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SINGAPORE – A new, next-generation Republic of Singapore Air Force medical center officially opened on Wednesday (November 4), pandemic-ready with dedicated isolation rooms and an outdoor cleaning area.
The Tengah Air Base Medical Center is also testing new technologies, including telemedicine and self-service lockers to dispense medicine, allowing sick military personnel to receive treatment without exposure to others.
If successful, these could be implemented at other SAF medical centers in the future.
Defense Minister Heng Chee How, who officiated at the opening ceremony on Wednesday, said the center incorporates lessons learned from past pandemics, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) and H1N1.
“While this was being built, it happened that everyone was hit by Covid-19, so it was very useful. As a result, they were able to test the different concepts and designs, and also further innovate the methods, keeping in mind keep in mind Covid-19 requirements “.
When asked how the center increases SAF’s resistance to Covid-19, Heng said medical services are critical to reducing downtime so that every soldier can fight fit for as long as possible.
“A facility like this, because of the way it is designed and equipped, and the staff trained, greatly increases our confidence and our ability to take good care of our staff,” he told reporters.
Also at the opening ceremony were the Chief of the Air Force, Major General Kelvin Khong, the Commander of the Air Power Generation Command, Brigadier General Ho Yung Peng, the Chief Medical Officer of the Air Force, Col. (Dr.) Benjamin Tan and other senior officers of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF).
Tengah Air Base is home to the RSAF fighter jet and fighter jet operations.
The medical center, which was conceptualized in 2015 and took about two years to build, provides primary medical care for the military at the air base, as well as emergency response for those training in the surrounding areas.
Opened in February of this year, it is the first SAF medical center prepared for a pandemic.
Features to ensure pandemic preparedness include having a protected driveway to supply swabs and four isolation rooms for those suspected of being infected. Doctors are trained to perform swabbing operations.
Other initiatives being tested include a digital queue management system, where the military can book appointments remotely. This should reduce waiting time and overcrowding in the center.
Another initiative involves telemedicine, which allows a military man to consult a SAF doctor through an approved videoconferencing platform. This is primarily for administrative appointments such as checkups where a physical exam is not crucial.
It is also being tested using video analytics and artificial intelligence, a non-invasive method of measuring a military’s vital signs, such as heart rate and oxygen saturation.
Called remote photo plethysmography, this is done via live video images from a camera-enabled device and is intended to aid teleconsultations.
Air Force Medical Director Colonel (Dr.) Tan said that the innovations being tested at the Tengah Air Base Medical Center could be implemented at other SAF medical centers.
“But as of now, many of these are still in the testing stages. So we need to evaluate, continue to troubleshoot, and refine processes so that eventually, when scaled up, it’s easy to scale, rather than having all medical centers go through the pains of innovation, “he said.
Captain (NS) Keval Singh Mann, 33, who is a ready-to-operate national serviceman, said that although he has not tried telemedicine, it could be useful for medical check-ups after a serviceman reports that he is ill.
“Possibly being able to do this through telemedicine is really good, because we don’t have to queue at the medical center and the unit can also use our time better,” added the air warfare officer.
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