Care in a time of Covid-19 Sunway Medical Centre Velocity steps up to the plate
22 April 2020
SMCV has set up a teleconsultation service to allow patients to receive health advice from SMCV’s specialists or medical officers from the comfort of their homes.
AT this point of time, the Covid-19 pandemic and recently extended movement control order (MCO) has introduced us to a new normal. Healthcare frontliners all over the world have been putting in their best efforts to battle the outbreak to keep us all safe.
In Sunway Medical Centre Velocity (SMCV), the doctors, nurses and staff are working around the clock and to the best of their ability to ensure everyone who walks in and out of their doors are kept safe and provided with the best care. These are some of the efforts carried out at the present moment to adapt, adjust and provide all with utmost safety.
Putting the patients first
From the very start, SMCV has set up tents outside the hospital to separate high risk and low risk patients to protect the patients and prevent the spread of the possible Covid-19 infection. This continues inside the hospital where different wards have been allocated to separate these groups. Staff are also practising social distancing between themselves and their patients where necessary to reduce the risk of contracting the virus.
For patients who wish to speak with a doctor during this time, SMCV has set up a teleconsultation service to allow patients to receive health advice from SMCV’s specialists or medical officers from the comfort of their homes. patients can make follow-up appointments, receive medication prescriptions and specialised health advisory where necessary depending on patient’s medical history and current health status. Aside from that, SMCV is also offering medication delivery to patient’s doorsteps in an effort to keep patients safe while they stay at home during this MCO.
To make a teleconsultation appointment, patients only need to visit SMCV’s website and select from their list of participating medical specialities, such as Cardiology, Dermatology, Paediatrics and Psychiatry among others, and book their appointment online accordingly.
Dr Irene Lee, who specialises in Dermatology explains the importance of carrying out teleconsultation services.
“Recently I had a couple of sessions with patients from other states who were unable to visit the hospital due to the MCO – for example, one of them was on long term medications and was at risk of a flare up should the medications be stopped, and some other patients, condition was worsening and needed adjustments to their medications. When used wisely, these teleconsultations can be a very good tool to deliver our healthcare services to these patients,” she says.
SMCV is also offering free teleconsultation services with a medical officer daily from 3-4pm for non-emergency health conditions. The officers can provide health advisory for minor ailments, as well as preventive health advice for patients of all ages.
SMCV doctors and nurses have been trained to use their Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) with powered, air-purifying respirator (PAPR) during intubation procedures, to protect both the patient and the staff.
Protecting our healthcare heroes
From the moment they enter the hospital to the moment they leave, all staff and healthcare workers carry out extra procedures to protect themselves and everyone else that they come into contact with.
SMCV has put a strict policy in place to ensure that every employee wears a mask before entering the hospital’s premises. Through a staff health surveillance programme, temperature monitoring is carried out daily, and staff with a higher temperature than usual or displaying any symptoms will be requested to stay home and take the necessary steps to get better.
For further disinfection measures, showering facilities have been provided to all staff in the hospital. All staff who are responsible for screening the public (temperature checks and travel history confirmations) are required to shower post duty, and staff within the hospital can also do so to curb the spread of the infection.
Various medical facilities and procedures have been modified to adapt to the Covid-19 situation. Hospital staff have been trained to put on and take off their respective Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), to use PPE with powered, air-purifying respirator (PAPR) during intubation procedures which involves additional protection such as an aerosol box, and also follow modified Standard Operating Procedures to enhance their safety and that of others.
All staff who are responsible for screening the public (temperature checks and travel history confirmations) are required to shower post duty, and staff within the hospital can also do so to curb the spread of the infection.
A ‘Covid safe’ hospital for all
To control the amount of people within the hospital premises daily, SMCV has restricted the number of entry points in and around the hospital. During the MCO, visitors are advised to bring only one guardian during clinic consultations with the exception of paediatric patients, patients who require assistance or emergency cases.
Before entering the hospital, all patients and visitors are also required to fill up a Health and Travel Declaration form and present their original passport/identification card for verification purposes.
As it is daily practice in the hospital, frequent sanitisation efforts have been carried out continuously for the whole hospital premises including doors, lifts, chairs, and floors. These areas and frequent touchpoints are sanitised every hour, with extra emphasis in the Emergency Department.
For individuals with symptoms such as fever, cough, difficulty in breathing and sore throat or has had close contact with a COVID-19 positive patient, please drop by your nearest hospital and get tested. SMCV is now providing tests for COVID-19 via drive-thru or walk-in procedures at just RM360.
For patients who would like to go through the drive-thru test, please make an appointment via WhatsApp at +60193833587 and drop by within the designated time. Walk-ins do not require appointments and are available at the same time slots as the drive-thru periods, which are fixed at 9am-2pm, and 3pm-6pm.
About Sunway Medical Centre Velocity
Sunway Medical Centre Velocity is situated in the township of Sunway Velocity. The hospital offers comprehensive tertiary healthcare services with designed capacity of 240 beds, 77 consultant suites and six operating theatres. Its range of medical services include facilities and advanced medical technologies for outpatient and inpatient specialty care, health and wellness programmes and 24-hour emergency services.
Sunway Medical Centre is affiliated with the Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, University of Cambridge, Royal Papworth Hospital and Harvard Medical School to further meet the demands of clinical care, education and research.
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