Clinical

Clinical

Enhancing Clinical Skills and Building Resilient Health Systems across Asia

Lead: A/ Prof Chua Yeow Leng
Clinical Associate Professor, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore
Senior Consultant, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, NHCS, SingHealth

Co-lead: Prof Tan Ia Choo Celia
Clinical Assistant Professor, Duke-NUS Medical School
Senior Director, Special Projects, SingHealth

About

Our Goals

The Clinical Core seeks to bolster health outcomes in Asia through:

implementing innovative care models, fostering health workforce development, and crafting agile health systems with regional partners
advocating for health system reforms anchored in comprehensive, comparative research and policy analysis
integrating global health perspectives within the academic clinical programs in the SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre (AMC) to address significant health challenges faced in Asia

Our Approach

We work with governments, academic bodies, and health sector leaders across Asia to fortify clinical capacities. We value interdisciplinary synergy, tapping into the collective expertise of the SingHealth Duke-NUS AMC's doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals to enhance patient care and system efficiency.

Our work is backed by cross-border health systems research, offering a strong foundation for health system improvements. Through targeted capacity building, we leverage clinical faculty expertise to develop the regional health workforce, services and systems — fostering sustainable enhancements in healthcare delivery.

Our Enablers

Decoding Health Systems in Asia	Prioritising Local Leadership and Co-Creation	Cultivating Strategic Partnerships
The Global Health Systems Research Unit at the Clinical Core rigorously dissects health care trends and contexts across Asia, allowing us to identify key challenges and opportunities. This intricate knowledge informs the customization of our programs, ensuring they resonate with the specific needs of the region and remain adaptable to the shifting health care landscapes.	We engage with partners and funders through a lens of equity and shared leadership, deeply embedding our initiatives within local contexts to leverage regional insights and strengths. A guiding ethical framework steers our endeavours, aiming to enhance the inclusivity, durability, and impact of our work.	Jointly with the SingHealth International Collaboration Office, we cultivate key partnerships essential to our mission's success. These bonds span a network of regional health entities, funders, and global organizations, propelling us to broaden our impact and underpin the long-term viability of our health system programs.

Key Programmes

Enhancing Cardiac Arrest Response Systems in Cambodia

Heart disease is a leading cause of death in Cambodia, highlighting the urgent need for enhanced cardiac arrest care and emergency response systems. Our initiative developed in collaboration with Cambodia's Ministry of Health aims to transform cardiac arrest care throughout the country. We are establishing a national cardiac arrest data registry and standardizing resuscitation and life support training for healthcare workers and students. This holistic approach not only strengthens local healthcare capacity but also aligns with international standards. By integrating seamlessly with Cambodia’s existing healthcare infrastructure and making life support training a staple of medical education, this initiative is set to boost survival rates from cardiac emergencies and could become a blueprint for similar health system enhancements globally.

Strengthening Stroke Care in Southeast Asia

Stroke is a major health concern across Southeast Asia, driving the need for advanced stroke care and comprehensive emergency response systems. In partnership with the World Stroke Organization, our initiative seeks to elevate stroke care by developing stroke centers to meet international standards. This holistic approach involves enhancing acute care quality, standardizing post-stroke rehabilitation, and establishing a continuum of care that aligns with global best practices. By implementing these improvements within the existing healthcare frameworks of the region and integrating systematic training for healthcare professionals, this initiative is poised to significantly reduce stroke morbidity and mortality, potentially setting a benchmark for stroke care globally.

Asia Health Systems Atlas

The Asia Health Systems Atlas is a comprehensive repository that amalgamates past and current healthcare initiatives across Asia. Designed as a dynamic resource, the Atlas provides in-depth analyses and insights into the health systems of the region from primary and secondary research — identifying trends, challenges, and opportunities. It supports our mission to enhance health care by informing policy decisions, guiding resource allocation, and fostering targeted interventions. This pivotal tool aids in the development of scalable, sustainable health solutions tailored to the specific needs of diverse Asian populations.

Our current projects include:
- Early Breast Cancer Diagnosis in Indonesia: An Action-Oriented Landscape Analysis of Experiential and Systemic Responses
- Building Allied Health Capacity in Cambodia: A Workforce Projection Study