Duke-NUS sharpens focus on population health to curb rising healthcare costs and chronic disease burden
Singapore's health system is under growing pressure from rising costs, an ageing population, and the growing burden of chronic diseases. Duke-NUS Medical School is responding by sharpening its focus on population health and technology-enabled research—a strategy now being embedded into its rebranded Health Services Research and Population Health (HSRPH) Programme, which aims to harmonise with and shape national policies, improving patient outcomes and delivering more cost-effective care.
Examples of such research include: a potentially scalable nationwide model for controlling hypertension, which could be delivered at S$20 per patient per month. Combining algorithm-driven treatment plans for prescribing subsidised medication and motivational follow-up telephone calls from nurses, this approach not only helps patients manage blood pressure but also reduces the risk of heart diseases at a fraction of current costs.
Another example is a Duke-NUS study, in collaboration with SingHealth, that evaluates the cost-effectiveness of a 4 Dimensional Disease Outbreak Surveillance System (4D-DOSS[1]), a novel digital twin system called that functions as a "hospital infection radar" by mapping disease spread across wards. These evaluation findings are now being used to guide implementation at Singapore General Hospital, with expansion to Changi General Hospital (CGH) and other hospitals in the pipeline. (More details on the projects are available in Annex A.)
To empower more healthcare professionals and clinicians to pursue research in population health, the rebranded Health Services Research and Population Health (HSRPH) programme will be launching new education pathways to enhance professional capabilities in this key research area.
Professor Marcus Ong, Director of the Health Services Research & Population Health Programme (HSRPH) at Duke-NUS, explained:
"We are not just studying problems—we are delivering solutions policymakers can use today to keep care affordable and accessible. More high-quality, technology-driven research in population health and health services is urgently needed to inform policies and bring about faster, easier and more affordable access to healthcare."
To cultivate the next generation of population health researchers, HSRPH is also reviewing its education offerings and plans to offer new postgraduate programmes in Population and Health Services Research. These specialised programmes will equip clinicians and healthcare professionals with advanced technological tools while honing their skills in emerging areas such as health technology and economic assessment. It will also allow them to tap into a nationwide network of clinicians and researchers to foster collaboration and empower them to effect change in healthcare policies and strategies.
Professor Nicholas Graves, Deputy Director of the HSRPH Programme at Duke-NUS and lead in designing the new postgraduate offerings, said,
"We need professionals who can harness technology, drive innovation and work seamlessly with health systems. Our new specialised programmes will grow a dynamic talent pool, cultivating expertise in emerging fields such as quantitative analysis and data science, while unlocking fresh pathways for career advancement."
The Programme's new direction will strengthen collaborative efforts between SingHealth and Duke-NUS, bringing together various entities from the SingHealth-Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre and supporting researchers working on population health.
Maximising national health outcomes through collaboration, resource optimisation, and training, this focus on population health will align with Healthier SG, a national initiative by Singapore's Ministry of Health focusing on preventive health.
Professor Thomas Coffman, Dean of Duke-NUS, said,
"To address Singapore's healthcare challenges including its ageing population, the Ministry of Health has emphasised the importance of population health through programs such as Healthier SG. To better align with these efforts and to underscore our commitment, we are re-branding the Health Services Research and Population Health programme positioning Duke-NUS to better contribute to transforming population health across Singapore and around the world."
As Singapore rolls out Healthier SG, the sharpened focus on population health at Duke-NUS ensures that policy-makers and hospitals have access to evidence-based, scalable, and cost-effective solutions. This is in line with the School's ambition to help Singaporeans live longer, healthier lives while strengthening the nation's position as a global leader in medical education, biomedical research, and healthcare innovation.
[1] https://www.singhealth.com.sg/news/healthtech/singhealth-charts-the-way-for-real-time-applications-of-digital-twin-technology-as-early-testing-shows-potential-benefits-in-healthcare-settings
Provided by Duke-NUS Medical School
