Patient education in chronic disease management in Singapore

Purpose: The Chronic Disease Management Program (CDMP) was launched in 2006 to empower patients to take charge of their health for better outcomes, and to lower long-term healthcare costs. We present an overview of the CDMP and the evaluation results of a patient education folder distributed by the Health Promotion Board (HPB). The folder contains information on chronic disease management, self-monitoring and, the use of Medisave for outpatient treatment.

Methodology: We conducted an interviewer-administered survey among General Practitioners (GPs) enrolled in the CDMP, focus group discussions (FGDs) among patients with chronic diseases, and a randomised household survey (Omnibus) in the general population.

Results: 518 eligible GP clinics responded (response rate =72%). 93.7% of GPs found the folder useful. 73.7% of GPs distributed the folder to patients, of which less than half (44.0%) used it for patient education. In the FGD (n=57), patients felt that the distribution of the folder was limited, the information did not cater to varied health literacy levels, and that encouragement to use the record book from their doctor was a strong motivator. The Omnibus survey showed that 189/909 respondents (20%) had at least one chronic disease (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, lipid disorders, or stroke) and 19 respondents with these conditions (10%) received the folder from their healthcare provider.

Conclusion: To further enhance the usefulness of the CDMP, the Nurse Health Educator Programme will be launched by HPB to support the GPs in their patient education effort and also to equip patients with the skills to manage their chronic conditions more effectively.