04 Nov 2020
The next-generation Tengah Air Base Medical Centre (TAB MC) incorporates pandemic-specific infrastructural and technological features to deliver high quality healthcare services to the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF).
Officially opened by Senior Minister of State for Defence Heng Chee How on 4 November 2020, the TAB MC incorporates technology-enabled efficiency improvements and process re-designs for enhanced patient experience and medical care.
Working with the RSAF, a team from DSTA’s Building and Infrastructure Programme Centre managed the facility’s development, which is designed to support a spectrum of medical operations. Taking lessons learnt from past outbreaks and leveraging design thinking, the team incorporated several pandemic-specific features. These included physical personnel segregation through separate routes that lead straight into isolation rooms, as well as a sheltered driveway and outdoor foyer.
The team also conceptualised and developed a Smart Ventilation System, which taps video content analytics to control airflow based on the number of occupants at the patient waiting area. Different control settings for air pressure and airflow direction are also pre-programmed for various operating scenarios.
Infographic: MINDEF
Modularity is another key characteristic of the TAB MC, where the same space can be converted to serve different functions and purposes. For instance, casualty triage areas can be enlarged in times of need by reconfiguring the indoor waiting area to serve as an additional space for casualties.
“We incorporated inputs from SAF doctors and medics operating in TAB MC to enhance workflows and improve the patient experience. Our team also learnt from past experiences from our visits to other medical and dental centres, which has helped identify good design practices and gaps for improvement,” said Programme Manager (Building and Infrastructure) Tan Wei Jian, who headed the DSTA team.
The medical centre has also been designated as a testbed for innovative concepts aimed at improving healthcare service delivery. It is currently facilitating trials for remote queue management and location pinning to facilitate ambulance dispatch during medical emergencies.
Infographic: MINDEF
“It has been an enriching experience to be part of the TAB MC project, from understanding the operational requirements of medical centres to tailoring the design to suit different operational scenarios and medical contingency situations. Our team has learnt and grown much through this experience,” said Wei Jian.