Singapore launches new online tool to help healthy adults plan end-of-life care
The advance care planning (ACP) tool, known as myACP, was officially launched by Minister for Health and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies Ong Ye Kung at the Plan Your Legacy Today roadshow in Bedok.
MOH said the tool, jointly developed with the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) and the Government Technology Agency (GovTech), is a 'significant step forward' in making advance care planning more accessible to Singaporeans.
"We need more open and early conversations about future care needs. Don't be pantang, but be open and honest," said Mr Ong, using a local term for avoiding certain topics out of superstition or tradition.
"That way, we prepare ourselves emotionally and mentally for the future, together with our loved ones. Normalise the discussions."
HOW IT WORKS
The online tool guides users aged 21 and above to document their care preferences.
These include medical treatment approaches, daily care needs, and personal preferences related to hygiene, companionship and religious requirements. The tool also enables individuals to indicate their priorities between comfort care and life-sustaining treatments.
Individuals are to appoint up to two nominated healthcare spokespersons who will convey their care preferences if they are unable to speak for themselves in the future.
The myACP service will be available for those with no existing serious illness, such as cancer or dementia.
Those with existing serious illnesses will continue to undergo facilitated advanced care planning sessions tailored to their medical condition, said MOH.
Those who prefer face-to-face guidance or are less comfortable with digital tools can continue to seek assistance at advanced care planning community nodes.
MOH said more than 77,000 advance care plans were completed in Singapore as of Jul 11 this year. This is a 40 per cent increase from 55,000 plans completed from 2011 to 2024.
This growth reflects increasing awareness of the importance of legacy planning, but that more can be done to translate awareness into action, noted the ministry.
The Legacy Planning Roadshow, jointly organised by MOH, AIC, the Central Provident Fund Board (CPFB), the Ministry of Social and Family Development and the Public Service Division, is part of a multi-year legacy planning campaign to encourage Singaporeans to take action on their legacy plans.
The roadshow helps members of public understand ACP, Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA), CPF nomination and wills through informational booths, education talks and guided consultations.
More information on advance care planning can be found at the MyLegacy@LifeSG website.
PROGRESS
The introduction of myACP comes amid ongoing efforts under the ministry's National Strategy for Palliative Care (NSPC), which was launched in July 2023.
MOH reported progress in expanding care capacity, easing hospital-to-home transitions, strengthening palliative competencies in the community and improving the affordability of palliative care services.
The number of inpatient hospice beds has grown by 15 per cent, from 260 in 2023 to about 300 as of Mar 31 this year.
Home palliative care places have also increased by 25 per cent, from 2,400 to almost 3,000 in the same period, and will further grow to 3,600 places by end-2025.
MOH also said hospital-to-home transitions were smoothened under the NSPC, with public hospitals implementing standardised compassionate discharge protocols to simplify the process for terminally ill patients who wished to return home for their final days.
'The equipment rental scheme, launched in end October 2024, provides subsidised equipment which supports patients discharged home for palliative care. It has benefited more than 1,000 Singaporeans to date,' added the ministry.
MOH noted the strengthening of palliative care competencies in nursing homes. Previously, nursing home residents approaching their end of life would likely have returned to hospitals to be managed.
'Today, 62 or approximately two-thirds of nursing homes in Singapore have worked with the public hospitals to develop palliative care capabilities which allow their residents to pass on in the comfort and familiarity of their nursing homes.'
Financial support for palliative care has likewise improved. Last year, MOH raised the MediShield Life daily claim limits for inpatient palliative care and removed the lifetime MediSave withdrawal limit for all home palliative and day hospice patients who use their own MediSave.
Subsidies are also enhanced for all community palliative care patients.
Since the implementation of the NSPC, MOH said the number of hospital deaths has declined from 62.5 per cent in both 2022 and 2023 to 59.8 per cent in 2024.
'This translates to thousands of Singaporeans being able to spend their final days in their preferred setting outside of hospitals,' said MOH, adding that it targets to further reduce the number of hospital deaths to 51 per cent by 2027.
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