A Celebration of Rehabilitation Medicine’s 50th Anniversary #RehabSG50
2023 marks a milestone for the specialty of rehabilitation medicine in Singapore. The early champions of the importance of rehabilitation in the recovery process in many disabling conditions included a medical luminary and pioneer in the field of orthopaedics, Professor N Balachandran, from Singapore General Hospital.
The Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Tan Tock Seng Hospital was established in May 1973, and it was the first dedicated rehabilitation medicine service in Singapore. The year 2023 thus marks the 50th anniversary of the birth of rehabilitation medicine locally. However, it was till much later, in 1998, that rehabilitation medicine became recognized as a distinct medical specialty by the Ministry of Health. Generations of rehabilitation physicians and members of the rehabilitation teams remained steadfast over the years, quietly building on the foundations laid by the pioneers of our specialty, such as Dr Robert Don, Dr Preima Doraisamy, Dr Tan Eng Seng and Dr Oon Chong Hau.
We are proud of our accomplishments in the last 50 years. From a single rehabilitation medicine department in Singapore, rehabilitation medicine services are available in every public acute general hospital. Rehabilitation physicians are also increasingly found in community hospitals and the private sector. Stroke/neurological rehabilitation, amputee rehabilitation, spinal cord injury rehabilitation and traumatic brain injury rehabilitation remain at the core of our clinical practice. In recent years, new services in cancer rehabilitation, prehabilitation, paediatrics rehabilitation, musculoskeletal and pain rehabilitation, and so on have been started. We continue to work closely with doctors from other disciplines, such as orthopaedics, neurosurgery, general surgery, neurology, and paediatrics, to develop new models of care and improve patients’ lives.
Apart from clinical services, rehabilitation physicians are involved in various research fields such as pandemic rehabilitation, systems of care, telerehabilitation, rehabilitation technology, etc. This is made possible only by contributions from multiple members of the multidisciplinary rehabilitation team.
This year-long celebration will involve rehabilitation physicians, doctors from other disciplines, nurses and allied health professionals, and of course, at the centre of what we do, our patients. We have events planned for the entire year, including smaller co-celebratory events at institutions, a Summit meeting, and a celebratory dinner on the 3rd of December.
The Summit will be in conjunction with RehabWeek 2023, held in Singapore from the 24th to the 28th of September. RehabWeek is an international event that brings together different players in rehabilitation technology to foster the cross-pollination of ideas. The Society of Rehabilitation Medicine (Singapore) will be one of the supporting societies of RehabWeek 2023. We hope to discuss contemporary topics on the horizon, such as the use of big data in rehabilitation outcomes in the setting of One Rehab, precision rehabilitation, trending research and interprofessional education.
Let us come together to celebrate the present as we reminisce about the past. Most importantly, we must continue to innovate and define our future ahead. #RehabSG50
Drs Wee Tze Chao and Effie Chew
Co-chairs, RehabSG50
The logo
“This design is conceptualised to celebrate the 50th anniversary of rehabilitation medicine in Singapore. The number “50” is stylised to show an individual in a wheelchair, and the wings represent recovery and freedom of movement. The design is inspired by a mythical bird known for cyclically rising from its ashes, which is befitting the theme: Reminiscing the Past, Celebrating the Present and Defining the Future.”
Key dates
25/9/23 – 27/9/23: CARE Summit (in collaboration with RehabWeek 2023)
Commemorating 50 Years of Rehabilitation Medicine – Reminiscing the Past; Celebrating the Present; Defining the Future
3/12/23 – Celebratory dinner