Amidst the ongoing crisis facing the Malaysian public health system, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa recently described plans to meet with hospital directors and other stakeholders to identify the issues plaguing the public health system and the source of the problems.
The health minister also mentioned that officers from the ministry would be deployed to gather feedback and information on the actual situation at public health facilities. The minister’s initiative to seek out information and look beyond departmental reports is to be complimented.
If the intent, however, is to get a true picture of how things are really like on the ground, then it is important that the minister and her officers speak to the most important stakeholders of the health care system: the patients and the general public.
Now, understandably, input has to be gathered from health care leaders, administrators, as well as health care professionals who serve within the public health facilities as they have in-depth knowledge of how our health care system works, its processes and protocols, as well as the problems that prevent them from delivering good quality health care to the public.
The insider knowledge of the health care professionals, however, can result in blind spots as their familiarity with the health care system allows them to overcome obstacles and bypass problems that would prevent a member of the lay public from accessing the care they need. In a nutshell, most health care professionals are ignorant of the real-life experiences that members of the public go through when seeking health care.
Patients are not only consumers of health care services but also active participants in their own care. They bring unique perspectives, experiences, and needs to the health care table.
It is imperative that the minister and her officers engage with patients and the public in order to truly understand the problems in the health system and use that information to develop comprehensive solutions, as well as to reform the health system from one that is physician-centric to one that is patient-centred.
There are several reasons why the patients and the public must be engaged and consulted by the minister and her officers. Firstly, patients have unique perspectives on their health and the health care system that can provide valuable insights.
Patients can provide feedback on the quality of care they receive, the barriers they face in accessing care, and the impact of new and existing policies, procedures, and protocols on their lives.
By engaging with patients, the Ministry of Health (MOH) can ensure that their solutions and operational policies are grounded in the realities of patient experiences.
Secondly, patient engagement can help to improve health outcomes. Patients who are actively engaged in their care are more likely to adhere to treatment regimens, to attend appointments, and to make healthier lifestyle choices. Patient engagement can lead to policies that ultimately improve health outcomes.
Thirdly, patient engagement can help to increase trust and transparency in the health care system. When patients are involved in the decision-making processes that affect their health, they are more likely to feel empowered and to trust the health care system.
This can help to build trust in the health care system and to increase transparency, which are essential for ensuring the equitable delivery of care.
Finally, patient engagement can help to ensure that future health care policies and the solutions proposed for the current health system crisis are equitable. Patients from different backgrounds and communities have unique perspectives and needs.
By engaging with patients, the MOH can ensure that their policies are responsive to the diverse needs of the populations they serve and that they are equitable and inclusive.
Considering how critical patient and public engagement is to the development of practical and effective solutions, it is important that the Ministry and its officers utilise proper methods and platforms that will allow patients and the public to meaningfully participate in discussions and to offer feedback. These methods include:
Public Meetings And Hearings
Public meetings and hearings are a direct and effective way for engagement with patients and the public. These forums provide an opportunity for ministry officers to hear directly from patients and the public about their experiences and perspectives on health care issues.
Patients and the public can provide feedback on proposed policies, share their experiences with the health care system, and offer suggestions for improvement. The MOH can then use this feedback to inform their decision-making and to make changes to policies based on the input received.
Public meetings and hearings can be held in person, online, or through a combination of both. They can be structured as open forums or as town hall-style meetings. The format of the meeting can be tailored to meet the specific needs and preferences of the patients and the public being engaged.
Surveys And Questionnaires
Surveys and questionnaires are another method the MOH can use to gather information from a large number of people in a relatively short amount of time.
Surveys and questionnaires can be used to gather information about patients’ experiences with the health care system, their opinions on proposed policies, and their perspectives on health care issues.
Surveys and questionnaires can be administered online, by phone, or through mail. They can also be designed to target specific populations or to be representative of the larger population.
Patient And Public Advisory Committees
Patient and public advisory committees are made up of patients, family members, and community members who provide input into the policymaking process.
Patient and public advisory committees can be established at the national, state, local, or facility level and can be focused on specific health care issues or can be more general in nature.
Patient and public advisory committees provide a structured and ongoing mechanism for engagement between patients, health care providers, administrators, and the leadership at the MOH.
They can provide a forum for patients and the public to share their perspectives and experiences, to provide feedback on proposed policies, and to offer suggestions for improvement.
In conclusion, it will be critical for the health minister and her officers to ensure that patients and the public are repeatedly engaged at great length and depth as the MOH embarks on what is clearly a difficult task in overcoming the problems of the public health system, as well as the greater task of ensuring that Malaysians continue to have access to a strong, sustainable, and equitable health care system.
Mark Cheong is an academic pharmacist and a public health researcher.
- This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of CodeBlue.
