit Award and a Leadership in Academic Medicine Award SPECIALTY INTEREST: Reflux and swallowing disorders, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), gut microbiota, chronic constipation and diarrhoea 5. Dr Lim Siew Kuan GENERAL SURGERY Consultant General Surgeon SOG SC Hong Clinic For Women PROFILE: Visiting consultant at Changi General Hospital (CGH) and Khoo Teck Puat Hospital Granted Masters of Medicine (Surgery) by NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine in 2006 Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 2011, after completing her advanced specialist training in General Surgery Did her subspecialty training at the Center for Breast Cancer, National Cancer Center, Korea, after receiving the Human Manpower Development Programme scholarship in 2013, where she learnt the latest advancements in breast cancer management, as well as Breast Oncoplastics and Reconstructive Surgery Did observerships at several renowned hospitals in Korea and Japan (Yonsei Severance Hospital, Kameda Medical Center, Nakagami Hospital) to further her skills in minimally invasive breast surgery, and partial and full breast reconstruction Actively involved in research, presented work at international conferences and published in various medical journals Advocate for medical work in developing countries, participated in many medical missions over the length of her career and remains active in providing medical care in the region SPECIALTY INTEREST: Breast Surgery 6. Dr Looi Kok Poh HAND SURGERY Consultant Hand Surgeon Hand Surgery Associates (Alvernia) Pte. Ltd. PROFILE: Director of the Hand Wrist and Microsurgical Centre Past President of the Singapore Society for Hand Surgery Recipient of NUH Young Doctors Award of 2000 Recipient of the Young Orthopedic Surgeon Award of 2000 SOA ambassador to HKOA in 2000 AO trauma lecturer Regular speaker in local, regional and international conferences SPECIALTY INTEREST: Sports, industrial injuries in the hand, wrist and upper limb. Microsurgical conditions including nerve, vascular, and all soft tissue related pathology of the upper limb. 7. Dr Soh I Peng Thomas MEDICAL ONCOLOGY Consultant Medical Oncologist OncoCare Cancer Centre PROFILE: Former Consultant at the Department of Haematology Oncology at NUH Former Visiting Consultant at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital Recipient of Teaching Excellence Award in 2014 from National University Cancer Institute (NCIS), and Best Tutor Award in 2015 for undergraduate teaching by the University Medical Cluster, NUH Received multiple awards for his involvement in the Clinical Practice Improvement Programmes he implemented in NUH Actively involved in both research and education in cancer medicine. Received research funding from the National Medical Research Council and was awarded the Clinical Investigator Salary Support Programme award three times Honorary Secretary of the Executive Committee, Singapore Society of Oncology from 2013 to 2015 Core faculty for the both the Internal Medicine Residency programme and the Oncology Senior Residency programme in NUH from 2012 to 2016 Accredited medical practitioner by the Office of the Public Guardian, to assist patients with making a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) SPECIALTY INTEREST: Gastrointestinal (oesophageal, stomach, colon and rectal cancers) and hepatobiliary cancers (liver, pancreas, bile duct and gallbladder cancers)

18 16 Mount Alvernia Hospital NEW SPECIALIST DOCTORS Dr Robert Lim MEDICAL ONCOLOGY Senior Consultant Medical Oncologist Singapore Oncology Alvernia PROFILE: Head of the Department of Haematology- Oncology at the NCIS from 2005 to 2011 Former member of the Specialist Training Committee in Medical Oncology Former Associate Director of NCIS Former council member of Dover Park Hospice, chairing their medical professional audit committee Member of the Dover Park Hospital Medical Professional Audit Committee Co-authored several pivotal major studies in colon cancer and pancreatic cancer that have influenced clinical practice SPECIALTY INTEREST: Gastrointestinal, liver, biliary, pancreatic and genitourinary cancers 9. Dr Hong Sze Ching OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist SOG SC Hong Clinic For Women PROFILE: National University of Singapore - Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery Membership of the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology UK Master of Medicine in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (MMed O&G Singapore) Fellow of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore Visiting Consultant to KK Women s and Children s Hospital (KKH) Former Consultant with KKH Minimally Invasive Surgery Unit since November 2013 Member of the Society for Colposcopy & Cervical Pathology of Singapore and certified colposcopist Member of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Society of Singapore SPECIALTY INTEREST: Management of endometriosis and advanced laparoscopic surgery 10. Dr Gowreeson Thevendran ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Island Orthopaedic Consultants PROFILE: Former Chief of Foot & Ankle Surgery, Department of Orthopaedics, Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) Former Associate Programme Director of the NHG Orthopaedic Residency Training programme and Orthopaedic Lead and Assistant Professor for the Lee Kong Chian Imperial School of Medicine at TTSH Visiting Consultant to Orthopaedic Department at TTSH Chairman of Singapore Foot & Ankle Arthroscopy Course 2014 & 2015 and Chairman of the Singapore Foot & Ankle Expert Panel Symposium 2014 & 2015 Founding member of the Singapore Foot & Ankle Society International faculty on the Royal College of England FRCS(Orth) Course, Addenbrooke s Cambridge FRCS basic science course and the AO Foundation Course External lecturer at the School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University and examiner for the MMed (Orthopaedics) exit exams, NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine Pioneered the use of Magnezix bioreabsorbable screws in Singapore and the Asia Pacific region and is a principal investigator in a multicentre trial evaluating these implants SPECIALTY INTEREST: Foot & Ankle Surgery, Arthroscopic Sports Surgery, Trauma Surgery 11. Dr Lai Kah Weng ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and Aviation Medicine Specialist Island Orthopaedic Consultants PROFILE: Former Orthopaedic Consultant in the Sports and Hip/Knee Divisions in NUH Full-time Orthopaedic Knee Arthroscopy, Arthroplasty and Trauma fellowship in 2014 with Drs Myles Coolican, David Parker and Brett Fritsch at the Sydney Orthopaedic Research Institute in Royal North Shore Hospital Faculty in the Post-graduate Orthopaedic Residency Training in NUH First Singaporean to be awarded the prestigious Stewart Memorial Prize in 2002 for graduating top of his Diploma in Aviation Medicine course in London Full member of the Singapore Orthopaedic Association and currently helps out as the Scientific Committee cochairman for its Annual Scientific Meeting Medical Director on the board of the Singapore Rugby Union SPECIALTY INTEREST: Arthroscopic Joint and Ligament Reconstruction Surgery, Knee and Hip Replacement and Orthopaedic Trauma

19 Year in Review Dr Chin Chao Wu David OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY Consultant Ear Nose and Throat Surgeon Ascent Ear Nose Throat (ENT) SG Alvernia PROFILE: Undertook a one-year fellowship in rhinology and endoscopic skull base surgery with the Sydney Clinical Rhinology Fellowship, a programme accredited by the American Rhinologic Society Visiting Consultant at TTSH, KKH and Ng Teng Fong General Hospital Former Director of Rhinology Service at CGH from 2013 Former core faculty in the Singhealth ENT residency programme and as Clinical Senior Lecturer with NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine Awarded the prestigious Yahya Cohen Memorial Lectureship in 2013 by the College of Surgeons, Academy of Medicine Singapore Reviewer with the Singapore Medical Journal, Laryngoscope and the American Journal of Rhinology and Allergy Represented the Society of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery Singapore at the Global Otolaryngology Forum at the American Academy of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery Annual Meeting in 2016 SPECIALTY INTEREST: Endoscopic sinus surgery for inflammatory and neoplastic disease, functional nasal surgery, objective nasal airway assessment, allergy and airway inflammation 13. Dr Christopher Hobbs OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY Senior Consultant Ear Nose and Throat Surgeon Nobel ENT Head, Neck & Thyroid Surgery Centre PROFILE: Fully accredited and trained in Laser surgery, Endoscopic Sinus Surgery, Coblation techniques and Sialoendoscopy Visiting Consultant at TTSH Part of the first team to perform transoral robotic surgery (TORS) at TTSH Former Consultant in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Chief of the Head & Neck Cancer service at TTSH Former Adjunct Assistant Professor with the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, and Clinical Senior Lecturer at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine Consultant with Western Health in Melbourne in 2009 On the General Medical Council s Specialist Register in the UK since 2008 SPECIALTY INTEREST: Laryngology (swallowing and airway problems, voice disorders and chronic cough), thyroid and parathyroid surgery, head and neck cancer, ENT problems associated with scuba diving, and paediatric ENT 14. Dr Dawn Teo OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY Consultant Paediatric Ear Nose and Throat Surgeon The Children s ENT Centre / The ENT Specialist Centre PROFILE: Medical Director of The Children s Eye and ENT Centre Teaching faculty for the Singhealth Residency programme Invited speaker at numerous local, regional and international conferences Published widely in multiple international journals and books chapters SPECIALTY INTEREST: Snoring and sleep disordered breathing in children, airway problems, sinus conditions, allergies, hearing problems and salivary gland diseases in children 15. Dr Ng Yuk Hui OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY Consultant Ear Nose and Throat Surgeon The ENT Specialist Centre / The Children s ENT Centre PROFILE: Former Chief of Rhinology in the Department of Otolaryngology in Singapore General Hospital Medical director of the ENT Specialist Centre at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital Former adjunct Assistant Professor at the Duke-NUS medical school, and Senior Clinical Lecturer at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine Received the Academy of Medicine of Singapore Gold Medal in Otolaryngology Works closely with several neurosurgeons to offer minimally invasive surgery for pituitary and skull base tumours SPECIALTY INTEREST: Management of sinus diseases, endoscopic pituitary and skull base surgery, the management of nasal allergies, thyroid disorders and sialendoscopy (minimally invasive salivary gland surgery)

20 18 Mount Alvernia Hospital GOVERNANCE The 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 three years. The appointment is renewable up to two terms. The Board provides oversight in the following areas: Approval of broad policies, strategies and objectives for the hospital Monitoring of management performance Overseeing the processes for evaluating the adequacy of internal controls, financial reporting and compliance Approval of annual budgets Corporate governance To assist in the execution of its responsibilities, the Board has established six Committees, namely: Nomination & Remuneration Committee (NRC) Audit & Risk Management Committee (ARMC) Finance Committee (FC) Hospital Development Committee (HDC) Ethics Committee (EC) Technology Strategy Committee (TSC) In addition, a Medical Advisory Board (MAB) elected by specialists and appointed by the Board provides oversight of clinical governance matters. The Chairman of the MAB is also a member of the Board.

21 Year in Review This report provides an overview of the health services and community outreach initiatives launched by the hospital in Beyond our commitment to deliver high quality patient care and improving clinical standards, we endeavour to make visible our commitment to being a good corporate citizen; beyond the general expectation of a private healthcare service. The work that we do at the hospital is invariably imbued with the Franciscan spirit of humility, gladness, kindness and generosity in serving others. Hence, the initiatives undertaken are in direct response to an identified community need and to fulfil our mission as a not-for-profit private Catholic hospital. Our healthcare system framework comprises the following elements: Information System Clinical Excellence Nursing Quality Community & Social Health Health Promotion Our Healthcare System Framework Hospital Development Operational Efficiency Mission Integration

22 20 Mount Alvernia Hospital STEWARDSHIP The report provides an overview of what has been accomplished towards delivering value-based high quality patient care and healthcare standards. Inpatient Admissions 24,390 in ,390 24,232 24,546 23,223 22,978 Surgeries Performed 15,846 in ,846 16,099 15,969 15,839 15,751 Babies Delivered 5,693 in ,693 6,090 6,429 5,874 6,016

23 Year in Review Outpatient Visits 59,444 in ,444 54,437 54,803 54,521 53,157 Participants of Healthcare Outreach Activities Community Partners Engagement , , ,708 in in 2016 Our Outreach Clinic Partners Ex-offenders: Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises Singapore After Care Association Industrial And Services Co-operative Society Singapore Anti Narcotics Association Prison Fellowship Singapore Roman Catholic Prison Ministry* Highpoint Halfway House Isolated Seniors, Vulnerable Families: Catholic Welfare Services* St Vincent De Paul* Thye Hua Kwan Seniors Activity Centres (SAC) SilverACE SAC New Hope Community Services Ray of Hope Foreign Family Members: Social Service Office / Ministry of Social & Family Development Public Healthcare Institution Foreigners, Victims of Human Trafficking: Transient Workers Count Too Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics Archdiocesan Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants & Itinerant People* Sungei Tengah Lodge Women / Children in Crisis: Ahuva Good Shepherd* Family Life Society* Babes Beyond Social Services Fei Yue Family Service Centres (FSC): South Central Community FSC Potong Pasir Constituency Office Viriya Comm Services THKFSC (Tanjong Pagar) Radin Mas Constituency Office Serangoon Moral FSC* Kreta Ayer Family Centre Touch Community Services Community Chest Project We Care (PA) Care Corner FSC & SAC Family Care Centre (Singapore Anglican Community Services) Persons with Disabilities/ Mental Disabilities: Society for the Physically Disabled Handicaps Welfare Association SG Enable Able* Down Syndrome Association Red Cross Home for the Disabled Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore Autism Resource Centre Mamre Oaks* Clarity Singapore *Catholic linked

24 22 Mount Alvernia Hospital OUR FOUNDING STORY The hospital takes its name from the mountain in Italy, where St Francis of Assisi was believed to have received the Stigmata (an imprint of the five wounds of Christ). He led a life of radical simplicity and gospel joy, witnessing God s love for all people and all creation by loving and reverencing each and every person he met, from lepers to Sultans and Popes to the ordinary townspeople. MAH began in the summer of 1947 when three FMDM Sisters left England for China. They had been commissioned to work with the Irish Friars Minor in their Franciscan Missionary outreach. Due to the advancement of the Communist troops, the Sisters were ordered to abandon their mission in China and go to Hong Kong, where they stayed with the Maryknoll Sisters. At that time they heard that Bishop Olçomendy of Malacca was looking for Sisters to care for patients suffering from tuberculosis, a disease that was both life threatening and contagious during World War II, in Singapore. On 7 March 1949, Sister Angela McBrien arrived in Singapore from Hong Kong, followed by Sister Mary Camillus Walsh and Sister Mary Baptista Hennessy. They took over the tuberculosis wards at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, which eventually became known as Mandalay Road Hospital. They also served The Lepers Camp, a community of lepers housed in Trafalgar Home in Woodbridge. Both centres were managed as self-contained units. Isolation was the treatment at that time. In 1952, the Sisters were given an opportunity to start a private hospital to bring nursing care and services to the population.

25 Year in Review In addition to pooling their savings and salaries, the FMDM Sisters also began canvassing for donations. Many generous individuals and companies responded to the call. On 4 March 1961, the hospital was declared officially opened with 60 beds. Staffing was done entirely by the Sisters who were professionally trained as nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, radiographers, laboratory technicians and other support services. MAH today reflects the wisdom and inspiration of our founding sisters as well as many who contributed to our organisation. The hospital remains a wholly owned and controlled entity of FMDM under the congregation leadership team in the UK. This structure ensures that the hospital has a sound healthcare establishment, compliant with governance and responsible stewardship. Mount Alvernia Hospital (MAH) today reflects the wisdom and inspiration of our founding sisters as well as many who have contributed to our organisation.

26 24 Mount Alvernia Hospital OUR JOURNEY 1961 On 4 March, MAH started as a 60-bed hospital entirely staffed by the FMDM Sisters who were trained nurses. The first baby was delivered at the hospital on 12 March The late Mr Lee Kuan Yew officially opened a new fivestorey wing, which brought the total number of hospital beds to Medical Centre A was opened, adding medical suites, operating theatres, delivery suites, an endoscopy centre and rehabilitation centre More medical suites was added with the completion of Medical Centre B. The total number of licensed beds was increased to The Day Surgery Centre and the 24-hour Walk-in Clinic and Emergency Department were opened and ready to serve the public By 1971, three extensions of the building had been added and officially opened by the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew Clinical Pastoral Care Department was established as part of holistic care to support patients and their relatives A hospital-wide community outreach programme was officially launched to bring health screening services to the poor and needy.

27 Year in Review Mr Gan Kim Yong, Minister for Health and Archbishop William Goh, officially opened Medical Centre D. The number of oncampus specialist clinic space was increased to 89. Launched and opened Alvernia Parentcraft Centre, a dedicated one-stop centre for antenatal care, childbirth education and newborn baby care. We added two more operating theatres, bringing it to a total of 10 operating theatres for surgical operations. The Mount Alvernia programme was launched. In addition to the art pieces from Cerebral Palsy, Haig Girls Primary and ITE College Central, today we have artworks from Zhong Hua Secondary and Hai Sing Catholic School Emeritus Archbishop Nicholas Chia officially opened our newly renovated Chapel The opening of St Dominic medical and surgical ward and St Michael maternity ward provided additional bed capacity to reduce waiting time and increase inpatient admissions. We officially opened our first outreach medical clinic at the Enabling Village located at Redhill to provide healthcare services to people with disability, the elderly and financially needy residents Launched the Mammography Screening Centre. Officially opened our first overseas office, Mount Alvernia Hospital Information Centre (MAHIC), in Jakarta on 6 May. We became the first hospital in Singapore to expand our MRI services for prostate, breast and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) with the new 3 Tesla MRI digital scanner with Ambient Experience. Our third endoscopy room became fully operational to cater to emergent endoscopic assessments and treatment planning for patients. 25

28 26 Mount Alvernia Hospital HIGHLIGHTS IN 2016 Improving the Provision of Exceptional Care After months of renovation and refurbishing, the new St Gabriel Paediatric Ward reopened its doors to young patients in November. The new ward has 16 single rooms and two double bedded rooms. As the Alvernia Parentcraft Centre is also located on the same floor as St Gabriel, we added a breastfeeding room in this ward, which offers both privacy and convenience for mummies to breastfeed. We hope the improvements, which combined clinical functionality and a vibrant Under the Sea theme, will make the ambience of the ward less of a hospital and more cheerful to help our young patients settle in quickly. We opened a new healthscreening lounge next to the diagnostic imaging centre for the convenience of both Diagnostic Imaging and Laboratory Services patients. To meet the demands and needs of our doctors and their patients, our new Laboratory Services was recently redeveloped and expanded to offer more services and procedures based on the most contemporary medical laboratory methodologies and systems. These include rapid turnaround time, 24/7 service, a comprehensive menu of tests and accurate results. With continuous improvement in diagnostics and shorter medical treatments duration, a wider range of patients are now considered appropriate for day surgery. To respond to this trend, we expanded the capacity of our day surgery ward to more than 30 beds. The newly expanded Day Surgery Ward has a bigger triage room, a laser procedure room, a dedicated resting area for endoscopy patients, and a waiting area for family members.

29 Year in Review Reflecting our Values and Mission in Action Our people reflect our values and our mission in action. Sister Christiane received the Courage Fund Healthcare Humanity Awards in May. This award recognised her dedication and commitment, at times beyond her role as a Clinical Pastoral Counsellor, to be a loving presence to patients and families. Recognising and Nurturing our Nursing Professionals Ms Saida Binte Mohamed Aripin from St Gabriel Paediatric Ward was conferred the Ministry of Health Nurses Merit Award Starting as a sponsored student in 1999 with the hospital, she advanced her learning and rose through the ranks to establish herself as a Nurse Clinician. Collaborating to provide a Connected and Seamless Patient Care from Hospital to Home The elderly will remain a key national focus given our ageing population. At the National Seminar on Productivity in Healthcare (NSPH) held in October, we collaborated with Tetsuyu Home Care to showcase the concept of healthcare from hospital to home by tapping on technology and mobile networks. Caring for the Underserved Our second outreach clinic was opened at the Agape Village in August. We have added a new dental care service in this clinic through a collaboration with KK Women s and Children s Hospital.

30 Rooted in OUR CORE VALUES Like the sap in a tree, our values endow us with strength to stay rooted in times of rough weather and grow brilliantly during seasons of abundant sun and rain. Conscientiously infusing these enduring virtues into our every action and every thought, we develop our resilience while elevating our performance growing in wisdom and in strength. Our hospital s position is to be life giving in all that we do. As we witness and experience ourselves the devastation of separation and ill health, we are better able to appreciate deeply the turn around of life and hope renewed. Each turn gives us certain hope to be as a family in healthcare, like an oasis with streams of water and hospitality that felt like a gentle breeze, bringing relief and lightness that only joyous service can give. Ms Karen Poon, Director, Mission

31

32 30 Mount Alvernia Hospital MISSION INTEGRATION Our commitment is to ensure timely, high quality, and effective delivery of healthcare services. As a Catholic healthcare organisation, our faith and values underpin our model of care. It keeps the hospital steadfast on its mission in bringing uniquely holistic healthcare in a rapidly changing, and increasingly complex healthcare environment. Our hope is that each person who comes to MAH is touched and has a life changing experience that brings life and healing and for each of our staff wholeness and live life to the fullest. Formation to help each staff achieve their full potential is a dynamic, life-long, self-reflective process built upon the lived experiences of each person. We call to mind our ethos values, call to act and relate in a way which reflects our Franciscan spirituality to be life giving and to bring joyfulness in our work and all our relationships. Healthcare Humanity Award In recognition of her lifelong service and dedication to patient care, Sister Christiane was selected by The Courage Fund to receive the Healthcare Humanity Award (HHA) in A religious sister of the Infant Jesus (IJ) congregation, Sister Christiane joined Clinical Pastoral Care in She was working alongside Sister Bernadette FMDM, who was last year s recipient of the HHA Honour Medallion award. These sisters personify the mission and despite being in their 80s, they continue to give joy and comfort to patients and families. Our Values in Practice Our renewed Vision, Mission and Values in 2016 is to remind us of our beginnings and our mission to heal. The new core values were based on our Catholic identity Compassion, Humility, Integrity, Respect and Peace in short, CHIRP. A Values-In-Practice (VIP) Award programme was introduced soon after to celebrate and inspire all to live these values daily as we go about our work and interactions. Everyone participates to recognise the practice of these values and spotlight colleagues who model these core values in their service and in supporting colleagues and patients.

33 Year in Review Reflective Place of Work In conjunction with Feast day of St Francis and an initiative by the Mission Department to promote a reflective workplace, a Tree of Hope was planted in the dining hall for staff to put up their personal contemplation, thanksgiving and aspirations. After more than two weeks, about 180 leaves sprouted with personal pledges of small actions and hopes of giving more care, keeping better relationships and more mindful interactions. Clinical Pastoral Care Clinical Pastoral Care has been a significant element of our holistic approach to support a healing and compassionate care for our patients and the communities we serve. Patients, their caregivers and family have sought the services of our care team over the past 30 years and the numbers are increasing. Recognising the interdependence of physical, psychosocial, spiritual and emotional aspects of health, each individual is respected and attended to as a whole person spirit, soul and body. Baby blessing is a tradition and a joyous occasion for many of our maternity patients, a special gathering where we join them to welcome the latest addition to their family. In 2016, 1,950 baby blessing ceremonies were conducted in the Chapel as compared with 1,280 in the previous year. This increase of 51% was due to a concerted effort to reach out to parents so that they know that this service is open to all, regardless of culture, religion or spiritual orientation. Meditation and Medicine If there is a single force within the hospital that binds the staff together, it is our deep sense of shared purpose to deliver on the mission and vision to heal. And meditation can be seen as a way of expanding the hospital s capacity to Serve All With Love. Mr Ronny Tan, former Chairman of Assisi Hospice, who is also a member of the World Community of Christian Meditation helped to invite Father Laurence Freeman to the hospital to share his experience and work with the medical profession, and his insights into the value of meditation in creating the whole person at work and in healthcare.

34 Empowered OUR MISSION TO SERVE Likened to a tree that bears fruits as a way to continue life at Mount Alvernia Hospital, we are charged with the mission of empowering the continuity of lives with holistic care models and ethical care practices. As a mission hospital, we set governance structures, implement improved and new processes, perform clinical review and monitoring, so as to advance and uphold the quality of care. The HealthAngel Electronic Medical Records Project will transform how clinical records are captured and shared electronically. Patients will benefit from greater safety and assurance that their care team have access to their medical history through the nation-wide healthcare network that the hospital is participating in. Mr Ng Beng Lim, Director, Technology & Strategy

35

36 34 Mount Alvernia Hospital HEALTH RECORDS A CLICK AWAY THE HEALTHANGEL WAY HealthAngel is the hospital s project to provide excellent care to patients through the use of technology. The key focus is to ensure that medical records of patients are kept electronically and accessible by the care team in the hospital and through the National Electronic Health Record (NEHR) system. It also puts the hospital onboard with the Ministry of Health s vision of One Patient One Record which will allow our patients to move easily across the healthcare system. Facilitating seamless exchange and cross analysis of clinical notes, our patients can benefit from coordinated care at the right siting. Solution providers and consulting teams have been identified to provide the technologies necessary to achieve this goal. The selected software package is one that has been used extensively across hospitals in Singapore. Doctors and nurses will be familiar with the usage of the software and customisation to fit the hospital s workflow will be much simplified as it has been localised to the Singapore context. During the process, best practices relating to hospital workflows will be adapted to ensure that we are aligned with healthcare industry standards.

37 Year in Review become smarter, more IT capabilities are built into them. We see the area of medical device integration being another key component of HealthAngel where data collected at the devices are channelled directly to the electronic medical record (EMR) system, eliminating the need for nursing staff to spend time manually charting vital signs and thus resulting in greater accuracy of data and patient safety. The project integration is also timely as we also upgraded our clinical facilities with new modalities, diagnostics and laboratory test equipment that can capture, integrate and analyze data across different stakeholders and in different care settings. The HealthAngel project will also allow us to leapfrog to technologies with proven benefits. The infrastructure for hosting the system will be cloud-based and on a payper-use basis. This allows greater flexibility in optimising the usage of computing resources. As medical devices In time to come, HealthAngel is going to set the groundwork for data-driven decision-making with a broader and comprehensive view of patients medical history, treatment, drug prescription and clinical notes. The advantages translate to greater patient safety, lower error due to transcription and documentation legibility; which are essential to attaining a better outcome in the care process.

38 36 Mount Alvernia Hospital THE FUTURE OF HOME CARE FOR ELDERLY Imagine a future where an elderly person can continue to be cared for at home seamlessly after leaving the hospital. The elderly patient knows that timely intervention is possible as he can reach his principal doctor immediately in the event of an emergency or a medicine reaction. At the National Seminar on Productivity in Healthcare 2016, we collaborated with Tetsuyu Home Care (Tetsuyu) to showcase the future of home care for the elderly, addressing a private hospital s productivity challenges in eldercare. In a private healthcare setting, patient care is usually episodic and acute, and is delivered in the hospital. There is very limited oversight and control over the quality of care after the patient is discharged. In the event of a readmission, a full history of the patient after discharge has to be re-established before care can be administered. This can result in delayed intervention and risk of inaccurate information as the care history depends on the caregivers memory and description. In addition, some of these readmissions are related to bed sores or infections which can be managed without incurring additional cost to readmit the patient. The MAH-Tetsuyu model is designed to address these issues. Using technology and mobile networks, the model provides a seamless transition for patients from Hospital to Home. Patients who are homebound can now access a range of clinical and care consultations with the same principal doctor through telepresence robots and remote monitoring applications. Vital signs are tracked and recorded in real time; and are readily available if required. At the same time, their caregivers can receive guidance, advice, training and support via the same devices from the principal doctor. More importantly, if the elderly patient requires readmission, our hospital care team would have comprehensive knowledge of medical care beforehand.

39 Year in Review TOWARDS A LEAN HEALTHCARE From the automotive to the healthcare industry, Lean philosophy focuses on enhancing the end to end process flow by reducing steps in the healthcare delivery that do not add value to the well-being of our patients. Last year, we collaborated with the Lean Transformation Innovation Centre to begin the learning process to apply the Lean principles within the hospital. Our pioneering Lean team comprised four staff from nursing, main pharmacy, business office and corporate development. They were put on a five-month programme guided by the trainers from Lean Enterprise Institute (LEI). The programme combined classroom learning, project design discussion, on-site visits by the Lean coaches and faculty members from Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT). Timing it with the opening of the newly renovated St Gabriel Paediatric Ward, the team designed and developed a Lean project to enhance the patient discharge process from the ward. Steps that were not valuable to patient experience in the discharge process were identified. This included waiting by the bedside for the dispensing of medication before discharge. Athough it was designed for the convenience of the young patients families to have the pharmacist personally visit to deliver and explain the medication, the waiting time can be long if the pharmacists have multiple in-room dispensing that day. Following feedback from parents of young patients that a faster discharge time is preferred over the convenience of having the dispensing service in the room, medication dispensing for discharged paediatric patients was shifted to the Alvernia Retail Pharmacy. It yielded a shorter turnaround time for paediatric patient discharge and more satisfied experience. We presented our learning and project experiences at the Annual CXO Lean Summit 2017 organised by SIT. With these evidence-based Lean journey learning and knowledge, we hope to empower our hospital staff to use Lean to improve our processes for the benefit of all patients every day.

40 38 Mount Alvernia Hospital SMARTER HEALTHCARE The hospital recognises that while IT solutions add intelligence and predictive value for health informatics, they do not define the field. Leadership of smart computing projects in EMR should possess both clinical knowledge and computer science expertise. Hence, this year, the nursing division introduced nursing informatics in the implementation of EMR. Combining informatics with nursing science across multiple information management databases calls for renewed focus and a culture change in nursing practice. Over the next few years, in tandem with the EMR buildup, there will be additional investments in knowledge and skills training in information management analytics. With these efforts, we aim to level up nursing informatics competency and embrace it within our everyday nursing practice. We are confident that the power of data and electronic medical profile will translate to better and more effective target interventions for the best possible treatment outcomes. In addition to nursing, informatics is gradually proliferated to clinical medicine, pharmacy, rehabilitative therapy and biomedicine. All of which are designed to ensure high quality data generation and improved patient care delivery effectiveness. The hospital invested in a Fridge Temp Monitoring System which tracks the temperatures of clinical storage devices, such as fridges, warmers, blood banks. The fridge houses critical clinical products like drugs and blood samples. The temperatures are read by tags placed in the storage devices. The frequency of readings is configured and data is sent at preset intervals via wireless network to a central repository. If a reading falls outside a preset range, the system would trigger an alert via workstation or phone SMS to dedicated personnel. Upon rectifying the issue, corrective action would be captured in the system for logging purposes. Custom reports are available to staff to allow them to track the temperature trend of their fridges and occurence of any anomalies. Apart from maintaining critical clinical products within their acceptable temperature range, the laboratory has further requested for the temperature tags to be NIST - (National Institute of Standards and Technology) certified so as to enforce the standard at a higher acceptance level. In addition, in response to our doctors feedback, we have improved our admission procedures to send alerts by phone SMS to admitting doctors to notify them of patient admissions. The system was further enhanced to exclude maternity delivery and paediatric cases as these doctors would be informed by nurses via phone calls.

41 Year in Review NATURAL OASIS AND UPGRADED EXPERIENCES FOR PATIENTS AND VISITORS Hospitality is the hallmark of a mission hospital and holistic care in an acute setting calls for pushing the envelope on patients experience. It is also part of our long-term commitment to respond to future healthcare needs and to keep up with the expansion of healthcare choices in the area of specialist diagnostics and care. Among which, visitors can now make use of the new lounge located within the St Francis Ward in addition to the public lounge in our main lobby while their family member is undergoing diagnostic testing or other medical procedures. Similarly, health screening patients waiting to have their mammogram, ultrasound or chest X-ray taken can now wait comfortably in the purpose-built lounge located on the same floor as the Diagnostic Imaging Centre. Since the start of this year, we have been creating pockets of green in and around the hospital to foster a peaceful and tranquil environment for our patients, their families and just about anyone who visits the hospital. Very interestingly, we discovered that in our hospital, we have some of the tallest and oldest stems (resembling Keruing Belimbing that one may come across in the MacRitchie Forest). The next time you visit the hospital, take some time to enjoy the Mount Alvernia Hospital.

42 40 Mount Alvernia Hospital NURSING QUALITY IMPROVEMENT Our nurses represent the heart of the hospital and are in the best position to continuously uplift the quality of our healthcare service by improving processes of services provided to patients and their families. Such quality and performance improvement initiatives drive significant advances in the care quality. We hope to encourage and inspire our nurses to participate in shaping our healthcare offerings and improving patient care experiences. Reduce Clinical Deterioration Using Neonatal Resuscitation The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit launched a project to reduce the risk of adverse outcomes in Neonatal Resuscitation carried out by all maternity and delivery suites nurses. The initiative aims to improve response to neonatal emergency through a training course that familiarises nurses with the resuscitation facility in transportation cot, the techniques and sequence in resuscitation, and the code blue drill. The training will be refreshed quarterly. Reduce the Risk of Patient Falls In Singapore in the last three years, about 8,000 seniors, aged 65 and above, were admitted to hospitals due to falls every year. In 2013, close to 60% of all trauma deaths were due to falls and about half of all trauma deaths were concerning seniors aged 65 and above. With Singapore s ageing population, it is expected that the incidence of falls will continue to increase. Last year, the fall committee introduce new measures to prevent patient falls. The measures include: An adroit fall alarm mat system installed for all bed head panels in the St Francis ward Adult and paediatric fall education brochures available in both English and Mandarin Reversible green slot are available on patient s bed head name slot panel and Luminous Green fall risk tag are slotted into case notes to identify fall risk patients Revised fall risk assessment and hourly nursing intervention

43 Year in Review Increase Infection Control Measures Two initiatives were introduced at ward level to increase infection control vigilance. We put in place infection control surveillance in breastfeeding-essential accessories to initiate a total compliance rate in the use of breastfeeding-essential accessories. We achieved this by providing disposable breastfeedingessential accessories (feeding bottles, nipple shields, breast pump funnels & connecting tubes). The hospital acquired a high-tech hospital grade breastfeeding pump for the postnatal and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit ward at the end of As part of education for mothers, we set out to promote safe, exclusive breastfeeding for all mothers. We introduced a programme to ensure that stethoscopes were disinfected after every use. The nurses from St Michael maternity ward placed a basket below where stethoscopes would be hung so that doctors can place their stethoscope in the basket after use. Nurses would then help the doctors to disinfect the stethoscopes. Enhance Patient Communication Over the past several months, the nursing team looked specifically at two tools: communication boards and individual patient care cards. Both tools provide constant reference points to help patients, families and team members to identify what is going on with patient care and manage patients expectations; especially the vulnerable population like elderly and children. And by engaging and educating patients and their caregivers, they help to make our care more patient-centred and encourage active participation in their own care.

44 42 Mount Alvernia Hospital NEWLY RENOVATED ST GABRIEL PAEDIATRIC WARD Some children and adolescents arrive at the St Gabriel paediatric ward with a range of conditions such as appendicitis, asthma and fractures whereas others come for planned and elective procedures. The care of children and adolescents has been a point of pride for the hospital. In planning for the redevelopment of our paediatric ward, the development project team, doctors, patients and their families worked closely with the hospital to create a better patient environment and experience one that would meet the needs of all our young patients who range from toddlers to teenagers, as well as their parents. The rooms in the newly renovated St Gabriel Paediatric Ward are more spacious and brighter. In the ward, we added a breastfeeding room, which offers both privacy and convenience for mummies to breastfeed their little one during the stay. We hope the improvements, which combine clinical functionality, space and the cheerful decor of Under the Sea will make the ward less hospitallike and help our young patients settle in quickly.

45 Year in Review NURSES MERIT AWARD I joined Mount Alvernia Hospital (MAH) as a sponsored diploma student in In my 17-year long career, I worked in diverse areas of nursing including maternity, paediatrics, palliative care for adults and children and had an exposure to paediatric oncology. With MAH s sponsorship, I furthered my studies with an advanced Diploma in Nursing (Paediatrics) and a Bachelor in Health Sciences (Nursing). The knowledge I gained has helped me adopt an evidencebased approach in my profession as a nurse clinician. My most satisfying achievement is winning a prize for an innovation project as a private healthcare nurse at the Singapore Health Quality Service Award in I am very honoured to be recognised for my work with this MOH Nurses Merit Award. My mum, who was doubtful that I could cope with the demands of nursing, is very proud of my achievements today. I am happy and delighted when I see my patients recuperate: from being unwell, to recovery and then to health again. I also enjoy the process of teaching my junior colleagues as they grow professionally from being novices to becoming independent nurses. It fills me with satisfaction and a sense of pride to watch as they pick up the skills and the experience to manage procedures and skills on their own. Saida Mohamed Aripin, Nurse Clinician, St Gabriel Paediatric Ward

46 Outreach to MAKE A DIFFERENCE Passionate to share the fruits that result from our labour of love, we actively engage in outreach activities to bring care directly to those in need. Extending our professional practice to not only provide medical care but offer emotional and spiritual support, we aim to touch lives. We reach out to those who are underserved.

47 We know that our core value to the community is in serving those who are less fortunate. As we live our motto to Serve All With Love, we are devoted to distribute our resources where they are needed most. Mr Goh Hock Soon, Director, Corporate Development & Community Outreach

48 46 Mount Alvernia Hospital OUR WORK TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF THOSE LESS FORTUNATE Respecting human dignity and improving lives entail caring for the health and quality of life in the communities we are part of. Our community outreach programmes provide treatment, as well as promote health and healing, to the poor and the underserved. These are the aims of our endeavour since In 2016, we made a social impact and touched the lives of more than 1,488 beneficiaries from 44 voluntary welfare organisations. In addition to the regular primary care consultations and health screenings, we expanded the scope to include dental services, vision health support, and influenza vaccinations to improve the health and wellbeing of the underserved. We are very grateful that a number of medical doctors and healthcare institutions rendered their support in our efforts this year. They include Dr Chng Chai Kiat from KK Women s and Children s Hospital, Dr Anthony Goh from MT A Dental Centre and Dr David Chan from Atlas Eye Specialist Centre. Community organisations and government agencies such as Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises (SCORE), People s Association and other voluntary welfare organisations like Family Service Centres, SilverAce Senior Activity Centres and Caritas Singapore also came forward to help us reach the most vulnerable and at-risk members of the public. We are also grateful to a collegiate of volunteer specialist doctors from our hospital who made time to support our mobile clinic health services in They are Dr Brian Khoo from Nobel Heart Centre, Dr Tan Puay Ling from Infinity Hand, Wrist & Reconstructive Surgery Centre and Dr Ong Chin Hu from ACE Urology Clinic & Surgery. We would also like to thank Dr Raymond Ong and Dr Shaun Tan for volunteering as well. The hospital is privileged to continue the healing ministry to serve the vulnerable and underserved who are limited by circumstances. We are able to help fill their healthcare service gap with basic health services and consultancy. The beneficiaries can then have better peace of mind to focus on overcoming their personal struggles and rebuilding their lives for a brighter future.

49 Year in Review The beneficiaries can then have better peace of mind to focus on overcoming their personal struggles and rebuilding their lives for a brighter future.

50 48 Mount Alvernia Hospital A Second Outreach Clinic for a Healthy Community We opened our second outreach clinic, the Mount Alvernia Outreach Medical Clinic (MAOMC), at the Agape Village in Toa Payoh; an establishment that provides holistic care to many in need and encourages inclusiveness in a safe environment. In addition to the general practitioner consultation and medication for the management of both medical acute and chronic condition, the MAOMC has also expanded its range of services to provide dental services. Set up as Mount Alvernia Outreach Dental Clinic, the basic dental services of routine scaling and polishing, filling and extraction is the result of a collaborative effort with KK Women s and Children s Hospital. Both the medical and the dental clinic services complement the various community facilities and services already available at the Agape Village, which includes counselling, group therapy, legal aid, caregiver support and skills training. Fully funded by the hospital, the outreach clinic initiative grew out of a passion to connect and to give the gift of good health to as many as possible. The momentum to open the second medical clinic comes on the heels of an opportunity to expand our community of care, reaching out with compassion, integrity, courage and respect to all we serve.

51 Year in Review Healthcare for the Elderly Our strategic thrust outlines our commitment to deliver clinical service excellence particularly for elderly people. While the number of citizens aged 65 and above is increasing faster, not all the elderly have the right resources and the ability to keep well and stay healthy. Among those aged 65 years and over, there are also proportionally more lone-parent and one-person households 1. Supporting their ageing and health needs is a way to enable them to age with dignity and vitality. Gift of Sight A study by the Singapore National Eye Centre in 2015 has shown that there are significant gaps in eye health knowledge and practices. Nine in 10 assumed that there would be no need to have regular eye checks if they can see well. We were given an opportunity to partner with Eagle Eye Centre to conduct an eye health talk and screening for 60 senior citizens at the Church of the Risen Christ. Some viewed eye diseases as a normal part of ageing and therefore there is nothing they can do to prevent vision loss. There are elderly who cannot afford even the most basic eye care such as a pair of glasses, let alone medical insurance to cover the cost of eye procedure. To reach out to this group, we partnered People s Association in the SPECtacular Gift of Sight campaign to provide eye examinations, essential eye health procedures, corrective eyewear and lenses. Rolled out in phases across all constituencies in Tanjong Pagar GRC, this initiative enabled vulnerable residents needing cataract surgery to be referred for consultation with the eye surgeon from Atlas Eye Specialist Centre at our hospital. Under this initiative, 20 elderly residents were identified for consultation; of which seven were suitable for surgery. To ensure that they had proper eye checks and adequate preparation before the surgery, we chaperoned the elderly from their homes to Atlas Eye Specialist Centre for multiple pre- and post-surgery appointments. Photos: Eagle Eye clinic, Mount Alvernia Hospital 1 Population Trends, 2016, Department of Statistics, Ministry of Trade & Industry, Republic of Singapore

52 50 Mount Alvernia Hospital A Healthy and Inclusive Community Health Screening A flagship activity we provide to the elderly is basic health screening diabetes, cholesterol and blood pressure. We work closely with SilverACE Senior Activity Centres and other voluntary welfare organisations. The outreach team set up screening stations at the centres in an environment more familiar to the elderly, where they usually spend time engaging in activities and socialising with one another. Two weeks after the screening, the team will return to the centre to update the elderly residents on the results of their medical screening. Arrangements are also made for the residents to go to the outreach medical clinic if a follow-up visit is necessary. Through this initiative, we reached out to more than 5,000 residents. Influenza Vaccinations Although adult immunisation rates for influenza have improved, there are still shortfalls in serving those aged 65 and above. Knowing that mobility is always a challenge for the frail elderly, we took flu vaccination on the road to reach elderly residents in the heartlands from Eunos to Chua Chu Kang. We have also committed to Community Chest to provide 1,000 flu vaccinations for their members. Financial challenges, social isolation, restricted freedoms: these are the everyday realities for some in our society. To care for these people, our team now oversees a diverse health outreach programme that reaches out to ex-offenders at halfway houses, families at risk and shelters for migrant workers. Healthcare for ex-offenders can be challenging due to restricted mobility. It is common for residents at the halfway houses to wait till their conditions degenerate before seeking medical help. The halfway house initiative, which helps ex-offenders reintegrate into society, is initiated in conjunction with the Yellow Ribbon Project. So far, the outreach team has partnered Pertapis and High Point Halfway Houses to reach these people. While migrant workers have greater mobility, their challenge is linked to inadequate medical care coverage in the event of sickness or injury. Most workers would prefer to hold on to their wages to provide for their families instead of using the money even on their own personal health. Through Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2), Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME) and Sungei Tengah Lodge, we provided a medical house call to the residents at their premises.

53 Year in Review On-the-Go Mobile Primary Care and Health Screening Services Bringing Hope to Displaced Individuals and Families We are very grateful to Nestlé Singapore for providing us with a sponsorship to purchase the vehicle, which allows us to take primary care, medicine, vaccinations and health screening services to communities beyond the outreach clinics vicinity. They include residents at halfway houses and shelters where accessibility and subsidised healthcare is limited. And because of that, some of them would postpone treatment. The vehicle is also used to bring the elderly to our outreach clinics and specialist clinics around the island in the event that further health checks or follow ups are needed. The New Hope Community Services was started in 2007 to provide temporary housing to homeless families and individuals while assisting them to regain their footing in the society. Our hospital provided health screening as well as a mobile clinic service which advise these beneficiaries on their general health status such as glucose and cholesterol levels as well as Body Mass Index. We also conducted doctors consultations and dispensed medication on-site during these sessions. This is our way of extending hope to the group by offering ready access to primary healthcare and assistance during their transition period.

54 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 Saint Francis before the Cross at San Damiano

55