BUKIT MERTAJAM, Aug 3 — KPJ Healthcare Bhd today launched its first Orthopaedics and Rheumatology Centre of Excellence at KPJ Penang Specialist Hospital (KPJ Penang), making it the third Centre of Excellence under the KPJ Health System (KPJHS).
As Malaysia’s first private integrated academic health system, KPJ Healthcare continues to strengthen musculoskeletal and joint care services through the integration of Clinical Practice, Education, Research and Innovation.
Datuk Syed Mohamed Syed Ibrahim, who is chairman of both KPJ Health System Governing Council and KPJ Healthcare University Sdn Bhd, said the centre was set up to support the management of complex cases by bringing together multiple orthopaedic subspecialties, rheumatology, multidisciplinary specialist expertise and rehabilitation services within a coordinated model of care.
Syed Mohamed, who is also president and chief executive of Johor Corporation (JCorp), said the centre houses consultation services, diagnostic imaging facilities, treatment rooms and advanced orthopaedic rehabilitation services on a single floor, providing patients with a seamless treatment journey from diagnosis through rehabilitation and recovery.
“On the fourth floor of this hospital (KPJ Penang), which I call the ‘Orthopaedic Island’, the patient’s entire clinical journey has been placed under one roof. Patients with orthopaedic conditions no longer need to move from one department to another.
“Our aspiration for every Centre of Excellence under the KPJ Health System, including the one launched today, is not merely to become a Centre of Excellence, but to continue strengthening its clinical, academic and research capabilities until it evolves into an institute recognised as a referral centre in its field of expertise,” he said in his speech at the launch ceremony here today.
Syed Mohamed said the centre offers comprehensive services covering general orthopaedics, spine surgery, arthroplasty (joint replacement surgery), arthroscopy and sports surgery, foot and ankle surgery, hand surgery and microsurgery, paediatric orthopaedics, trauma and fracture management, rheumatology, and pain management services.
“We also want the Orthopaedics and Rheumatology Centre of Excellence to lead the publication of high-impact research, produce leaders in the clinical and academic fields at both national and international levels, and become the preferred strategic partner for industry, academic institutions and government. That is the true meaning of a world-class institution,” he said.
Meanwhile, KPJ Healthcare said the centre is equipped with artificial intelligence (AI)-powered robotic technology for joint replacement surgery, computer navigation systems and minimally invasive surgical techniques to improve surgical precision, enhance patient mobility and accelerate functional recovery.
It also offers specialised rehabilitation programmes tailored to individual patient needs, including post-spinal surgery rehabilitation, sports injury rehabilitation and paediatric orthopaedic rehabilitation, supported by advanced technologies such as anti-gravity treadmills.
