SPEECH BY MDM RAHAYU MAHZAM, MINISTER OF STATE, MDDI AND MOH, AT THE SINGAPORE HEALTH PATIENT ADVOCATE CONNECTION

Mr Chew Kim Soon Mr Ellil Mathiyan Lakshmanan, Organising Co-Chairs of the Singapore Health Patient Advocate Connection 2025

CEOs and healthcare leaders

Patients, caregivers, and advocates

Distinguished guests

1.                Good morning. I am so delighted to join you today at the fourth edition of the Singapore Health Patient Advocate Connection, or SPACe for short. This annual gathering organised by the SingHealth Patient Advocacy Network (SPAN) has become an important date in our healthcare calendar. It brings together patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and advocates to enhance patient experience and quality of care in the spirit of partnership.

2.                ‘Resilience through an empowered community' − this year's theme − focuses on a fundamental truth in healthcare: whilst world-class facilities and skilled professionals form the backbone of our healthcare system, it is the strength of our community − patients, families, and healthcare workers united in partnership – that truly defines our resilience.

Building on foundations of mutual care and respect

3.                Two years ago, at this very event, we witnessed the launch of the Patient and Healthcare Team Care Pledge™. This pledge established the fundamental principles of mutual respect and understanding between healthcare providers and recipients of care. It also represented our commitment to creating a healthcare environment where all voices are heard and where care is enhanced through active listening and shared decision-making. Today, I am heartened to see these principles gradually taking shape in our healthcare community, as we foster a more resilient healthcare system together.

4.                Beyond introducing the Care Pledge™, it is also important to understand how well patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals work together. In 2024, SPAN launched the inaugural ‘Care Partnership in Singapore’ survey where over 500 patients and caregivers shared their perspectives as users of healthcare services. Preliminary findings from this patient-led survey revealed that patients and caregivers have high levels of trust in their healthcare providers and are actively involved in making decisions about their care. The survey also showed how healthcare teams share information clearly and adapt their approach to each patient's unique needs. The next phase of the survey will involve gathering key stakeholders to co-create practical solutions that will strengthen our healthcare partnerships even further.

Empowering communities through meaningful partnerships

5.                With one in four Singaporeans projected to be aged 65 and above by 2030, coupled with the impact of chronic diseases, and emerging medical treatments and technologies, just to name a few, the healthcare needs of Singaporeans are changing quickly. At the same time, patients and caregivers are more informed than ever before. Patients know more about treatment options, ask questions, and rightly expect care that is not only safe, but also effective from their perspectives. Therefore, we need to continue to challenge ourselves to think differently and creatively about care delivery and ways to enable patients to choose care wisely.

6.                This is where your voices matter. The Ministry of Health (MOH) is working with healthcare partners in a concerted effort towards integrating Appropriate and Value Based Care (AVBC) principles in healthcare provision. At its heart, AVBC is about delivering ‘appropriate’ care, that is, the right care, at the right time, in the right setting, guided by evidence and focused on what truly matters to patients. This enables patients to understand their options, choose wisely from those available - knowing that “more” is not always better, and therefore benefit from highly effective care that is also high-value. And who better to guide us on what matters than you? Your voices and experiences are invaluable assets as we adapt to the changing healthcare landscape that lies before us.

7.                A key part of this shift is not just measuring the care we provide, but how patients experience and benefit from it – whether their pain has lessened, or whether they can return to work or enjoy daily activities again. This is where Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) come in. PROMs systematically capture the outcomes that matter most to patients, from their perspective. Some of you here may have filled in a PROM questionnaires as part of your care journey.

8.                Together with our healthcare clusters, we are now working to embed PROMs into routine clinical care. This will give patients and clinical teams a shared language to discuss progress, empower patients to track their recovery more clearly, and enable care teams to tailor treatments more closely to individual needs. Over time, this will lead to more engaged patients, more meaningful care, and better health outcomes for Singaporeans.

9.                I am heartened that all of you here have chosen to contribute your time and perspectives to shape the future of healthcare in Singapore. As Singapore’s pioneering patient advocacy group, SPAN has been actively involved in many initiatives and projects that enhance patient engagement in healthcare delivery. I am encouraged by the support SPAN continues to provide to the healthcare community, especially as the emerging challenges facing healthcare in Singapore, and around the world, are becoming increasingly complex.

10.           At the national level, SPAN advocates have been involved in  MOH’s strategy development for Allied Health Professionals, offering their valuable perspectives that help shape the future of healthcare service delivery. They also work in partnership with MOH’s Agency for Care Effectiveness (ACE), Singapore’s national health technology assessment and clinical guidance agency. SPAN advocates have collaborated with ACE’s Consumer Engagement and Education team to co-create factsheets that help patients and caregivers better understand common medical conditions and treatments. Through this partnership, SPAN Advocates contribute to foster a community that is proactive in co-creating care plans and outcomes with healthcare professionals.

11.           These efforts continue in the hospital setting, where SPAN advocates have worked with healthcare staff to redesign clinical consent forms that make medical information more accessible for patients. This allows patients to be more informed when it comes to their personal health decisions, helping them take greater ownership of their own health.

12.           Looking to the future, SPAN advocates also participated in conversations that will shape the way the upcoming Eastern General Hospital (EGH) delivers its services and care. They have worked closely with hospital planners in a ‘Future Patient Journey’ workshop to explore how healthcare services could be reimagined to transform the patient experience at EGH. As EGH develops, we hope SPAN will continue to represent the patient’s voice and provide crucial insights for key areas such as care delivery models, wayfinding, and accessibility, as well as healthcare innovations. EGH will also incorporate tools such as Patient Reported Outcome Measures and Patient Reported Experience Measures to drive patient-centred care. These efforts reflect the importance of incorporating patient perspectives, ensuring that care provided is focused on patients’ needs.

Closing

13.           As I conclude, I am reminded that resilience in care delivery is built through meaningful partnerships that are centred on the singular shared mission: to positively transform patient experiences. Through conversations like those happening today, the bridges we are building between patients and healthcare professionals, and our shared commitment to better care for all Singaporeans, I’m confident that we will be able to forge a better and brighter care environment for tomorrow. To every SPAN advocate, healthcare professional, and partner here today: thank you for shaping the future of healthcare in Singapore. Together, let's continue to foster a healthcare system that goes beyond just treating patients to one that empowers each and every Singaporean to take charge of his or her own health today so that we build healthier and more resilient communities tomorrow.

14.           I wish you a fruitful session today.