The Singapore Family Physician

Back to issue Vol 39 No. 1 - Schizophrenia

Outcomes of the Early Psychosis Intervention Programme (EPIP), Singapore

Poon Lye Yin
Swapna Verma
Chong Siow Ann
The Singapore Family Physician Vol 39 No 1 - Schizophrenia
10 - 14
1 February 2013
0377-5305
Psychoses are serious and potentially chronic mental disorders with a profound impact, in terms of economic cost and human suffering, on patients, their families and society. Early detection and treatment, through reducing the duration of untreated psychosis, however, could lead to a better outcome. In 2001, the Early Psychosis Intervention Programme (EPIP), Singapore was started with the following key strategies: (1) early detection of psychosis through outreach to and network with the community and our partners; (2) provision of clinical treatment that is evidence-based; and (3) conducting clinically relevant research to evaluate our service to be accountable to the stake-holders and to ensure cost-effectiveness. A myriad of structure, process and outcome measures offering a multi-dimensional evaluation were chosen to make us accountable to a broad range of stakeholders, from our funders, other service providers, to our patients and their families. EPIP has shown good outcomes in terms of number of patients accepted into the programme, as well as our clinical service provision. Such outcomes are achieved with our community partners playing an important role. General Practitioners, in particular, are vital not only in the detection, management of such individuals, but also in the re-integration of our patients back to community.