Taking charge of my health

By Claudia Yeo

11/27/2024 2:56:00 PM | LighterNotes (SGH)

The article is contributed/written by

In his prime, Ivan Tanmonobe managed five successful businesses with over 500 employees. His experience managing large teams taught him the importance of clear communication, trust, and collaboration – principles that he believes are essential in strengthening the partnership between doctors and patients for better health outcomes.

Ivan was introduced to the ESTHER Network Singapore (ENS) during a Healthier SG event in 2022 when he met our ESTHER coaches. Drawn to the network’s mission of empowering patients and promoting shared decision-making between patients and their healthcare providers, Ivan has readily agreed to share his story to support ENS’ efforts.

Ivan is an “Esther”, a typical patient with multiple conditions who requires close coordination across different care settings to address his health and social care needs. Originating in Sweden, the name “Esther” is the persona of such a patient. Today, “Esther” can represent a patient, a caregiver, or a community resident with multiple care needs. The network in Singapore was launched in 2016. It constantly seeks to answer the question, "What is best for Esther?" by putting the individual at the heart of all its work, for Esther to live confidently and independently in the community.

Ivan sharing his experiences and ideas with Esther Coaches during the Esther Network Get-together Appreciation Day 2022.

Now 77, Ivan’s current health issues, including hypertension and diabetes, stem from poor eating habits when he was a businessman. These conditions led to a mild stroke and heart attack. Ivan was later diagnosed with end-stage kidney failure in 2023 and commenced haemodialysis treatment three times every week at National Kidney Foundation (NKF). He is currently receiving routine medical follow-up at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) and the National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS).

Despite his health challenges, Ivan stays optimistic and takes responsibility for his health. He shares, “I actively learn more about my medical conditions, and make it a point to ask questions or speak up during my medical check-ups”.

“Some time ago, I developed swollen legs and my renal doctors wanted to remove more fluids from my body during dialysis. However, I was also concerned that dialysis could further strain my already weakened heart. I was candid about my concern, and this led to a meeting between my various specialists, who then worked out a coordinated care plan to ensure proper functioning of my heart and maximise the benefits of my haemodialysis. This experience reinforced my belief in being an advocate for myself.”

For Ivan, good healthcare is a two-way conversation between the doctor and the patient. He stresses that it is important to listen to the patient when he shares his concerns and what he is going through. “Nobody will fully understand how I'm feeling. At the end of the day, I'm the only one who knows what I’m going through,” explains Ivan.

Over the years, Ivan has built a strong, trusting relationship with his healthcare team, based on open and empathetic communication, which he believes is key to making decisions together, contributing to better health and well-being for himself.

Explains Esther Lim, Director of SingHealth Centre for Person-Centred Care (CPCC), “Ivan’s story illustrates person-centred care as it showed how important it is to be actively involved in your own care. It also highlights how trust and mutual respect between patients and doctors can empower patients to voice their concerns and promote shared decision-making. Both sides working together make healthcare more effective for everyone. This exemplifies “shared responsibility” between the care practitioners and patients in promoting person-centred care—one of the pillars of the recently launched SingHealth CPCC in 2023.”

“The CPCC helps SingHealth institutions adopt and grow practices that focus on putting patients at the centre of their care. It aims to make patient-centred care a natural part of both work and everyday life. Every healthcare worker plays a role in this by working together with patients and their families, making them active partners in their care.”

To learn more about person-centred care and how to effectively integrate it into your work practices, please feel free to write in to [email protected].

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