70% of patients at Penang Hospital emergency department are non-critical cases

George Town, Penang: In a recent report, the state health committee chairman Daniel Gooi revealed that a staggering 70% of patients visiting Penang Hospital's emergency and trauma department are non-critical cases, leading to overcrowding at the facility. The department, which handles an average of 300 cases daily, revealed that 32.99% of patients were non-emergency cases, while 40.6% were classified as minor (Green Zone) cases, totaling 73.56% of patients needing non-critical care.

Only 7.14% of cases were classified as critical (Red Zone), requiring immediate treatment, while 19.81% were semi-critical (Yellow Zone) cases. Despite the high number of non-critical cases, the hospital does not have a 'wrong-door' policy and treats all patients, according to Gooi during a question-and-answer session at the state assembly.

The hospital also serves as a referral center for northern states. To alleviate congestion, the hospital has introduced several measures, including extending the operating hours of high-capacity health clinics and improving referral procedures to directly admit high-risk patients to hospital wards. The state is also collaborating with nearby private clinics to treat low-risk patients.

Longer-term measures involve constructing two new hospital blocks, expected to increase the number of beds and reduce overcrowding at the emergency department. Following a viral video showing the hospital's congestion, Penang Hospital apologized and implemented a triage system to prioritize patients based on the severity of their conditions rather than their arrival time.