Transforming Acute Care Ecosystem (TACE)
30 January 2026
Project Categories
Care Continuum
Care Process & Redesign
Platform
National Healthcare Innovation and Productivity Medals
Cluster
National Healthcare Group
By bolstering intermediate care in the community and establishing a comprehensive ecosystem for managing acute care in the. TACE is transforming the landscape of acute care delivery in Singapore, promoting efficient resource utilization and empowering.
Year Submitted: 2025
Published Date: 30 January 2026
Tags: Care Process ＆ Redesign, Productivity, Cost Saving, Quality Improvement, Workflow Redesign, Care Continuum, Acute Care
About this Content
Aims
By bolstering intermediate care in the community and establishing a comprehensive ecosystem for managing acute care in the North, TACEs primary objective is to change the pre-existing healthcare-seeking behaviour of the patient group, who are accustomed to the accessibility and convenience of a one-stop comprehensive care facility, usually the ED.
Background
In Singapore, Emergency Departments are chronically overburdened with non-emergencies, as these cases generally make up almost half of ED attendances. This issue is likely exacerbated by individuals struggling to accurately assess the severity of their conditions and limited awareness of available care site options.
Methods
TACE comprises of 3 key initiatives: Primary Care Partnership office (PCPO), Urgent Care Centre (UCC), and NurseFirst Helpline. These initiatives aim to strengthen right-siting of care, decentralize urgent care, and provide care navigation.
Results
Since Sep 2020, TACE has successfully managed 3,939 UCC Referrals and 8,107 ED Referrals via GPFirst, indicative of a substantial reduction in ED visits. UCC@Admiralty has attended to 48,000 patients, with a less than 10% referral rate to the ED. NurseFirst has handled 10,000 calls since November 2021, with 64% triaged away from the ED.
Local GPs are actively encouraged to locum for skills update and enhancement, as well as understanding the available support. This encouragement has led to an increased number of referrals to the UCC.
Conclusion
TACE is transforming the landscape of acute care delivery in Singapore, promoting efficient resource utilization and empowering patients to access appropriate care in the community.
Lessons Learnt
Challenges faced in establishing the initiatives in a turbulent time had shown that collaborating with like-minded cross-institutional partners and engaging multiple stakeholders was crucial in navigating these challenges
Keywords
acute care, community healthcare, urgent care, cost-effective, resource utilization
Innovators' Details
Innovators' Details
Healthcare Cluster(s) | National Healthcare Group |
Organization(s) Involved | Woodlands Health |
Platform(s) | National Healthcare Innovation and Productivity Medals |
Healthcare Professional Group(s) | Healthcare Administration, Medical, Nursing |
Applicable Specialty or Discipline | Healthcare Administrators, Facilities Management, Operations, Medical, Emergency Medicine, Nursing, Nursing Research |
Project Lead(s) | Mohan Tiru |
Project Member(s) | Daryl Tam |
Connect with this contributor!
Mohan Tiru - Mohan_tiru@wh.com.sg
Project Attachment
663_WH_NHIP_2024_Transforming_Acute_Care_Ecosystem_TACE.pdf (opens in new tab)