Royal Philips, a global leader in health technology, announces its strategic collaboration with Singapore General Hospital (SGH) to set up a first-of its-kind Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Training Centre in Singapore. Commencing on December 9, 2024.

The collaboration enhances SGH’s efforts to advance medical imaging education and capabilities through the opening of the training centre to public and private hospitals in Singapore and Asia Pacific (APAC).

Dr Mark Burby, Vice President of Health Systems, Philips APAC said, "This collaboration aligns with Philips’ vision of delivering better care for more people by raising the standards of care delivery. It is also part of our steady commitment to strategically work together with key health system stakeholders to improve the adoption and deepen the understanding of the latest imaging innovations in radiology.

Deepening clinical education and enhancing staff expertise in APAC

As part of the collaboration, two SGH MRI radiographers will undergo Philips Clinical Application Training using a Train-the-Trainer approach. This is Philips’ signature training programme typically for its application specialists. The extensive training program will equip and empower SGH radiographers to then share the latest and in-depth expertise in MR clinical practice with others.

“Our commitment to equipping colleagues with the latest technological advancements and knowledge is reinforced through our collaboration with Philips. It enables us to enhance our capabilities in managing increasingly complex patient conditions, which is crucial in today's healthcare landscape. Moreover, the partnership has the potential to yield positive outcomes not only for Singapore General Hospital but also for healthcare providers across the Asia-Pacific region,” says Associate Professor Andrew Tan, Chairman, Division of Radiological Sciences, SGH. 

Dawn of a new APAC hub for clinical application excellence in MR practice

An MRI Training Centre will also be set up in SGH as an educational hub for other radiographers from across the APAC region. The room is equipped for SGH to facilitate the upskilling of radiographers with the latest MRI clinical applications and host educational workshops, seminars and trainings across the public or private sectors.

SGH will serve as a key reference site for Singapore and overseas healthcare institutions on best practices, workflows, techniques, real-world operations and clinical experiences around the Philips MR ecosystem and technology. This is a significant benefit, given that nearly two in five (37%)  healthcare leaders in Singapore identified other healthcare organizations as a key collaborator in helping to improve healthcare for the patients and communities they serve, according to Philips Future Health Index 2024 Singapore report.

Dr Mark Burby, Vice President of Health Systems, Philips APAC says “Collaborations between healthcare providers and technology innovators such as ourselves are critical to ensure the region’s health systems are maximizing the impact of available innovations to alleviate pain points, expanding patient and staff access to such technology and creating platforms for knowledge and best practice sharing within and across national borders.”