GPs being trained to treat paediatric patients with milder conditions under new programme by KKH, NUH

SINGAPORE: General practitioners (GPs) are being better trained to treat children with mild to moderate conditions under a new programme meant to divert less urgent cases away from two public paediatric emergency departments.

Training for the initiative called PaedsENGAGE includes approaches to paediatric conditions such as abdominal pain, breathlessness, and common eye, ear, nose and throat conditions.

The doctors will be certified after completing a training course designed by the KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) and National University Hospital (NUH), the hospitals said in a media statement on Tuesday (Jul 11).

Since April, about 300 doctors have been trained.

At Children’s Emergency, priority is given based on the severity of patients’ conditions, and not on a first-come, first-served basis, the statement said.

Children with life-threatening conditions are attended to first, and those assessed to have less severe ailments may have to wait longer for their turn. Common ailments include symptoms such as fever, cough, vomiting, diarrhoea, minor injuries and rashes, the statement added.

Speaking to CNA’s Singapore Tonight, KKH’s Emergency Medicine department head Associate Professor Sashikumar Ganapathy said that the partnership, which extends the hospitals’ reach, ensures that a child receives appropriate timely treatment while also getting an assessment on whether a trip to the children's emergency is really necessary.

MANY DO NOT NEED EMERGENCY CARE

His hospital sees about 15,000 paediatric emergency cases every month on average while the number is at 3,800 for NUH, Assoc Prof Sashikumar noted.

“A large number of children who come to our children's emergencies are found to have very common ailments that do not really require emergency care,” he said, adding that the programme is meant to ensure that a child who really needs such care can be attended to as soon as possible.

“Time is especially crucial for those who come to our children's emergency with life-threatening conditions. If we are able to give them immediate treatment, it can actually save their lives.”

Assoc Prof Sashikumar, who is also a senior consultant, added that children with mild to moderate symptoms who go to the private doctors will experience a shorter waiting time and receive appropriate treatment and medication, which can help ease their discomfort even sooner.

“Parents and caregivers are strongly encouraged to visit participating PaedsENGAGE GPs rather than coming directly to the children's emergency,” he said.

“It's pretty understandable that parents and caregivers may feel very anxious and concerned when their child is ill or is experiencing pain after an injury. But if you have a GP near you … they could be our go-to for symptoms that are mild or moderate,” he added.

FOLLOW-UP WITH GP

To ensure continuity of care, children who are referred to KKH or NUH’s Children’s Emergency by PaedsENGAGE GPs will be referred back to the same GP for follow-ups where required, the hospitals said in the statement.

“In doing so, GPs will have a better understanding of the child’s medical history, and they will be able to play a bigger role in supporting the child’s healthcare needs as the child grows up,” they added.

Paediatric patients who are referred to KKH or NUH Children’s Emergency by PaedsENGAGE GPs will receive a S$50 subsidy on attendance fees.

Dr Jasmine Ho, consultant in the Children’s Emergency at the Khoo Teck Puat – National University Children’s Medical Institute at NUH, told CNA’s Singapore Tonight that the programme also aims to improve the overall knowledge of paediatric conditions in the community.

Any GP is welcome to join the initiative and the eventual aim is to include all private doctors in the programme “so that we can have stronger ties with our GPs to deliver better care”, Dr Ho said.