Ensuring 24/7 Care Together

At the Bed Management Unit (BMU) of the Changi General Hospital (CGH) Emergency Department (ED), one of the busiest in the country, a team of patient service associates led by Patient Service Associate Executive Norfadhila Binte Abdul Rahman works conscientiously round the clock to coordinate care and ensure that admitted patients get settled in the correct ward promptly.

“There are about 1,000 beds in the hospital, and specialised wards for patients with different conditions. Our role is to coordinate with the different ward teams to free up beds, transfer stable patients, and make space for newly admitted patients to receive the care they need,” explains Norfadhila.

“To ensure smooth, safe and timely patient transfers, we constantly communicate with and rely on the guidance of our clinical colleagues in the wards and ED.”

– Norfadhila Binte Abdul Rahman
Patient Service Associate Executive,
ED Operations

This may seem routine, but any miscommunication can affect patient flow, and every effort can make a real difference in someone's care.

“Sometimes, when we book a bed for a patient, the relatives are very thankful because they can visit as the patient receives the required care. It gives us a sense of satisfaction to know that we have tried our best,” says Norfadhila.

When admissions are high, BMU’s role becomes even more critical. That is why Norfadhila and her team participates regularly in hospital-wide exercises organised by Senior Manager Tan Lee Ting and the Crisis Planning and Operations team to simulate how beds can be freed up quickly to support patient transfers, helping to test if emergency plans hold up under pressure.

“Emergency preparedness and readiness is a cycle. We plan for different emergency or crisis scenarios, validate them through drills and exercises, and adjust and refine based on lessons learned,” explains Lee Ting.

“Patient care comes first, and we want to make sure colleagues know what to do in times of crisis, so that we can manage any situations while maintaining smooth hospital operations.”

The trainings are designed to be rigorous. For example, Lee Ting’s team conducts training to prepare colleagues for handling patients who have been exposed to chemicals. Her colleagues learn to put on protective suits to safely decontaminate these patients before they are sent to the ED for treatment, protecting ED staff and the wider hospital from chemical exposure.

Lee Ting and her team also organises tabletop exercises that bring colleagues together to talk through possible scenarios, test communication channels, and align responses, strengthening the ability to act quickly and decisively as one CGH when it matters most.

“We ensure 24/7 care through good internal coordination and support during planning and crisis response. I'm particularly proud that our work allows the clinical team to concentrate on patient care. This gives me a very strong sense of purpose in contributing to healthcare services at CGH.”

– Tan Lee Ting
Senior Manager,
Crisis and Planning Operations

Meanwhile, Senior Project Manager Lydiawati Ahmat and the Facilities Development (FD) team ensures the hospital is able to sustainably provide 24/7 care to patients through the planning and development of hospital facilities and spaces, managing renovation works within the live hospital environment from end to end.

To meet the healthcare demands of Singapore’s ageing population, the hospital is embarking on works to transform the hospital campus, expanding capacity and enhancing care facilities. Lydiawati works with architects, engineers, contractors and colleagues to ensure the renovated facilities can enable the delivery of patient care.

“I work with the various teams to help identify the critical workflows, patient flows, safety concerns, and operational constraints that must be considered in the project schedule and phasing because some renovation works are carried out in phases,” shares Lydiawati. This includes spatial planning, systems integration and diversion, and for bulky medical equipment, hoisting these devices to higher floors.

“We have to plan the works carefully to maintain a safe hospital environment. There must be enough backup capacity and facilities that are operational, works must adhere to safety and infection control standards, and any downtime is minimised to avoid disrupting patient care and operations.”

– Lydiawati Ahmat
Senior Project Manager,
Facilities Development

Though their roles differ, Norfadhila, Lee Ting and Lydiawati all emphasise the importance of collaboration.

“Maintaining good relationships with internal and external stakeholders is very important. Having close relationships with people from different teams and departments allows for more flexibility and helps us get work done quickly. When I see my completed projects, it makes me proud knowing that I have provided comfortable facilities for the best patient care,” Lydiawati adds.

Together, Norfadhila, Lee Ting and Lydiawati exemplify how CGH’s commitment to 24/7 care extends far beyond the clinical frontlines. Through their collaborative efforts, they ensure that every patient receives timely, quality care in an environment designed for healing. Their dedication reminds us that healthcare is truly a team effort, where every role contributes to the shared mission of providing the best care for our patients.

Read how Norfadhila and the BMU team ensures safe and efficient patient tranfers through strong collaboration and communication here.