Short-stay wards to ease overcrowding in emergency dept

 

Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the increasing number of patients and manpower shortages have worsened overcrowding in the emergency department.

KUALA LUMPUR: Short-stay wards have been introduced in hospitals with excess space as a way to ease the overcrowding in emergency departments, health minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said.

She said several hospitals had implemented this initiative.

“The increasing number of patients and the shortages faced by the ministry, including in terms of manpower and facilities, have worsened the issue of overcrowding in the emergency department.” This must be addressed comprehensively, she added.

It was proposed that the ward criteria be improved to reduce waiting time, especially for patients in the “yellow zone”.

Dr Zaliha Mustafa.

Patient bed management would be streamlined so that bed occupancy could be regulated and better managed, she said.

Zaliha said the ministry would continue to examine collaboration with other government agencies, state governments, NGOs and the private sector so that the issue of overcrowding in the emergency department could be dealt with effectively.

She said outsourcing and collaboration with the private sector had helped immensely during the Covid-19 pandemic. Such collaboration models would be further looked into, including collaboration with private general practitioners.

She also intended to upgrade existing information and communication technology to a digital system.

Zaliha said efforts to increase manpower, including doctors, nurses, assistant medical officers, pharmacists, allied health professionals and support staff, would continue to be implemented.

The ministry will also work with the public services department and the finance ministry to resolve this issue in the medium and long term. - FMT