SHAH ALAM: Patients hoping for elective surgery can now see their waiting time – which can go up to nine months – reduced thanks to a joint effort between the Health Ministry and a private teaching hospital.

The MSU Medical Centre (MSUMC), Management and Science University (MSU) and MSU Foundation, together with the ministry, launched the Healthcare Equity for Affordable and Rapid Treatment (HEART) project for selected patients to be monitored and treated at the private hospital, with the costs funded by the foundation.

The public-private partnership (PPP) offers affordable and quality healthcare for the M40 and B40 groups.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, who launched the HEART programme, said the collaboration marked a significant milestone in PPP.

“In the long term, this kind of collaboration will address many unresolved issues about healthcare services, namely the problems of increasing further access, reducing waiting lines, bottlenecks of services, talent development, incentives and training of ministry staff in the private sector and others.

“I hope this also helps reduce the workload and waiting times in public hospitals by outsourcing certain medical services and procedures to private hospitals,” he said in his speech yesterday.

Through the HEART project, selected patients, including the underprivileged, and cases will be monitored and referred by public hospitals to MSUMC’s Public Wings, where the surgery, management and treatment costs will be funded by MSU Foundation, as part of its corporate social responsibility initiative.

The initiative will see MSUMC becoming a cluster hospital and buffer zone for Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah in Klang, Hospital Shah Alam, and Hospital Sultan Idris Shah in Serdang, in handling specific health cases requiring surgery.

Among the free surgical services offered are inguinal hernia repair and laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Other healthcare services include first-class ward accommodation and coverage of other surgical costs.

The selection, assessment, and long-term follow-up of patients under the HEART project will be overseen by the ministry.

During a press conference, Dzulkefly said since the memorandum of agreement between MSUMC and the ministry was officially signed on March 18, MSUMC’s Public Wings had started receiving patients and so far operated on 16 cases.

When asked, he said he hoped such PPP efforts would become “infectious” with more institutions coming on board.

“It’s something that spreads positively, a desire to mutually strengthen and develop.

“This is an impactful journey and highly values-based. Especially when it comes from a private institution, but with a pure vision and objective in terms of advancing and developing the journey, focusing on low-income groups and others,” he added.

Also at the launch event were MSU and MSUMC president Prof Tan Sri Dr Mohd Shukri Ab Yajid, MSU vice-chancellor Prof Puan Sri Dr Junainah Abd Hamid, Health director-general Datuk Dr Muhammad Radzi Abu Hassan, and other officials from the ministry, university and medical centre.

Prof Mohd Shukri said MSUMC aimed to receive and help 50 patients a month, and it would keep doing this as long as there were allocations in the foundation.

“Today’s accomplishment is an extension of our previous collaboration between the MSU and the ministry, particularly focusing on helping the ministry improve bottlenecks and reducing waiting times in public hospitals.

“Our goal is to ensure more efficient delivery of minor surgeries without the lengthy six to nine months’ waiting period.

“As long as we have the necessary funds, we are committed to continuing our efforts. There are no quotas or limitations. We are actively seeking opportunities to make a meaningful impact,” he said.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/04/26/public-private-partnership-offers-affordable-healthcare-for-m40-b40