Polyclinic patients can receive real-time SMS notification of their negative COVID-19 test results

2 mins

MEDIA RELEASE

Polyclinic patients can receive SMS notification and acknowledge receipt of results, immediately after their COVID-19 tests return negative from laboratories

1. Monday, 4 May 2020 – As part of efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19, Singapore extended testing to all polyclinics and selected GP clinics. Patients who are tested positive remain the priority for prompt transportation for immediate attention at relevant facilities. As test volume grows, there is also interest to improve the capture and notification of the majority of patients who test negative.

2. MOH Office for Healthcare Transformation (MOHT), together with Integrated Health Information Systems (IHiS), developed iConnect.COVID to better manage test results using automation for COVID-19 swab tests done at polyclinics. iConnect.COVID enables clinicians to register patients seamlessly with automated (1) patient registration (2) swab test results management and (3) negative results notification.

3. When a test result is finalised by NHG Diagnostics or SingHealth Labs, they are matched to the relevant record in iConnect.COVID. For positive cases, healthcare institutions will be alerted and transport will be arranged to convey the infected patient to the relevant facilities promptly. For negative results, an automated SMS will be sent to the patient immediately. Patients can click on the link attached within the SMS message to acknowledge receipt. This closed-loop function allows patients to receive accurate information and providers are notified of their receipt of information.

4. iConnect.COVID obviates the need for manual entry of test cases using spreadsheets, emails and phone calls. This helps to reduce the stress and workload of our frontline healthcare workers.

5. iConnect.COVID launched across all National University Polyclinics (NUP) polyclinics in April 2020.

6. Said Dr Lew Yii Jen, Chief Executive Officer, NUP: “At a time when polyclinics are working in overdrive to test patients in a bid to stem transmission, consolidating and sharing data accurately, and communicating to patients in a timely manner can be challenging. iConnect.COVID provides us with a secured one-stop platform to enhance care responses for COVID-19, with a portfolio of tools for improved productivity and coordination.”

7. Added Mr Lim Cher Wee, Chief Operating Officer, MOHT: “We are extending iConnect.COVID to other polyclinics. This can contribute to more informed and efficient responses to the current COVID-19 situation.”

8. Future iterations of iConnect.COVID will include enhanced analytics and reporting functions that inform clinical and operations decisions. iConnect.COVID will also be deployed at National Healthcare Group Polyclinics (NHGP) and SingHealth Polyclinics (SHP) by mid May 2020.