Tailoring future hospitals to elderly patients' needs

Hospitals of the future will have to be more sensitive to the needs of the growing geriatric population, says MOH's Ms Teoh Zsin Woon.
Hospitals of the future will have to be more sensitive to the needs of the growing geriatric population, says MOH's Ms Teoh Zsin Woon. ST PHOTO: SEAH KWANG PENG

During mealtimes, patients at Yishun Community Hospital do not have to remain in their beds as would normally be the case.

Instead, they can gather at dining tables in common areas in their wards, flip through magazines in an area resembling a living room, or even do simple chores such as pouring water or washing dishes in a pantry.

Spaces simulating a home-like environment can ease the transition between hospital and home for patients, and help them to better adjust to living independently while managing their health conditions, says the Ministry of Health's (MOH) deputy secretary for development, Ms Teoh Zsin Woon.

As Singapore's society ages, hospitals of the future will have to be more sensitive to the needs of the growing geriatric population, adds Ms Teoh.

Besides physical infrastructure, such as co-locating community hospitals with acute hospitals which allows for the seamless transfer of patients, what is more important are programmes and processes that place the needs of the patient first, she says.

Institutions need to improve co-ordination so that an elderly patient, for instance, is not subjected to a battery of appointments spaced throughout a week, or being on too many different forms of medication, she says.

Programmes that streamline care across specialities are being rolled out, such as one at the National University Hospital, where a primary care physician coordinates treatment such that conflicts of appointments can be avoided.

SPH Brightcove Video
An acute geriatric ward managed by Khoo Teck Puat Hospital has implemented unique design features which cater to the needs of elderly patients.

Health Minister Gan Kim Yong says that while the MOH has planned for adequate capacity in hospitals up to 2022, whether there will be a need for more in future will, to a large extent, depend on whether this new model of care achieves its outcomes.

"We are trying to shift from (providing care in) the hospital, to beyond the hospital to the community. If we can succeed, we will be able to allow the hospital to focus on a lot more acute and complex cases," he adds.

What is "interesting and exciting" for Mr Gan is also the upcoming Alexandra Campus, which will be a test bed for the National University Health System (NUHS) to try out innovative models of care. Alexandra Hospital, which forms part of the campus, will be handed over to the NUHS team after the Sengkang Health team moves out from the building this year.

The campus, for instance, may involve facilities that allow for pilots and research on care models to be undertaken, which can later be adopted by the rest of the healthcare system. "It is an opportunity for them to reimagine the healthcare system to meet our longer-term needs," he says.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on January 28, 2018, with the headline Tailoring future hospitals to elderly patients' needs. Subscribe