Transforming primary care health practices through innovation.
Singapore, 1 March 2023 – The first Singapore Primary Care Conference (SPCC) 2023 will bring together primary care physicians in Singapore, to exchange ideas and share knowledge on topics relevant to primary care practice, now and in the future. Themed ‘Strength in Unity: New Frontiers in Primary Care’, the conference will focus on how the primary care providers have emerged stronger after the COVID-19 pandemic, to transform and build a more robust, responsive and sustainable healthcare systems for the population.
The Conference, co-organised by the College of Family Physicians Singapore, National Healthcare Group Polyclinics (NHGP), National University Polyclinics and SingHealth Polyclinics will be opened by Guest-of-Honour, Professor Chee Yam Cheng, President, Singapore Medical Council and Chairman, National General Practitioner Advisory Panel.
“Primary care is the cornerstone of every healthcare system, and more than ever, this was demonstrated in how Singapore handled the COVID-19 pandemic. Just as primary care contributed tremendously to stem the tide of COVID-19, we are well placed to address the challenges ahead with our ageing population. The conference aims to bring together all healthcare professionals, to share ideas, network and create solutions for the health needs of our nation.” Adjunct Associate Professor Tan Tze Lee, President, College of Family Physicians Singapore, and Co-Chair, Organising Committee, Singapore Primary Care Conference 2023.
“During COVID-19, primary care providers came together to support each other in providing care for the patients. This was made possible through the strong relationships and collaborations in the primary care community. Post-pandemic, we must continue to build up primary care and preventive health as the foundation of our healthcare system to better serve our patients and the community. The NHGP Teamlet Care Model is one such example where patients are always seen by the same care team, with improved care continuity, comprehensiveness and integration of care. We hope the conference will provide an opportunity for the primary care professionals to upskill, network and learn the best practices in creating a robust and sustainable healthcare system,” Associate Professor Chong Phui Nah, Chief Executive Officer, NHGP and Primary Care, and Co-Chair, Organising Committee, Singapore Primary Care Conference 2023.
SPCC 2023 Highlights
To be held at Raffles City Convention Centre from 3 to 4 March 2023, the hybrid conference will be attended by over 700 participants from the healthcare industry. The event will consist of four plenary sessions, five symposiums, pre-conference workshops, and a polyclinic learning visit where General Practitioners can experience and gain further insights into the multidisciplinary team-based approach by polyclinics to provide care to patients. The conference will also feature a line-up of healthcare experts from Singapore and overseas, who will share care models of the future, innovation and technology in primary care, and latest clinical updates on common conditions encountered in the primary care setting.
The first plenary and discussion on ‘New Frontiers of Family Medicine: Transforming for Population Health’ will feature Dr Andrew Bazemore, Senior Vice President of Research and Policy, American Board of Family Medicine; Co-Director, Center for Professionalism & Value in Healthcare, United States, and A/Prof Chong Phui-Nah, Chief Executive Officer, National Healthcare Group Polyclinics & Primary Care. Dr Bazemore will be sharing his research findings that have demonstrated the effectiveness of key primary care tenets such as continuity and comprehensiveness and how they contribute meaningfully to population health measures of care quality and value. Besides research, Dr Bazemore is also a leading thought expert in matters relating to primary care workforce development, promotion of academic family medicine and primary care financing policy.
The other key plenary sessions and symposiums will centre on:
Transforming Primary Care with Innovation
In preparation for an ageing population, different areas of innovation can be applied to primary care to help improve the lives of Singaporeans. One key area is big data which can be analysed to provide meaningful and predictive information for operational, clinical and population health planning needs. Other innovations include Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its use in the medical field, as well as the use of genomic data to ensure appropriate personalised management and quality of care for patients.
Playing a Larger Role under Healthier SG
Family Medicine will be the foundation in Primary Care to drive success in the Healthier SG programme. Three family physicians namely Dr Valerie Teo, Family Physician, Consultant, Head, Kallang Polyclinic, Dr Richard Hui, Family Physician, Senior Consultant, National University Polyclinics, and Director, Primary Care Partnerships, Regional Health Systems Office, National University Health System, and Dr Hu Pei Lin, Family Physician, Consultant, Clinic Director, Marine Parade Polyclinic, SingHealth Polyclinics, will share how their family medicine background has shaped their practice and helped them in designing their programmes to provide holistic care to meet the needs and challenges of the population.
Besides helping patients to develop a culture of health ownership through preventive care and chronic disease management, family physicians can effectively deploy social prescribing to connect patients to various communities for a healthier lifestyle. The strong relationship between family physicians, their patients as well as other supporting partners will play a central role in the success of Healthier SG.
Encouraging Research Collaboration and Recognising Quality Research Work
A key component of the conference is the research competition which aims to showcase and recognise the research work done by primary care healthcare professionals. Among the abstracts shortlisted for oral presentations on the event day are, 1) Depression in Primary Care: Prevalence and its Associated Factors; 2) Healthcare Providers’ experiences when advising on breast cancer screening mammography; and 3) Patients' perspectives on GP networks providing diabetes care in Singapore. For more information, please refer to Annex A.
