A PENANG hospital will expand its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme this year by providing free heart procedures to five B40 patients, up from three last year.
Northern Heart Hospital Penang person-in-charge Dr Tan Chiang Soo said the initiative reflected the hospital’s commitment to ensuring quality cardiac care was accessible to those who could not afford it.
Last year, the hospital performed free Percutaneous Coronary Intervention procedures on three B40 patients referred by the Penang Hospital, based on their medical and financial needs.
Each procedure cost more than RM50,000.
“CSR is very important to us. Although we are still a relatively new hospital, we believe in giving back to the community,” Dr Tan said during a ceremony held to mark Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow’s first official visit to the hospital.
Dr Tan also announced that the hospital had introduced a programme for its staff to reduce stress and minimise clinical errors.
He said the programme aimed to foster a more caring and compassionate workplace, with plans to eventually extend it to the wider community.
Meanwhile, Chow commended the hospital’s CSR initiative and expressed hope that it would continue to benefit more patients.
“Access to quality healthcare should never depend solely on one’s financial means.”
He said the state government measured investments not by the announcements made but by the tangible benefits they brought to the people.
“We do not want to be known for simply announcing investments or celebrating new developments while the people see little difference in their daily lives.
“Every investment must create real spillover benefits – good jobs, opportunities for local businesses, stronger economic activity and better livelihoods. That is how we measure success,” he added.
Chow said hospitals contributed far beyond treating patients, by creating quality jobs, supporting local suppliers and small-and- medium enterprises, and generating business for sectors such as hospitality, food and beverage and transportation.
He said that about half of Northern Heart Hospital Penang’s 235 employees were Penangites.
“This is exactly the kind of local participation we want to see, where quality investments create quality jobs for our people.
“Someone who may never receive treatment here should still be able to feel the positive impact through a stronger economy and better opportunities.”
On the state’s healthcare sector, Chow said Penang continued to lead the nation in medical tourism, contributing 45% of Malaysia’s total medical tourism revenue.
He said more than 500,000 international patients had sought treatment in Penang last year, generating over RM1.1bil in revenue.
The state government, he added, would continue working with private healthcare providers to strengthen Penang’s medical ecosystem and ensure the industry’s growth translated into better jobs, stronger local businesses, healthcare innovation, and improved services for locals.
Northern Heart Hospital Penang chief executive officer Kelen Leong Choy Fun said the hospital remained committed to delivering world-class cardiovascular care through clinical excellence, innovation, compassion and patient-centred service.
She said the hospital hoped to strengthen specialised cardiac services while supporting Penang’s position as a leading regional destination for medical excellence.
Also present were Northern Heart Hospital Penang general manager Katrina Felix and senior consultant cardiothoracic surgeon Prof Datuk Dr Basheer Ahamed Abdul Kareem.
