The rising prevalence of multiple chronic diseases is an important public health issue as it is associated with increased healthcare utilisation and cost burden to patients and the healthcare system. A Singapore retrospective study examined over 250,000 patients, among whom 62.4% were with multiple chronic diseases (multimorbidity). The findings revealed that the median annual healthcare cost per capita for patients with multimorbidity was about twice the amount of those without multimorbidity.

Preventive measures comprising lifestyle changes and regular screenings for patients with existing conditions, complemented by IT solutions, may enable better management. These measures could help reduce cost burden and meet future healthcare needs in a sustainable way.