Scientific Programme
Programme-at-a-Glance
Pre- and Post-Congress Workshops
 
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I think the importance of such a meeting is really to bring the network together. Having a Congress such as this one allows the different groups and individuals who will not normally interact to come together. That level of learning, socialising together and understanding what is happening in other departments is critically
important to the future of Academic Medicine.
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~ Prof Elizabeth Armstrong
Clinical Professor in Paediatrics & Director, Harvard Macy Institute, Harvard Medical School
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Programme >
Allied Health Symposium
Practising at the Top of Our Licenses with Allies for Better Outcomes
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Track type:
Symposium
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Duration:
90 minutes
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Location:
Academia, Level 1, L1-S1
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Topic 1:
Effective Clinical Supervision
– The Recipe for Better Outcomes and Employee Job Satisfaction
 Speaker: Ms Goh Soo Cheng
Clinical supervision is an essential part of professional development in many professions. In the healthcare setting, it helps to ensure quality services and safety of patients, and enhances staff retention and job satisfaction. Staff at every level needs supervision. However, supervision process and content may differ according to the needs of the staff – just like in cooking where the recipe changes depending on the meals we want to cook. Effective supervision extends beyond correcting techniques or increasing professional knowledge of the supervisee. In this session, we will explore what are the ingredients and conditions that go into the recipe for effective clinical supervision.
Topic 2:
Scope of Practice: Playing at the Top of Our Licenses
Speaker: Assoc Prof Andrea Kwa
A university degree merely only opens the door to what one can potentially do, or dream to do. Just like in the case of Dr Kwa, a degree in Pharmacy opened the door to a/an (though not limited to):
i. world of clinical sciences as an academician, researcher, educator; ii. healthcare career as clinician, administrator, policy maker, manager, educator; iii. business entrepreneur; and/or iv. executive in multinational corporation in marketing, sales, medical liaison, research, medical writing/publicity. Being involved in the first and second areas, has moved beyond the mere description of a pharmacist. There are four careers tracks (Professional, Clinical, Educational, and Research) unlike 20 years ago. As one climbs up the track, especially in Clinical, Educational, Research, the lines get blurry. One should not simply adhere strictly to the names of the tracks. For example, though Dr Kwa is in the Research track, she is doing her significant work to affect post-graduate education/training, and still pushing the frontiers of clinical practice and in policy-making, through the application of her research findings/publications. When frontiers are pushed and new knowledge is taught, they have to be fuelled by new scientific evidence, which is best created by the ones pushing the frontiers. Only then, the frontiers of new practices, and knowledge taught will be done in a passionate, purposeful manner that is most likely to be successful. This is what Dr Kwa is envisioning—“Playing at the top of our Licenses” for her juniors, seniors, colleagues and especially those who are working directly with her. Otherwise, most would be merely drifters, floating along each day, only taking on what roles lead them to, thus leading to “jaded” individuals in time to come. What are the ingredients needed to create new, exciting, refreshing roles for individuals to prevent them from being “jaded”?
Topic 3:
Allies in Allied Health: Interprofessional Opportunities and Alignment for Better Clinical Outcomes
Speaker: Ms Irene Quay
The current multi-disciplinary team structures in many of our institutions are faced with gaps and inefficiency. Often, different members of the healthcare professionals, including Allied Health Professionals (AHPs), do not have a clear idea of each other’s role, have department Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that may not align with the team, lack effective communication and a common team goal for synergy.
In this presentation, Irene will be discussing the benefits of AHPs forming allies with the clinical team and what it takes to get there. She will also be sharing the outcome of the KK Women's and Children's Hospital pilot initiative, which involved bringing different AHPs together in the paediatric neurology team to explore interprofessional opportunities and alignment for better clinical outcomes.
Topic 4:
Allied Health Professionals – Allies for a Better Healthcare Future?
Speaker: Dr Camilla Wong
In 2012, Singapore Ministry of Health launched its 2020 Masterplan which focused on enhancing the accessibility, affordability, and quality of healthcare, to better meet the needs of Singaporeans. Just four years on, the healthcare scene in Singapore has changed significantly with new hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare infrastructures. A number of programmes that address the issue of frequent flyers and care integration into the community have also been piloted. Coupled with this, is the beginning of shifting healthcare funding towards bundled payments (capitation model) so as to support a continuum of care. There are also expanding levels of service, education and research that are being conducted at the acute hospitals and our healthcare workforce is also getting more educated and skilled. With all these changes that are evolving around us, there is a need for the Allied Health fraternity to take stock of the things that we have done well including practicing at the top of our license, and increasing and expanding our scopes of practice and perhaps the things that we have not done as well. How could we better prepare ourselves for the evolving healthcare landscape? Do we do more of the same?
*Information is correct at time of update
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