PATIENTS suffering from chronic illness can now have their follow-up medication delivered to them following the launch of the Medicine By Mail service.
With this, they can forget about queueing up at a hospital’s pharmacy counter.
Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) deputy director Dr Junaidi Diki said patients who signed up for the service would have their medicine delivered to them at their chosen address, such as their home or office, through Poslaju.
“This means patients don’t have to brave traffic jams, parking difficulties and long queues to come to the hospital for their follow-up medicine.
“It will also make it easier for patients who have transport problems to receive their medicine,” he said when launching the service at the hospital in Kuching yesterday.
However, he said, patients would have to meet several criteria in order to register for the service.
These include having chronic diseases such as high-blood pressure and diabetes, being in stable condition and having long-term medication in capsule or tablet form, not liquid.
“For instance, if your medication is only for a week, you won’t need this service. The prescription must be for at least a month,” Dr Diki said, adding that dangerous medicine would not be dispensed through the service.
The service is currently available at SGH, Sibu Hospital and Miri Hospital while deliveries would be made to any destination in the country depending on Pos Malaysia’s capabilities.
The delivery charges are RM5 for parcels below 500g within Sarawak and RM8 between Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia, payable upon delivery.
For parcels between 500g and 1,000g, the charges are RM6 within Sarawak and RM10 between the state and Peninsular Malaysia.
Dr Diki added that 38 patients had registered for the service at SGH since it was introduced last August while another 15 had signed up at the newly-opened SGH Heart Centre in Kota Samarahan.
“With the launch of the service, we hope more patients will sign up. Eventually we hope to introduce it in health clinics, depending on their capacity.”
Meanwhile, heart patient Sim Chu Chai, 83, received his medicine from Poslaju couriers during the launching ceremony.
He said this was the second time he received it through Poslaju after signing up for the service last year.
“It’s much more convenient this way as I don’t have to go to the hospital for my medicine,” he said, adding that the parcel contained about two months’ supply of medicine.
Meanwhile, Sibu Hospital director Dr Chin Zin Hing said the service would make it convenient for patients.
“Patients no longer have to queue at the counters, “ he said during the launch at the Sibu Hospital’s Pharmacy.
Sibu divisional medical officer Dr Mohamad Rais Abdullah, said 12 patients had registered for the service.
Dr Rais also said more than 100 people in Sibu had benefited from another value-added service, the “SMS & Collect” which was first introduced in October last year.
Under this service, a registered patient can just send an SMS with their particulars to the hospital’s pharmacy at 0145853306 at least three working days before the date of collection.
“This service is fast and easy,” he said.
With this, they can forget about queueing up at a hospital’s pharmacy counter.
Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) deputy director Dr Junaidi Diki said patients who signed up for the service would have their medicine delivered to them at their chosen address, such as their home or office, through Poslaju.
“This means patients don’t have to brave traffic jams, parking difficulties and long queues to come to the hospital for their follow-up medicine.
“It will also make it easier for patients who have transport problems to receive their medicine,” he said when launching the service at the hospital in Kuching yesterday.
However, he said, patients would have to meet several criteria in order to register for the service.
These include having chronic diseases such as high-blood pressure and diabetes, being in stable condition and having long-term medication in capsule or tablet form, not liquid.
“For instance, if your medication is only for a week, you won’t need this service. The prescription must be for at least a month,” Dr Diki said, adding that dangerous medicine would not be dispensed through the service.
The service is currently available at SGH, Sibu Hospital and Miri Hospital while deliveries would be made to any destination in the country depending on Pos Malaysia’s capabilities.
The delivery charges are RM5 for parcels below 500g within Sarawak and RM8 between Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia, payable upon delivery.
For parcels between 500g and 1,000g, the charges are RM6 within Sarawak and RM10 between the state and Peninsular Malaysia.
Dr Diki added that 38 patients had registered for the service at SGH since it was introduced last August while another 15 had signed up at the newly-opened SGH Heart Centre in Kota Samarahan.
“With the launch of the service, we hope more patients will sign up. Eventually we hope to introduce it in health clinics, depending on their capacity.”
Meanwhile, heart patient Sim Chu Chai, 83, received his medicine from Poslaju couriers during the launching ceremony.
He said this was the second time he received it through Poslaju after signing up for the service last year.
“It’s much more convenient this way as I don’t have to go to the hospital for my medicine,” he said, adding that the parcel contained about two months’ supply of medicine.
Meanwhile, Sibu Hospital director Dr Chin Zin Hing said the service would make it convenient for patients.
“Patients no longer have to queue at the counters, “ he said during the launch at the Sibu Hospital’s Pharmacy.
Sibu divisional medical officer Dr Mohamad Rais Abdullah, said 12 patients had registered for the service.
Dr Rais also said more than 100 people in Sibu had benefited from another value-added service, the “SMS & Collect” which was first introduced in October last year.
Under this service, a registered patient can just send an SMS with their particulars to the hospital’s pharmacy at 0145853306 at least three working days before the date of collection.
“This service is fast and easy,” he said.
