Thursday 18 June 2009

Research on Patient Safety in Malaysia

A discovery today was a double-edged sword. I found out that there exist an Institute for Health Systems Research in Malaysia. I was a good thing because it means I would have a government-based institution to refer to and collaborate with. It was not a so-good thing because that may mean there is a duplication of research body with the one that I want to propose. I mean, the name that I have in mind is highly similar to this one. I may have to find another name for my proposal.

Patient Safety in Malaysia

Here are some info on PS in Malaysia.

  1. Patient Safety Council of Malaysia (PSCOM) has been formalised by the Malaysian Cabinet on 29th January 2003.
  2. This council is to be chaired by the Director- General of Health Malaysia
  3. It monitor Incident Reporting for Malaysia, which includes all the medical errors and any adverse events
  4. It was set up (1) to look at the quality (including safety) of healthcare service in the healthcare industry and, (2) to advise the Honourable Minister of Health on the relevant strategies and actions to be taken in order to prevent or minimize errors in the health field, in an effort (3) to promote systemic improvements in the safety and quality of healthcare in Malaysia.
  5. Members of the Council include health-related non-governmental organizations (NGO) such as Malaysian Medical Association (MMA), and Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM), Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) to be represented by Federation of Malaysia Consumer Associations (FOMCA), representatives of Teaching hospitals and various Divisions in the Ministry of Health as well as prominent members of the Malaysian society


I wonder if I can be a member of the Council?

A check on the members of the Council (http://ckpp.moh.gov.my/modules/xt_conteudo/index.php?id=14) on 18th June reveals that only one member is from a university - and not from a public university at that!
I have to work hard to make an (institutional) impact in this area.

Monday 12 January 2009

Hips don't lie

Although not particularly liking Shakira & Wham, I none the less know of their songs. Hips Don't Lie and Careless Whispers are two songs that caught my attention.

Careless Whispers tells that 'guilty feet has got no rhythm'. When that line is put next to 'hips don't lie', I saw a sweet parallel that speaks of non-verbal communication. It is true that body language is more truthful than spoken language. People can't control the messages communicated by their body than the ones commnicated through spoken words. So, if you're feeling guilty, your tounge can deny ooutright the guilt, or the wrong that gav rise to the guilt. But your feet will betray you; the same way that the hips don't lie.

The idea that a body can't lie is also true in a world that we have yet to see. In alam akhirah, Allah says in surah Ya-Sin "On that day we will seal their mouths; their hands and feet will bear witness to everything they had done[36:65].