MALAYSIA: US$24.5 MILLION FOR MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE SINCE 2007

KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Government has thus far,
paid US$24.5 million (RM7 million) in compensation to patients since 2007 for
negligence at government hospitals.

Deputy Health Minister Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin said the sum was
considered small, as compared to compensations paid out by other countries.

She said the ministry received a monthly average of between five and eight
complaints on negligence by medical staff over the past two years.

"Most of the cases were taken straight to court, affecting the credibility
and image of the doctor. It also increased the burden and pressure on medical
practitioners.

"There are other ways to settle these cases, besides going to court, such as
using alternative dispute resolution (ADR) which consists of arbitration,
mediation, conciliation and negotiation," added Rosnah.

She was speaking to reporters after launching the Alternative Dispute
Resolution Conference on Medical Negligence 2009 at the International Islamic
University Malaysia (IIUM) in Gombak near here Friday.

"Our society is still unaware of these methods which are less costly,
quick,
easy and professionally carried out without shaming any party. It's more of a
win-win situation," she said.

She said with this method, the patient and doctor will have a discussion in
the presence of a middleman or moderator who will be responsible for suggesting
solutions agreeable to both parties.

"It will be a closed discussion to maintain the good name of the patient and
the doctor, and will not even require a lawyer," she added.

Rosnah said the ministry and the Malaysian Medical Council would always
practise the discussion method because there were cases not caused by
negligence, as alleged by the patient.

-- BERNAMA