1965 Medical Unit III under Dr Gwee Ah Leng
Our department began as Medical Unit III (MU III) with several luminous physicians helming and driving its general medicine care.
1971 Department of Medicine III under Professor Seah Cheng Siang
As the nation developed and grew, so did the workload in the Singapore General Hospital. MU III was re-named to the Department of Medicine III, under the late Professor Datuk Seah Cheng Siang, to reflect the growing patient load and needs of the hospital.
Professor Seah was a well-respected, master clinician of his time, even in an era with little computer technology and imaging know-how. He was well-known for his strict discipline and high standards required of his team at ward rounds, grand rounds and in the way he led the department. He held many titles and positions of office in his career as a doctor and physician, but most of all, he is recognized as the founding father of Gastroenterology in Singapore. Although clinical work was his passion, teaching was a close contender ---- medical students and junior staff trained by him were invariably inspired and motivated as doctors.
1991 Department of Medicine III under Professor Ng Han Seong
1995 Department of Gastroenterology under Professor Ng Han Seong
Professor Ng Han Seong led the department for the next 13 years, from strength to strength, building on the foundation laid by his mentor the late Professor Seah Cheng Siang. The Department of Medicine III’s strong interest and focus in the specialty of Gastroenterology led it to be re-named the Department of Gastroenterology in 1995.
Professor Ng, an astute clinician and exceptional teacher has authored numerous scientific papers, edited and co-edited numerous book chapters and books and has delivered countless lectures both locally and internationally. He has held many appointments in his career and was past president of the Gastroenterological Society of Singapore as well as a founding member of the Asia-Pacific Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. He has won many awards in recognition of his contribution to medical care, the latest being the National Outstanding Clinician Mentor Award 2009.
The department started the hospital’s nutrition support services in 1991, providing enteral and parenteral nutrition for malnourished patients. Recognising that a significant proportion of such patients were not bedbound, the service quickly evolved to supporting such ambulatory patients with home parenteral nutrition as well.
2004 Department of Gastroenterology under Associate Professor Chow Wan Cheng
2006 Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology under Associate Professor Chow Wan Cheng
The formation of Singapore General Hospital’s liver transplant service was spear-headed by the Department of Gastroenterology in 2004. It is a multi-disciplinary team which provides comprehensive medical care and counseling from the potential liver transplant candidate to the post-liver transplant recipient or living donor.
In 2006, the department was re-named the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology to better reflect its strengths and interest in liver diseases.
In 2006, the department recognized the need for its growing pool of inflammatory bowel disease patients to receive seamless care for their chronic disease. Under the initiative of Associate Professor Ooi Choon Jin, Singapore’s first Inflammatory Bowel Disease Centre was set up in collaboration with other specialists and allied health staff to provide a comprehensive service for such patients.
In 2006, the Liver Transplant service performed both its first cadaveric Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA) liver transplant, and its first living donor liver transplant.
In 2007, first in South-East Asia to perform Fibroscans®
the department was the first in Singapore and South-East Asia to perform Fibroscans® for its liver patients as a non-invasive means to assess liver fibrosis.
By 2009, provided most comprehensive small bowel endoscopic
The department provided the most comprehensive small bowel endoscopic evaluations in Singapore, with specialists trained in single-balloon, double-balloon, Spirus® and wireless capsule endoscopies.
In 2010, the hospital’s Liver Transplant service performed Asia’s first combined heart-liver transplant.
Apart from general gastroenterology and general hepatology clinics, our department also provides care in sub-specialty clinics of specific areas of interests including:
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease clinic (for Crohn’s or Ulcerative Colitis)
- Nutrition clinic (for malnourished patients requiring enteral / parenteral nutrition or patients with feeding tubes)
- Interferon clinic (for chronic viral hepatitis patients on interferon treatment)
- Portal Hypertension clinic (for patients with advanced liver cirrhosis and complex portal hypertension complications)
- Liver transplant clinic (for patients on the transplant waiting list or who have had a liver transplant)
- Drug-induced Liver Injury clinic (for patients with suspected / established hepatotoxicity)