KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry will introduce the Electronic Health Records (EHR) system to streamline access to patients' medical information and history.
Deputy Director General (research and technical assistance) Datuk Dr Nor Fariza Ngah said this initiative saved time and was crucial in relieving patients of the burden of maintaining a comprehensive medical record.
"Instead of having a patient's medical history scattered across various healthcare facilities, we aim to digitise and centralise their information.
"This will enable healthcare providers in the public and private sectors to access it seamlessly.
"By doing so, we alleviate the responsibility of maintaining detailed medical records from the patients, ultimately saving time and ensuring a smoother healthcare journey, regardless of where the patient seeks care," she said at the launch of Columbia Asia Bukit Jalil Hospital.
Dr Nor Fariza commended Columbia Asia for its Corporate Health Transformation Programme and Prediabetes Care Programme, which she believes will bring about positive health transformations among the public.
She said the Prediabetes Care Programme, which guides and provides care for people seeking to reverse their prediabetic condition, was crucially needed.
Access to preventative care, she stressed, was pivotal for fostering a healthy society.
"Malaysians frequently delay seeking care until they experience significant suffering, resulting in, many reaching advanced or chronic stages of illness when they were first seen by healthcare professionals.
"This is evident in non-communicable diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and hypertension, placing a growing burden on the healthcare system.
"Urgent changes are needed, as we aim to shift from a focus on treating sickness to promoting healthcare and wellness.
"This underscores the urgent necessity to educate our communities about adopting a healthy lifestyles and empower them to take control of their health."
