• Wei Shan Teoh, Deepika Ramu, Inthrani Raja Indran, Marvin Wei Jie Chua, Win Pa Pa Thu, and Eu Leong Yong.
• Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
• Ann Acad Med Singap. 2022 Apr 1; 51 (4): 204-212.

IntroductionTo harmonise the diagnostic processes of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and enable clinicians to provide better patient care, it is critical to understand the knowledge gaps in PCOS diagnosis. We evaluated how clinicians in endocrinology, family medicine, general practice and gynaecology diagnose PCOS.MethodsThis cross-sectional survey involved 208 clinicians from specific subspecialties across various healthcare settings in Singapore.ResultsA total of 160 responses were included in the final analysis. Among all the diagnostic criteria, the Rotterdam 2003 criteria was most frequently used (66.3%). More than half of the gynaecologists reported having a standardised workplace protocol while the majority from other specialties reported otherwise. A large percentage of respondents (60.5%) were unable to identify the correct PCOS clinical features, which is concerning. Only 8.8% of respondents used clinical and biochemical hyperandrogenism, menstrual disturbances and pelvic ultrasound to diagnose PCOS without performing unnecessary and incorrect investigations. Most clinicians recognised insulin resistance/type 2 diabetes mellitus and fertility problems as complications while only a few recognised psychological complications. Many clinicians (37.3%) sought standardisation of PCOS diagnosis and management guidelines for improvement in PCOS care and 81.9% of respondents would appreciate standardised educational materials.ConclusionThis is the first study to the best of our knowledge that gives an insight into the diagnostic and management processes of PCOS among various healthcare institutions in Singapore. This study calls for greater harmonisation of diagnostic processes and holistic evidence-based management of patients with PCOS through standardised workplace protocols and patient education resources.

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