MAy, 2019 | The Health
health business
The merging of the two positions then were excelled
again by the need to have the name changed. As stated
before, HUKM became so much more than a hospital,
and would want to be represented suitably.
“We decided to pay tribute to our royal chancellor,
Tuanku Muhriz ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir, Yang
di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan. Hence in 2014, we
officially changed our name to Hospital Canselor Tuanku
Muhriz.”
The merging of the two positions were later restruc-
tured in 2017, giving the positions of director and dean
to two separate individuals again.
The challenges
Dr Hanafiah had only become Director since late 2017,
where he took up the position with the aim to improve
on daily operations.
“It was a huge challenge for me as the newly-appointed
Director at the time. The first phase was to get things
in order. And I’ll tell you why that is not a small feat to
achieve.”
Dr Hanafiah tells that HCTM sees around 600,000
outpatients in a year on average, and receive about
40,000 inpatients as well. The hospital does more than
20,000 operations while managing more than 4,500 staff
with a budget of over RM400 million a year.
“These statistics doesn’t take into account the care-
givers, families, and friends of patients visiting each
day. This amounts to over 2 million footsteps walking
in and around the hospital. Therefore we need to think
about security, ample facilities, and everything else in
between,” says Dr Hanafiah.
Therefore the plan Dr Hanafiah have constructed is
to improve upon admissions time, discharge time, and
medication dispensing time through the development
of a clinical practice guideline.
“We also have a plan in place to develop a better
clinical governance, where smoother operations can be
dictated by KPIs in waiting lists, waiting time, patients’
consultation time and so on. The process to improve vari-
ous aspects of the hospital operation and management
are already in place.”
Upgrades in equipment
and infrastructure
The HCTM building is 21 years old, and according
to Dr Hanafiah, some of the equipment are the
same age.
“We have looked into all the major equipment, and we
have disposed and replaced all major equipment needed
for our day-to-day operation. This is made possible
through the budget acquired by the government as well
as from our own reserves.”
Last year alone, HCTM have approved over RM40
million to replace old equipment. “This is to ensure that
our facilities remain in tip-top shape. You can’t be named
09
Converting into a Health Technopolis
Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz Universiti
Kebangsaan Malaysia (HCTM UKM) have had its
aim to set up Malaysia’s first ‘Health Technopolis’ at
its medical and health campus here for a while. The
goal hasn’t changed since the directorial leadership
of Prof Dato Dr Hanafiah Harunarashid.
The vision is to have medical research and
development to be carried out through collaboration
between researchers and the corporate sector. The
varied services and research facilities currently calling
HCTM home are the main pillars for the healthcare
and academic centre to flourish into something more
than just a hospital.
“Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar, who is our Board
Chairman have come up to us with a challenge. He
asked on whether we can create a private wing that
HCTM see
around 600,000
outpatients in a
year on average,
and receive about
40,000 inpatients
as well. The hospital
does more than
20,000 operations
while managing
more than 4,500
staff with a budget
of over RM400
million a year.”
provides top-notch facilities while having it be more
affordable. We took on that challenge and are looking
into making it a reality,” says Dr Hanafiah.
The creation of an affordable private wing, a
specialised children’s hospital, coupled with UKM’s
vast research facilities in molecular biology and
genomics are the factors in making HCTM the
‘Health Technopolis’ it strives to become.
However for now, the vision remains a vision,
and Dr Hanafiah is taking things one step at a time.
“I wish I can see some of the things we envision
during my time as the director. But I firmly believe
that our vision for the future as a health technopolis
will come to fruition. We improve our services and
facilities towards a better healthcare and academic
excellence.” — The Health
a top service provider with great cabin attendants in an
old plane, or having the best surgeons with dull scissors,”
he jokes lightly.
Other than the equipment, HCTM is close to adding a
whole new building separate from the main hospital for
their children’s hospital. As well as adding more doctors
and specialists to their centre to cater to the needs of
the public.
Better workplace for the staff
“We believe that by providing the staff with ample train-
ing and career path, they will be happier. And if you take
good care of your staff, they will in return take good care
of the patients.”
HCTM, according to Dr Hanafiah, is one of the few to
have its own staff clinic. Any of the staff working at the
hospital, be it nurses, management, and even doctors
themselves – can go to the staff clinic within the hospital
if they need to.
“The reason we felt the need to have a staff clinic is
that we have over thousands of staff, and it would make
it easier for them to come by the staff clinic if they fall
sick instead of having to go to another hospital. We feel
the need to be appreciative of the staff and to take good
care of them.”
The staff clinic also include wards to cater to staff
needing admission and specified treatment.
Upscaling their services to serve better
Dr Hanafiah seems passionate about his mission to
improve upon the management, operation, and patient
care of HCTM. His efforts seem to also have an effect to
the overall hospital staff.
“The main idea for our overall upscale in services and
facilities is to be Better, Faster, and Friendlier.” — The
Health