At NCS, resourcefulness was needed to deploy tech solutions

Singapore

ALTHOUGH the Integrated Health Information Systems (IHiS) approached NCS to help with computing needs, the latter's role at the Singapore Expo's community care facility (CCF) involved not just technology, but everyday resourcefulness too. This included sourcing for materials to build kiosks that would have been challenging to find during the circuit breaker.

As NCS healthcare sector lead Jim Lim put it: "Innovation need not be high-tech all the time."

With so many health monitoring devices in use, there was a high demand for fixing or replacing faulty ones - but a limited number of ICT personnel. Every entry into the "red zone" also meant a risk of infection.

Within three days, IHiS - Singapore's health tech agency - came up with Telehealth on Wheels, and developed a prototype supported by NCS. This involved Ikea tables, to which they affixed wheels. Medical devices were mounted to tables, allowing them to be shuttled around easily and safely.

Mr Lim said the idea to prototype was accomplished in three days. A total of 200 Telehealth on Wheels kiosks were created over the next few weeks by IHiS, NCS and a group of volunteers. 

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This was one example of how NCS went beyond its initial role to augment IHiS' efforts in providing ICT support, programming, data entry and integration services.

Said Mr Lim: "It soon became clearer to us - our goal was to reduce labour efforts and risks of contamination and infection by deploying tech solutions."

For instance, to replace manual data entry for patient records - thus reducing reliance on human resources and lowering infection risks - IHiS developed a robotic process automation programme and NCS supported in the data feed and reconciliation.

To track the many devices used across the CCF, NCS also put in place remote mobile device management.

After an initial "courage squad" of five engineers who answered the first call for volunteers on Good Friday, two more squads of five were formed in the following days.

These 15 members, ranging in age from their twenties to late forties, worked nine- to 10-hour shifts each day from April to November in the CCF. Beyond the CCF, NCS helped to set up similar monitoring systems in worker dormitories, providing video cameras and thermal scanners. It also provided thermal scanners to eldercare centres, and to Tan Tock Seng Hospital for a trial period.

Said Mr Lim: "At NCS, we have always believed in using tech for good, and we were really privileged to be able to use our experience and expertise in the ICT sector for this very good cause."

Amendment note: An earlier version of the article, based on an interview with NCS, did not mention Integrated Health Information Systems (IHiS). The article has been amended to reflect the role of IHiS in deploying technology at the CCF, aided by NCS.

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