KPJ Healthcare Berhad

New Kuching Specialist Hospital to have latest medical services

KUCHING: KPJ Healthcare Bhd is building a new Kuching Specialist Hospital to expand its services and meet the needs of the growing health tourism industry in the state.

The new 300bed hospital, costing over RM130 million, will have the latest medical services: orthopaedic and traumatology, cardiology and heart surgery, chemotherapy and radiation oncology including plastic surgery.

The first phase of the hospital with more than 150 beds in addition to those in the ICU/ HDU/CICU (Intensive Care Unit, High Dependency Unit, Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit) and day wards â–  is expected to be completed and become fully operational by 2017.

"The new KPJ Kuching Specialist Hospital will become a private hospital equipped\ with modern and latest medical facilities to give the best services to local and international patients.

"With this addition, it is hoped that Kuching Specialist Hospital is able to raise the bar on healthcare services, contributing to the medical and economic development in Sarawak.

Also present was Yang diPertua Negeri Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud who officiated at the event, Public Health Asiistant Minister Datuk dr Jerip Susil representing the Chief Minister, KPJ Healthcare Bhd Chairman Dato Kamaruzzaman Abu Kassim and chairman of Kuching Specialist Hospital 5>dn Bhd, Abdol Wahab Baba.

Amiruddin said the first Kuching Specialist Hospital at Tabuan Stutong Commercial Centre, which began operation in 2004, had treated more than 500,000 patients over the past 11 years.

Last year, the hospital received 63,486 outpatients and 3,448 inpatients. Of that 20 per cent or 14,775 were foreigners mostly from West Kalimantan.

Kuching Specialist Hospital anticipates that the standard of care will contribute significantly to the state's health tourism industry. This new development coincides with KPJ's increase in number of health tourism patients. Between 2011 and 2014, KPJ registered 40 per cent increase in health tourists, the majority coming from Indonesia, the Middle East and East Africa. KPJ also receive patients from Australasia, Europe and America.

Kuching Specialist Hospital anticipates that the standard of care will contribute significantly to the state's health tourism industry. This new development coincides with KPJ's increase in number of health tourism patients. Between 2011 and 2014, KPJ registered 40 per cent increase in health tourists, the majority coming from Indonesia, the Middle East and East Africa. KPJ also receive patients from Australia, Europe and America.

Abdol Wahab told a press conference that the new hospital will compliment the current Kuching Specialist Hospital which has limited capacity.

Building of the new hospital is expected to begin in the next few months.

KPJ will synergise its services in both hospitals upon completion of its new bigger facility in two years' time.

With about 25 hospitals throughout the country, KPJ has the largest network of private healthcare specialist hospitals in Malaysia with more than 1,000 medical specialists and 11,000 employees.

The KPJ Group handles more than 2.8 million patients annually.- Borneo Post