Forum: Create a central health screening registry that all GPs can access
D espite years of public education and subsidised national programmes, Singapore's screening rates for cancers such as breast, cervical and colorectal cancer remain suboptimal. Screening for cardiovascular risk factors like hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes also sees low participation, particularly among older adults.
With the launch of Healthier SG, I see a timely opportunity to close these gaps. General practitioners (GPs), as each enrollee's designated primary care provider, are ideally placed to offer personalised health advice and initiate timely screening.
However, many GPs lack access to consolidated screening records, and are not notified when patients are due – or overdue – for national screening.
As a result, crucial opportunities are often missed during routine consultations. These visits could otherwise be used to nudge patients towards essential preventive care.
To address this, I propose a central screening registry integrated with GPs' electronic medical record systems. Such a registry should flag patients due for screening, prompt GPs during visits, and enable referrals with minimal friction. It should also track whether screening invitations have been sent, tests completed, and follow-ups conducted. This would ensure better continuity and accountability across the care pathway.
I also believe artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance this effort. AI tools could identify patients likely to miss screenings based on age, medical history and behavioural patterns. This would allow GPs to prioritise outreach and follow-up more effectively. Patients could also receive personalised reminders through HealthHub or SMS, reinforcing their doctor's advice.
Naturally, such systems must uphold strong data protection standards and be clinically validated.
Healthier SG represents a shift from reactive to proactive healthcare. But to make that vision a reality, GPs need more than responsibility – they need the right infrastructure. By combining trusted relationships in primary care with data-driven tools, we could boost screening uptake, detect diseases earlier, and ultimately reduce long-term healthcare costs to add years of healthy life to the population of Singapore.
Ang Yee Gary (Dr)
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