ISLAND HOSPITAL

From the onset of the pandemic , Island Hospital has maintained its commitment to providing the best healthcare possible despite all the restrictions and lockdown rules imposed by the government . And while it continued to provide medical support to its patients , it also served as a pillar of strength to the community in managing the COVID-19 situation .

During these uncertain times , the management of Island Hospital have not stood still or scaled back their outlook , choosing instead to innovate and forge ahead with their Island Medical City ( IMC ) project for the future . With Penang being one of the largest medical tourist hubs in Southeast Asia , the IMC project is a reflection of Island Hospital ’ s vision to provide a complete suite of end-to-end healthcare services for its patients . It will be a first-ofits-kind medical hub in Malaysia , designed around the needs of health travellers .

The IMC development recently took a pivotal step towards fruition with the completion of its 1st phase — a new expansion block connected to the current hospital building via an underpass walkway . Aptly named Peel Wing because of its location on Peel Avenue , it adds 300 more hospital beds to Island Hospital ’ s current capacity , making it Penang ’ s first 600-bed private hospital .

Facilities at the new building include new centres of excellence for Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy , as well as Dental treatments . It will also house a complete rehabilitation and physiotherapy centre while continu-

Adeline Goh

ing to provide expertise in specialties such as Oncology and Chemotherapy , Gastroenterology , Orthopaedics , Cardiology , and the most comprehensive Health Screening Centre in the region . Upon full completion , IMC will be one of the largest and most advanced tertiary care centres in Asia , with 1,000 beds , medical suites , and other ancillary facilities , complete with a medical tourist hotel . Also in the plans are assisted living units and a retirement village .

IMC promises to be a game changer that will raise the bar for healthcare services in the region and reposition Island Hospital as the leading healthcare centre for medical tourism in Asia . The new facilities and services will serve to further enhance Penang ’ s standing as a medical tourism destination of choice in Asia where patients will have access to multidisciplinary care based on international standards .

During the pandemic , the hospital saw little reduction in the quality of its patient care as it nimbly embraced the latest online platforms to communicate with patients , colleagues , and vendors virtually . Tele-consultation was especially fruitful , allowing 1-to-1 sessions between doctors and patients as well as the extension of medicine delivery services that ensured patients could replenish their regular supplies of prescribed medicines from a trusted source . An online presence via social media and the hospital website became the primary source of communication with patients abroad , enabling them to stay in touch .

Island Hospital was also one of the first few hospitals in Penang to offer drive-through COVID-19 swab testing with quick turnaround times , while also providing an isolation ward for patients with the disease . No doubt such services posed risks to both staff and patients , but the hospital stayed resilient throughout the pandemic and pushed forward on its promise to provide the best in healthcare services to its patients .

The hospital was also appointed by the Penang State government as the first private healthcare provider to administer vaccinations for medical professionals and frontliners in Penang , with almost 5,000 frontliners receiving their vaccinations here . The hospital was also later approved as a centre for the paid Sinovac vaccination programme for both adults and teenagers .

104 SEPTEMBER 2022 GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com