Latest news with #DzulkeflyAhmad
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Health
- New Straits Times
Digitalising Malaysia's medical landscape
KUALA LUMPUR: Digitalisation has taken the world by storm, and to keep up with the fast-paced cycle of changes, there is a growing need to develop a more integrated healthcare system in Malaysia, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad. Recognising the urgent need for transformation to streamline processes and accelerate digital-driven initiatives, the Health Ministry has introduced several key structural strategies to support the nationwide digitalisation of all health clinics by 2027 and all hospitals by 2029. MySejahtera app is being transformed into a one-stop digital health platform while hundreds of Klinik Kesihatan have been and are being digitalised. Dr Dzulkefly said the initiatives are firmly underway as the ministry accelerates its goal of delivering efficient, equitable and technology-enabled healthcare services across the nation. The ministry is integrating Malaysians' complete medical records into the MySejahtera app, he added. The ministry recently included a digital capture of dental visit records and pharmacy dispensing records alongside the virtual consultation reports, health screening results and past vaccination records in MySejahtera. "To date, 1.9 million dental records have been integrated into the system, and four million pharmacy records are currently stored and managed within MySejahtera. "Moving forward, the ministry is dedicated to ensuring an integrated health summary where records from the hospital and clinic visit can be stored and retrieved via the MySejahtera app. "By unifying these records, MySejahtera empowers both healthcare providers and patients with timely, accurate, and accessible health information, improving continuity of care and enhancing patient engagement," he told Business Times in an email interview. Dr Dzulkefly said as MySejahtera continues to evolve, it will play a pivotal role in building a connected, patient-centric digital health ecosystem. Government Clinics Going Digital As for government clinic digitalising, Dr Dzulkefly said the ministry aims to digitalise 200 Klinik Kesihatan. "Digitalising them will ensure reduction in patient waiting time and more importantly delivering optimum patient care." However, he said before fully committing to healthcare digitisation, the state of digital infrastructure in hospitals must be evaluated, as even the most advanced solutions cannot be effectively implemented without a solid foundation. "I will be frank with you. Many hospitals in Malaysia lack the necessary digital infrastructure. "Outdated hardware, insufficient network capabilities and fragmented data systems continue to create bottlenecks and hinder system implementation. This is the reality." Malaysia has close to 150 government hospitals, but as of today, only 22 hospitals have a fully functional digital infrastructure, he added. "Additionally, there are around 1,118 health clinics nationwide, with only 206 equipped with the necessary infrastructure for the electronic medical record (EMR) system. "Equipping our facilities with adequate hardware and reliable network infrastructure, along with adopting a comprehensive and robust EMR system tailored to the ministry's requirements, is essential to ensure digital readiness and accelerate the pace of digitalisation," he said. Constraints And Solutions Nevertheless, the minister said budget constraints remain a challenge, limiting the pace of expanding and upgrading digital infrastructure across healthcare facilities. Dr Dzulkefly said while the ministry continues to face funding constraints, it is continuously exploring ways to tackle the issue. "This includes assessing each hospital's readiness and equipping them with the necessary tools and resources to successfully implement digital healthcare systems," he noted. Commenting on data security in the digitalisation of the health industry, he said the ministry is fully aware of public concerns regarding the security and safety of digital systems. Network penetration in rural areas also remains a key issue. He noted that Malaysia has several satellite internet-equipped clinics that are bridging connectivity gaps in rural areas, ensuring remote communities have access to essential healthcare services. The minister highlighted that satellite internet equipped clinics can now experience the advancements of the service including tele-consultation. As of April this year, a total of 1,089 virtual consultations have been conducted between remote communities and health clinics in Sabah and Sarawak using these satellite-enabled facilities. "Apart from that, we have also strengthened audit systems under National Cyber Security Agency, Malaysia Office of the Chief Government Security Officer and National Digital Department on data, security infrastructure and best practices on monitoring, proactive actions. "These have also been presented in Parliament. Our aim is to work alongside industry experts to equip us with industry best practices to improve and encourage digital systems usage in the healthcare system," he said. Legacy Issues Speaking on the legacy issues in Malaysia's health industry, Dr Dzulkefly acknowledged that there are longstanding challenges within the system. The ministry is actively addressing them by introducing improved practices and structural reforms. He said it is focused on long-term solutions that strengthen governance, enhance service delivery and accelerate the adoption of digital tools to resolve these issues effectively and prevent their recurrence. One of the longstanding challenges being addressed is the medical officer placement system, which does not fully reflect current needs or priorities. "The previous placement systems often created a situation where individuals had to race to secure positions, with speed taking precedence over suitability or merit. "This approach placed unnecessary pressure on applicants and did not always result in the best match for service needs. "As such, we are not merely upgrading the technology stack, we are rethinking the policy foundations beneath it. "Our goal is to gradually shift towards a more transparent, responsive, and merit-aligned process that better reflects workforce needs, applicant preferences, and national service priorities," he added. Dr Dzulkefly also said the introduction of the updated e-Placement is one part of the ministry's broader reform agenda. He said beyond digitalisation, this is about fairness, accountability and building public trust in how the ministry conducts its business of improving the health of Malaysians. Furthermore, he said the ministry recognises the rapid changes in the industry and has adapted by leveraging industry experts to provide the most effective tools and software solutions. As part of this strategy, the ministry is now partnering with specialised experts to strengthen and accelerate its digital capabilities. This has enabled it to optimise resources, reduce costs and ensure that the country is equipped with the latest, most efficient technologies that are on par with industry standards. "For perspective, it previously took the ministry 15 years to digitalise 107 clinics using an on-premise based EMR system. "In contrast, with the subscription-based cloud-based clinic management system, 50 clinics were digitalised in just two months. "This resulted in significant savings in both time and cost and sets the stage for us to accelerate the digitalisation of the remaining healthcare facilities under the ministry's purview," he said.
The Star
a day ago
- Health
- The Star
Dzul: Amendments beefed up medical profession
PETALING JAYA: The enforcement of the Medical Regulations (Amendment) 2025 and Medical (Amendment) Act 2024 (Act A1729) came into force yesterday. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad ( pic ) said this significant achievement is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen governance, transparency and inclusiveness in the medical profession. 'The amendment to the Medical Regulations provides the necessary legal framework to implement the provisions of the amended Act. 'It creates a clear and consistent path for the recognition and registration of specialists trained through the parallel pathway programme and local specialist training. 'The amendment clarifies the role and responsibilities of the Malaysian Medical Council in ensuring that all practitioners with certain qualifications are assessed fairly and transparently,' he said in a statement. Dzulkefly also said the membership of the council have been strengthened to be more equitable in terms of its composition in accordance with the current status of the health workforce.
Free Malaysia Today
a day ago
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
Specialist recognition finally granted to parallel pathway grads
Health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad signing the ministerial order to implement the changes to the Medical Act 1971, passed in July last year. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA : The health ministry has cleared the final hurdle for hundreds of medical graduates trained via the parallel pathway to be officially listed in the National Specialists Register (NSR), ending a year-long delay that had left them in limbo. Health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad announced today he had signed the ministerial order to enforce the amendments to the Medical Act 1971, with the changes coming into force on July 1. The move will allow the Malaysian Medical Council's list of recognised qualifications to now cover all the foreign universities that were involved in the production of parallel pathway specialists. In a Facebook post, Dzulkefly said the order will now be submitted to the Attorney-General's Chambers for gazetting. 'God willing, the amendments will come into force on July 1,' he said. Dzulkefly said this is not just a matter of amending the law, but also improving the future of healthcare in Malaysia. 'With this amendment, the two routes to become specialists – namely the parallel pathway and the master's programme – can be implemented in a more organised manner, with transparency in accordance with the existing laws,' he said. Senator RA Lingeshwaran, a vocal proponent of the reform, hailed the minister for following through on his pledge to resolve the issue. 'This is a victory for the hundreds of specialists who have been unable to be listed in the NSR because of bureaucracy. 'This will shorten the waiting time in hospitals to see specialists,' he told FMT. The Medical (Amendment) Bill 2024 was passed last July after mounting pressure from professional groups and MPs. The amendments followed the controversy over the MMC's refusal to recognise certain parallel pathway programmes, such as the cardiothoracic surgery qualification from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, despite a shortage of such specialists in government hospitals.
BusinessToday
a day ago
- Health
- BusinessToday
Malaysia Enforces Medical Regulations (Amendment) 2025 To Strengthen Healthcare Governance
The Health Ministry has officially enforced the Medical Regulations (Amendment) 2025, following the implementation of the Medical Act (Amendment) 2024 (Act A1729). This move marks a significant step in enhancing governance, transparency and inclusivity within the nation's medical profession. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad announced that the amendments establish a clear legal framework for implementing provisions in the amended act, offering consistent pathways for the recognition and registration of specialists trained via the parallel pathway and local specialist training. The amendments also clarify the roles and responsibilities of the Malaysian Medical Council and enhance the structure and membership of the Malaysian Medical Council to reflect current healthcare workforce needs, particularly in the public sector. Key improvements include a more transparent and regulated evaluation process for local specialist training programs, ensuring qualified professionals are assessed fairly and registered to serve the public effectively. This aims to boost public confidence and ensure consistent competency standards across all training routes. Dr Dzulkefly emphasised the ministry's ongoing collaboration with key stakeholders to drive health system reforms under the MADANI framework. He also expressed appreciation to medical associations and legal experts for their contributions to this milestone reform. Related
The Sun
2 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
New medical law reforms take effect in Malaysia to boost governance
PUTRAJAYA: The Medical (Amendment) Act 2024 and Medical (Amendment) Regulations 2025 officially came into force today, marking a major step in the Ministry of Health's (MOH) push for improved governance and transparency in the medical sector. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad stated that the amendments create a structured legal framework for specialist recognition, particularly for those trained under the Parallel Pathway and local Master of Medicine programmes. 'It establishes a clear and consistent pathway for the recognition and registration of specialists trained through the Parallel Pathway and the local Master of Medicine programme. These changes also clarify the roles and responsibilities of the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) in ensuring that all specialist qualifications are evaluated fairly and transparently,' he said. The reforms also aim to strengthen the MMC's structure, ensuring balanced representation that reflects the current healthcare workforce, especially in the public sector. Dzulkefly highlighted that the amendments provide a solid legal foundation for local specialist training programmes, ensuring structured recognition and administration. This move resolves uncertainties for specialists awaiting registration, allowing them to serve the public more effectively. 'It also ensures equitable access to high-quality specialist care and strengthens public confidence, as all specialists serving in the healthcare system are held to the same competency standards regardless of the training route,' he added. The minister reaffirmed MOH's commitment to stakeholder engagement and continuous reforms to maintain a resilient and inclusive healthcare system. The amendments follow the Cabinet's approval on June 5 last year to revise the Medical Act 1971, addressing specialist registration issues. Parliament passed the amendments on July 17, 2024.
