If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear a hundred battles - that quote from philosopher Sun Tzu could be the principle behind the Hospital Authority's HK$3 million package for rolling out courses that teach patients more about diseases.
Diabetes and hypertension patients treated at hospitals and clinics in the authority's Hong Kong East and New Territories East cluster can join the course from March.
Each cluster has been allocated HK$1.5 million for the Patient Empowerment Programme, which aims to increase patients' understanding of their diseases, according to Dr Margaret Tay, chief manager of integrated care programmes.
Among the things patients will be taught are how to keep healthy, what they should be aware of when checking their blood-glucose level, and how they can improve communication with medical staff.
Patients would suffer from fewer complications if they were more aware of how to take care of themselves. When complications are reduced, demand for medical services also decreases, Tay said.
Two NGOs will join the authority in providing the course to 4,000 patients a year. The bidding process has ended and the authority is evaluating the proposals.