GRADUATE COLLEGE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROJECT: COMMUNITY TELEHEALTH SERVICE

The Community Telehealth Service (CTS) is an initiative by nine graduate students from the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine and the Interdisciplinary Graduate Programme. It aims to provide free health monitoring to Singaporeans above 50 years of age, as well as those who have had their regular health check-ups deferred due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The check-ups will take place in specially constructed telemedicine booths that leverage the latest health technologies to test for eye and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, as well as obesity.  The computerised health screening system is provided by South Korean healthcare start-up, Medi-Whale. It uses an automated camera to take several images of a person's eye and its artificial intelligence (AI)-powered system then processes the retinal images to determine an individual's health conditions.

When asked about her experience with the telehealth screening, Ms Jasmine said, “It was very easy and non-frightening. The volunteers who have helped me through the various checks were very approachable.”

Professor Lee Pooi See, Dean of Graduate College said: "The University takes pride in our graduate students for fostering the spirit of community engagement. We fully support our students in their remarkable volunteerism in embarking on this meaningful experiential learning journey which is an excellent example of an interdisciplinary collaboration."

The pilot for the Community Telehealth Service will be held from 9 January 2021 to 28 February 2021 at Punggol 21 Community Club.

Students who wish to volunteer for the Community Engagement Project on weekdays can write to: [email protected]. Volunteers will be required to attend a 1-hour onsite training before being deployed for a 4-hour shift.​

NTU graduate students provide free telehealth monitoring service for the community

- Media Coverage of the free telehealth monitoring service organised by NTU graduate students initiated by CCO. View previous coverage.

Free health screening services for 1,000 residents at Punggol 21 Community Club

The Straits Times, page B5, and online, 10 Jan

A pilot scheme to provide free health screening services, using the latest health technologies, for Singaporeans aged above 50 is now under way at the Punggol 21 Community Club. Up to 1,000 residents can register online to visit a telemedicine booth at the community club, where they will be checked for eye and cardiovascular diseases, and other conditions like diabetes and obesity. The booth, which will be up till Feb 28, is part of a ground-up initiative called the Community Telehealth Service, which was started by a group of nine graduate students from NTU. The leader of the project, Dr Michelle Law, 31, a medical doctor who is now a PhD student at NTU's LKCMedicine, said they started this initiative after witnessing how the coronavirus pandemic had delayed many health screenings for the elderly and those at risk of health problems. Mr Alvin Chew, 28, one of the project's co-founders, said this health screening cannot replace an official doctor's diagnosis, and they would refer users to a polyclinic or a hospital for follow-ups if any abnormalities are observed. He added that he hoped the booth can improve the health literacy of the community, as it allows residents to easily access health screening services. "Residents can just pop by and check their health status while on their way to the market; this is much more convenient as compared to them having to take a huge chunk of time out to go to a clinic or polyclinic," said Mr Chew, a PhD student with NTU's Interdisciplinary Graduate Programme. Response to the scheme has been very encouraging, he added, noting that all slots in the first two weeks have been booked. The scheme is funded by the Young ChangeMakers grant by the National Youth Council and oscar @ sg by Temasek Trust, and is supported by NTU's Graduate College.

- Article reproduced in The New Paper, page 6, and online, as well as in Times of News (Singapore), 11 Jan.

NTU students take telehealth service to Punggol residents in seven-week trial

Singapore Tonight, CNA, 10 pm, 10 Dec

NTU Singapore graduate students to provide free telehealth monitoring service for the community

News Tonight, Channel 5, 9 pm, 10 Dec

NTU students set up remote medical examination stations to allow residents to do physical examinations in the community

Singapore Today, Channel 8, 6.30 pm, and online, 10 Jan

Nine NTU graduate students use AI to provide free remote medical examinations for the community

Lianhe Zaobao, page 6, and online, 10 Jan

1,000 Punggol residents have access to telecommunication check-ups at community centres

BERITA Mediacorp, 10 Jan

Free health screenings at Punggol

Berita Harian, page 2

Free health screening services for 1,000 residents at Punggol
Tamil Murasu, page 3​