CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME

CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME

45.

Dr Lam Pin Min asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the latest data analysis of the Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP) and whether this programme will be extended to more chronic diseases.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: The Medisave Chronic Disease Management Programme started in October 2006. It now covers six chronic diseases: Diabetes, Hypertension, Lipid Disorders, Stroke, Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

Last month, MOH published on its website an analysis of the programme, based on two completed years of data. One hundred thousand Singaporean patients are regularly followed up by their doctors under this programme. Most of them have multiple chronic conditions and 90% of them are above 50 years old.

The programme has two benefits. First, it helps reduce the out-of-pocket expenses of the patients. They withdrew a total of $18 million from the Medisave Accounts to help pay the outpatient treatment of these chronic conditions last year.

Second, it ensures a more systematic treatment of these chronic conditions, in accordance with international best practices. If patients fully comply with their doctors’ advice, they can expect to see improvement in their health outcomes. The data are promising. Almost half (46%) of diabetics who had poor blood sugar (HbA1c) control

Column: 1087

initially achieved optimal control by the end of the second year. For patients with high blood pressure, at least two in three showed significant lowering of their blood pressure after two years.

We are encouraged by the results of the programme. We are working to extending it to cover two common mental conditions, schizophrenia and major depression, by October this year.