DELIVERING MISSION OUTCOMES

HRTG's work on redesigning the HRP for nationwide implementation was an important part of the WoG effort to transition Singapore to a state of living with endemic COVID-19. There were four phases in HRTG's operations. In Phase I (29 September to 10 October 2021), HRP Call Centre operations were expanded to meet the surge in public queries and to quell anxieties. Phase II (11 to 24 October 2021) focused on setting up the patient support system. In Phase III (25 October to 7 November 2021), internal processes were streamlined and external linkages were strengthened to maximise operating efficiency and sustainability. Phase IV (7 to 22 November 2021) focused on the transition to steady state with home-based recovery and self-care as the norm.

Over the eight and a half weeks of its operations, HRTG assisted over 69,000 Home Recovery Helpdesk callers and onboarded 106,003 COVID-19 patients in the HRP via call centres. At its peak, every day the call centres were onboarding up to 3,500 patients and maintaining a 99% hotline engagement rate in addressing questions from patients on HRP. This compared with 50 HRP patients being onboarded and 15% of queries being answered daily before HRTG came in to scale up the operation.

Taking an empathetic approach was a key factor for HRTG's success in rapidly scaling up the HRP to meet the demands and showing quick results from its operations. Showing empathy and sensitivity smoothened the working relationships with MOH and other government agencies at a time of great stress and anxiety. HRTG was then able to produce quick and efficient solutions to improve many aspects of the HRP, including customising to meet the diverse needs of patients. An empathetic touch also characterised the interactions between HRTG and the public and helped calm the public mood and restore confidence in the Government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.