Regency Specialist Hospital achieves top award in Healthcare Asia Awards for its bariatric service

From 2021 to 2022, 140 patients received bariatric service treatment under Regency.

Amongst Southeast Asian countries, Malaysia has the highest prevalence of obesity in the adult population. As reported in the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019, 50.1% of its adult population falls under the categories of overweight (30.4%) and obese (19.7%). With the number of populations suffering from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) rising at an alarming rate, obesity is one of the most critical risk factors that must be addressed.

Regency Specialist Hospital (Regency) launched its bariatric service in 2017, with Dr Lim Huay Cheen spearheading the service. It offers several procedures which include laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass, and intragastric balloon surgery. The team comprises nurses and allied health professionals from various departments, which include operation theatre, intensive care unit, and clinical dietitians.

The hospital has received an 83% increase in the number of patients undergoing procedures under bariatric services in 2022 compared to 2021. Over the past two years, 140 patients have received treatment under bariatric services. The team had cumulatively performed more than 110 sleeve gastrectomy and bypass surgeries since the start of the service.

Its comprehensive treatment plan includes dietary management and physical exercise recommendations. The Regency Dietitian and Rehabilitation team offers Weight Management Program (WMP) for patients who require the same. This program was successfully rolled out with corporate clients to bring WMP to the workplace.

Apart from providing treatment at the hospital, Regency actively provides educational sessions within and beyond the local community to raise awareness amongst the public. In September 2022, “Regency Fitness Day” was successfully conducted with great support from various organisations including NGOs and it was attended by more than 100 participants from the public.

Regular workshops are also being conducted amongst healthcare professionals especially within the Johor Bahru area, with the aim to minimise gaps between primary and tertiary care providers. The healthcare professionals’ workshop entitled, “Is minimally invasive surgery becoming the future of Malaysia’s surgical care?” was held last May 2022 and was attended by more than 50 HCPs. The hospital also actively provides educational knowledge on both printed and social media. These activities are carried out in various languages to reach out widely to patients in need.

For this service, Regency received the Specialty Hospital of the Year – Malaysia award in the recently concluded Healthcare Asia Awards.

This year, with its theme of Recognising Trailblazing Initiatives in the Healthcare Sector, the awards programme aims to honour hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare providers that have risen above the challenges and made a remarkable impact on their patients, most especially amidst the massive disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Within the next year, Regency aims to expand its bariatric service facilities to provide a one-stop service for more patients.