Ramsay Sime Darby forays into digital healthcare with new medical app

Ramsay Sime Darby Health Care (RSDH) has introduced digital healthcare with virtual access to its healthcare practitioners through its new digital health application, ‘Telehealth Plus’, to enable virtual consultation to be provided to existing patients while at home. The platform, which also caters for those who require general health screening, aims to provide easy access for its over one million local and international patients in the current climate.  

In Malaysia, RSDH facilities Subang Jaya Medical Centre, Ara Damansara Medical Centre and ParkCity Medical Centre started virtual clinics via this platform in June 2020. Patients can now receive follow-up care from healthcare professionals ranging from cardiologists, oncologists and neurosurgeons to paediatricians and physicians. Appointments can also be made with allied health professionals such as occupational and rehabilitation therapists. 

Accessible via web browsers using a laptop, tablet or smart phone, the platform leverages innovative technology, convenience and ease of use at a time when social distancing and non-essential contact continue to be part of the new norm. It allows patients with concerns about Covid-19, which is impacting the healthcare sector worldwide, to still obtain timely medical care.

Group Chief Executive Officer of RSDH, Mr Greg Brown, said, “Since the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in many struggling with hospital visits, we invested in the digital platform to offer comprehensive services including video consultation for patients who prefer less frequent hospital visits for now. With its availability, we believe patients will be less prone to neglecting their health and seek medical attention more promptly from within the comfort of their home.”

“While patients will get the same quality of healthcare online as one would receive when physically present at hospital, virtual consultation is not recommended for everyone. Our network of doctors across the hospitals is only available for follow-up patients who have already had at least one in-person consultation. Patients can also upload test results and reports for doctors to review and due to this, virtual health screening can be done easily, with shorter waiting time for patients and consultations handled conveniently with a video call,” said Mr. Brown.

“Integrating digital services is a timely move and a vital enabler. We currently have individual health service platforms for our Malaysian hospitals and our hospitals in Indonesia. Our medium-term plan is to have one integrated platform including our Patient Management System which includes electronic medical records for our group of hospitals in order to provide seamless services to meet patients’ evolving healthcare needs,” added Mr. Brown.

Patients can make follow-up appointments and e-payments, while keeping track of consultation history with e-appointment cards. Medicine can also be prescribed via this service, with patients either opting for self-pickup or home delivery. The group is also looking into medication delivery for international patients.