Seminar Series: Gerald Koh
Healthier SG – Lessons So Far
Gerald Koh
Future Primary Care
Ministry of Health (MOH) Office for Healthcare Transformation
Health Systems and Behavioural Sciences (HSBS) Domain
Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health
Joint Professor
Dean’s Office & Department of Medicine
Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine
National University of Singapore
Honorary Senior Consultant
Department of Medicine
National University Hospital
National University Health System
Short Biography:
Professor (Dr) Gerald Koh is Head and Clinical Director of the Future Primary Care program in Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH) Office of Healthcare Transformation (MOHT) where his area of focus is primary care transformation using tele-health, novel technologies and new models of care. He works with stakeholders including public polyclinics and private general practitioners to ensure that solutions which empower patients and providers to improve quality of care can be rapidly prototyped, evaluated, scaled and mainstreamed (e.g. Primary Technology Enhanced Care and Healthier SG). He is also Professor at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health (SSHSPH) and Joint Professor, Dean's Office and Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS); and Honorary Senior Consultant, Department of Medicine, National University Hospital. A family physician, he obtained his Masters in Medicine (Family Medicine) (NUS) in 2000, Fellowship in Family Medicine (College of Family Physicians Singapore) in 2003, Masters in Gerontology from University of Malta under a United Nations International Institute of Ageing (UN INIA) Fellowship in 2008, and PhD in Family Medicine from Western University (Canada) under both a Schulich Graduate Scholarship and a National Medical Research Council (NMRC) Research Fellowship in 2012. Prior to joining MOHT in 2018, he was Head of the Health Systems and Behavioural Sciences Domain in SSHSPH and received the NUS Outstanding Educator Award in 2016. In 2021, he was recognized as among the Top 2% of Scientists Worldwide based on a study by Meta-Research Innovation Center at Stanford (METRICS) University using total number of publications and citations, and co-authorship modified Hirsch (Hm) index. He is currently Principal Investigator of the NMRC-funded National University Health System (NUHS) Research Centre Grant’s Telehealth Core. In 2023, he received the COVID-19 Resilience Medal and National Day Award, Commendation Medal (COVID-19) for helping to set up telehealth in community care facilities for migrant workers during the early COVID pandemic phase when the number of daily cases breached over 1,000. He still sees patients and volunteers for ACTS (A Call To Share) medical missions in Cambodia under CHARIS (Caritas Humanitarian Aid & Relief Initiatives Singapore).
Abstract:
Healthier SG is a national initiative by the Ministry of Health (MOH) focusing on preventive health. Singaporeans can take proactive steps to manage their health, prevent the onset of chronic diseases and have strong support to lead healthier lifestyles. The 5 key features of Healthier SG are (1) patient self-empowerment to live healthier, (2) empanelment to a family doctor to build stronger patient-doctor relationships, (3) a shift towards preventive care via a personalized Health Plan which includes nationally-recommended health screenings and vaccinations to detect health issues early and manage them well, (4) community support to sustain healthier habits with lifestyle adjustments and community programs recommended by one’s family doctor, and (5) support of national health apps HealthHub and Healthy 365 to provide a seamless patient journey. Healthier SG launched in Singapore in July 2023 as it emerged from COVID-19. In this lecture, I will share the lessons I have learned from planning and implementing Healthier SG as a member of its Implementation Executive Committee.
Keywords:
Tele-health, primary care, post-stroke rehabilitation, community geriatrics, health services research and medical education through service.
Date: Friday, September 6
Time: 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Location: PHFM 3015 (Western Centre for Public Health and Family Medicine) or Zoom (link may be requested at EpiBio@uwo.ca)
