Page 37 - Implementing ITU-T International Standards to Shape Smart Sustainable Cities: The Case of Singapore

Implementing ITU-T International Standards to Shape Smart Sustainable Cities –
The Case of Singapore

Another key area that is examined by ITU SSC KPIs is the implementation of ICTs within the
health-care sector. Health care is a major expense for most governments worldwide and with
an aging population (as is the case in Singapore) health-care costs can only be expected to
increase. However, the implementation of ICTs has the possibility of increasing the efficiency
and quality of health-care services with the potential to control costs.

In the case of Singapore, there are a number of initiatives that have been implemented to
provide citizens with greater access to their medical information (see Box 5, HealthHub and
Box 6: myResponder App), more information on leading healthy lives and methods for
responding to medical emergencies.

Box 5 – HealthHub

HealthHub
HealthHub is Singapore’s first one-stop, online health information and services portal and mobile
application. It leverages technology to provide Singaporeans with easy access to reliable health-related
content, key medical records and e-services. Medical records that can be accessed include hospital
discharge summaries, medication prescription records, lab test results, health screening results, school
health assessments, immunisation records and clinical care programme assessments. HealthHub aims
to increase health literacy, encourage the adoption of healthy habits and nudge Singaporeans towards
healthier lifestyles. It also encourages Singaporeans to take greater ownership of their own health and
wellness, with personalised notification and rewards (such as NTUC Linkpoints).
HealthHub is being progressively enhanced to provide Singaporeans with reliable up-to-date, health-
related content, as well as more categories of health records and health e-services. A Caregiver Access
module was introduced in late 2016 that enables patients to grant permission for their caregivers to
access their personal health and medical records. New features in 2017 include a new diabetes risk
assessment tool and HealthHub Track, Singapore’s first free personal health management module to
help users in diabetes prevention, healthy pregnancy, and weight loss.

Figure 7 – HealthHub mobile application screenshot

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