KUALA LUMPUR: The Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) has lauded the Health Ministry for successfully amending the Medical Act 1971 (Act 50).
The association, which includes 157 members and numerous specialists, said these changes would address issues related to the parallel pathway specialist training plan.
"The recent amendments to the Medical Act are a significant step forward in resolving the challenges healthcare professionals face in gaining specialist recognition," said APHM president Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh.
The revisions aim to streamline the registration process for medical specialists, making it more efficient.
One of the key changes is the introduction of a new pathway for medical practitioners who have completed specialist training programmes approved by the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC).
This new process is expected to reduce the administrative burden and time required for healthcare professionals to attain specialist status, he said.
Additionally, the amended Act mandates that the MMC collaborates with relevant professional associations to maintain a comprehensive list of recognised specialist training programmes.
Kuljit said the collaborative effort ensures that the criteria for specialist registration are regularly updated to meet the evolving needs of the healthcare system.
"The easing of specialist registration is anticipated to benefit Malaysia's healthcare landscape, including private hospitals.
"Many private hospitals are eager to have Malaysian specialists working abroad return to serve the country.
"Currently, the process of recognising these specialists can take a year or more, which is entirely unreasonable."
Kuljit said the amendment aims to encourage more medical practitioners to pursue specialist training by simplifying the registration process.
This, he said, would expand the pool of qualified specialists available to serve the public.