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Advancing With

Health Information Technology

Creating a More Efficient Healthcare Information System

An integrated healthcare information system ensures that important information can be delivered quickly to relevant services within the hospital system, thus reducing the risks of errors and waiting time.

It also gives clinicians quick access to patients’ existing conditions, particularly in times of emergency, thus ruling out redundant tests and assessments, reducing costs and delays in providing appropriate treatment to injuries.

The applications are continually refned and improved upon with the integration of new modules such as the E-Billing system and database replication service for HITS system as part of system disaster and recovery planning. In 2010, the database replication system has been implemented in seven KPJ hospitals.

This fully integrated system electronically links Medical Consultants to the nursing and clinical staff and connects various hospital services such as Consultants’ clinics, wards, Pharmacy, Radiology and Laboratory to each other. With the implementation of the

electronic medical record module, diagnoses, investigation and medication history are stored in the KCIS system and this information can be accessed by doctors to help improve patient care and follow-ups.

The overall result is better health outcomes, lower risk of errors, improvement in patient engagement as well as waiting time, while preserving the environment by eliminating the use of paper, reducing waste and use of chemicals.

This is also the beginning stage of following the success in Puteri Specialist Hospital, the Group had subsequently rolled out the KCIS system at KPJ Penang Specialist Hospital on 1 March 2010 and KPJ Tawakkal Specialist Hospital on 1 June 2010. Other hospitals such as KPJ Johor Specialist Hospital, KPJ Damansara Specialist Hospital and KPJ Ampang Puteri Specialist Hospital also rolled out the system during the second quarter of 2010.

To-date, KPJ has invested some RM26 million to develop KCIS, on PACS and other related software applications to fully integrate clinical and administrative functions within its hospitals.

Another 6 hospitals will be rolling out KCIS in 2011. To support the integrated information system deployment, KPJ also invests in related IT infrastructure and has spent more than RM10 million for this purpose.

To ensure the reliability of KPJ’s systems at all times, the Group will periodically replace hardware and equipment, particularly for those approaching five years of age. This will also enhance the speed and capacity of its systems.

One of KPJ’s strategies to deliver quality service is to enhance communication with patients, and to that end, KPJ has invested time and resources to develop its corporate website to give patients access to resources such as treatments available, doctors and drug information.

The newly-designed www.kpjhealth.com. my portal, which was launched in 2010, is also meant to provide useful and updated information to visitors about KPJ’s business, corporate and human capital developments, and medical services as well as to educate patients and encourage them to take greater interest in their health.