MMA: Digitalisation can curb manpower issues in healthcare sector

The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has urged the government to digitalise its headcount system to address manpower shortages in the healthcare sector.

In a statement, MMA president Dr Azizan Abdul Aziz highlighted that digitalisation would enhance transparency and better manage the distribution of healthcare workers.

“Immediate updates on any change in the healthcare workforce composition must be ensured for efficient planning of human resources. For this purpose, the MMA has been advocating for real-time updating through digitalisation,” she said.

Azizan warned that without regular data updates on patient load and workforce composition, the true extent of shortages and each facility’s specific needs will remain unknown.

She cited the recent report from health news portal Codeblue on a staffing crisis at Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Hospital in Temerloh, Pahang, where the transfer of house officers to another hospital could severely impact patient safety.

Expressing concern over the situation in Temerloh and northern region hospitals, she stressed the need for a synchronised system in which all parties play their part.

“We can’t relocate large numbers of healthcare workers now and then as stop-gap measures. These issues are affecting patient care,” she added.

Prompt notification needed

To address the shortage, she emphasised the importance of Heads of Departments (HODs) promptly notifying hospital directors of any staff changes and submitting data-supported requests for additional manpower. 

This would enable hospital directors to forward these requests to the State Health Department and the Health Ministry’s human resources division.

“MMA has been informed that many HODs have not been updating the relevant departments, let alone submitting requests for manpower despite facing shortages.

“The government should invest in a digital system to simplify the process - where updating can be done in real-time so that all departments, including the health minister, will be up to date on the distribution of human resources.

“It is important to note that each department in our healthcare system has a specific headcount requirement to function optimally,” she added.

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