NUHS Tribute Awards 2025 Recognise Excellence in Healthcare

Key Takeaways:

• The National University Health System (NUHS) honours 77 individuals and four teams for their contributions to healthcare.
• A new Emeritus Fellow title expands recognition to nurses, allied health professionals, and other leaders.
• The Master Clinician award now includes nurses and allied health professionals, reflecting inclusivity.
• Initiatives like NUHS@Home and NCIS On-The-Go demonstrate innovative approaches to patient care.
• Digital transformation, including the Alexandra Virtual Hospital, addresses challenges in healthcare delivery.

Celebrating Outstanding Contributions to Healthcare

SINGAPORE: The biennial NUHS Tribute Awards Ceremony held on February 28, 2025, recognised exceptional contributions to patient care, research, and education within the National University Health System. This year’s event marked a significant milestone with the introduction of the Emeritus Fellow title, broadening honorary recognition to include distinguished professionals across various healthcare disciplines. Additionally, the Master Clinician category was expanded to acknowledge nurses and allied health professionals, aligning with NUHS’s mission to celebrate excellence across all professional groups.

Professor Yeoh Khay Guan, Chief Executive of NUHS, highlighted the collective effort behind these achievements: “The outstanding work and contributions by our people and teams enable NUHS to deliver world-class care for our patients today.”

Honouring Lifelong Achievements

Four remarkable professionals received the inaugural Emeritus Fellow title for their transformative impact on healthcare delivery and education. Among them is Dr Emily Ang, Senior Nurse Advisor at Alexandra Hospital, who has played a pivotal role in nursing leadership and education. Mrs Lee Siu Yin nee Yong, a Senior Nurse Mentor, was also recognised for her efforts in advancing nursing practices and mentoring future generations.

Dr Tyrone Goh, Advisor to the Allied Health Council, and Mr Wu Tuck Seng, Advisor to the Departments of Pharmacy, were acknowledged for their pioneering contributions to diagnostics and pharmacy innovation, respectively. These honourees exemplify the dedication required to shape modern healthcare systems.

In total, 77 individuals were celebrated, including recipients of the Distinguished Senior Clinician Award and the NUHS Pinnacle Awards, which span categories such as Master Clinician, Outstanding Mentor, and Research Excellence.

Innovations in Patient-Centric Care

The NUHS@Home programme continues to gain momentum, offering hospital-level care in patients’ homes. Since its launch in 2020, the initiative has treated over 2,900 patients and saved more than 17,000 bed days, with nearly half of those savings occurring in 2024 alone. The programme’s success earned the NUHS@Home team the NUHS Pinnacle Team Award.

For patients like Mr Sulaiman, who suffered severe injuries in a road traffic accident, the programme provided critical support during recovery. He shared, “Every day, the doctor would check in with me during the video calls to ensure that everything was going smoothly at home.” Such feedback underscores the programme’s effectiveness in enhancing patient comfort and safety.

Plans are underway to expand virtual bed capacity from 75 to 100 this year, with a target of 400 by 2030. New clinical pathways have also been introduced for post-transplant and post-surgical patients, ensuring broader accessibility to home-based care.

Advancing Community-Based Cancer Treatment

Another notable achievement is the NCIS On-The-Go programme, which has grown significantly since its inception in 2017. Initially offering blood tests, the service now includes 19 treatments and operates through three community clinics, with plans for a fourth location. The programme has reduced travel and wait times for eligible patients, handling over 11% of the total cancer treatment workload at the National University Cancer Institute, Singapore (NCIS).

This expansion reflects NUHS’s commitment to decentralising specialised care and improving accessibility for patients. By bringing services closer to communities, the programme not only alleviates pressure on central facilities but also enhances patient convenience.

Driving Digital Transformation in Healthcare

Facing challenges such as an ageing population and manpower shortages, NUHS is accelerating digitalisation efforts to optimise resource allocation and improve efficiency. Under the leadership of Dr Alexander Yip, Clinical Director of Alexandra Hospital’s Healthcare Redesign Department, the Alexandra Virtual Hospital (AVH) is being developed as Singapore’s first fully integrated virtual hospital.

Dr Yip’s work includes implementing Smart Wards and a Living Lab to test innovations in healthcare delivery. These initiatives aim to streamline workflows, enhance patient safety, and reduce the strain on healthcare resources. Future plans involve expanding remote patient care capabilities, which are expected to ease workforce demands and allow staff to focus on complex cases.

Conclusion

The NUHS Tribute Awards 2025 underscore the organisation’s dedication to fostering excellence across all facets of healthcare. Through recognising individual achievements and pioneering programmes, NUHS continues to advance its mission of delivering patient-centric, sustainable, and future-ready healthcare. As the system evolves, collaborations and innovations will remain central to addressing emerging challenges and improving outcomes for patients.