Singapore Health & Biomedical Congress 2024 Highlights: LKCMedicine Establishes Singapore's First Academic Health System with NHG

LKCMedicine, in partnership with its primary healthcare partner – the National Healthcare Group (NHG) –, has launched the NHG-LKCMedicine-NTU Singapore Academic Health System (AHS). The first-of-its-kind in Singapore, the AHS is a collaboration focused on integrating healthcare, education, and research to tackle key challenges like chronic diseases and an ageing population.

(Credit: National Healthcare Group)

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed at the Opening Ceremony of the Singapore Health & Biomedical Congress (SHBC) 2024, by NTU Senior Vice-President (Health and Life Sciences) and LKCMedicine Dean Distinguished University Professor Joseph Sung and NHG Group Chairman Medical Board (Research) Professor Benjamin Seet, with Guest-of-Honour Minister for Health Mr Ong Ye Kung as witness.

The AHS brings together interdisciplinary expertise, with initial programmes in rehabilitation medicine and skin health, to enhance patient outcomes and advance medical training.

“The establishment of this first Academic Health System in Singapore will facilitate application of scientific discovery, technological advancement and socio-economic ideas and models to improve delivery of health services for the entire population. Translating knowledge into practice and nurturing young talents in the healthcare profession is our common goal in NHG and LKCMedicine,” said Prof Sung.

Prof  Seet added, “Traditionally, medical education and practice have revolved around the biomedical and clinical sciences. This is no longer adequate today. In the Academic Health System we are setting up, the medical school serves as bridge into the rest of NTU Singapore – we will need to leverage on biological sciences, data sciences, engineering, social sciences and business, to keep up with technology and to train clinicians for tomorrow.”

The AHS will comprise specialised Academic Clinical Programmes centred around multidisciplinary teams of healthcare professionals, scientists, and engineers, enabling real-world issues to inspire research, and effect policy and practice.

LKCMedicine Features Prominently at SHBC 2024

As co-organiser of the 22^nd SHBC held from 10 to 12 October 2024, LKCMedicine had a strong presence at the highly anticipated annual biomedical event.

“The School is proud to play a significant role in this year's SHBC. An integral part of the organising team, we collaborated closely with other partners to ensure the success of the event. Our contributions ranged from ensuring that the latest research and innovations in healthcare are well represented to having LKCMedicine leadership, faculty members and medical students share their insights and research findings with attendees,’ remarked SHBC Organising Committee Member and LKCMedicine Assistant Dean (Academic Medicine) Associate Professor Sunny Wong.

This year’s SHBC is centred on the theme, ‘Adding 15 Million Years of Healthy Life,’ building on NHG’s commitment to ensure Singaporeans enjoy higher quality of life and do not spend their last 10 years in poor health. Through collaborations with partners in health, community, academia, and industry, NHG endeavours to address broader health factors and social determinants of 1.5 million residents within its region.

Embedded within HealthCity Novena and as NHG’s key academic partner, LKCMedicine has an integral role in this ambitious and crucial goal. By leveraging the School’s strengths in research and education, and integrating them in clinical care and practice, NHG will be able to directly address population health needs.

(Credit: National Healthcare Group)

In addition to several LKCMedicine faculty and researchers being involved in plenary sessions and talks for various tracks, the School showcased a number of key initiatives and programmes, including:

• Academy of Clinician Scientists and Innovators
• Office of Patient Engagement (OPEN)
• Centre for AI Medicine
• Medical Humanities
• Singapore Primary Care Research and Knowledge (SPARK) Network
• Innovation Showcase by LKCMedicine’s Office of Innovation and Enterprise
• Communications and Outreach
• Postgraduate Education Programmes

Adding to the highlights of the Congress, Dementia Research Centre (Singapore) (DRCS) Centre Manager Ms Leow Yi Jin clinched Sliver for Singapore Young Investigator Award (Clinical Research); DRCS Research Associate Qiu Bocheng was awarded Bronze for Best Poster Award (Clinical Research); and PhD student Ms Kalya Kee received Merit for SHBC Student Awards (Open Category).

That’s not all!

Wrapping up SHBC on a high, LKCMedicine will be holding the second edition of its Art & Science of Medicine Festival (ASMF) on 19 October. Themed, ‘Connecting Medicine, Health & Life,’ the full-day event at Kampung Admiralty offers more than 10 booths of hands-on activities, games, research demonstrations, and a HeART in Medicine exhibition. Health screenings and wellness workshops will also be available, all designed to promote healthy living.

Click here for more details.