SINGAPORE - Nametags that track a person's location may seem like a small innovation, but can mean productivity savings for nursing homes, where staff would otherwise have to keep a close eye on wandering patients.

This and about 40 other projects were exhibited at the first National Seminar on Productivity in Healthcare, held Thursday morning at the Singapore Expo.

The seminar, organised by the Agency for Integrated Care, drew about 1,300 participants from both public and private sectors.

Another project was a mobile dental clinic by NTUC Health, which will make rounds at nursing homes and senior activity centres starting next year.

This saves staff from having to take time off to take patients to dental clinics.

Health Minister Gan Kim Yong, who was guest of honour at the seminar, stressed the importance of increasing productivity in the face of an ageing population and limited manpower.

"While we recognise that the human touch is still a very important factor in healthcare, there are nevertheless many areas where there is potential for us to improve on efficiency and optimise the use of resources," he said.