Malaysia’s Health Ministry is expanding measures to ease emergency department congestion, with 71.8% of major government hospitals meeting waiting time targets.
KUALA LUMPUR: Some 71.8% of major government hospitals recorded average waiting times of less than eight hours for emergency department patients awaiting ward admission as of June, up from 55.26% in 2025, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said.
He said 28 of the 39 Type 1 and Type 2 government hospitals, which generally handle high patient volumes and referrals from surrounding districts, had met the target.
Meanwhile, 94 of 103 Type 3 and Type 4 hospitals, comprising smaller specialist and non-specialist facilities, recorded average waiting times of less than four hours for patients awaiting beds, representing 91.3% of hospitals in those categories.
Dzulkefly was responding to Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun (PH-Port Dickson), who sought clarification on persistent overcrowding in government hospital emergency departments, patient waiting times and measures to address the problem.
He said the Health Ministry had introduced short-, medium- and long-term measures to ease congestion and improve the patient experience.
These include the Hospital Services Outsourcing Programme, which has been implemented since 2024 and covers 14 types of services. The programme has benefited more than 50,000 patients across 75 ministry hospitals.
The ministry is also improving patient flow through its LEAN Healthcare initiative, including better bed management through Bed Management Units, dedicated waiting areas for patients who have been cleared for discharge, and expanded day-care services.
Dzulkefly said the cluster hospital initiative also enabled nearby hospitals to share expertise, equipment and bed capacity.
“Health clinics are also being strengthened to manage stable patients and those with chronic conditions, reducing the burden on hospitals.
“In the longer term, the ministry plans to upgrade infrastructure, expand physical capacity and strengthen the healthcare workforce through targeted measures,” he said.
These measures include the phased upgrading, renovation and expansion of healthcare facilities.
