12/01/2026

MONDAY | JAN 12, 2026

26

HEALTH

Introducing ChatGPT Health

Govt outlines four major advances in system reforms THE Health Ministry has designated this year as the implementation phase for comprehensive reforms of the national health system, focusing on comprehensive structural changes to ensure Malaysia’s healthcare services are prepared to meet future challenges. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said in line with the theme “Modernising the Health System, Boosting Service Quality”, the ministry has outlined four major leaps that will guide its efforts throughout the year. The four leaps are comprehensive digitalisation (the efficiency engine), financing reform (the sustainability engine), human capital and welfare (the justice engine), as well as public health and ethics (the moral engine). “We are now standing on the threshold of a new phase. If previous years were focused on ‘diagnosing’ issues and planning, 2026 is the year for implementation. We can no longer move incrementally or take small steps. The time has come for thorough structural changes to ensure that our health system is truly future-ready, future-focused and future-proof,”he told the media after the 2026 New Year’s Address last week. Under the comprehensive digitalisation drive, Dzulkefly said the ministry aims to expand the health digitalisation system to include the Total Hospital Information System to 16 hospitals, the Cloud-Based Clinic Management System to 2,489 primary health facilities and the Dental Information System to 157 dental clinics. He said the ministry would also operate a centralised dashboard to monitor facilities in real-time through the Integrated Dashboard, as well as initiate steps towards the creation of the National Health Interoperability Platform, as a long-term vision to ensure that the people have integrated health files online. Under the financing reform drive, Dzulkefly said the ministry would strengthen the Diagnosis-Related Group-based payment mechanism, in an effort to standardise treatment costs and prevent leakage. He said the Reset framework would also be implemented through collaboration with Bank Negara Malaysia, the Finance Ministry, as well as insurance and takaful providers to restructure health insurance and takaful for greater fairness, including the implementation of co-payment features to control premium increases. As part of efforts to strengthen human capital and welfare, the ministry is targeting new permanent appointments involving 4,500 medical officers and 935 nurses. An Integrated Human Resources Dashboard will also be operational to provide a comprehensive overview of workforce distribution across all Health Ministry facilities. Meanwhile, the public health and ethics leap marks a major paradigm shift from Sick Care to Health-Care. Dzulkefly said the National Transplant Resource Centre under the Medical Development Division would be restructured to address the country’s low organ donation rate and to support the Warisku, Hormati Ikrarku campaign. “We are in the process of establishing a National Transplant Council with the authority to access data and manage resources more effectively. At the same time, we will review existing policies and legislation, particularly the Human Tissue Act 1974,” he said. – Bernama

O PENAI has launched a ChatGPT Health tab that answers health related questions and lets users upload medical records and connect wellness apps such as Apple Health and MyFitnessPal. The move expands ChatGPT’s capabilities by providing users a dedicated space to access health information, which is one of the most popular uses of the chatbot. More than 230 million people globally ask health and wellness-related questions on ChatGPT every week, OpenAI said. ChatGPT Health can be used for tasks such as understanding recent test results, preparing for doctor appointments, getting advice on diet and workout routines, or evaluating tradeoffs between different insurance options based on individual healthcare patterns. The launch comes as regulators reassess health technology oversight. The US Food and Drug Administration commissioner Marty Makary said last Tuesday the agency would manage personal wellness, connect medical records o OpenAI launches new feature to help people SENA Healthcare Services last week launched Sena Specialist Hospital Segamat in Johor, commissioning its first hospital and marking a step in expanding access to private specialist healthcare in Malaysia’s secondary cities. As the first and only private multidisciplinary hospital in the Segamat district, the hospital features 90 beds, including dedicated ICU and HDU units, and addresses a long-standing gap in specialist care for residents of Segamat and surrounding areas. By bringing comprehensive services closer to home, it ensures critical care availability for complex cases while reducing the need for long-distance travel. The hospital marks the initiation of Sena Healthcare’s long-term roadmap to commission 12 multidisciplinary hospitals under different business models, aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery across Malaysia’s secondary cities and underserved communities. “This healthcare hub represents the foundation of our vision to bring quality

Health conversations feel just like chatting with ChatGPT, but grounded in the information users have connected. – PIC FROM OPENAI

Conversations in Health are not used to train our foundation models,” OpenAI said. OpenAI plans to expand access and make ChatGPT Health available to all users on web and iOS in the coming weeks. It is initially providing access to a small group of early users with ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus and Pro plans outside of the European Economic Area, Switzerland and the UK to test the experience. – Reuters

limit regulation of wearable devices and software designed to support healthy lifestyles. Makary has called ChatGPT a product that should be promoted while cautioning against major safety concerns. “To keep your health information protected and secure, (ChatGPT) Health operates as a separate space with enhanced privacy to protect sensitive data.

Sena Specialist Hospital Segamat launches, marking new chapter for healthcare in secondary cities

recovery,

specialist care closer to communities that need it most. Serving Segamat and surrounding areas such as Gemas, Jementah, Labis, Chaah, Bekok, Tangkak and Muadzam Shah, Sena Segamat is the only private secondary care hospital within a 100km radius, ensuring essential access to specialised healthcare regardless of location. It ensures equitable access to specialist services, bringing critical care within reach of previously underserved communities,” said Sena Healthcare Services founder and group managing director Tan Sri Dr Tan Boon Hock. The hospital offers a full spectrum of specialist services under one roof, supported by a multidisciplinary team and modern medical infrastructure, including advanced diagnostic capabilities, operating theatres and scope rooms. Patients benefit from integrated, patient-centred care that ensures seamless coordination across specialties. Key service lines at the hospital include: 0 Minimally invasive surgery, enabling faster

reduced

pain

and

shorter

hospital stays 0 Total knee replacement surgery, supported by a multidisciplinary approach encompassing pain management, precision surgery and structured rehabilitation 0 Advanced eye surgery – Vitreoretinal services, addressing complex retinal and macular conditions 0 Women and children services, offering comprehensive care for mothers, infants and families, with properly equipped facilities and specialised expertise 0 Rheumatology services, the only such service available within an 80km radius Over the next decade, Sena Healthcare plans to build 12 hospitals and two ambulatory care centres across Malaysia, creating a healthcare ecosystem that is accessible, affordable and sustainable. Its next milestone in 2026 will include the commissioning of Sena Specialist Hospital Bentong and Sena Specialist Hospital Kempas.

Tan (fourth from left),

Sekijang MP and former health minister Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa (fifth from left) and other VIPs at the launch of the hospital.