KUALA LUMPUR – The Health Ministry is set to embark on electronic medical records (EMR) for the healthcare delivery system soon.
In an exclusive podcast session with The Vibes, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said that an electronic system of the lifetime of a patient’s records will be introduced in stages.
“It is very essential. (There’s) no denying that EMR or record digitalisation is a necessity at the present time,” she said, adding that a version of this is already in place in certain hospitals.
“But I think it needs to be strengthened, expanded and upgraded. Now we are coming up with the new one – EMR or electronic medical records – and this is very important,” the first-time minister from PKR said.
Dr Zaliha confirmed that the pilot project will take off at Seremban Hospital.
“We have to have a system that (is sustainable) as well as being resilient.
“This is very important, and I hope medical records from the womb to the tomb of a person will be in place soon.
“At every level and age, there will be a medical record,” she explained.
A general practitioner by profession, Zaliha, who became Sekijang MP in the 15th general election last November, said digitalisation will support the need to continuously improve the healthcare delivery system.
“It will help alleviate some of the problems that we are having in our services at hospitals, for example, in the emergency department. We can have a good system when people can come, register them via our system, and perform triage quickly.
“From the system, it will be made known to doctors of the (hospital ward) the beds that are available, and we can quickly send the patients to the wards and reduce congestion in the emergency department.”
So far, the country’s first woman health minister has visited several hospitals, including in Putrajaya and Klang, as well as Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Baru, the place where she started as a trainee doctor 34 years ago.
“I intend to visit as many hospitals as I can,” she said. “Sometimes, I also talk to patients.”
Managing people’s expectations
Zaliha also shared insights on mitigating several issues in the last three months, including adopting a “firefighting” approach and listening to grouses from the public.
“There are a lot of things and it’s not only about their health. It is about their living,” said the 59-year-old.
She has had to tackle brickbats and challenges on the chin, what more with the Health Ministry having the second largest government machinery after the Education Ministry.
“I look at it in a positive way. People want to see change, and people want to see solutions to the problems they are having, especially the longstanding problems that we have in our health system and our services.
“Another thing, this is a new government. What had happened in the past years as we know, facing the pandemic and all, people have been so stressed.
“So, I think this is where, at least, as a minister, I have to look at it that way, and then think about solutions. Complaint after complaint is pouring in. But if you look at it positively, you will try to find the solutions.
She added that as the country is moving into the endemic phase of Covid-19, “non-communicable disease cases are increasing in numbers and in fact, more among the youngsters”.
“What has happened? This is one of the reasons that perhaps is (causing) congestion in our facilities as well as in the emergency department.”
Dr Zaliha, who served as a general practitioner at a renowned private polyclinic network across Johor before venturing into politics, said she would not rule out prospects of a public-private partnership to ease the burden of the government's healthcare sector.
“Moving forward, I think we really have to look at short, medium and long term. We have to identify the short-term measure and understand the current problem statements.
“Public-private partnerships have to be taken into consideration, because I think at the end of the day, it has to be a win-win situation.
“Sit down and talk to them, and see what are the things they can do to help the nation…(what can they do) to reduce the burden of public services, as well as the people’s,” she added. – The Vibes, February 26, 2023
The Vibes’ exclusive interview with Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa is on a podcast in Healthcare Today with Manvir Victor
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