Fundamentals of Systems Thinking in Healthcare
Programme Information
Date: 28 & 29 November 2024, Thursday & Friday
Time: 8.30am – 6.00pm (SGT)
Venue: MD1 Tahir Foundation Building, National University of Singapore (map)
Overview
Health systems are large complex adaptive systems. Leaders of health systems and healthcare organisations such as hospitals and its related organisations and industries are constantly under pressure to ensure patient safety and quality, integrate better with other service providers including in the social and community sectors, and improve outcomes, value and sustainability.
When confronted by large socially and technologically complex systems, with things you are dissatisfied and anxious to fix, you cannot just step in and set about fixing them with much hope of helping. Good intentions alone are insufficient. Without the right approaches and tools, we often end up making it worse, and this is one of the sore discouragements of our time.
Systems Thinking (ST) is a philosophy and discipline of thinking about structural and interdependent causes of conditions and consequences of actions. Skilled application of ST and its many tools in healthcare promises to help stewards of health and healthcare systems increase their personal leadership effectiveness, as well as accelerate the changes they want to make and attain better outcomes for people and populations under their charge.
Learning Objectives
This course will enable participants to apply systems thinking to define and understand health systems and healthcare services design and delivery, analyse causes and constraints of current gaps and limitations, and identify high-impact improvement opportunities and solutions. Specific learning objectives include:
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- Seeing Systems: Learn ST as a new language to individually and/or collectively reflect, appreciate and discuss about our own health systems and services.
- Understanding Systems: Harness commonly used frameworks and models to understand the patterns and behaviours of health systems and services.
- Working with Systems: Embody and prescribe more effective actions and interventions in your health systems and services that optimise outcomes while minimising unexpected and undesirable side effects or consequences of your actions.
Who Should Attend?
Healthcare practitioners, managers and executives seeking to improve skills for integrated care, value-based care, or health system transformation.
Certification
An electronic Certificate of Completion will be awarded to participants who passed all assessments and meet a minimum requirement of 70% attendance rate.
Pre-requisites
A minimum requirement of a bachelor’s degree and/or two years’ work experience.
Course Instructor

Dr Ng Yeuk Fan
Director & Head of Corporate Development, Yishun Health & Khoo Teck Puat Hospital; Adjunct Associate Professor, NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health
View his full profile here.
Course Fee
| Category | Subsidy available | Fee Payable after subsidy* |
| International Participant | – | S$2376.20 |
| Singapore Citizen aged 39 years & below/Permanent Resident | SSG Funding | S$712.86 |
| Singapore Citizen aged 40 years & above | SSG Funding & Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy | S$276.86 |
| Singapore Citizen / Permanent Resident Sponsored by SMEs | SSG Funding & Enhanced Training Support for SMEs | S$276.86 |
Remarks:
The University reserves the right to review and adjust the course fees and make changes to the programme structure and requirements as necessary and accordingly without prior notice.
*Prices stated above are inclusive of 9% GST.Â
SSG Funding Requirements
- This is a SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) approved course. As part of SSG funding requirements, participants must attain at least 70% attendance rate and pass all assessment(s) to successfully receive the certificate. Participants of the SSG-approved course should adhere to the fee payment timeline of 60 days from the course start date.
- Individuals or Organisations will be liable to pay the full course fees in the event that learners fail to meet the attendance/ assessment requirements and the other terms and conditions for SSG funding eligibility.
Application
- Application closes on 08 November 2024 OR when the application is full.
- CME & CPE points pending approval.
- For more information on this course, please contact us at sph_cpe@nus.edu.sg.
Cancellation
- Cancellation is permissible if conveyed to the course administrator in writing via email before 08 November 2024.
- Substitution with another participant is permissible.
- Please inform the course administrator in writing via email, and provide the name and details of the substitute by 08Â November 2024.
- The School reserves the right to cancel the course and fully refund the fees in the event of unforeseen circumstances.
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