Tan Tock Seng Hospital welcomes new CEO Tang Kong Choong

New CEO outlines strategic healthcare improvements and innovation at TTSH.

Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) has welcomed its new Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Tang Kong Choong, who has succeeded Professor Eugene Fidelis Soh. With the hospital celebrating its 180th anniversary, Tang is poised to implement a transformative agenda under the hospital’s 2030 strategy.

"As the new CEO, I'm really coming in to carry on the good work of the hospital," Dr. Tang stated, emphasising his commitment to building on the hospital's legacy and preparing it for future challenges. 

He outlined several innovative projects, including the development of the TTSH Medical 3D Printing Center, which aims to improve patient and surgeon preparedness for medical procedures by using precise 3D models of patient organs.

In discussing his strategic focus, Dr. Tang highlighted the dual need to address current high workloads and to develop new capabilities for future healthcare demands. "We want to address the current concerns associated with a high workload that we are facing. And secondly, we want to develop new capabilities and capacities for the future," he explained. 

This includes the recent introduction of an integrated care hub that has added 600 beds to the HealthCity Novena campus, significantly enhancing the hospital’s capacity to bridge care from the acute setting to community and home-based rehabilitation.

Under Dr. Tang’s leadership, TTSH aims to become a leader in research and innovation, working in collaboration with prestigious institutions such as the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine and Nanyang Technological University.

Addressing broader industry challenges, Dr. Tang recognized the issues of rising healthcare costs and demands associated with an ageing population, as well as workforce challenges exacerbated by the pandemic. His strategy involves substantial changes in job design and the utilisation of data and emerging technologies like generative AI to enhance operational efficiency and reduce administrative burdens on clinical staff.

"We are looking at areas such as job redesign, we need to make use of data to help us to deliver care better, and to tap on established and emerging technologies, especially generative AI, to help us do things better," Dr. Tang detailed. He emphasised the goal of developing a more flexible, adaptive, and engaged workforce capable of meeting increasing demands.