The Integrated Medicine program is the largest program in Alexandra Hospital (AH) and is organised around the core of Internal Medicine. We believe in the IGH model of care and deliver patient-centred, integrated and holistic care through our One Care Team in our inpatient and outpatient services. The program is helmed by the twelve specialties of Internal Medicine. These include:
The specialty-specific services can be found in their individual webpages.
Inpatient wards cater to patients who are acutely unwell with urgent care needs and require inpatient admission including critical care and dialysis. The inpatient care team facilitates a seamless transition of care for patients, as they progress from acute inpatient care to subacute care and ultimately rehabilitative care. Throughout their journey in the hospital, they are managed by one dedicated care team, ensuring continuity and consistent support.
Inpatient care under this program is specially planned such that various levels of care intensity for a patient are integrated with minimal transfers between facilities and care teams. Wherever possible, patients' bed and ward remain the same during their stay at the hospital, while the level of care intensity may vary, depending on the progress of their medical condition. In this way, we ensure a more efficient care process that streamlines their journey to wellness.
Each patient is under the care of a multidisciplinary team, comprising a doctor, nurse, therapist, pharmacist, care coordinator and medical social worker where necessary. The team provides holistic care to the patient, tailored to his/her unique biomedical and psychosocial needs. The same team will manage a seamless transition from acute care to rehabilitative services as well. Through our comprehensive approach, we ensure that the patient's recovery is smooth and hassle free.
The I-Care Clinic provides the specialist outpatient services under Integrated Medicine program. It focuses on specialised outpatient care for patients with complex diseases and multiple chronic medical conditions. We aim to provide accessible, cost effective and integrated diagnostic and treatment plans to help patients manage chronic medical diseases, delay disease progression and improve patient outcomes. We also strongly believe in empowering our patients and actively engaging patients in self-management.
The I-Care Clinic is a comprehensive suite of specialist outpatient clinics where the twelve specialties operate to serve the ambulatory patients. Depending on specialty, the location of clinics may be in Clinic J/K or Cocoon building.
An I-Care Clinic centres care around the patient. A patient, who would otherwise see multiple doctors across different care settings for multiple conditions, is managed holistically by One Principal Doctor, who co-ordinates and delivers patient care by the One Care team of other specialists, nurses and allied health providers.
The model is envisioned to tackle the nation's rapidly aging population with growing chronic diseases burden and care fragmentation. To enable the model, we embrace the generalist-led, specialist-supported approach where every doctor practises on top of their licence as a specialist, and is concurrently well-versed with the management of the breadth of general medicine conditions.
Following the principles of IGH model, the 3 key features of the I-Care Clinic are:
We receive referrals from the polyclinics, general and specialist practitioners as well as internally from AH inpatient services, surgical services and Urgent Care Centre. Under NUHS, our programme has built strong links with our primary care in National University Polyclinics (NUP), Primary Care Network (PCN), Regional Health System Primary Care Network / Family Physician) as well as the community care teams to provide seamless and accessible care in the western cluster.
Key Services provided by Integrated Medicine Program
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