Telemedicine
and remote patient monitoring technologies are necessary, even in a small
country like Singapore, to support an aging population and allow patients with
chronic diseases to better manage their health.
By 2030, some 30 percent of Singapore's
citizens will be part of the aging population, according to Singapore
HealthPartners CIO James Woo, who noted that elderly folks are less mobile and
face difficulties making regular trips to the polyclinics to receive health
care. Telemedicine or remote patient monitoring systems will enable these
patients to have tele-consultation with healthcare specialists, eliminating the
need to make a trip to the clinic unless necessary, he said.
In an interview with ZDNet Asia, Woo said
Singapore's Ministry of Health is taking a serious look into promoting
discipline among patients, as part of efforts to encourage them to monitor and
maintain their own health. Doing so means they are less likely to end up in a
public healthcare institution where bedcrunch is a big issue in the country, he
noted.
"How we do this is by getting these
patients to take their own blood pressure, sugar readings and heart rate
through remote patient monitoring," he said.
The CIO also pointed to the benefits of an
electronic medical record (EMR) system which he said would improve patient
safety, and provide healthcare providers access to a patient's complete medical
history to help in their diganosis and establish the right treatment.
The system will also ensure the same medical
records can flow seamlessly between the various healthcare providers, including
primary care, acute care and stepdown care, Woo explained.
While the public healthcare sector would
unlikely face any barriers, he noted that the private sector could face
challenges adopting the EMR system because clinics would need to move their
data to a digital platform, which would cost them time and money.
Singapore's health ministry would need to
provide incentives for the private sector to overcome this, he said, adding
that eventually, the private sector would recognize that the benefits outweigh
the cost of getting on the EMR bandwagon.
Eileen Yu , ZDNet Asia
About
Singapore HealthPartners
Singapore HealthPartners is currently constructing a billion-dollar
facility, Connexion at Farrer Park, which is touted to be one of the world's
first truly integrated healthcare and hospitality facilities, encompassing a
specialist medical center, private hospital and luxury hotel.
When completed in 2013, the site will include over 230 hotel rooms, 189
medical consultation suites and 11 operating theaters.
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