AVBC is about helping people achieve the best possible health outcomes while ensuring that care is meaningful to them and sustainable for the future.

This means providing the right care, at the right time, in the right place—care that improves health, supports recovery, enhances quality of life, and avoids unnecessary tests, treatments and costs.

At NHG Health, we work closely with patients and their caregivers to understand what matters most to them. By adopting evidence-based practices and continually improving outcomes, experiences and the use of healthcare resources, we aim to deliver better value for patients today while keeping healthcare affordable and sustainable.  

Healthcare needs are changing. Singapore’s population is ageing, more people are living with chronic conditions, and the demand for healthcare continues to grow. At the same time, healthcare resources must be used wisely so that good care remains accessible, affordable and sustainable. Through AVBC, NHG Health’s care teams focus on care that is appropriate, evidence-based and meaningful to patients. This means understanding each patient’s goals and needs, avoiding care that offers little benefit, and directing time, effort and resources towards interventions that improve outcomes and experiences.

AVBC is not about reducing care or cutting costs. It is about ensuring patients receive the care that is most likely to improve their health. Sometimes this means investing in additional support and services; at other times, it means avoiding tests or treatments that provide little benefit. For example, a patient with uncomplicated lower back pain may recover just as well with appropriate treatment and follow-up without undergoing an immediate MRI scan. By focusing on what truly benefits patients, AVBC helps improve outcomes, enhance care experiences and keep healthcare sustainable. 

Guided by AVBC principles, our care teams work to:

• Achieve better health outcomes by focusing on what matters most to patients, such as recovery, symptom relief, daily functioning and quality of life.

   

• Improve care experiences by designing care processes that are more coordinated, convenient and responsive to patients' needs.

   

• Avoid unnecessary care that may offer little benefit or potentially cause harm.

   

• Keep healthcare affordable and sustainable by making the best use of healthcare resources. 

Every patient is different. Some may prioritise symptom relief, while others may value maintaining independence, mobility or quality of life. AVBC encourages care teams to make the effort to understand what matters most to each patient and incorporate those goals into care planning and decision-making. 

Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) are questionnaires that ask patients directly about areas such as:

• Symptom
• Daily functioning
• Mental well-being
• Quality of life

• Treatment outcomes

   

These measures help healthcare teams understand how patients are doing from their perspectives and whether treatments are improving their day-to-day lives.  

If you are given a PROMs questionnaire, respond honestly based on how you feel. There are no right or wrong answers.

PROMs measure how well you are doing in your care journey. They are not meant for diagnosis or use in emergencies. Your responses will be kept strictly confidential and are only accessible by your healthcare team.

Patient-Reported Experience Measures (PREMs) collect feedback about patients' experiences of care, including:

• Communication with healthcare professionals
• Coordination of care
• Respect and dignity
• Trust in healthcare providers
• Overall healthcare experience

This feedback helps healthcare organisations understand what patients encounter during care and where services can be improved. 

Patients are active partners in their own healthcare journey. They can contribute by:

• Sharing their goals and concerns with care teams  
• Participating in care decisions
• Providing feedback through Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) and Patient-Reported Experience Measures (PREMs)
• Working with healthcare professionals to develop care plans that reflect their priorities 

AVBC encourages healthcare professionals to continually reflect on the care they provide and ask:

• Is this intervention necessary?
• Will it improve outcomes that matter to the patient?
• Have I understood the patient's goals and preferences?
• Am I using healthcare resources responsibly?

By focusing on these questions, healthcare teams can deliver more meaningful, patient-centred care.