A day in the life of a Doctor at MOHT

A Day in the Life at MOHT series

One of MOHT’s strengths stems from having a pool of talents from diverse backgrounds, facilitating the cross-diffusion of learning and insights within the organisation and across the ecosystem.

“A Day in the Life at MOHT” is a MOHT blog series where featured colleagues relate how their individual talent, experience and practice has enriched MOHT’s tapestry of contributions towards the transformation of Singapore’s healthcare.

In the fifth edition, we look at a day in the life of Preventive Medicine Senior Resident, Dr Kuhanesh Janardanan, who works closely with the Integrated General Hospital team and led the Community Hospital of the Future initiative.

Contributed by Dr Kuhanesh Janardanan

Whenever I introduce myself as a public health physician I am usually queried on the difference between what I do, compared to doctors in clinical specialties. My response: Think of me as a regular doctor, but with a population-sized prescription pad. I aim to treat and prevent what ails entire communities instead of individuals.

As a medical officer in the UK and Singapore, I worked across diverse fields – from neonatal medicine, to emergency medicine, to breast surgery, to forensic medicine, and many more. While it was fulfilling and a great privilege to save lives and treat suffering, I noticed recurring patterns in the health patterns faced by patients. These experiences galvanised my desire to seek broader strategies that address the root cause of illness and improve health outcomes at a larger scale.

In my final year of medical residency in public health, I was given the opportunity to be posted to MOHT. Here, my proclivity for being at the forefront of innovative solutions, technology, and public health found its nesting place. I was part of the Integrated General Hospital team and tasked to lead the Community Hospital of the Future (CHoF) initiative. This is a ground-up initiative which brought together stakeholders from all three healthcare clusters, as well as MOH, to co-create solutions for key service delivery challenges faced by community hospitals. Through the ongoing pilots, CHoF aims to enhance patient experience through appropriate and timely right-siting of patients into community hospitals, leading to a more seamless and coordinated patient journey.

As the project lead, it was my responsibility to ensure the project was aligned to MOHT’s wider organisational goals, while managing resources and timelines effectively to deliver the best possible version of CHoF. My expertise in public health meant that I could bring a population health perspective to the project, ensuring that the initiatives under CHoF are designed with a focus on improving health for the community, while aligning with the broader goals of the healthcare provider and policymaker. My prior clinical experience meant that I could also serve as the liaison between the clinicians helming CHoF projects and those without the relevant clinical backgrounds, ensuring that the clinical insights and practical considerations (such as resource limitations) were effectively communicated and integrated into the broader project strategies.”

An innovative environment like MOHT inherently defies the concept of “typical days”. Its dynamic, ever-evolving projects ensure that the only true constant is change. This is further compounded by the inherent complexity of healthcare systems. It is a maelstrom that traditional, siloed interventions struggle to address effectively as the complexity grows However, there are certain threads connecting the disparate things I do, so let’s weave this tapestry together.

My background in medicine and public health has been invaluable in two broad ways. Firstly, when tackling a problem, I can navigate this complexity from a range of perspectives, including that of a provider, a policymaker, and a patient. This approach ensures that our initiatives are not only clinically effective but also strategically aligned to Singapore’s healthcare system.
Supporting me in creating these solutions is an exceptional team of wonderful people with diverse backgrounds. We hold frequent meetings where we iteratively define and scope the problem, understand its determinants, and produce an action plan. A brainstorming session could result in prioritisation, intervention, policy recommendations, or a combination of these things.

Photo 1: One of the many birthday celebrations by the Care Solutions team

Photo 2: Site visit to the US Academy of Medicine

Secondly, no solution is complete without effective communication to all pertinent stakeholders. To quote George Bernard Shaw: The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place. Part of my role is to ensure our messages are clear and impactful, translating complex healthcare concepts into understandable information. While this may sound boring to some, I relish in making sure that the slide decks we create are informative, relatable and engaging, effectively driving our goal. I also enjoy creating educational slides and providing teaching sessions on various public health topics for my colleagues.

Photo 3 : Lessons on the Theory of Change and Logic Models.

Unlike the proverbial A-Team, plans do not always come together. In an ideal world, decisions are made based on the best research evidence, ample resources, and alignment with the characteristics, needs, and values of our target population. Something always gives and this is where we must adapt and pivot.

MOHT supports us well in navigating these challenges, providing the resources needed to overcome obstacles and achieve our goals amidst a changing landscape. The flat work structure and open workspaces foster an agile and collaborative environment, allowing us to draw on the diverse experiences of colleagues across teams without duplicating efforts. We are also encouraged by Cher Wee, our Executive Director, to work collaboratively across teams and to avoid operating in silos. For instance, the MIC@Home readily shared their insights to help us overcome roadblocks similar to what they have faced when developing their innovative healthcare delivery initiative. This cross-pollination of expertise not only advanced our project goals but also strengthened our inter-team relationships.

I firmly believe in challenging traditional healthcare practices. We must question what is there and see how we can do things better. Transforming healthcare means transforming and saving lives. As a public health physician, I will be ever grateful for the insights on policy-making, project management, and the critical role of advocating for systemic change in modern healthcare that MOHT has given me.