Smarter pathways: Transforming the medical care of patients

Dr Samantha Claire Braganza

Samantha Claire Braganza, MD is a practicing anesthesiologist specializing in regional anesthesia and perioperative medicine at St. Luke’s Medical Center, Manila, Philippines. She leads the Regional Anesthesia Service and Fellowship Program and serves as Vice President of the Regional Anesthesia Society of the Philippines. She also serves as the institution’s Assistant Vice President for Quality and Patient Safety, supporting initiatives focused on healthcare quality, patient safety, and clinical excellence.

Her work spans perioperative care, patient safety, quality improvement, and clinical pathway development. She is particularly interested in advancing evidence-based practice through regional anesthesia, point-of-care ultrasound, enhanced recovery programs, and data-driven healthcare improvement.

Dr. Braganza has presented and published research locally and internationally, with a focus on improving patient outcomes and advancing perioperative care.

Dr Tian Zhi Lim

Dr Lim Tian Zhi is an Associate Consultant in the Division of Colorectal Surgery, National University Hospital. Dr Lim graduated from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine in 2013, and proceeded to commence his General Surgery Residency training. He obtained his Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh in 2023 and was accredited as a Specialist in General Surgery by the Specialist Accreditation Board.

Dr Lim is an advocate for colorectal cancer screening and his academic interest had also sparked his pursuit of Master in Public Health in 2017 and Doctor of Philosophy in 2023 with the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health.

Dr Lim actively participates in undergraduate and postgraduate surgical training. He was a Clinical Convenor for the Final Surgery MBBS Examinations, and currently holds the role of Clinical Lecturer in the Department of Surgery, NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine.

Prof. Ana Rita Pedro

Ana Rita Pedro, PhD, is a public health researcher and academic at the National School of Public Health, NOVA University Lisbon, Portugal. She holds a PhD in Public Health, a Master’s degree in Social Policy, and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Policy. Her work focuses on health policy, health services management, health literacy, patient-centred care, and public health research.
Since 2023, she has served as Adjunct Coordinator of the PhD Programme in Health Sciences and Well-being at NOVA University Lisbon, combining teaching, research, and academic leadership. She is also an integrated member of the Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC) and a member of the Executive Committee of the Academic Network of Health Literacy (RALS).
AR Pedro has published extensively in international peer-reviewed journals on topics including health literacy, chronic disease management, telemedicine, artificial intelligence in healthcare, cancer research, and patient engagement. She has coordinated and participated in several national research initiatives, including the COVID-19 Barometer: Social Opinion project. Her research contributes to improving health systems, promoting health literacy, and strengthening patient-centred approaches to healthcare delivery and policy.

Ms Bianca Tanoue

Bianca Mari Tsuruda Tanoue is an Oncology Nurse Navigator at Hospital Municipal Vila Santa Catarina, a public cancer center in São Paulo, Brazil. She holds a specialization in Oncology Nursing and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Professional Nursing. Her work focuses on patient navigation, coordinated care, and improving timely access to cancer treatment through multidisciplinary collaboration and standardized care pathways. Her professional interests include healthcare innovation, quality improvement, and the implementation of strategies that enhance equity, patient experience, and outcomes in oncology care. She is actively involved in projects related to oncology navigation, process optimization, and the use of digital tools to support patients throughout the cancer care continuum.

Ms Ka Wing Wong

Ms. Kanis Wong is an Occupational Therapist with more than 10 years of experience in Hong Kong’s public healthcare system. She currently practices at one of the major primary healthcare facilities under the Hospital Authority of Hong Kong, where she plays a key role in shaping occupational therapy services for older adults amid the city’s rapidly evolving community-based care landscape.

In response to population ageing and healthcare transformation, Kanis has been instrumental in shifting occupational therapy from traditional individual patient interventions toward structured, population-oriented care models. She develops and implements innovative service pathways that promote healthy ageing, functional independence, cognitive health, dementia care, and enhanced community participation.

Her practice is grounded in a patient-centric and family-supported delivery model that strongly emphasizes patient empowerment and sustainable self-management. Drawing on an activity-based, enabling-driven, and technology-assisted framework, Ms. Wong’s expertise spans clinical service delivery, structured pathway design, and the integration of evidence-based practices to deliver optimal outcomes. She is deeply committed to advancing sustainable and scalable models that support ageing in place and ensure seamless continuity of care within primary healthcare settings.

Prof. Xiaoxi Yao

Dr. Xiaoxi Yao is the Endowed Scientific Director of Pragmatic Trials and Evaluation with Mayo Clinic Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery. She is a Professor of Health Services Research, and directs the program of post-doctoral trainees within the Division of Health Care Delivery Research. She has a joint appointment and is a Professor of Medicine in Mayo Clinic Department of Cardiovascular Medicine. Her research is focused on evaluating innovative healthcare delivery solutions using pragmatic trials and retrospective studies. She has been a PI of NIH R21, R01 grants and internal evaluation projects, which led to first or senior authored publications in Lancet, JAMA, and Nature Medicine, and translated to improved decision-making for patients, clinicians, and health systems.