PETALING JAYA, Nov 11 – Government patients referred to the National Heart Institute (IJN) will be administered generic drugs used in the Health Ministry’s Medicines Formulary (MOHMF), it was revealed.

The ministry said the policy is an administrative reference to control and encourage the dispensing of medicines in a rational manner, while maintaining quality. It said the government would foot the cost of treatment at the heart centre for patients covered by it and subsidise others unable to afford it.

In a recent parliamentary written reply, the ministry said it needs to exercise control on costs payable to IJN Sdn Bhd (IJNSB) for patients covered by the government, as the amount payable is increasing annually.

The Dewan Negara was told that the ministry spent RM248.97mil to outsource 93,495 heart patients to IJN between January and May this year.

On the government’s rationale to refer government-covered patients in IJN back to the ministry’s facilities, the ministry said this would enable treatment slots for invasive procedures.

“The ministry will also ensure that there is a ready supply of medication for patients who are referred to our facilities,” it said.

The ministry has 10 cardiology centres and 68 hospitals with internal medicine specialists nationwide to accommodate patients referred by IJN.

It said patients referred back to the ministry’s facilities from IJN would be those who are in a stable condition and having completed intervention cardiology treatment or surgery and no longer on active treatment.

“This will reduce the waiting time for treatment and invasive heart procedures at ministry hospitals as more slots for treatment and procedures can be given to new patients,” the ministry explained.It said itis also developing a computerised system to ease the referral process of government- covered patients in IJN to ministry facilities.

“With the computerised system in place, patients can obtain appointments at government hospitals without having to go there first,” it said.

The system would also contain data such as patient history, treatment and current medications at IJN, which the ministry facility could access.

“Cardiology services at the ministry’s cardiology centres are also equipped with cardiology specialists who are on par with IJN and trained paramedics.

“In fact, the infrastructure and equipment in invasive cardiology labs at government cardiology centres are also equipped with advanced technology which are on par with IJN,” it said.

Owned by the Minister of Finance Incorporated, IJN, which was founded in 1992, is the largest heart hospital in the country.