KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 21 — Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) has acknowledged difficulties by inpatients in obtaining prescribed non-formulary medications from pharmacies within the university hospital’s premises.
UMMC explained that its drug formulary falls into two main categories: standard formulary and non-standard formulary.
The standard formulary lists essential and main therapies – procured under the government budget – that are readily available in the hospital’s general pharmacy and dispensed directly to inpatients as prescribed by doctors.
The non-standard formulary lists medicines outside the standard formulary that may be prescribed by doctors, according to their patients’ needs.
“As these medications are not procured under the government budget, patients or their caregivers are required to purchase these medications from retail pharmacies or via our PharmUMMC service, established to facilitate in-house purchases of these special medications,” UMMC’s Corporate Office told CodeBlue in a statement.
“The distinction between these two categories is important, as it explains why the procurement process for non-standard formulary medications differs. Since these medications are not part of the hospital’s operational budget, their costs cannot be integrated into the hospital bill, necessitating a separate purchase process.”
CodeBlue recently published a letter by a UMMC inpatient’s relative, who complained about having to physically obtain medications from the hospital’s pharmacy for her elderly immobile cousin.
“We appreciate Ms Christine SK Lai for bringing this important issue to our attention and we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused to her cousin and other patients who may have experienced similar difficulties in obtaining their prescribed medications,” UMMC said in response.
“We acknowledge that the current process for obtaining non-formulary medications will need improvements.”
The public teaching hospital listed several “immediate” steps it was taking to address Lai’s concerns, including providing dedicated staff for the process of obtaining non-formulary drugs for patients and alternative delivery options.
UMMC said it is also enhancing its Patient Journey app to allow patients to order and pay for their medication orders online.
In addition, UMMC expressed commitment to reviewing its formulary to ensure that essential medications are available in its standard formulary. The hospital has also established a committee to oversee the non-formulary medication process and ensure accountability.
UMMC also said it is improving its communication to ensure that patients and families understand the process for obtaining non-formulary medications.
“We understand that these changes will take time to implement, but we want to assure our patients and their families that we are committed to making the process of obtaining necessary medications as smooth and efficient as possible.
UMMC encouraged patients or relatives facing difficulties with obtaining non-formulary medications to contact its dedicated helpline at 03-7949 3977/2174, WhatsApp at 03-7949 3977, or email at [email protected].
