We are proud to announce that Hospital Rehabilitasi Cheras (HRC) has been awarded as the winner of the 2016 World Stroke Campaign Award in the ‘low to middle income country’ category by the World Stroke Organization (WSO). WSO judges were impressed with the range of innovative activities and diverse audiences engaged in the campaign. The local emphasis on the global campaign message ‘Stroke is Treatable’ has helped to raise awareness of treatment and rehabilitation issues for Malaysian stroke survivors, and has contributed to the global efforts in relation to stroke advocacy.
Hospital Rehabilitasi Cheras was built under the 9th Malaysia Plan and is the first hospital in South East Asia that provides comprehensive Rehabilitation Medicine services. This centre of excellence and national referral centre for Rehabilitation Medicine had cost RM342 million and begun operation on 2nd July 2012. At the moment is has 6 wards and 166 beds, but it has capacity to expand further to accommodate 300 beds in the future. The hospital is also well equipped with high-tech rehabilitation gymnasium and hydrotherapy pools. It also offers outpatient clinics for numerous specialty services as well as Traditional & Complementary Medicine. Public facilities inclusive of a Medihotel are available for family and carers while their loved ones are receiving care in the ward. However this hospital does not have any emergency services to cater for emergency cases from outside the hospital compound.
This hospital is also wheelchair accessible with areas fully accessible by a disable person which include facilities such as public restrooms and Muslim prayer area. With multiple small parks and therapeutic landscape throughout the hospital, the environment of the hospital was designed in such a way to assist recovery and rehabilitation of the patients. Despite build in the metropolitan area, it remains isolated from the hustle of the city yet the location makes it very accessible to the patients and their carers. In my recent visit to this state-of-the-art purpose build hospital for rehabilitation, I was very impressed with the facility and services offered here. Speaking and listening to the patients and their family members or carers, they were all very satisfied with the quality of care and service provided in this hospital.
To maintain the required intensity of the therapy given, plus to ensure the best possible outcome for patients can be achieved, this hospital has put in place certain key selection criteria in accepting referrals from government and private hospitals or clinics. For inpatient services, the referral must be from a specialist to HRC specialist in charge, whereby there must be a discussion between referring and accepting specialist so that the necessary arrangements can be organised to accommodate the patient. As for outpatient services, a detailed referral letter from any medical practitioner would suffice, and an appointment date will be given depending on the nature and severity of the condition. The fee charged is in accordance to the existing MOH fee structure. Any medical practitioner who thinks that their patient might benefit from the services being provided at this hospital are always welcome to communicate and discuss their cases with the Rehabilitation Medicine specialists of this hospital to get the best possible rehabilitation management plan or input on how to optimally manage their patients.
Manned by dedicated Rehabilitation Medicine specialists, Rehabilitation Medical Officers and Allied Health professionals from multiple disciplines, this hospital has adopted interdisciplinary and evidence-based approach to rehabilitation care. At the moment this hospital has 11 Rehabilitation Medicine Specialist and 31 Medical Officer. It also has a build-in Clinical Research Centre (CRC) to inculcate strong research culture from the onset of this hospital’s operation. With strong leadership and dedicated personnel providing world class rehabilitation services at an affordable rate at this hospital, this hospital will continue to grow in years to come to become an world renown and established Centre of Excellence for Rehabilitation Medicine.
Source: From the Desk of the Director-General of Health Malaysia
