The Early Psychosis Intervention Programme in Singapore: A balanced scorecard approach to quality care

Background: There is at present scant data published on actual early psychosis intervention programmes and their development. Most studies have focused on duration of untreated psychosis and outcomes.Aims: We present the development of a programme based on a business model which would provide a reference for other locations planning to set up similar services, especially in situations of limited resources.Method: This is a descriptive paper of a programme which operates on the “Balanced Scorecard” model. The various interventions, assessments and outcomes of the programme were compared with a historical group of the precursor service.Results: A total of 747 patients were accepted. The key outcomes included an increase in those diagnosed with and treated for psychosis, and a fall in the duration of untreated psychosis. There was a change in the referral pattern: a higher proportion sought help on their own and a fall in police referrals. Compared to the historical group, the rates of antipsychotic polyphar...