Internships, placements for more than 500 ITE healthcare students as part of NHG Health tie-up

SINGAPORE – Over the next five years, more than 500 Institute of Technical Education (ITE) students in healthcare fields will benefit from internships and Work-Study Diploma (WSDip) placements, as part of an agreement between ITE and healthcare cluster NHG Health.

These include those in programmes such as WSDip in Patient Management and Services, Technical Diploma in Health and Exercise Coaching, and the Higher Nitec in Sport Management, where they will gain practical experience in healthcare and community settings.

This will prepare these students for roles such as patient services associates with enhanced clinical functions, health coaches and digital health specialists, in line with Singapore’s Healthier SG and Age Well SG initiatives.

The collaboration will also enhance the skill sets of NHG Health employees in areas such as digital literacy, artificial intelligence (AI) technology and patient experience.

This will allow both ITE and NHG Health to expand the job functions of patient service associates and improve patient experience, the two organisations said in a statement.

ITE and NHG Health signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in a ceremony at ITE College West in Choa Chu Kang on Nov 28, held in conjunction with the Think Health 2025 seminar jointly organised by both organisations.

Professor Chua Hong Choon – the executive president of NHG College, NHG Health’s training arm – said the MOU underscores the health cluster’s commitment to equip its workers with the skills and mindset needed to meet the expectations of patients and residents for “clinically sound, high-quality care that is digital-ready and personalised”.

“It will also support our employees’ career aspirations and strengthen the foundation for healthier communities,” said Prof Chua, who is also CEO of Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and Yishun Community Hospital.

ITE chief executive Low Khah Gek said the collaboration “will deepen our students’ learning experience and better prepare them for expanded roles in patient services, community care and digital health”.

Ms Haslina Linda Abdul Wahab, 25, who completed her WSDip in Patient Management and Services in September, took part in a 20-week internship at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), which exposed her to front-line challenges first-hand.

“As students, we get to apply what we learnt in school directly in the hospital, such as communicating with patients, handling registration and billing, and working with different healthcare professionals,” said Ms Haslina, who is now working at TTSH.

“This helps us understand the actual workflow, systems and challenges on the ground, which is something you cannot fully learn from textbooks.”

Together with three other students, Ms Haslina developed Express Checkout, a workflow for patient service associates which reduces billing mistakes and lightens workload for staff, leading to fewer frustrated patients. It is now in use at TTSH’s specialist outpatient clinic.

The collaboration will also see ITE and NHG Health conduct joint industry projects and research in patient experience, exercise science and preventive health, as well as promote Healthier SG and Age Well SG initiatives through community outreach, service-learning and experiential programmes.

The two will also conduct joint seminars and curriculum development, as well as explore joint research projects focusing on digital health transformation and AI-driven healthcare solutions.

Senior Minister of State for Health Tan Kiat How, who attended the event, said the collaboration will also allow NHG Health staff to access opportunities for professional development in digital literacy and AI at ITE, in addition to collaborating with ITE students on digital health transformation projects.

He noted that while the use of generative AI is expanding, it will not replace healthcare professionals, but rather allow them to focus on areas such as connecting with patients and honing their skills.

For example, an AI-enabled conversational assistant within the HealthHub website – to be introduced by healthtech agency Synapxe by the year’s end – can support the work of health coaches by answering straightforward healthcare-related and administrative questions while enhancing residents’ health literacy.

To support users in harnessing AI’s potential in the healthcare sector, Singapore’s AI in Healthcare guidelines are being revised, said Mr Tan, who is also Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information.

The guidelines were introduced in 2021 to help developers and healthcare teams adopt and use the technology safely and responsibly.

“As challenges emerge from AI’s evolving capabilities, we need to strengthen safeguards to ensure that AI continues to serve patients and healthcare professionals,” said Mr Tan. “The revised guidelines will build on this foundation by providing comprehensive, practical guidance for the safe and effective use of AI across our healthcare ecosystem.”

To ensure the updated guidelines are relevant and practical, MOH will hold consultations with healthcare professionals, associations and technology developers, he added.