The National Heart Institute or Insitut Jantung Negara has issued a statement following the recent write-up by “Concern Pensioners” that has been circulating in social media and WhatsApp’s platforms on claims that the hospital is turning pension patients away prioritising top-level government officers and ministers in view of it being privatised.
IJN said it takes the accusation seriously as the contents were inaccurate and unjustified to the organisation and have clarified some of the misconceptions.
Contrary to the claim, IJN has never been privatised; it has been corporatised since its inception. As a corporatised entity, the heart institution continues to be fully owned by the government under the Minister of Finance Incorporated; and the centre operates private under the Malaysian Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 under the purview of the Ministry of Health. The hospital’s primary mission remains to provide exceptional medical services to all Malaysians including government employees, retirees, and citizens from various sectors as well as patients from neighboring countries.
Approximately 84.7% of its workload comprises patients from the government sectors (employees, pensioners, and their dependents). 14.9% are privately paying patients (insurance coverage and cash) and 0.4% are foreign patients (this information is available in its performance reports on the website).
Public Service Department (JPA) has outlined that all government employees, pensioners and their dependents require a referral from government/ private hospitals/clinics and referred by a Physician/ Cardiologist/Emergency Physician to seek treatment in IJN. Patients with government GL may refer to the JPA circular Appendix SR. 2.1.1 (G) provided in the official MyPPSM portal or refer to their human resources on the process, as every government agency has its terms and requirement on their employee’s eligibility and coverage when seeking treatment at our centre.
Following to the “ Surat Pekeliling Ketua Pengarah Kesihatan Bil 12/2002 – Garis Panduan Rawatan Susulan di IJN bagi Pesakit Tanggungan Kerajaan”, patients are to be discharged back to the referring hospital 12 months after undergoing procedure/surgery, provided the patient requires continuous follow-up treatment and management. IJN is obligated to this guideline regulated by the Ministry of Health.
IJN said it commitment to providing excellent healthcare to government employees has not wavered and strives to offer the highest level of medical care to all patients, regardless of their backgrounds.
The institution also values the unwavering support of government employees and retirees who have been with IJN since the early days and that their contributions have been instrumental in shaping IJN into what it is today.
