KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry is setting its sights on achieving full digitalisation in about 60 per cent of its healthcare facilities by next year for a more efficient, systematic and cost-effective system.
The digitalisation drive includes multiple initiatives, such as the implementation of electronic medical records (EMR), Telehealth services, Health Information Exchange, and the integration of these elements into the MySejahtera app.
These efforts are integral components of the Health White Paper passed in Parliament earlier this year.
Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said her ministry was optimistic that its facilities could be fully digitalised soon to modernise the healthcare system.
"We it to be fully digitalised. Only 29 per cent of our facilities are digitalised. We hope to double this figure.
"I am optimistic that we can do it because we have put everyone on board.
"We have communicated with the providers and are working on a cloud system," she said, adding that the ministry was looking at renting certain devices to cut its maintenance cost.
She said although some hospitals and facilities had their own digital systems, they were spending a large amount of their budget on printing.
She said via digitalisation, the ministry could collect and analyse healthcare data to identify trends, track outbreaks and tailor healthcare strategies to specific community needs, which would support evidence-based decision-making.
The adoption of the EMR system — an inter-department system to keep track of relevant medical information — would allow for efficient and secure management of patient records by reducing paperwork, minimising the risk of errors and facilitating seamless information sharing among healthcare providers.
Dr Zaliha said this would translate to quicker and more accurate diagnoses, streamlined treatment plans and improved patient care.
"When we digitalise, this can reduce manpower as our housemen would no longer have to go to the lab to fetch lab results. They will be able to immediately check the results. So, even if their next appointment is two or six months away, the results would not go missing.
"Another benefit is data sharing through different departments.
"Doctors can reach a diagnosis faster and better as they can get access to (patient) records, including X-ray results," she said.
Patients, she said, could provide their medical history, including their medicine dosages, to doctors in private hospitals should they want to seek treatment with them and they no longer need to redo any test.
Another aspect of the digitalisation process is Telehealth, a was for patients to consult with healthcare professionals remotely, reducing the need for physical visits.
Dr Zaliha said this was valuable during public health crises, as it helped in maintaining continuity of care while minimising the risk of disease transmission.
A pilot programme has been launched using MySejahtera for direct observation therapy of tuberculosis patients via Telehealth, where health personnel monitor patient medication adherence virtually.