Collaboration between Leading Healthcare Institutions aims to Deepen Thought Leadership and Workforce Development
13 November 2015 - In yet another step in shaping new transformations in meeting the healthcare needs of Singapore, Thailand and the Southeast Asian region, Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) and Thailand's Siriraj Hospital signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today to drive healthcare innovation and expertise. Siriraj Hospital is the largest and oldest hospital in Thailand, and the primary teaching hospital of the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University.
The MOU outlines four key areas for collaboration:
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Healthcare Innovation
Driving workforce transformation through lean management, clinical quality, and technology will be the focus here. The aim is to develop professionals who will be better able to respond to the increasing complexities in the healthcare setting. -
Clinical Education
Training programmes, fellowships, and attachments for doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals will enhance the medical knowledge and skillsets of staff of both institutes. There will also be clinical elective postings for medical students, beginning with two students from Mahidol University who will be attached to TTSH for two weeks next year. -
Leadership and Management Development
Both institutes will also conduct joint courses, seminars, master classes and conferences, as well as study visits and exchange programmes for both medical staff (doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals) and administrators. -
Benchmarking
With a co-learning objective, TTSH and Siriraj Hospital aim to improve outcomes and efficiency through the sharing of best practice, knowledge management, and performance review.
Both TTSH and Siriraj Hospital have histories reaching back well over a hundred years, and their stories are intertwined closely. Tan Kim Cheng, the eldest son of TTSH's founder Tan Tock Seng, was the Consul General for Thailand and a member of the royal court of Siam, and had a good relationship with Siriraj Hospital's founder, Thailand's King Chulalongkorn.
Now, in the 21st century, both Singapore and Thailand face the challenge of an aging population with its unique and increased healthcare needs, as well as the need to keep patients healthy outside of the hospitals and within the community.
The MOU formalises the working relationship between the two hospitals, but is far from their first collaboration. Both hospitals have conducted leadership and management visits to each other's premises for learning and sharing since 2009, with the most recent visit in September this year.
The partnership also extends to both institutions' nurses. In 2012, TTSH's nurses observed the transformation and adoption of lean culture over at Bangkok. In return, TTSH hosted 17 nursing leaders from Siriraj over two nursing specialist training programmes on occupational health and safety and neurology nursing, in collaboration with Temasek Foundation. The programmes were initiated by Thailand's Princess Maha Chakri Sirirndon, who chose TTSH for its close ties with Thailand. Since 2012, both institutions have conducted eight mutual nursing visits for training and learning.
Dr Eugene Fidelis Soh, Chief Executive Officer of TTSH, said: "Our MOU paves the way for a deeper relationship between our hospitals to co-learn, innovate and collaborate in order to better care for our patients and the communities we serve."
Professor Prasit Watanapa, Dean of Siriraj Hospital, confirmed the long-time relationship between TTSH and Siriraj Hospital. He said: "Both our hospitals shared similar objectives at the time they were founded in the 19th century: to serve the poor, and to reduce the suffering of the patients. The two institutions have continued to strengthen their collaboration since the beginning of this century. This MOU will signify the commitment to improve the quality of life of the people of both nations, and world communities, by sharing experiences, learning from one another, and working together."
Both TTSH and Siriraj Hospital will nominate representatives for a joint management committee, which will oversee the identification of suitable projects and management of resources. This MOU marks the first step in a long collaborative journey towards enhanced healthcare innovation and transformation for greater care in both Thailand, Singapore and the South East Asian Region.
About Tan Tock Seng Hospital
Tan Tock Seng Hospital is one of Singapore's largest multi-disciplinary hospitals with 171 years of pioneering medical care and development. The hospital has 45 clinical, allied health and pharmacy departments as well as 16 specialist centres. It also has three institutes that are spearheading care, research and innovations in geriatric medicine, infectious diseases and ophthalmology. Powered by more than 8,000 healthcare staff, TTSH sees over 2,000 patients at its specialist clinics and some 460 patients at its emergency department every day. TTSH is part of the National Healthcare Group, providing holistic and integrated patient care.
With a strong quality culture steeped in patient safety, TTSH constantly challenges itself to provide faster, better, cheaper and safer care for patients. To achieve this, the hospital keeps abreast and believes in investing in its staff, facilities, medical technology and system improvements. In recognition of its commitment to excellent patient care and its comprehensive range of quality healthcare services, TTSH has been awarded the ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certification as well as the prestigious Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation.
About Siriraj Hospital
Established in 1888 by H.M. King Chulalongkorn, the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital at Mahidol University is the first medical school in Thailand. Enriched with "SIRIRAJ" culture and traditions for more than a century, the Faculty has produced medical graduates and allied health personnel with distinctive character, vision and ability to serve the health care system around the country. Siriraj Hospital, the largest teaching medical centre in Thailand, provides exemplary medical services with not only state-of-the-art technology, but also interdisciplinary, comprehensive and compassionate care. Mahidol University has been consistently ranked at the top in the nation for research with increasing amounts of funding and publications each year. The Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital strives to advance medical education, patient care and research by pursuing H.R.H. Prince Mahidol of Songkla's philosophy: "True success is not in learning but in its applications to the benefit of mankind."
Amidst a tertiary medical centre with distinguished faculty in exceptional academic environment, the missions of the Faculty are to: foster our medical students and graduates to become tomorrow's doctors with outstanding competency, creativity, professionalism and social responsibility; provide the best and appropriate treatment for our patients; promote and share research and scientific discoveries that increase our wisdom and have impact on human health; and formulate a strategic plan that accelerates Siriraj to diversely contribute to the local community, the nation and the world.