Project name: Enhancing Healthcare Services for Ageing Population in Yunnan, China
Host partner: 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University (2AHKMU), Yunnan Health and Development Research Association (YHDRA)
Singapore partner: National University Hospital (NUH) and St Luke’s Hospital
Project aim: To enhance the quality of healthcare education and practice for the ageing population in Yunnan province.
Duration: 2015 - 2018
Outcomes: A team of Singapore International Volunteers from NUH and St Luke’s Hospital conducted training in rehabilitation care and chronic disease management. A total of 120 participants from Yunnan’s medical, nursing, and allied health fraternity attended four workshops, two symposia and two review sessions. Additionally, 24 Master Trainers (doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists) participated in a study visit to Singapore to learn about the country’s rehabilitation ecosystem. At the end of the project, participating hospitals had implemented new practices such as multidisciplinary team meetings, family conferences that included patients’ caregivers, and evaluation scales in assessment. There was also a mindset change of wanting to improve patients’ quality of life in addition to helping them recover physically. In a survey, patients interviewed were positive about the quality of care they received from trainees. The project made a positive impact at the provincial level, as healthcare leaders reported applying what they had gleaned from the Singapore model into their submissions of planning proposals for the province.