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THE HEALTH | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER , 2021
| Local News | service and a drive-through Covid-19 screening , which is no small feat given the limited resources available to design , test , and implement all the SOPs demanded by the national Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force ( CITF ).
Current and future projects
According to Dr Hanafiah , the idea of a unified UKM Health Campus has been in the works since the 11th Malaysia Plan to set up a Health Technopolis ( HT ) in Bandar Tun Razak .
" The winds of political change swept forth , leaving this initiative in the doldrums until recently .
" There is a window of opportunity to reintroduce the HT to the current government , as part of a much longer-term plan to reinvigorate urban socioeconomic growth in the mould of Sustainable Development Goals and Smart Green Technology ."
The proposal he shared had been presented to the Ministry of Higher Education and required further refinement and adjustment before official review by the Minister of Higher Education Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad .
" The proposed change includes the redevelopment of the Jalan Raja Muda and Jalan Temerloh campuses and subsequent temporary relocation of the students currently staying there .
" Overall , the new additions will further enhance the academic medical centre concept , emphasising niche areas , ambulatory care and healthy lifestyle ."
As for plans and projects , he shared that under the new UKM narrative framework , TERAS ( Talent , Ethics , Revitalise , Agile and Soul ), the UKM Health Campus specifically will drive the SIHAT initiative ( Sustainable Inclusive Healthcare that is Affordable and Trustworthy ).
" To enhance the value of service provision and patient experience , the TERAS umbrella includes initiatives for greater inclusion for persons with special needs and disability . It will be a campus-wide effort to identify , refurbish and renovate existing facilities and transit spaces to be disabled-friendly .
" Digitalisation of the work environment is also in the works , with plans to improve connectivity that would allow for an enhanced virtual learning
Long overdue is revamping the current medical records into a complete electronic solution in the form of the Total Hospital Information System ( THIS ). New digital work culture will need to be introduced , which hopefully would lead to big data real-world applications that ultimately would translate into benefits in research , service and policy ."
experience at all levels , undergraduate and postgraduate ; as well as better care and patient experience ."
" Long overdue is revamping the current medical records into a complete electronic solution in the form of the Total Hospital Information System ( THIS ).
" New digital work culture will need to be introduced , which hopefully would lead to big data real-world applications that ultimately would translate into benefits in research , service and policy ."
Dr Hanafiah stressed these improvements were for nought if the impact of meaningful change did not translate to benefits for the greater community surrounding the campus and society .
Goals in the future
He aims to bring a sense of social inclusion into daily practice , which he noted is challenging but worthwhile .
" Inclusiveness is about creating targeted support for the most vulnerable and removing barriers to access , hence costly and have a higher risk of failure .
" It is pertinent that solutions are planned to be sustainable in the long run , yet affordable and trustworthy for all . "
The goal , he explained , was to create a dual ecosystem of academic healthcare services and medical innovation within the campus ; the sum of all the parts in this microcosm of public higher education in healthcare- infrastructure , talent , community , knowledge bringing meaningful change in urban growth .
" For this to happen , we need to work on reintegrating the separate entities within the KL campus itself which were traditionally physically apart , also with different identities and established inner work cultures .
" All the faculties and the two hospitals must find a way to work together closely as a single unit in a meaningful and collaborative manner .
" The first thing is to concentrate on building capacity , particularly the talent pool .
" It is in the organisation ' s interest to retain the best talents while continuing to attract new highly skilled and motivated personnel .
" And we need to secure the necessary funds for training to be available for all levels of the workforce .
" Infrastructure also must be improved to modern standards , made safe and secure , as well as sustainable and green ."
Whilst a core social institution such as the UKM KL Campus must have deep solid roots in tradition and credibility , it cannot avoid branching out and connecting with other international partners .
They will soon engage with an established institution of long tradition in the medical sciences and attract foreign faculties who are top in their game in the world of medicine to share their experience and expertise here .
" There is no turning back . The health campus ' s only option is to grow and compete in a far more chaotic and uncertain world than before . The pandemic is just one of many global challenges to come , with inequality widening further ."
" While the UKM KL Campus may be the future heart of medical advances in Malaysia , patients shall always be the heart of what we do – a promise we maintain to the people of this great nation ." KHIRTINI K KUMARAN — The Health