As Singapore’s healthcare ecosystem continues to evolve, artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly becoming a key driver of smarter care, enabling a shift from reactive treatment to more predictive, personalised and proactive care.
In this article, Andy Ta, Chief Data Officer and Director of Data Analytics & AI at Synapxe, shares how AI is being thoughtfully integrated into healthcare, and how it is already making a difference to the lives of Singapore residents.
Our vision for an AI-enabled healthcare system
Every day, innovators, engineers and HealthTech professionals across the ecosystem work closely with Synapxe to harness technology in building a more integrated, efficient, and resilient healthcare system. This includes strengthening IT infrastructure, enabling predictive and preventive care, upskilling healthcare professionals, and fostering innovation across public institutions.
Reaching this goal means engaging millions of patients, clinicians and administrators around a shared purpose within a complex and interconnected ecosystem. Many ideas that began as data-driven discussions are now moving into action, shaped by a long-term vision for Singapore and supported by multiple collaborative initiatives. As more of this work is enabled by AI, dependable, scalable and secure data platforms are becoming essential to achieving real progress.
An example of this in action is HEALIX, our cloud-based analytics platform that consolidates and transforms data management across Singapore’s public healthcare institutions. Today, all public healthcare institutions have access to HEALIX, benefiting from consistent and secure data sharing for analytics purposes, while also supporting scalable AI and machine learning initiatives that improve clinical decision-making for public healthcare users.
By empowering healthcare professionals this way, we unlock new possibilities for day-to-day care delivery. Over time, institutions can move beyond reactive treatment models and embrace more proactive, data-informed approaches to population health management.
Enhancing preventive care for early detection
Singapore’s shift towards proactive and preventive care due to its ageing population presents increasing healthcare challenges, such as chronic diseases and complex medical conditions. To address these challenges, technologies such as AI can be embedded directly into clinical workflows, making a tangible impact every day for patients and healthcare professionals. By enabling early detection of chronic diseases and injuries, AI supports timely intervention and more effective treatment plans, helping to manage health risks before they escalate.
“With recent advancements, AI now can make a difference by providing higher quality recommendations, either through better predictions or by identifying patterns that enable clinicians to perform more effectively. Technology should serve only to enhance and enable, and should never be the decision maker.”
Andy Ta, Chief Data Officer and Director of Data Analytics & AI at Synapxe
Two AI innovations that help predict chronic diseases are the Assisted Chronic Disease Explanation using AI (ACE-AI) and the Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) model
ACE-AI was developed by Synapxe to support primary care providers with an objective and standardised way to identify patients with more than 75% chance of being diagnosed with diabetes and hyperlipidaemia within three years. By identifying these high-risk patients before severe symptoms develop, doctors can intervene earlier with personalised lifestyle adjustments or medication, potentially delaying or preventing serious health conditions like strokes and heart attacks. Leveraging deep learning and explainable AI techniques, the AI tool analyses patient health status, calculates risk scores, and offers tailored insights to support doctors in making informed decisions. The tool will soon be rolled out from early 2027, so that primary care providers in both Healthier SG General Practitioner clinics and polyclinic settings can benefit. Another AI tool, the CKD model, was developed in to predict the risk of CKD progression in diabetic patients over the next five years. This serves to help doctors offer more informed advice, enabling early intervention treatment and better disease management to improve patient outcomes.
With AI, clinicians can reimagine care delivery, shifting from reactive treatment to more predictive, personalised and proactive care. This will empower both clinicians and patients by enabling early detection, personalised care, improved patient engagement and enhanced decision-making for better health outcomes.
Boosting productivity for healthcare professionals
AI is doing more than just clinical work; it's fundamentally transforming healthcare by empowering professionals. It addresses a persistent global challenge: the heavy administrative burden that often diverts valuable time and resources away from direct patient care. Through streamlining these tasks, AI allows healthcare workers to dedicate more of their time to what matters most: delivering high-quality care and enhancing the patient experience.
Consider the busy environment of a hospital emergency department, where rapid and accurate patient triaging is critical. AI is proving invaluable here. For instance, several public healthcare institutions are already utilising the AI Medical Imaging Platform (AimSG) to empower radiologists to work with efficiently, intelligently triaging cases and flagging urgent findings for immediate review. Acting as a second pair of eyes, the AI tool enhances diagnostic accuracy and consistency, such as mammography screenings. This dual benefit not only alleviates the strain on our healthcare workforce but also ensures patients receive faster, more precise diagnoses.
Another notable AI tool that helps boost productivity and efficiency for our healthcare workforce is Synapxe Tandem, a secure GenAI platform that simplifies complex information, generates summaries, ideas, and real-time transcripts and meeting notes. For healthcare workers, this provides an efficient and secure platform that prioritises data protection and governance, allowing users to work with confidence and peace of mind.
These are just a few examples, of how Synapxe is collaborating with our healthcare and tech partners. As our teams look to improve the healthcare ecosystem, efficiency gains remain especially important in supporting Singapore’s ageing population. With chronic conditions becoming more prevalent, the ability to do more without compromising quality is critical.
Responsible Innovation
Even as AI’s use in healthcare continues to grow exponentially, we need to ensure that it is being used responsibly. At Synapxe, we promote responsible AI development by aligning our practices with government frameworks and industry standards, ensuring governance and security are integrated from the outset for every AI application. This approach safeguards patient privacy and ensures the ethical use of data. New AI models are evaluated not only for technical performance, but also for their potential to improve outcomes, reduce costs, and align with broader healthcare goals.
“AI can increase system efficiency and has the potential to improve patient outcomes. However, the widespread use of AI also includes inherent risks and ethical concerns, underscoring the importance of safe and responsible design and use.”
Andy Ta, Chief Data Officer and Director of Data Analytics & AI at Synapxe
By embedding these principles at every stage of development, we ensure that our innovation aligns with public expectations and professional standards.
Building a Smarter, Healthier Future Together
As we continue to embrace AI-driven innovation in healthcare, collaboration among all stakeholders remains essential to building a smarter and healthier future for Singapore. By combining cutting-edge technology with responsible development practices, we can empower healthcare professionals, enhance patient care, and create a more resilient healthcare ecosystem.
Together, through shared vision and commitment, we will harness AI’s full potential to transform healthcare delivery, improve outcomes, and ensure that every Singapore resident benefits from an efficient, proactive and patient-centred system.
