Bridging the Gap Between Theory Practice and Policy

Date: Saturday, 26 September 2026 | Time: 0920 - 1050 | Venue: The NAK Auditorium, Academia (SGH Campus)

Track Type: Symposium

Speaker(s):

Overview:

The persistent gap between scientific evidence (theoretical learning), day-to-day clinical execution (practice), and regulatory frameworks (policies) is a critical barrier to achieving optimal health outcomes for individuals, communities, and populations. When these three pillars operate in isolation, high-quality care delivery would be fragmented, inefficient, and inaccessible. In other words, when we remain uncritical and unresponsive in harmonising these pillars in patient care, we become accomplice in losing our promise as healthcare professionals to provide the best, high-quality, and most efficient patient care to the people we serve.

This interprofessional panel discussion aims to catalyse actionable strategies for harmonizing these pillars, focussing on the critical role of collaboration and systemic alignment.

Drawing together experts from health policy, clinical medicine, nursing, public health, and health professions education, the session will discuss the following key points:

1. The challenge of translating complex theoretical research into implementable, resource-sensitive clinical protocols;
2. How existing health policies (e.g., reimbursement, scope of practice) can inadvertently obstruct evidence-based care; and
3. The necessity of integrating policy literacy and practical implementation skills into health professional education.

Target Audience:

All healthcare professionals