NUHS TRIBUTE AWARDS CEREMONY HONOURS EXEMPLARY HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS CHAMPIONING THE HEALTH SYSTEM OF THE FUTURE
The National University Health System (NUHS) honours 77 exceptional individuals and four teams driving transformative change in healthcare
SINGAPORE, Feb. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The National University Health System (NUHS) is at the forefront of transforming healthcare, driving new models of care that extend beyond hospitals into the community. In recognition of outstanding contributions in patient care, research and education, NUHS will honour 77 healthcare professionals and four teams at the NUHS Tribute Awards Ceremony 2025, attended by Guest of Honour, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr Gan Kim Yong.
This year marks a significant milestone as NUHS introduces the prestigious Emeritus Fellow title, which extends honorary recognition to a wider group of distinguished professionals. In addition, the Master Clinician award category of the NUHS Pinnacle Awards has been expanded to include nurses and allied health professionals, reinforcing NUHS's commitment to acknowledging excellence across all disciplines and professional groups.
Honouring lifelong contributions to healthcare
The inaugural Emeritus Fellow title is conferred on four outstanding professionals, whose pioneering efforts in nursing, diagnostics and pharmacy have transformed healthcare delivery and education:
- Dr Emily Ang, Senior Nurse Advisor at Alexandra Hospital (AH) – A key figure in nursing leadership, Dr Ang has served in the NUHS cluster for nearly two decades, from leading oncology nursing at NCIS, to heading the NUS Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies (NUS Nursing), as well as serving as Group Chief Nurse of NUHS up till 2022.
- Mrs Lee Siu Yin nee Yong, Senior Nurse Mentor at AH – A transformational leader in nursing, Mrs Lee's efforts in advanced practice nursing, education and nursing workforce expansion at the National University Hospital (NUH) have left a lasting impact on Singapore's healthcare system. Today, she continues to mentor the next generation of nurses at AH.
- Dr Tyrone Goh, Advisor to the Allied Health Council at NUHS and Chief Executive Officer of the NUH Referral Laboratory at NUH – A pioneering leader in diagnostics and allied health services, Dr Goh has been instrumental in advancing clinical support services and teleradiology in Singapore
- Mr Wu Tuck Seng, Advisor to the Departments of Pharmacy at NUH and AH – A pharmacy innovator, Mr Wu spearheaded Asia-Pacific's first inpatient pharmacy automation system and played a pivotal role in shaping Singapore's pharmacy education and national strategy.
This year, 62 award recipients will receive the NUHS Pinnacle Awards – across the categories of Master Clinician, Outstanding Mentor, Research Excellence, Excellence, Young Achiever and Team – as well as the Distinguished Senior Clinician Awards. Additionally, 16 long-serving clinicians and professionals with exceptional achievements will be conferred the lifetime honorary titles of Emeritus Consultant and Emeritus Fellow[1].
"The outstanding work and contributions by our people and teams enable NUHS to deliver world-class care for our patients today," said Professor Yeoh Khay Guan, Chief Executive, NUHS. "Likewise, the passion and commitment to excellence embodied by our 17,000-strong healthcare family is the driving force that propels our transformation into the health system of tomorrow."
Driving change, transforming care
Since its inception in 2020, the NUHS@Home programme has significantly expanded, ramping up virtual bed capacity and clinical pathways, so that more patients can benefit from hospital-level care in the familiar sanctuary of their homes.
To date, NUHS@Home has treated more than 2,900 patients and saved over 17,000 bed days – 9,710 of which were in 2024 alone. In 2024, NUHS@Home expanded its reach to acutely ill patients in two nursing homes. These achievements have earned the NUHS@Home team the NUHS Pinnacle Team Award.
In line with a nationwide initiative to support care beyond acute hospitals, the NUHS@Home programme plans to expand its virtual bed capacity from the current 75 to 100 this year, and to 400 by 2030. New clinical pathways, including for patients post hematopoietic stem cell transplants and post total knee replacements, were launched last year, enabling more patients with different conditions to benefit from the programme.
For Mr Sulaiman, 33, who suffered severe traumatic injuries in a horrific road traffic accident in mid-2024, NUHS@Home provided a crucial lifeline. After nearly two-and-a-half months in NUH, Mr Sulaiman transitioned to the NUHS@Home programme in September 2024.
With the comprehensive support of NUHS@Home, which provided Mr Sulaiman with daily virtual consultations and regular remote vitals checks, he was able to continue recuperating in the comfort of his home.
"Every day, the doctor would check in with me during the video calls to ensure that everything was going smoothly at home," he recalled. "I was given an emergency contact number and guidance on symptoms to watch for, so that gave me peace of mind."
Another Team Award recipient that has grown from strength to strength is the NCIS On-The-Go programme, which, since its inception in 2017, has expanded its services from initial blood tests to include 19 different treatments. The community-based cancer treatment programme has established three community clinics, with plans for a fourth clinic in the pipeline, to reduce travelling and wait times for more eligible patients.
Patient visits have multiplied ten-fold since 2017, and the NCIS On-The-Go programme presently decants over 11 per cent of the total cancer treatment workload at National University Cancer Institute, Singapore (NCIS), increasing overall capacity and maintaining comparable safety standards.
Accelerating digital transformation amidst healthcare challenges
With numerous challenges on the horizon – including a rapidly ageing population, pressing manpower shortage and increasing demand for healthcare services – NUHS is accelerating digitalisation and AI adoption to streamline processes and ensure sustainability.
Under the leadership of Dr Alexander Yip, Clinical Director of Alexandra Hospital's Healthcare Redesign Department and recipient of the Excellence Award, NUHS is pioneering the development of Singapore's first fully integrated virtual hospital. The Alexandra Virtual Hospital (AVH) integrates connected health devices, advanced video technology, predictive data management and unified communications systems to provide seamless and comprehensive care both within and beyond the hospital's walls.
As part of the AVH initiative, Dr Yip and team have successfully implemented Smart Wards and a Living Lab to foster innovation in healthcare delivery. These test beds not only enhance patient care and safety, but also revolutionise clinical and nursing workflows, significantly easing the strain on healthcare resources.
Looking to the future, Dr Yip and his team are poised to expand AVH's capabilities, particularly in remote patient care. This is projected to enhance operational efficiency and reduce the inpatient nursing workforce requirements. This strategic reduction will alleviate current manpower constraints and allow nursing staff to concentrate on more complex and critical tasks, ultimately enhancing patient care and system efficiency.
As NUHS celebrates these exemplary individuals and pioneering initiatives, the awards highlight a shared commitment to advancing healthcare. From digital health innovations to community-based care models, the awardees exemplify the expertise and leadership shaping the future of healthcare. With this drive for innovation, NUHS continues its mission to build an academic health system that is patient-centric, sustainable and future-ready.
About the National University Health System (NUHS)
The National University Health System (NUHS) aims to transform how illness is prevented and managed by discovering causes of disease, development of more effective treatments through collaborative multidisciplinary research and clinical trials, and creation of better technologies and care delivery systems in partnership with others who share the same values and vision.
Institutions in the NUHS Group include the National University Hospital, Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, Jurong Community Hospital, Alexandra Hospital and the upcoming Tengah General and Community Hospital; three National Specialty Centres - National University Cancer Institute, Singapore (NCIS), National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS) and National University Centre for Oral Health, Singapore (NUCOHS); the National University Polyclinics (NUP); Jurong Medical Centre; and three NUS health sciences schools–NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (including the Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies), NUS Faculty of Dentistry and NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health.
With member institutions under a common governance structure, NUHS creates synergies for the advancement of health by integrating patient care, health science education and biomedical research. As a Regional Health System, NUHS works closely with health and social care partners across Singapore to develop and implement programmes that contribute to a healthy and engaged population in the Western part of Singapore.
For more information, please visit www.nuhs.edu.sg.
ANNEX
About the NUHS Tribute Awards
The biennial NUHS Tribute Awards honour NUHS healthcare professionals who have made outstanding contributions to patient care, research and education in the academic health system. These prestigious awards recognise individuals and teams who embody the NUHS mission, vision and values, driving excellence in healthcare and shaping the future of medicine.
This year marks a significant milestone with the introduction of the Emeritus Fellow title for a wider group of healthcare professionals. Additionally, the Master Clinician category of the NUHS Pinnacle Awards has been expanded to include nurses and allied health professionals, reflecting NUHS's commitment to recognise excellence across all disciplines of healthcare.
Now in its fifth edition, the NUHS Tribute Awards 2025 will celebrate the achievements of:
- 52 Pinnacle Award recipients
- 10 Distinguished Senior Clinician Award recipients
- 12 Emeritus Consultants
- 4 Emeritus Fellows
Award categories
Award | Description |
Emeritus Consultant | The NUHS Emeritus Consultant is a lifetime honorary title conferred upon long-serving, esteemed senior clinicians for their distinguished contributions to patient care, education and research, advancing the mission of NUHS. |
Emeritus Fellow | The NUHS Emeritus Fellow is a lifetime honorary title conferred upon long-serving, esteemed nurses, allied health professionals, and other healthcare leaders for their distinguished contributions to patient care, education and research, advancing the mission of NUHS. |
Master Clinician Award | This award recognises clinicians who have contributed significantly towards elevating the quality of healthcare delivery. They are skilful and compassionate practitioners who are recognised for leadership in their respective areas of specialty. |
Outstanding Mentor Award | This award recognises clinicians and academic staff who have displayed professional excellence in medical teaching and mentorship, and contributed significantly to the clinical education of clinicians and clinician scientists. |
Research Excellence Award | This award recognises individuals who have undertaken a research study project that has contributed significantly to bridging the gap between knowledge and practice, resulting in improved standards of care, healthcare outcomes, higher efficiency and more effective patient-centred services. |
Excellence Award | This award recognises individuals who have made significant contributions to NUHS's clinical, research and education missions. Their work has had a major impact, leading to improved standards of care, outstanding health research and exceptional medical education – paving the way for better healthcare outcomes and lasting benefits. |
Young Achiever Award | This award recognises young individuals who have excelled in their professional fields, exhibited promising leadership skills, and served as exemplary role models for their peers. |
Team Award | This award recognises teams that have successfully implemented clinical quality or practice improvement projects with a strong research-driven approach to knowledge translation, effectively bridging the gap between evidence and practice to enhance patient care and outcomes. |
Distinguished Senior Clinician Award | Distinguished Senior Clinicians are recognised as leading experts and key opinion leaders in their professional fields. They have made distinguished contributions to the medical or dental professions, the Singapore public healthcare sector, and the international community across clinical service, education and research domains. |
[1] 77 individuals will be honoured in all, as Assistant Prof David Terrence Consigliere is a double award winner with the conferment of Emeritus Consultant and also the Outstanding Mentor Award. |
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SOURCE National University Health System (NUHS)