SHAH ALAM: Patients with chronic diseases requiring immediate surgery no longer have to wait long for their procedures, thanks to the Healthcare Equity for Affordable and Rapid Treatment (Heart) project, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
The project is a collaboration between the Management and Science University (MSU), MSU Medical Centre (MSUMC) and the Health Ministry to provide and improve access to healthcare.
“Prolonged waiting times can worsen chronic diseases, leading to increased complications over time, and as cases become more serious, procedures also become more complex.
“Once patients have been seen or treated under this project, it will free space for others to receive timely treatment without prolonged waiting. Previously, waiting times could be as long as six weeks to nine months,” he said when launching the Heart project yesterday.
Dzulkefly said through the collaboration, private and public sector parties can work together by sharing their expertise, facilities and resources to provide timely treatment.
He said the collaboration will enable the B40 and M40 groups, and allow the underprivileged to benefit from high-quality and advanced healthcare treatments, as well as reduce waiting times for services at optimum cost.
“In the long term, the project will address many issues such as increasing access to healthcare services and reducing queues and bottlenecks.”
The Heart project will see MSUMC playing a pivotal role as a cluster hospital and buffer zone for the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang, Shah Alam Hospital and Sultan Idris Shah Hospital in Serdang, especially in terms of conducting surgeries.
Dzulkefly said among the free surgeries to be conducted are the Inguinal Hernia Repair Procedure and Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy. Some 16 such surgeries have already been performed since March 18.
“Under the Heart project, selected patients will be referred to MSUMC public wings, and monitored by government hospitals. Surgery, management and treatment costs will be funded by the MSU Foundation through its corporate social responsibility initiative.
“We aspire to further enhance this collaboration and address other diseases as well. There’s no greater hope than to continue its success into the future without any time constraints or limitations,” he said.
MSU president Prof Tan Sri Dr Mohd Shukri Ab Yajid said the collaboration complements the public-private partnership as an essential component of improving the healthcare system and enhancing the country’s reputation as a world-class healthcare services hub.
“The initiative is not only limited to free medical check-ups, health awareness campaigns or distribution of daily essential items to the underprivileged and neighbourhood communities.
“It also extends to MSU Foundation’s support through providing financial assistance and treatment to patients facing such difficulties,” he said.
Mohd Shukri said MSU Foundation’s provision of financial assistance is a reflection of MSU’s and MSUMC’s ongoing commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals as a core component to ensure a better future for all.
He said initially, MSUMC set its sights on assisting 50 patients and is actively working towards this goal.
“It is crucial to promptly address medical cases as neglecting minor issues could potentially lead to major problems for patients in the future.
“We are now focusing on how to assist the ministry to alleviate bottlenecks and reduce waiting times, particularly for minor surgeries, instead of patients waiting up to nine months.”
Mohd Shukri said through analytics and data-driven insights, MSUMC can assess the effectiveness of public-private partnerships and improve the healthcare system.
