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We hope that this virtual visit will give you a clear picture of the services we offer and of Palliative Care in general. Regardless of what your reasons are for visiting this website - whether it's to know how we can help you or your loved one, or to see how you can support us - we hope that it gives you a feel of what it's like to be a part of Hospis Malaysia.
Established in 1991, Hospis Malaysia has since grown to become the largest hospice in Malaysia in terms of the number of patients it accepts each year. We accept any patient with a life limiting illness, which may be anything from cancer, AIDS, motor neurone disease or multiple sclerosis, but most cases that are referred to us are those with advanced cancer.
In 2008, about 1405 patients were referred to Hospis Malaysia. At any one time, there are about 300 patients, and their families, under our care.
The heart of Hospis Malaysia's service lies in its philosophy - which is to offer Malaysians professional Palliative Care that effectively addresses the various needs of patients and their families, and in the process, ensures comfort and dignity for those living with the illness, as well as the best quality of life for them and those around them. Our approach of care focuses on the person in a patient, and not just the illness. Besides addressing physical symptoms, which offers pain relief and physical comfort, Hospis Malaysia's clinical team is trained to be receptive even to the most subtle of symptoms, which are often related to the patients' psychological, psychosocial, and spiritual concerns. Invariably, among most cases that we handle, the one in pain is not always only the patient. Family members, especially caregivers often suffer in silence watching the deterioration of their loved ones' condition, and this is where bereavement support from our team comes into the picture.
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The team, which includes qualified Palliative Care doctors, nurses, an occupational therapist, a pharmacist and volunteers are trained to adhere to the evidence-based approach to care in their day-to-day contact with patients, and are constantly kept abreast with major international Palliative Care developments through exposure to regular training and education conducted by internal and international teaching faculty.
From its beginning as a volunteer-based service organisation, Hospis Malaysia has now matured into a professional hospice which provides 24-hour on-call service, and which has a recognised capacity for promoting Palliative Care training, education and awareness in the country. This role as a strong voice in the local Palliative Care scene has in the recent years spurred Hospis Malaysia to diligently work with many people, organisations and medical establishments towards ensuring that our society has access to the best Palliative Care possible.
Yet, more needs to be done to reach out to the thousands of patients out there all over Malaysia. Advocacy, education and training must continue to remain as part of Hospis Malaysia’s core activities in order to enhance the level of Palliative Care awareness, knowledge and skills in our society.
A passionate commitment to improve the quality of life of people with life-limiting illness must remain every hospice’s fundamental principle. Hence, Hospis Malaysia's staffs are trained right from start to regard their roles as personal commitments that must deserve their highest priority and genuine passion. This is necessarily so because Palliative Care is in principle an intensely personal service, and its goals can only be actualised if every member of a hospice truly understands and feels for its core values.
In providing Palliative Care, we have come to realise that learning and improvement for a hospice, and its' people, does not merely come from universities, lectures and books. Veritably, it is the simple virtues of humanity that patients and families teach us during our day-to-day contact with them that help form the basis for our professional enhancement towards becoming a recognized and trusted Palliative Care provider in the country.
Please continue with the other sections of this website to learn more about us, and to find out how we can help one another as Partners in Caring.
