Page 36 - ar2010

Going forward, we are sanguine about the prospects for the healthcare industry, with the economy anticipated to grow by 5% – 6% in 2011. This is further complemented by the healthcare industry’s potential to chart further growth with the implementation of the ETP entry point projects.

For us, it will be a year of growth with signifcant attention given to expanding our operations and improvements in all aspects of the business.

We look forward to welcoming more patients this year as we continue to open new hospitals in the country. KPJ is excited about the upcoming opening of the KPJ Klang Specialist Hospital in late 2011, which is another evidence of the Group’s target to bring quality healthcare to the people. Plans are already in the pipeline for more hospitals to follow suit.

Our commitment to our patients will also be to continue providing quality services that comply with internationally-benchmarked healthcare standards as well as regulations and governance on patient safety and quality.

Fiscal 2011 will also be a year where we expect to see more challenges ranging from greater competition from the marketplace to the pressure of rising overall healthcare costs as well as demographic and epidemiological changes.

However, we are well prepared to meet these challenges and through our prudent management and planning strategies, we are positive that we will emerge stronger in the current year.

To continue generating value for our shareholders, we will capitalise on opportunities that arise, promote creativity and innovation as well as use our resources to the fullest to enhance our competitiveness, productivity and effciency.

The close of the year also brought signifcant changes to KPJ’s Board of Directors, with the resignation of Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Abu Bakar Suleiman as a Director of KPJ on 31 December 2010 followed by the resignation of Tan Sri Dato’ Muhammad Ali Hashim from his position as Chairman of KPJ on 12 January 2011.

KPJ would have not achieved its current success had it not been for the visionary leadership, foresight, and extensive contribution of Tan Sri Muhammad Ali and our gratitude to him goes beyond words. Tan Sri Muhammad Ali’s departure after almost 30 years leaves an extraordinary absence but for us to carry on this journey with gratitude is to embrace the good values he has imparted on us and express them through positive actions towards our customers, colleagues and the community.

We also gratefully acknowledge our indebtedness to Tan Sri Dr Abu Bakar for his pioneering contribution to the KPJ’s clinical excellence framework in his capacity as Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee. His 10 years of dedication to high standards of professional excellence and strong commitment to safeguard patient rights and safety are exceptional.