KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 — The Malaysian Pharmacists Society (MPS) called today for community pharmacies to be integrated into the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) overhauled emergency triage system in public hospitals.
The pharmacists’ group said the Malaysian Triage Scale (MTS) 2022 presented an opportunity to formally integrate more than 3,000 community pharmacists in the country into the national referral pathway for suitable non-critical patients.
“The Malaysian Triage Scale 2022 enables more accurate identification of patients according to the urgency of their condition. The next logical step is ensuring patients classified as non-critical have timely access to appropriate care outside the emergency department. Community pharmacies are well positioned to fulfil that role,” MPS president Prof Amrahi Buang said in a statement.
Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said in a recent Dewan Rakyat written reply that the MOH has upgraded the previous three-tier colour-coded system under the Malaysian Triage Category (2011) to a more refined five-tier scale, ranging from Level 1 (Resuscitation) to Level 5 (Routine).
This revamp with the new MTS 2022 for government hospitals is intended to assess patients more accurately and cut treatment delays. Currently, emergency patients across both the public and private sectors (not just MOH hospitals) are classified as red (critical), yellow (semi-critical), or green (non-critical).
Even before the adoption of MTS 2022, Sultanah Aminah Johor Bahru Hospital (HSAJB), for instance, has been regularly diverting yellow or green zone cases from its emergency unit to nearby “health facilities” whenever patient numbers increase.
“MPS proposes that community pharmacists be formally recognised as Primary Care Triage Partners.”
Under this collaborative model, MPS suggested that patients assessed under MTS 2022 as Level 4 (less urgent) or Level 5 (routine), “where clinically appropriate”, may be referred to participating community pharmacies for assessment and management.
Emergency department staff can direct patients to nearby participating pharmacies, with locations easily identified through MySejahtera.
Pharmacists would assess patients, provide evidence-based treatment for minor ailments where appropriate, offer medication counselling, monitor symptoms, and promptly refer patients to medical practitioners or hospitals whenever red flag symptoms are identified.
Amrahi stressed that MPS wasn’t proposing to replace doctors or emergency physicians.
“This is about ensuring every health care professional practises at the top of their competency,” he said.
“Pharmacists are trained to assess minor illnesses, provide appropriate treatment, and identify patients requiring urgent medical attention. A collaborative health care model benefits patients, improves access to care, and allows our emergency departments to focus on those whose lives depend on immediate intervention.”
Community pharmacies are not legally designed as a health care facility under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 (Act 586).
