MEDICAL management and occupational safety ; as well as staff qualifications and education . IJN has been continuously re-accredited by JCI since undergoing its first accreditation process in 2009 .
Pioneering breakthroughs and cultivating collaborations True to its spirit of innovation , IJN thrives on staying on top of the latest developments in cardiovascular and thoracic science . While the centre became a celebrated household name in Malaysia when its specialists carried out the nation ’ s first heart transplant in 1997 , the hospital has gone on to garner an impressive record of clinical milestones . From minimally invasive surgeries to novel therapies , IJN ’ s commitment to medical advancements continues to offer transformative patient experiences .
In 2022 , IJN was the first in Southeast Asia to introduce the POLARx Cryoablation System , an inventive ballooning device which improves treatment outcomes and reduces procedure times for atrial fibrillation . The centre was also the first in the region to treat 100 patients with the Micra AV pacemaker , the world ’ s smallest pacemaker ; IJN previously made history by being the first hospital outside the United States to implant the device in 2020 , after being involved in the development and pre-clinical studies for the device .
Meanwhile , this year the centre marked a national milestone by being the first in Malaysia to debut the Navitor , the most advanced device for transcatheter aortic valve implantation ( TAVI ). TAVI is a minimally invasive procedure for patients with aortic stenosis who are deemed too risky for traditional open-heart surgery . This achievement once again builds on IJN ’ s previous capabilities , as the centre was the first in Asia to introduce TAVI in 2009 .
Dato ’ Akmal Arief explained that
Dato ’ Akmal Arief bin Mohamed Fauzi
the centre ’ s unwavering focus on cutting-edge treatments has been further fueled by its openness to collaborating with other healthcare stakeholders . “ Be it industry , academia , or non-profit organisations , we are keen on working with others who are interested in enhancing health outcomes for more people . Through such knowledge-sharing and skills exchange endeavours , we ’ re able to leverage on our strengths to launch newer therapies and improve patient care ,” he said .
Among the latest in IJN ’ s collaborative efforts is a first-ofits-kind partnership with Novartis Malaysia to further research and generate data on atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease ( ASCVD ). The collaboration builds on the centre ’ s existing relationship with Novartis , having previously worked together to introduce the IJN-Acute Decompensated Heart Failure ( ADHF ) Registry and the IJN Heart Failure Clinic . Thus far , this new partnership has borne fruit with the launch of IJN ’ s cardiovascular risk reduction clinic , which offers optimised ASCVD care led by a multidisciplinary team of clinicians , pharmacists , nurses , dieticians , and physiotherapists .
Specialised yet holistic medicine A cornerstone to IJN ’ s success has been its willingness to get to the ‘ heart ’ of patient care , by both developing a deep expertise within the realm of cardiology and employing a holistic view of healthcare .
While the centre generally specialises in cardiovascular medicine , it encourages medical practitioners to further sub-specialise in various related fields . At present , IJN has doctors in a range of subspecialties including heart failure , transplantation , emergency care , and congenital heart diseases , imaging , and respiratory care — with many of these experts being leaders in their field of specialty .
This is further enhanced by the centre ’ s multidisciplinary teams , encompassing specialist nurses , imaging experts , dieticians , and paramedics . By offering this vast range of expertise , IJN is able to address a myriad of heart-related conditions , making innovation an integral part of each patient ’ s healthcare journey .
“ We empower our medical experts with the support and tools they need to push the boundaries of medicine , be it through training and research opportunities , state-of-theart equipment , as well as ongoing education . They are the lifeblood of our operations , and we are keen on helping them achieve excellence in respective fields of work ,” added Dato ’ Akmal Arief .
At the same time , IJN also seeks to empower patients by employing an integrative approach to health . Rather than solely focusing on eliminating disease and specific symptoms , the centre seeks to address patients ’ wellbeing as a whole . Through its focus on precision medicine , IJN also tailors its prevention and treatment plans to suit specific patients ’ needs to improve
GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com ISSUE 4 | 2023
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