We thank Forum writer Ng Ching Ling for her compliments and suggestions (Include colonoscopy info in Health Buddy app, Jan 9).

Health Buddy offers a comprehensive suite of personalised health management tools with actionable advice based on users’ health inputs to empower them to take charge of their health. Each speciality care module is designed by our clinicians to help users with their conditions.

Certain categories of procedure results are currently not included as not all diagnostic results can be easily explained and presented in layman’s terms, and we are concerned that patients may not be able to interpret them correctly.

Additionally, some results may be better communicated by a healthcare professional. For example, in cases where cancer is noted in a colonoscopy procedure, it is best that the results be interpreted and communicated by a doctor. This will enable our healthcare team to be sensitive to the patient’s emotions and needs, and provide the necessary follow-up support for them.

We are working to make more categories of results available to patients, where possible, as we consider the benefits of doing so carefully. Ms Ng’s feedback is invaluable as we continually strive to improve Health Buddy to make it even more user-friendly and convenient for patients to take charge of their own health.

Goh Min Liong (Dr)
Group Chief Medical Informatics Officer
SingHealth