Not all patients with heart conditions need to see heart specialists all the time. Often, when your condition is stabilised, all you need are regular blood tests and check ups to make sure that all your risk factors are well controlled and that you have no new symptoms. 

This is generally best done by your family doctor, whether in one of our Polyclinics, or by one of or partners in the community. This is because they can also help to look after all your other health problems on top of your heart conditions.

The NUHCS Shared Care Programme for heart conditions was started to help our more stable patients receive more of the care closer to home, without compromising the quality of care.

We do this by:

1. Selecting only patients who meet certain criteria (see table 1).
2. Scheduling regular visits with your family doctor on top of yearly visits to our NUHCS Heart Clinics.
3. Family doctors directly consult with cardiologists at NUHCS for any problems that arise.
4. Rapid access back to our NUHCS Heart Clinics for patients who require earlier consultations.
   

Table 1. Patients included in Shared Care Programme must fulfil the following criteria

1. No admissions for heart conditions in the last 6 months.
2. Stable symptoms.
   
3. Good risk factor control.
   
4. No invasive procedures planned in the near future.
   
5. No need for frequent visits for follow-up of implanted pacemakers or implantable cardioverter defibrillator.
   
6. No cardiac surgery in last 6 months.

Schedule of visits

Patients in the Shared Care Programme will see cardiologists at NUHCS yearly, while in between these visits will see their family doctor based on how frequently their other medical conditions need to be followed up on.

Nearly all the medications you need will be available at your family doctor's practice. The rare exceptions will be prescribed from the Cardiology Clinic during your yearly visit and you can choose to pick those up then, or have them home delivered through the year.

Benefits:

• There is no need to come to NUHCS Heart Clinic for every follow-up appointment.
  
• More regular follow-up visits are possible with the family doctor.
  
• More follow-up visits close to home.
  
• All other medical conditions can also be managed by the same doctor in the community.
  
• Prescription drugs available closer to home.
  

Points to note:

• A few patients may have to pick up some of their more specialised medications from the cardiology clinic.
  
• You will generally see your cardiologist only once a year.