Isaac Teo is a recipient of the Healthcare Merit Award offered by MOH Holdings (MOHH) and holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences with Honours (Highest Distinction) in Social Work from the National University of Singapore (NUS). He is a Senior Medical Social Worker at the Care and Counselling Department of TTSH.
WWhen faced with an illness or injury requiring hospitalisation, patients and their families often find themselves thrust into a whirlwind of difficulties and uncertainties. In these trying times, medical social workers like Isaac Teo emerge as beacons of support, offering invaluable assistance to them as they navigate the journey towards healing and recovery.
Growing up, Isaac often found himself naturally drawn to supporting his friends through their challenges, offering a listening ear and processing their struggles. These experiences led him to understand that while individual efforts can sometimes drive meaningful change, there are circumstances where broader systemic changes are necessary.
“Our family, friends, or even the larger environment around us affect how we experience a difficult situation, and a change in these areas could be the necessary key to a breakthrough,” he said.
This understanding led Isaac to explore career paths that embraced a more holistic approach to helping others.
“Social work stood out among the career options I was considering as it adopts a person-in-environment approach. It acknowledges that we are all affected by the systems around us and that changing these systems can also help to alleviate one’s distress,” he explained.
His path was further solidified during his National Service with the Singapore Civil Defence Force. Witnessing the impact of acute health crises on individuals, he recognised how medical social work could integrate his passion for healthcare with his desire to assist others through a systems-based approach.
Receiving the Healthcare Merit Award offered by MOHH allowed Isaac to secure a career with TTSH and focus on his studies without financial worries.
“The scholarship provided me with early exposure to the healthcare sector, allowing me to contextualise and consolidate my classroom knowledge,” he reflected. “The funds provided through the Scholars’ Development Framework also opened doors for overseas exposure by financing my Student Exchange Programme to South Korea and allowing me to be part of a medical mission trip to the Philippines. These overseas experiences allowed me to better understand different healthcare systems in other parts of the world.”
As a healthcare scholar, Isaac was also given opportunities to participate in dialogues and training sessions, enriching his understanding of Singapore’s healthcare system. This enabled him to take on diverse responsibilities and better assist clients in navigating their challenges.
The unmasked individuals depicted in the photograph are portrayed solely for illustrative purposes in this article.
Support at Every Step
As a Senior Medical Social Worker, Isaac finds deep fulfilment in his interactions with patients and families.
“Although we may not always be able to find a solution, every conversation is an opportunity to bring comfort,” he shared. “I find it rewarding to know that my interaction with a patient or family member, no matter how brief, has given solace, clarity, and assurance that they are not alone in their battle.”
His daily responsibilities encompass a wide spectrum of tasks aimed at addressing biological, psychological, social, and spiritual needs to support patients and families who face issues arising from illnesses or sudden traumatic injuries.
“This translates to conducting assessments and rendering relevant assistance to alleviate financial barriers to healthcare, providing psycho-emotional support to patients and families, and formulating discharge and care plans according to an individual’s resources and care needs,” he elaborated.
One of Isaac’s key responsibilities involves collaborating with community partners to formulate holistic discharge care plans, ensuring a smooth transition from hospital to home for his patients.
Reflecting on a poignant case, Isaac recalled an elderly patient admitted to the hospital after a fall. Unlike previous admissions, his wife could not continue caring for him on his discharge as she had fallen ill herself, and the family was stressed over the multiple health crises and breakdown in care.
“As the doctors, nurses and various allied health professionals provided assessments of the patient’s condition, I helped the family to consolidate these assessments and translated them into a picture of how the patient’s day-to-day care would look like,” he explained. “Eventually, we concluded that a nursing home would allow the patient to continue receiving the best possible care while providing comfort and relief to the family.”
On a weekly basis, Isaac meets up with the Psychiatry team for a multidisciplinary discussion about their patients.
Isaac recalled working on a case where a patient grappled with suicidal thoughts after falling prey to a scam. Due to her potential risk to self, she was hospitalised to stabilise her mood and address her stressors.
“Working with our multidisciplinary team, we helped the patient to process the events and make sense of her situation. I assisted her in making a police report, allowing her to regain some control over her situation; facilitated family discussions to help her safely process her emotions; and linked her up with a suicide counselling service,” he explained.
With the help of her family and relevant mental health services, Isaac’s patient managed to overcome her ordeal and is now on the path to recovery.
"I find myself in a privileged position to be part of countless life stories, partnering with patients and families to draw out their strengths, and empowering them to find their comfort in the uncertainties of life.”
Isaac Teo
Empowering the Next Generation
With a wealth of experience amassed throughout his career journey as a medical social worker, Isaac works with a team to oversee and co-supervise students during their attachments and internships, enhancing their understanding of medical social work.
“As students on field placements are still learning the ropes, the goal of the field placement is to help them translate their academic theories into direct social work practice, acquire and practise their client engagement skills, and develop both their personal and professional selves. These are fundamentals required for them to be effective medical social workers upon graduation,” he said.
To achieve this, Isaac ensures that the students are exposed to diverse experiences spanning outpatient, inpatient, and community settings, as well as across medical disciplines.
They also receive weekly supervision, alongside daily guidance, allowing them to reflect on their experiences, learnings, and professional and personal values.
Making Meaningful Change
Isaac is excited by the potential of innovative clinical practices to address the complexity of health and social issues. He hopes to foster closer collaboration within multidisciplinary teams and community partners, enhancing better care outcomes for his patients and their families.
At TTSH, there is a strong emphasis on continuous professional development. Staff members have the opportunity to identify professional courses each year. “These courses are planned according to our professional interests and career aspirations in consultation with our supervisors. We are also encouraged to explore and initiate projects relating to our interests, providing an additional avenue to increase our knowledge and capabilities.”
Reflecting on his journey, he shared, “I find myself in a privileged position to be part of countless life stories, partnering with patients and families to draw out their strengths and empowering them to find their comfort in the uncertainties of life.”
Isaac’s journey highlights the transformative impact of the scholarship to empower individuals to positively change lives. So, if you are passionate about making a difference, why not explore a fulfilling career in healthcare?
This article was first published in BrightSparks Magazine July 2024. Republished with permission from Kariera Group Singapore.