14 August 2026
Even apparently simple instructions can become less simple when the person receiving them is frightened, unwell, in pain, or overwhelmed by information.
Tag: patient rights
22 May 2026
I use Bahasa Malaysia daily with my colleagues and patients. But clinical reality demands pragmatism, not dogma. When dealing with an anxious or illiterate grandmother, forcing a rigid linguistic template isn't patriotism; it's a clinical hazard.
27 April 2026
Patients should not feel that their care is compromised by cost considerations, nor should they be exposed to unnecessary treatments driven by system inefficiencies. Achieving this balance requires trust.
14 April 2026
Letter
‘Zero Pending’, Zero Safety, Zero HCWs: The Burning Crisis At Queen Elizabeth Hospital — Health Worker
To hit a 4-hour ETD clearance target at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, patients are pushed out of the emergency room and dumped into a multidisciplinary ward, regardless of their diagnosis or stability. Staff who try to delay unsafe admissions are threatened.
27 March 2026
Nothing can replace the personal medical advice you receive from your own doctor, who knows you and your personal medical history.
12 January 2026
Letter
Insurance ‘Quotas’ Prioritising Outpatient Over Inpatient Care May Hurt Patients — Kok Mun Sum
Insurers' directives to raise the quota of outpatients over inpatients for certain illnesses, including dengue, may subtly undermine medical judgement. Dengue can worsen rapidly. When insurers apply pressure to reduce admissions, the safety margin narrows.
16 October 2025
Citing CodeBlue's poll, Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin warns insurance companies that interfering with clinical decisions and denying, delaying or revoking coverage may be illegal. "Insurance fails to protect patients at a time when they most need protection."
9 October 2025
Letter
Act Now For Better Patient Care: Protect Workers’ Health, Protect Patients’ Rights — Dr Steven Chow
Without urgent reform, Malaysia risks sliding into a profit-driven health care model that undermines ethics and patient safety.
23 January 2025
Hospitals, both public and private, and doctors should be mindful of the legal position whenever patients request access to their medical records, according to Dr Milton Lum.
1 November 2024
A citizen raises two incidents of allegedly substandard care provided to a patient at two public hospitals' emergency departments in Selangor. The writer demands for patients' rights to be protected, such as the right to view their case files and notes.