提防饮食减压 (Watch out for stress eating)

Medical experts from the National University Polyclinics (NUP) shared how the increase in pressure to live and adapt in a Covid-19 world may bring about stress eating.
 
Ms Toh Hui Moon, Senior Psychologist (NUP) commented that in high-pressure situations, the fight-or-flight response is an instinctive response to keep an individual safe, which may lead to some turning to overeating habits.
 
Dr Cheah Ming Hann, Family Physician from Jurong Polyclinic (NUP) shared that some patients have had a more difficult time with diet control during this period and emphasised the importance of maintain good dietary habits.
 
Ms Lynette Goh, Principal Dietitian (NUP) shared some tips with readers on how to avoid stress eating, such as being mindful through using a hunger score and avoiding having food in sight when working.

如何准备烹煮三文鱼？(How should you prepare salmon?)

​Ms Lynette Goh, Principal Dietitian of the National University Polyclinics, shared tips on how to properly store, handle and cook salmon. She reminded readers not to refreeze food that has been thawed and ensure that the middle portion of the fish is cooked.

如何处理冷冻食物? (How should you handle frozen food?)

​Dr Louisa Sun, Associate Consultant of Infectious Diseases and Chronic Programme at Alexandra Hospital and Ms Lynette Goh, Principal Dietitian of the National University Polyclinics commented on the importance on handling frozen food properly to avoid bacterial infection. Among the tips shared with readers were avoiding refreezing defrosted food and using an ice pack or cooler bag if the trip from the supermarket to home takes longer than 30 minutes.

“We prioritise the welfare of a patient”: A doctor shares her experience in treating foreign workers

Dr Selvamani D/O Balasubramaniam, Resident Physician, Choa Chu Kang Polyclinic, National University Polyclinics shares her experience in treating foreign workers.
 
She shares that the foreign workers were initially anxious about the Covid-19 outbreak but have since gaining a better understanding about the virus after efforts were made to explain it in their native languages.
 
While it is uncertain how long the Covid-19 situation will last, she adds that the welfare of patients remain the priority for healthcare workers.

Doctors in Singapore feel safe with support, equipment in virus fight

A study has shown that nine in 10 family doctors in Singapore feel safe with the support and equipment they have been given, and prepared for the fight against the coronavirus. The study conducted between March 6 and 29 was released to mark World Family Doctor Day today. It asked doctors from the National University Health System’s polyclinics and family clinics as well as members of the college of Family Physicians Singapore to fill up an online questionnaire.

Associate Professor Tan Ker Kan of the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine said they wanted to focus on GPs and polyclinics as other studies had looked at healthcare workers in other areas like acute hospitals. Co-investigator Dr David Tan, who is DD of family medicine development at NUP said PCPs often encounter patients whose diagnosis is not clear-cut.

Dr Hou Minsheng, one of the survey’s interviewees, recalled a patient whom he treated at Choa Chu Kang Polyclinic’s ‘red zone’ for potential Covid-19 cases. He had a fever and was short of breath, but it turned out that he was suffering a serious form of heart attack.

The study also found that more than nine in 10 accept the risk of infection as part of their job, and prioritise patient care. A similar ratio said they would not leave their profession because of the risks. While the questionnaire used in the survey was based on one taken during Sars, the results reflect how the situation has changed. 

Primary care doctors confident they are well prepared to fight COVID-19

​Primary care doctors are confident they are well-prepared and well-equipped to fight COVID-19. A survey of about 200 community doctors has found that while these physicians are concerned about the risk of them or their loved ones getting infected, patient care still comes first. Dr Chua Ying Xian, Deputy Head of Pioneer Polyclinic shares his concerns about the risk from being at the frontline at the ‘red zone’ of the polyclinic and Sungei Tengah Lodge. He is one of the 9 in 10 doctors here who accepts the risk of infection as part of his job and still puts patient care first. Dr Tan Ker Kan, Lead Investigator and Associate Professor at Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS said that our primary physicians feel that there is sufficient PPE and information from Ministry for them to carry out their work. Dr Hou Minsheng, Family Physician of Choa Chu Kang Polyclinic, NUP shares about providing the necessary care to non-COVID patients and the challenge of making the right diagnosis for respiratory symptoms such as shortness of breath. Doctors here are in it for the long haul. As a show of support, Co-Investigator Dr David Tan encourages the public to recognise our family doctors and not doctor hop.

• Shin Min Daily News, 19 May 2020, Page 4

Patients at 6 polyclinics who test negative for coronavirus will get results by SMS

​Patients at NUP who are tested negative for COVID-19 will receive an automated SMS informing them of the results. This is part of an IT system, named iConnect.COVID, launched by the Ministry of Health Office for Healthcare Transformation to better manage test results using automation for COVID-19 swab tests done at polyclinics. This was piloted at NUP in April and will be rolled out in the other two polyclinic groups from mid May.

• Lianhe Zaobao, 5 May 2020, Page 8
• Channel NewsAsia, 4 May 2020
• Channel 8 News, 4 May 2020

Polyclinic patients can receive SMS notification and acknowledge receipt of results, after their COVID-19 tests return negative from laboratories

‘We learned to smile with our eyes’: Doctors volunteer to care for migrant workers at dormitories hit by COVID-19

​More than 800 medical and non-medical staff have stepped forward to volunteer at the dormitories, including about 215 staff members from NTFGH. Dr Maleena Suppiah from JurongHealth Campus and Dr Djoni Huang, family physician at NUP, shared their experiences as doctor volunteers to care for migrant workers at the dorms. Dr Suppiah commented on the hard work that her colleagues had put in to set up the dormitory operations, and they had to learn how to communicate with the workers through their PPEs despite the language barriers to empathise with them. The report also mentioned that Dr Huang, who runs the clinical operations for two of the dormitories in the west, took care of the well-being of the medical team volunteers and their safety with sufficient medical equipment. He was a volunteer in the previous SARS and H1N1 outbreaks.

On the front lines of a pandemic

​This photo essay on The Straits Times follows the life of Dr Lawrence Lam, Family Physician, Pioneer Polyclinic, depicting his experience of working in the frontline to manage the coronavirus outbreak.

Two new polyclinics to open in Kaki Bukit and Tengah by 2025

Senior Minister of State for Health Amy Khor shared more details about Tengah Polyclinic at a community event in Bukit Batok on Saturday, 23 November 2019.

No detail is too small

​This article features Sister Diana Ong, Nurse Manager, Jurong Polyclinic, who is involved in the development of the upcoming Bukit Panjang Polyclinic, which will open in 2020. She shares about what her role entails and what her career in nursing has been like thus far.

Docs involve patients in clinical process to spur lifestyle changes

In conjunction with World Diabetes Day, NUHS shared several of its initiatives across its member institutions to improve diabetes care. One of them is the Year of Care programme, which involved transforming consultations into meaningful dialogues to motivate diabetes patients to self-manage their condition. Patients will also receive their test results prior to appointment, enabling them to take control of their lifestyle habits. Since being piloted at NUH in 2018, the programme yielded positive results which was shared during the NUHS media briefing last week.

Time to redefine the doctor-patient relationship in diabetes management

​Penned by Dr Lew Yii Jen, Chief Executive Officer, National University Polyclinics and Dr Sue-Anne Toh, Chief Executive Officer, NOVI Health, the article urges readers to re-think the relationship between diabetic patients and primary care doctors to ensure the success of managing the disease as a community.

植入心脏监视器 阻止无声杀手 “行凶” (Using Insertable Cardiac Monitors to detect Atrial Fibrillation, a condition that is commonly referred to as a ‘silent killer’)

The Heart Rhythm and Stroke teams at National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS) and National University Hospital (NUH) conducted a multidisciplinary, four-year study to better detect Atrial Fibrillation (AF) using Insertable Cardiac Monitors (ICMs) in cryptogenic stroke patients.
 
The study found that ICMs are seven times more effective than traditional methods in detecting AF. Ng Teng Fong General Hospital will be introducing the use of ICMs to detect AF in cryptogenic stroke patients from December 2019.
 
National University Health System (NUHS) also embarked on its first-in-Asia pilot study of a nurse-led, integrated care clinic in the community for AF patients with multiple chronic conditions at Bukit Batok Polyclinic. The clinic helps such patients to monitor their blood pressure and sugar levels, and educates them on managing their weight, diet and lifestyle habits. It gives patients a one-stop location to visit to manage AF and other chronic conditions, reducing cost and time. Till date, the clinic has seen about 80 patients and will expand its operating hours to cope with increased load.