Shorter wait at IJN

The National Heart Institute (IJN) hopes to cut waiting time for surgery from nine months to just three months by 2008.
Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek said this would be possible under IJN’s RM209 million expansion project, which will kick off in October.
The move will involve the refurbishment, renovation and upgrading of existing facilities and construction of a new block.
On completion, IJN will have an additional 158 beds, bringing the total to 428.
Other facilities will in- clude an additional 20 cli- nics for outpatient treatment, five general wards comprising a variety of rooms including suites, two fully-equipped operating theatres and an invasive cardiovascular laboratory.
Dr Chua said the project would increase IJN’s capacity by 20 per cent.
IJN currently performs 6,000 cardiology intervention procedures and 3,000 cardiothoracic operations annually.
"Ten years ago, the institute handled some 50,000 outpatients.
"Last year, the number rose to 122,346 with inpatients for the same period rising from 8,000 to 11,296," Dr Chua told reporters after witnessing the signing of a letter of award appointing a UEM Construction Sdn Bhd- Intria Bina Sdn Bhd joint-venture for the project.
Since being established in 1992, IJN has treated 924,126 outpatients and 107,482 inpatients.
On average, about 10,000 patients are referred to IJN every year for outpatient treatment and 9,000 as inpatients from government and private hospitals.
Countering allegations that consultants and specialists were leaving IJN, Dr Chua said only three consultants and eight clinical specialists had left between 2000 and last year.
"There are 65 doctors in IJN and this is expected to increase with the project," he said.
He said government subsidies for IJN had increased from RM35 million in 1992 to RM144 million last year.
He said treatment at IJN was affordable, as 70 per cent of patients were government servants and their dependents, with the rest being locals.
Asked whether IJN would be engaging foreign consultants, Dr Chua said: "There are foreign fellows who come and share their expertise and experience with local consultants, especially on new procedures."
IJN chairman Tan Sri Mohamed Khatib Abdul Hamid said financing for the expansion project would be through the issuance of Islamic bonds.
He said the Sukuk Musyarakah bond was valued at RM209 million and rated AAA by the Malaysian Rating Corporation Berhad for RM100 million over seven years.
It had been rated AA+ for another RM109 million over seven years.
"This is proof of confidence by financial institutions in IJN’s capability and its future as the premier cardiovascular and thoracic centre in the region," Khatib said.
He gave an assurance that the cost of the project would not be passed on to patients.
Dr Chua later handed RM128,000 from the IJN Foundation to 10 patients to fund part of their treatment.
Source