Singapore working to list etomidate as illegal drug as abuse cases rise
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Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
AI chatbot will help SGH save money, time with pre-surgery assessments
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The AI chatbot was soft-launched in December 2024 for the benefit of doctors at SGH's Preoperative Assessment Clinic. SINGAPORE – An AI chatbot that helps doctors comprehensively assess a patient's health before an operation will save the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) up to 660 hours of doctors' time, which is equivalent to $200,000 in costs annually. Peach – short for Perioperative AI Chatbot – was soft-launched in December 2024 for the benefit of doctors at SGH's Preoperative Assessment Clinic. The large language model was developed by the hospital, making use of available resources by Open Government Products – an independent division of the Government Technology Agency (GovTech). The clinic sees about 120 patients a day, who all have to undergo medical evaluation of their past and current illnesses, medications and allergies, and previous anaesthesia reactions before being scheduled for surgery. According to a study published earlier in July in the medical journal npj Digital Medicine, which analysed 270 patient assessments done by the AI chatbot between January and February, it reduced documentation time by nearly 6 minutes per patient. In a media briefing held on July 30 at SGH, Dr Ke Yuhe, associate consultant at SGH's department of anaesthesiology, explained that prior to the roll-out of Peach, doctors had to pore over more than 400 pages of guidelines before coming up with a perioperative plan. This includes the care a patient will receive before, during, and after a procedure. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore MHA to support HSA's crackdown on Kpod abusers and help in treatment of offenders: Shanmugam Singapore Bukit Panjang LRT to shut on 2 Sundays to facilitate tests; some upgrading work nearing completion Singapore Jail, fine for man linked to case involving 3 bank accounts that received over $680m in total Singapore Provision shop owner who raped 11-year-old gets more than 14 years' jail Business S'pore's economic resilience will face headwinds in second half of 2025 from tariffs, trade conflicts: MAS Business S'pore's Q2 total employment rises but infocomm, professional services see more job cuts Singapore Fewer than 1 in 5 people noticed suspicious items during MHA's social experiments Asia Powerful 8.8-magnitude quake in Russia's far east causes tsunami; Japan, Hawaii order evacuations 'This can be very overwhelming, especially for new junior doctors. So we wanted to develop this chatbot to reduce their workload in the clinic, so they can focus more on actual clinical interactions with patients,' said Dr Ke, who led the development of Peach. Dr Ke and the team spent about a month in late 2024 integrating SGH's perioperative guidelines into an AI assistant created by Open Government Products. Peach is only accessible on hospital-issued encrypted laptops. With the chatbot, doctors can simply input relevant patient information from electronic health records, and Peach will be able to make suggestions as to what the patient's risk profile is, and what kind of anaesthetic to use in the operating theatre and for how long. In a study done on the AI chatbot in November 2024, 240 interactions were examined, and it was found that Peach demonstrated about 98 per cent accuracy in making pre-surgery recommendations. The chatbot can also assist with instructions for patients prior to a surgery, like the fasting time needed and medication instructions. It can also help with the drafting of referra l letters if needed. Associate Professor Hairil Rizal, senior consultant and clinician scientist at SGH'S department of anaesthesiology, said: 'When you're seeing thousands of pre-surgery patients annually, every minute saved on administrative tasks is a minute gained for patient care.' As Singapore's population ages, patients will increasingly come with multiple chronic conditions. Prof Hairil also pointed out that the chatbot is particularly useful in helping junior doctors make sense of more difficult and complex cases. When the chatbot gives its recommendations, it will also include justifications for its answers, as well as cite the protocols and guidelines it has referenced. 'It's like having a consultant at their fingertips guiding them,' said Prof Hairil, also stressing that doctors are still ultimately responsible for the clinical recommendations made to patients. SGH is in conversation with other hospitals in the SingHealth cluster – Sengkang General Hospital and KK Women's and Children's Hospital – to roll out the AI chatbot.
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
132 healthcare scholarships given out to strengthen pipeline of professionals
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung presenting the scholarship to Ms Celia Goh during the MOHH Healthcare Scholarships Award Ceremony. SINGAPORE – A total of 132 healthcare scholarships were awarded this year to students who have a strong calling to serve in Singapore's public healthcare sector. This is more than the 108 healthcare scholarships awarded in 2024, but fewer than the 161 scholarships given out in 2023. The scholarships are given out yearly by MOH Holdings (MOHH) – the holding company of Singapore's three public healthcare clusters – to strengthen Singapore's pipeline of healthcare professionals. Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies, conferred the awards at the Healthcare Scholarships Award Ceremony 2025, on July 30 at Raffles City Convention Centre. The scholarships are for health science and healthcare-related studies. There are several types, including the Healthcare Merit Award for those pursuing a Bachelor's degree in nursing, pharmacy or various allied health disciplines. Scholars will be bonded for four years, or six if they had studied overseas. In 2025, there were two awards in the discipline of Medicine, 17 in Pharmacy, 18 in Clinical Psychology, 19 in Nursing, 23 in Physiotherapy, and over 40 in other Allied Health fields, such as Speech Therapy, Diagnostic Radiography, Occupational Therapy and Dietetics. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore MHA to support HSA's crackdown on Kpod abusers and help in treatment of offenders: Shanmugam Business S'pore's economic resilience will face headwinds in second half of 2025 from tariffs, trade conflicts: MAS Business S'pore's Q2 total employment rises, but infocomm and professional services sectors see more job cuts Singapore Fewer than 1 in 5 people noticed suspicious items during MHA's social experiments Asia Powerful 8.8-magnitude quake in Russia's far east causes tsunami; Japan, Hawaii order evacuations Singapore Migrant workers who gave kickbacks to renew work passes were conservancy workers at AMK Town Council Asia Japan, Vietnam, EU contest terms of US tariff deals behind the scenes Singapore Escape, discover, connect: Where new memories are made There were also four recipients in Medical Social Work, with the remaining recipients studying business, accountancy, IT, engineering and social science. Mr Ong said they will be joining a public healthcare sector that is transforming to meet the challenge of a fast ageing population. The health ministry has implemented preventive care programmes to promote healthier living and is leveraging technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) or precision medicine. These efforts will usher in a fundamental shift in delivering healthcare – from treating illnesses to sustaining wellness; from delivering healthcare in clinics and hospitals to doing so in communities and in our homes, he said. In his speech, Mr Ong cited three past recipients. One of them, Ms Charlynne Nerva, started work as an enrolled nurse at Changi General Hospital. She then obtained a diploma in nursing, before pursuing a nursing degree on a Healthcare Merit scholarship. She is now an Assistant Nurse Clinician with KK Women's and Children's Hospital and part of a team there that focuses on improvement projects, including the development of a pictorial guide manual for medical devices to aid new nurses and nursing students. 'Healthcare is ultimately about people and the human touch. A kind word, a listening ear, a consistent presence remains irreplaceable, regardless of how advanced AI technology is,' he said.
CNA
4 hours ago
- CNA
The challenges faced by adults who develop allergies later in life
The challenges faced by adults who develop allergies later in life Photo: CNA/Ooi Boon Keong 7 years ago, Ms Tan Hui San, 32, discovered she was suddenly allergic to nuts. She had no problems previously. Photo: CNA/Ooi Boon Keong Doctors say they're seeing more adult allergy cases, especially involving shellfish, nuts, and storage mites. Photo: CNA/Ooi Boon Keong Triggers include environmental changes, infections, genetics, or cross-reactions with other allergens. Photo: Courtesy of Rae Teo Long-term exposure doesn't guarantee lifelong immunity, say doctors. Photo: CNA/Ooi Boon Keong Ms Rae Teo, 29, who has lived with allergies since childhood, did not enjoy eating in the past as it was such a stressor. Photo: CNA/Ooi Boon Keong Mr Joshua Shih, 34, who has a gluten and dairy intolerance, said looking for food options in Singapore can be an ordeal. Photo: CNA/Ooi Boon Keong HR director Julie Lee, 54, said there were times where she felt left out and "not welcome" at work because of her allergies. Photo: CNA/Ooi Boon Keong Next Story
