Josie Liow

Ms Josie Liow
Mentor, SingHealth Patient Advocacy Network (SPAN)
SingHealth

Ms Josie Liow is a dedicated caregiver to her daughter, who was on the Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD mechanical heart pump) for more than eight years before her heart transplant in 2021. To care for her daughter, Josie made the profound decision to quit her job as a regional director, committing herself fully to working alongside the healthcare team to achieve the best possible outcome. Her unwavering dedication was recognised with the Singapore Health Inspirational Caregiver Award in 2014.

As Mentor of the SingHealth Patient Advocacy Network (SPAN), Josie actively represents the voice of patients and caregivers through initiatives aimed at improving care quality. She was previously invited to share perspectives at SGH Advance, Singapore General Hospital's biennial management retreat, where her insights helped shape the envisioned concepts of tomorrow's hospital. She also co-led and presented the survey on "Concerns of Patients and Caregivers through COVID-19" to SingHealth senior management, ensuring that the patient and caregiver voice was heard at the highest levels during one of healthcare's most challenging periods.

Beyond these initiatives, Josie regularly shares her caregiving journey with healthcare professionals across various platforms, contributing to staff education and fostering a deeper understanding of the patient and caregiver experience.3.

Presentation Synopsis
HM 14 - Choosing Wisely with Patients and Caregivers

In healthcare, more is not always better, but neither is less. Unnecessary tests and treatments can delay care, cause anxiety, and burden patients and caregivers without improving outcomes. At the same time, underuse of appropriate care can leave patients without the support they truly need. Choosing Wisely is part of a global movement that encourages thoughtful, evidence-based decision-making that puts patients first.
This session explores what Choosing Wisely means in practice – not as a cost-cutting initiative, but as a commitment to delivering care that truly matters. Through real examples, we will examine how addressing both overuse and underuse of care can meaningfully improve patient and caregiver outcomes and experience: from reducing avoidable waiting time, to ensuring patients receive the right care at the right time.
We will open with an introduction to Choosing Wisely, followed by a panel discussion with patients, caregivers, and clinicians on what shared decision-making looks like on the ground. We hope to build a culture of thoughtful decision-making, where clinicians and patients are empowered to make care decisions together.

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