THE Bukit Mertajam Hospital (HBM) has been officially recognised as the top-performing minor specialist hospital in Malaysia, receiving the Hospital Star Awards for Outstanding Quality and Performance 2024 from the Ministry of Health (MoH).
The accolade comes amid growing recognition of the hospital’s commitment to quality care, efficiency, and patient-centred services.
Buletin Mutiara spoke exclusively with Dr S. Prashant, the hospital director, and key members of HBM’s leadership team about the strategies and teamwork behind this achievement.
According to Dr Prashant, the Ministry of Health classifies hospitals into levels based on specialisation and capacity, ranging from Level 1 to Level 4.
“Hospital Bukit Mertajam is a Level 3 minor specialist hospital.
“We have 11 specialisations, three subspecialists, 242 beds, including seven intensive care unit (ICU) beds and three operating theatres. Every day, we admit around 45 inpatients and manage 800 to 1,000 outpatients,” he said.
Dr Prashant explained the rigorous criteria used by MOH to evaluate hospitals, namely the Hospital Performance Indicator for Accountability (HPIA), which measures outcomes, safety, and service delivery.
Then, Casemix index, which evaluates amongst others- severity of cases, services and resources utilisation, length of stay, and patient demographics, followed by Cluster Hospital System, sharing services across neighbouring hospitals within the same geographic location, to optimise efficiency and equity, and lastly, PSQ 18 Patient Satisfaction Surveys, which assesses the quality of care from patients’ perspectives.
“Among 46 minor specialist hospitals nationwide, Bukit Mertajam Hospital ranked number one for 2024,” Dr Prashant said proudly.
“Our focus has always been clarity of vision, teamwork, and being compassionately people-centric. Without these three, achieving such outcomes would not have been possible,” he added.
He cited the hospital’s recent initiative in the eye clinic, where patient waiting time for cataract surgery was reduced from 9 months to 6 months through upgraded infrastructure, donated medical equipment, and the retention of specialist staff.
“With the upgraded operating theatres (OTs) and generous support from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the MOH, we hope to reduce waiting times to three months further,” he said.
Looking ahead, Dr Prashant revealed plans for a new hospital on state land adjacent to the current building, which will allow the current site to focus on geriatric, palliative, and mental health services, a move aligned with Penang’s ageing population trends.
Meanwhile, hospital deputy director Dr Umi Masyitah Mohd Saidi emphasised that the hospital’s success is rooted in teamwork, staff commitment and leadership at every level.
“The key factor is support from our staff. If the Head of Department is strong, the entire team follows.
“From HPIA to Casemix to PSQ, we rely on staff to communicate with patients and contribute to measurable outcomes.
You cannot achieve this alone; the entire hospital needs to be involved. Good governance ensures the vision cascades to the people on the ground,” she said.
She also highlighted consistent teamwork as central to hospital operations.
“Every position has a role. Management may provide directions, but without cooperation and monitoring at all levels, targets cannot be met.
“Collaboration between HODs and their teams is essential to maintain high standards,” she said.
On standards and patient care, Quality Unit Officer Dr Rafeeqa underscored the hospital’s commitment to quality through continuous monitoring and process improvement.
“Our approach is very people-centric. We encourage staff to enjoy working with patients and with each other.
“Harmony and teamwork within our hospital have been crucial to achieving these top-tier results. The clarity of vision, competitive spirit, and dedication of our core staff have allowed us to win awards and maintain high standards of care,” she explained.
Dr Rafeeqa added that performance is evaluated against similar hospitals nationwide to ensure equity and comparability, noting that “minor specialist hospitals like HBM are ranked against similar hospitals across Malaysia.
Separately, Matron Yeap Ai Ping highlighted the nursing team’s critical role in hospital performance.
“Nursing is the backbone of the hospital. We translate the hospital’s vision into daily tasks for our staff.
“Understanding our responsibilities and performing them with integrity is crucial. Teamwork is essential; achievements are a result of collective effort, not individual work,” she said.
Her team oversees patient care delivery, supporting both inpatient and outpatient services, and ensures that staff understand their roles while maintaining high standards.
As for Heryanti Ajom Khan, deputy head of the medical records unit, she emphasised the importance of accurate documentation and casemix coding for hospital budgeting and operational planning.
“Proper documentation allows us to generate accurate cost allocations, plan resources efficiently, and ensure patient records are systematically maintained.
“We scored 94% in casemix, far above the minor specialist hospital average of 73%. This is critical because our annual budget depends on accurate data entry. Undercoding would directly impact resource allocation and patient care,” she said.
She noted that the unit’s role extends to ensuring compliance with ICD coding standards, contributing to nationwide data for Diagnostic-Related Groups (DRG) and effective resource planning.
HBM has made strategic investments to upgrade facilities and improve patient outcomes.
Dr Prashant said every investment in infrastructure, equipment, and staff retention directly improves patient care and operational efficiency.
Teamwork is the bedrock of HBM’s success.
To borrow a famous African proverb.
Ubuntu – “ If you want to go fast, you go alone.
If you want to go far, we’ll go together”.
“When everyone works together for a common goal, it is a win-win-win for patients, the hospital, the Rakyat and MOH,” he said.
Story by Kevin Vimal
Pix by Darwina Mohd Daud