Business

Saturday November 1, 2008

Healthcare industry not affected by slowdown

By LAW KAI CHOW


PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s healthcare industry is not affected by the global economic slowdown.

Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) chairman Dr Rozaidah Talib said the healthcare industry was recession-proof.

“Every year, we see the number of patients increase regardless of market conditions. Last year, we had 850,000 patients and we expect 1 million this year,” she said.

Pharmaceutical and medical products supplier Primabumi Sdn Bhd’s managing director Tan Sri Mohd Ariffin Yusuf and Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics vice president (Asia-Pacific) Etienne Szivo concurred that demand for medical products and equipment had remained strong.

“The healthcare industry has little correlation with the economy. Szivo said

“In fact, they may move in the opposite direction. Of course, we are more cautious on spending now but we continue to invest in technology and innovation for greater efficiency and savings for our customers,” Szivo added.

Szivo, Rozaidah and Ariffin were speaking to reporters after the signing ceremony involving UMMC, Primabumi and Siemens yesterday.

Primabumi signed a five-year, RM15mil contract to supply reagent and a fully automated laboratory system for clinical chemistry and immunoassay (quantitative measurement molecules and proteins) to UMMC.

It also signed a contract with Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, the world’s largest clinical healthcare diagnostics company, which will supply the lab system.

The lab system, the first such configuration in Asia, is expected to be commissioned in the first quarter of next year.

The system can consolidate all tasks within a single workstation.

Chemical testing turnaround time can also be reduced from days to hours, and the productivity in the laboratory can be maximised.

Hence hospital medical costs can be reduced while patients get better quality products.

“With better efficiency and productivity, we can diversify resources in order to improve workflow, documentation and compliance with international standards,” Rozaidah said.

She also pointed out that UMMC would continue to replace old medical equipment to improve customer satisfaction.

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