Health ministry clarifies report on retirees discharged from IJN

In a letter published on health news portal Code Blue yesterday, a retiree said he was shocked to be discharged from IJN despite 25 years of receiving extensive care, with multiple admissions and procedures.

PETALING JAYA: The health ministry has sought to clarify a report claiming that retirees and civil servants are being discharged from the National Heart Institute (IJN) and referred to cardiac centres near their homes to cut costs.

The ministry said that patients are only discharged from IJN once their conditions are stable, with a monitoring period of at least six months to a year for adults and one to two years for children.

“These stable patients then return to public hospitals for ongoing care under cardiology and cardiothoracic departments.

“This strategic approach allows approximately 4,000 new patients to be referred to IJN annually, maximising cost effectiveness,” it said in a statement.

The ministry was responding to a letter published on health news portal Code Blue yesterday, in which a retiree said he was shocked to be discharged from IJN despite 25 years of receiving extensive care, with multiple admissions and procedures.

The retiree said he was informed that IJN was complying with a health ministry directive.

The retiree also said he was informed by a cardiologist that IJN’s hands were tied as the government was cutting costs.

Former minister Rafidah Aziz then took the health ministry to task, saying that specialised treatment at government hospitals is part of the retirement package for pensioners.

The former international trade and industry minister asked whether the pensioners, who had “served the nation for the most part of their lives”, were being told to seek treatment at government clinics.

These clinics, she said, had neither the expertise nor the equipment and medication to tend to those in need of specialised treatment.

“It is shocking if the government subscribes to such inhumane measures,” she told FMT.

The health ministry said that its public hospitals are well-equipped and staffed with qualified physicians and surgeons, offering services comparable to those of IJN.

“The strategy of referring complicated and critical cases to IJN is aimed at optimising resource utilisation and ensuring the access of the general public to the ministry’s hospital services.

“Therefore, sharing patient loads with IJN should not be mistaken as any form of incapacity on the part of public hospitals,” it said.

The ministry added that the costs associated with patient referrals to IJN are covered by federal funding.

“While the expenses for these referrals are increasing annually, prudent cost control measures are essential to treat as many patients as possible with existing resources, ensuring fairness to taxpayers,” it added.