The Health Information Act and NEHR contribution for private clinics in Singapore

The Health Information Act requires every clinic licensed under the Healthcare Services Act to contribute key health information to the National Electronic Health Record and to put cybersecurity and data security measures in place. GP clinics must do both by September 2027, private specialist clinics by September 2028 and dental clinics by March 2030.

Parliament passed the Health Information Bill on 12 January 2026, and MOH's implementation circular followed on 6 March 2026.¹² As at 31 October 2025, about 70% of Singapore's more than 2,000 GP clinics had joined NEHR, which leaves about three in ten with work to do before September 2027.¹

MOH's stated reason is continuity of care. When patients see a private specialist and then return to their GP, key records are often not available across the two, and MOH says such gaps risk medication errors, delayed treatment and duplicate tests.³

Who is covered and when

The circular phases the deadlines by type of service.²

1. By September 2027, outpatient medical services providing GP care, acute and community hospitals, clinical and radiology laboratories and nuclear medicine services.
2. By September 2028, outpatient medical services providing specialist care, nursing homes, contingency care services and outpatient renal dialysis.
3. By March 2030, outpatient dental services, ambulatory surgical centres, assisted reproduction services and retail pharmacies.

Licensees outside these batches, such as emergency ambulance and medical transport services, are not required to contribute to NEHR. They must still meet the security measures by September 2028. A licensee with several service types follows the timeline for each service.²

What must be contributed

For outpatient medical services, which include GP and private specialist clinics, the circular lists the information to contribute.² Dental clinics contribute the same types plus dental notes.

1. Visit events.
2. Adverse drug event history.
3. Prescribed or dispensed medications and the medication list.
4. Vaccines administered.
5. Cardiac reports such as ECGs.
6. Surgical procedure notes.
7. Visit diagnoses, reasons for visit or the patient's problem list.
8. Referral memos.

Detailed consultation and progress notes do not need to be uploaded. Contribution applies only to records created after the clinic's system connects, and it covers Singaporeans, permanent residents and holders of long-term immigration passes, not transient visitors such as tourists.²

Choosing a compliant system

Synapxe keeps a list of compliant clinic systems. Each is certified for NEHR connectivity, holds Cyber Essentials certification from the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore and commits to data portability. In March 2026, 17 systems were integrated with NEHR for GPs, 15 of them certified, and 8 more were in progress, together supporting about 60% of outpatient GP and specialist clinics.² Clinics still on paper are strongly encouraged to adopt a compliant system, and MOH says it will work with those who need more time on other ways to contribute.²

1. Check whether your current clinic system is on Synapxe's list.
2. If it is, ask the vendor to start NEHR integration and give you a date in writing.
3. If it is not, ask the vendor in writing when it will be compliant, or plan a move to a listed system.
4. Apply for the NEHR Connect Grant once the system is chosen.
5. Write the clinic's own security procedures and train staff, which MOH says a compliant system does not do for you.

A plan for a GP clinic

1. Now, confirm whether your clinic system is on Synapxe's compliant list and get an integration date.
2. Next, apply for the NEHR Connect Grant and the cybersecurity co-funding that applies to you.
3. Then, write the clinic's security procedures and train every member of staff.
4. Before September 2027, run a test contribution and check the records in NEHR for a sample of patients.
5. After go-live, review access logs and data quality each month.

Funding

The NEHR Connect Grant is one-off funding for providers that must contribute. Clinics that previously received the Early Contribution Incentive or the GP IT Enablement Grant are not eligible, while clinics already contributing without government funding are.²

Small and medium-sized providers can also receive up to 50% co-funding for cybersecurity solutions through the Productivity Solutions Grant, and up to 70% co-funding to engage cybersecurity and data security service providers through IMDA's CTO-as-a-Service portal.²

MOH publishes the supporting material at healthinfo.gov.sg, including the cybersecurity and data security essentials, guidelines on contributing to and using NEHR, a training course for healthcare settings and an implementation guide issued in parts.² Read the essentials first, because they set out which measures a compliant system covers and which the clinic must put in place itself.

Access, patient choice and liability

NEHR access is for patient care only, and staff in purely administrative roles are not given access, even if they are healthcare professionals. Patients can see through HealthHub which providers viewed their record and report inappropriate access, and from later in 2026 they can choose which providers to share with, while allergies and vaccinations remain visible.²

If a breach involves the clinic system, MOH will take into account whether the clinic used a compliant system and had reasonable security safeguards in place.²

Enforcement

MOH says that failing to contribute is not an offence in the first instance, and that it will help providers fix technical problems. Deliberate or reckless non-compliance can lead to directions, and failing to follow a direction can lead to enforcement action.²

What wai Clinicians does for the record

wai Clinicians writes the note while the doctor talks and drafts the referral letter before the patient leaves, so diagnoses, medications and referrals are written up and signed on the day of the visit. Your clinic management system remains the route to NEHR, so confirm its integration date with that vendor. The change for the clinic is a record that is complete when the patient leaves. wai hosts your clinic's records in Singapore, under Singapore's rules. We set this up with your clinic.

Questions

When do clinics have to start contributing to NEHR?

MOH has set phased deadlines by type of service. GP clinics must start by September 2027, private specialist clinics by September 2028, and dental clinics and retail pharmacies by March 2030.²

Do clinics need to upload consultation notes to NEHR?

No. The circular says detailed consultation and progress notes are not required, and only records created after the system connects need to be contributed.²

What is the NEHR Connect Grant?

It is one-off MOH funding for providers that must contribute to NEHR.²

Is it an offence not to contribute to NEHR?

MOH says non-contribution is not an offence in the first instance and that it will help providers with technical problems. Deliberate or reckless non-compliance can lead to directions and then enforcement action.²

Do clinics have to contribute records of tourists?

No. Contribution covers Singaporeans, permanent residents and holders of long-term immigration passes, and not transient visitors such as tourists.²

Sources

1. 1Synapxe, 2026All healthcare service providers must contribute and share patients' key health information, Synapxe NewsRead source
2. 2Ministry of Health, 2026Overview and Implementation of the Health Information Act (HIA), circular MOH-MHC-0018-2026Read source
3. 3Ministry of Health, 2026Health Information Bill to Support Coordinated Care Across Singapore's Healthcare Ecosystem, press releaseRead source

Written and reviewed by the clinical team at wai. Last reviewed 12 September 2026.