Singapore

Country: Singapore
City: Singapore

IHTC:
Singapore General Hospital Haemophilia Centre
Department of Haematology
Outram Road
Singapore 169608

Director: Tien Sim Leng
Responsible for training: Tien Sim Leng
Fellowship logistics coordinator:

Year of IHTC designation: 2002

Areas of specialty: General hemophilia care; orthopedic surgery; physiotherapy; dental; laboratory diagnosis (not genetics); genetic diagnosis; psychology; social work.

DESCRIPTION OF TRAINING PROGRAM

Clinical activities: Our centre provides care to more than 250 patients with hemophilia and more than 100 patients wtih rare inherited coagulation disorders. We offer a walk-in clinic assisted by a full-time nurse specialist and operate a hotline during office hours. Emergency after-office hours treatment is available at our Accident & Emergency Deparment. A significant proportion of our hemophilia patients is trained to administer home treatment, mainly with viral-inactivated plasma-derived factor concentrates. Recombinant factor VIIa is available for treating hemophilia A patients with a high level of inhibitors. The National Haemophilia Registry is situated at our hemophilia centre, which provides a ready source of patients; data and other relevant information.

Our current clinical research activities include studying molecular genetics of our local hemophilia patients, treatment of hepatitis C haemophilia patients with combination alpha-interferon and ribavirine as well as evaluating the effectiveness of radioisotope synovectomy fro hemophilia paties with target joint haemarthrosis.

Laboratory activities/research: The centre is supported by our reference coagulation laboratory, a molecular laboratory and a hospital blood bank situated on-site. They offer quality control, diagnostic and management investigations for both inherited and acquired bleeding and thrombotic disorders. Pre-natal diagnosis and counselling are also available. We are also supported by the Centre for Transfusion Medicine under the Health Sciences Authoirty of Singapore.

Multidisciplinary activities/research: We provide comprehensive multi-disciplinary hemophilia care with collaborative management from orthopaedics, dental, gastro-enterology, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, physiotherapy and social services departments.

Additional information: Our haematology laboratory, coagulation laboratory, and hospital blood bank participate regularly in the College of American Pathology (CAP) Quality Survey Programme and the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) Quality Survey. We are accredited by our local licensing body, Ministry of Health and the ISO 900/14000.

DESCRIPTION OF IHTC FACILITIES

Location: We are located in the heart of Singapore.
Climate: Tropical climate, warm throughout the year. Temperatures range from 22-38 degrees Celsius.
Accommodation (residence, meals, etc...): There are hospital hostels available at relativley low cost. Rentals of apartments in the vicinity of the hospital can also be arranged. Food is available in abundance and variety, both within and outside the hospital campus.
Transportation: There is easy access by both public and private transport modalities, including bus, taxis and the mass-rapid-transit (MRT) line.
Language: Most staff are proficient in English, which is our working language, and respective native tongue, i.e. Mandarin, Malay or Tamil.
Financial assistance: Dependent on WFH funds. Other limited assistance evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Cost of living (per week): 300 USD
Communications tools for trainees: Computer, Internet access.
Other local support provided for trainees:

RELEVANT PUBLICATIONS BY IHTC STAFF

Singapore National Haemophilia Registry. Tien SL, Ho Lillie, Ho LP. XXIII International Congress of the World Federation of Hemophilia at Hague, Netherlands, 17-22 May 1998.

Study of Factor IX gene polymorphisms in Singapore population. Tien SL, Anisah, Lim LC et al. 34th Singapore Malaysia Congress of Medicine / Combined Hospitals Medical & Dental Scientific Meeting at Singapore, 4-6 August 2000.

Hepatitis C infection in Haemophilia patients at Singapore General Hospital. Tien SL, Ho Lillie, Ho LP et al. XXV International Congress of the World Federation of Hemophilia at Seville, Spain, 19-23 May 2002.