National University Health System; Singapore

Dr Bhuvana has over two decades of experience in healthcare quality, patient safety, and clinical governance. She currently serves as the Head of the Medical Affairs Department (Clinical Governance) and Casemix Office at the National University Hospital (NUH), Singapore, and as the Deputy Director of the National University Health System (NUHS) Institute of Clinical Quality.

She holds a Master of Public Health degree from Newcastle University, Australia, a Postgraduate Diploma in Hospital Administration, and an MBBS degree from India. Her expertise is further bolstered by certifications as an Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Improvement Advisor and Change Leader.
Throughout her career, she has been at the forefront of quality improvement, patient safety and accreditation initiatives in healthcare. Her proficiency in teaching and conducting root cause analyses, failure mode effect analysis, and leading transformative change has significantly contributed to enhancing patient care and safety standards. She is particularly passionate about improving healthcare delivery systems and advancing medical education in the field of quality improvement and patient safety.

Since 2018, she has been instrumental in leading the Casemix Office at NUH, where she has spearheaded efforts to improve clinical documentation and Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) coding.

She plays a pivotal role in developing patient safety curricula and teaching medical, nursing, and pharmacy students as part of the Interprofessional Education program on patient safety and quality improvement module as part of the Executive Certificate in Healthcare Improvement at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Her innovative approaches to patient safety and quality improvement education have fostered a culture of continuous improvement among healthcare professionals.

Her contributions to the field have been widely recognized, with her work featured in numerous publications and presented at national and international conferences. Her expertise and dedication have earned her prestigious accolades, including the Singapore National Day Award – Commendation Medal in 2018 for her dedicated service and invaluable contributions to healthcare. and the National Awards (COVID-19) – Commendation Award for her significant role in Singapore’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.