LIST OF CONSULTANTS:COLUMBIA ASIA HOSPITAL NUSAJAYA

INTERNAL MEDICINE & RHEUMATOLOGY

DR PAGALAVAN LETCHUMANAN

MBBS(Mal) MRCP(UK) FRCP(Edin) AM(Mal.)

Dr Pagalavan secured a place to do medicine in University of Malaya (UM) in 1992 after becoming the top STPM student for the state of Negeri Sembilan in 1991, scoring 5A’s. Upon graduating from UM, he underwent his Housemanship training at Ipoh Hospital after which he was transferred to Pontian District Hospital in 1998. After passing his MRCP Part 1 in 1999, he was transferred to Hospital Sultanah Aminah for further training. He underwent training in several specialities including Nephrology, Cardiology, Neurology and Respiratory medicine. He passed his MRCP Part 2 in 2001 and subsequently left to Edinburgh, UK to complete his MRCP Part 3 clinical exams. He obtained his MRCP (UK) in June 2002.

He worked as a Clinical Specialist at Hospital Sultanah Aminah from July 2002 till June 2005, during which he was put in-charge of ICU and HDU patients for almost 2 years. He also covered as a specialist in Nephrology, Respiratory medicine and Neurology during this period of time. He published a paper on “Melioidosis: The Johor Bahru Experience” in 2005 (MJM Dec 2005; 60(5): 599-605), the first data on Melioidosis from the Southern Region.

In July 2005, he left to continue his subspeciality training in Rheumatology at Selayang Hospital. He was the first to publish a paper on “ Systemic Sclerosis” (Demography, clinical and laboratory features of Systemic Sclerosis in a Malaysian Rheumatology centre. Medical Journal of Malaysia June 2007; 62(2): 117-121)  from Malaysia, during his 18 months stay in Selayang Hospital. He resigned from government service in 2006 and joined Monash University Malaysia as a Lecturer. To complete his training in Rheumatology, he went to Singapore General Hospital under the guidance and supervision of A/Prof Julian Thumboo in March 2007 and completed in August 2008. During his stay in Singapore, he published 3 papers in high-ranking International Rheumatology Journals. He was subsequently promoted as Senior Lecturer in Monash University in 2009. He received his Fellowship of Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (FRCP) in May 2010. He left Monash University and joined Columbia Asia Hospital Nusajaya (CAHN) in July 2010 as Consultant Physician & Rheumatologist. He is also the Chief of Medical Services for CAHN

GENERAL SURGERY

1)    Dr Kumar Hari Rajah

MBBS (Manipal), M.Med Surgery (UM), MRCS (Ire)

2)    Dr Zulkarnain Hasan

MD (USM) M.Med Surgery (USM) AFRCS (Ire)

Dr.Zulkarnain Hasan joined Columbia Asia Hospital Nusajaya since October 2010 as a fulltime Consultant General Surgeon. He has extensive experience in the field of surgery having performed more than 500 appendicectomies, more than 200 open inguinal hernia surgeries throughout this career as both trainee and surgeon.

DrZulkarnain’s special interest includes upper gastrointestinal (GI) surgery, endoscopic and laparoscopic procedure and surgery. He also has experience working in thoracic unit to handle non-cardiac thoracic conditions. Two (2) years in surgical training abroad allowed him an opportunity to work with experienced surgeons in upper GI surgery in Ireland. He is able to perform minor, major and laparoscopic surgery such as laparoscopic appendicectomy, laparoscopic cholecystectomy and laparoscopic hernia repair procedure.

Dr.Zulkarnain is well-trained and expert in performing diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic procedure such as endoscopic ligation of esophageal varices, control of peptic ulcers, snare of polyp, PEG tube insertion and etc. 

OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY

1)    Dr Rajesh Mahendran Radha Krishnan

MBBS (India) M.Med O&G (UKM)

2)    Dr Teh Jin Teik

MBBS (India) M.Med O&G (Mal)

ORTHOPAEDIC

Dr Yoga Raj

MBBS (Mal.) MS Ortho (Mal.) M.Med Sc (Otago) AO Fellow (Milan)

Fellowship in Arthroplasty (NZ)(M’sia), OHD (Niosh)

PAEDIATRIC

Dr. Muhammad Izzuddin Poo

MBBS(Mal.) M.Med Paeds (UM)

ANAESTHESIOLOGY

1)    Dr Norezalee bin Ahmad

MBChB (Bristol) M.Med Anaes (UKM) AM (Mal.)

2)    Dr Tan Kok Hui

MBBS(UM) M.Med Anaes (UM)

RADIOLOGY

Dr Siti Suhaila Ismail

MBBS (USM) M.Med Rad (USM)

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After a very exhausting month of October, finally I am taking 2 days off to celebrate Deepavalli with my parents in Seremban. I must say that the month of October was a very busy month for me. Almost everyday I had patients in my ward and clinic. I even had a very ill patient with Severe Pneumonia who was finally ventilated in our ICU and transferred to Hospital Sultanah Aminah’s ICU. I heard the patient died 2 days later despite the best treatment. We are still loosing our battle to the brainless bacteria and viruses!!

I hardly had any time to blog or even reply to emails in October. Imagine almost everyday, going to the hospital at night to see ill patients!

The situation in my hospital seem to be cooling down over the last 2 days, probably due to the long weekend that is coming. I will be taking off from 6pm 4th November till 6pm 6th November for a short break with my parents. I thank Dr Chan for helping to cover for me during my absence. Thankfully my house kitchen renovation has been completed in time.

I would like to wish everyone a very Happy Deepavali 2010.

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I have been very quiet since I posted the 2 most popular postings on the 7th and 8th of September 2010. My posting on “General Misconception of being a doctor Part 1 and 2” attracted almost 10 000 visitors! I also had many comments for the above 2 postings , almost all supporting what I have said. Interestingly, I also had some foreign doctors from US and UK commenting on my post.  I also realised many medical students who commented on my post, agree that they have chosen the wrong field!

I have been reading all the comments and to answer some of the querries, I will be posting few more articles soon, especially on the housemanship and postgraduate training in Malaysia. I will not talk on the quality of doctors being produced nowadays as I have written enough about it in my MMA articles, some even way back in 2006! Yes, I did predict the current situation more than 5 years ago. I also believe that my prediction for the coming future will also come true someday, as I have written in my blog.

I have been quite busy lately and thus did not have enough time to write the continuation. However, I should be posting a new article within the next 2-3 days.

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Officially opened

Indian dance performance by our staffs

MB watching the performance by our staffs

Before the Arrival of MB Johor

Yes, Columbia Asia Hospital Nusajaya is officially open! We had this ceremony last Saturday 24th July 2010 and our VIP guest was none other than our Johor Menteri Besar, YAB Dato Hj Abdul Ghani Othman. Coincidentally, it was also mine and my father’s birthday. It was a well attended ceremony and many people had many questions to ask about the hospital.

If you notice, one of the staff who is dancing Zapin is an Indian(2nd from left, in Green) and one of the staff who is dancing the Indian dance is a Malay(3rd from left). That’s Columbia Asia, a community based hospital, truly Malaysian……….

I hope the hospital will be a success. Today, I had my busiest day in the hospital since its soft launch. Hopefully, it will remain the same!

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With Prakash at Harbourview Hotel, Hong Kong

What a week it was! Left to Hong Kong last sunday(11/07/2010) evening and reached HK at 10.30pm. HK taxi drivers must be really crazy. I took a taxi from the airport to my hotel and the taxi fellow drove his taxi at 120-140km/hr!!! WTH. I reached the hotel at 12.10am and switched on the TV to see the World Cup 2010 final/closing ceremony. This was the first World Cup Final which I saw with Chinese commentary! whatever! as long as I can see the game. It went on till 5am and had to get up by 7.30am on Monday for my congress.

Hong Kong is a vibrant trade based city. I admire the way the British developed the city with good planning and public transport. You can go anywhere easily with their public transport. Their MRT system is excellent similar to Singapore. Hardly any traffic jams. However, due to space constraints, their hotels are rather small thou!. The temperature was rather hot at 30-33 C. I just made a few visits here and there, including the cable car at Lantau island.

Interestingly, I met an old friend of mine, Prakash in HK. Thanks to Facebook!. We studied together till Form 5 and I last met him 10 years ago in JB when he was working in Singapore. He is an Aeronautical engineer working with Cathay Pacific in Hong Kong. W e had a very interesting chat on Wednesday night.

Overall, it was a very tiring week. Reached back to JB at 4pm Thursday 15/07/2010. returned to work on Friday. Still exhausted, I must say.

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Well, the World Cup 2010 is coming to an end in 2 days time. What a World Cup this was? Interesting, with full of upsets. Now we have to wait another 4 years for the next World Cup in Brazil 2014 and you will be 4 years older!

I will be flying off to Hong Kong tomorrow(11/07/2010) for APLAR 2010 congress as I am presenting a poster. I will be reaching Hong Kong around 10.30pm tomorrow and hoping to catch the finals between Holland and Spain over in Hong Kong at 2.30am Monday morning. I hope Hong Kong guys watch football!

I will be back from Hong Kong on 15/07/2010.

BTW the latest Berita MMA is out (June 2010). Please enjoy reading my latest article in this edition of  berita “The place that shall not be named, Welcome to the world of wizardry!” —> “Siapa Makan Cili, dia rasa pedas“. Will be uploading the article in my blog once I am back from Hong Kong.

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List of Consultants CAH, Nusajaya

Since the soft opening of Columbia Asia Hospital, Nusajaya, I have been quite busy. There were many things that I needed to settle slowly. I manage to give up my Rheumatoid Arthritis clinical trial last Monday as I know  I would not be able to complete it. I also manage to close down my Monash sponsored research, end of last month.

Year 3 Monash Students will be back to their campus this week and I will be starting my teaching, even though the university is still processing my application to downgrade from full-time to fractional. I have also started to inform my patients at Hospital Sultanah Aminah that I will slowly phase out my clinic. It is sad that I have to do this but I got no choice. My commitment to my new hospital is important as I am also the Chief of Medical Services for Columbia Asia Hospital, Nusajaya. Furthermore, Hospital Sultanah Aminah do not appreciate the services you provide. Even though, ministry has advertised that they will pay for services provided by private doctors in government hospitals, my application was not entertained!

Well, we will be having our official opening ceremony on 24t July 2010 at 10am by Johor Menteri Besar. This date was given by the Menteri Besar himself. Coincidentally it is also my birthday, and my father’s too!

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I have been very silent since the 17th June 2010 and I am sure you know why? Since the opening of Columbia Asia Hospital Nusajaya, I have been extremely busy handling so many things as well as watching the unpredictable World Cup 2010 on TV. Well, we had our first baby delivered at our hospital on Sunday 20th June and also our first inpatient admission(a case of gastroenteritis). We opened our OT for the first case yesterday and another case today by our Orthopaedic surgeon, Dr.Yoga.

Looking at the response from public so far (had 2 walk in patients today), I am sure this hospital will do well. I hope we can give the best service to the people around this area.

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After almost 2 and a half month’s wait, finally Columbia Asia Hospital, Nusajaya is open to public, today 17/06/2010.

It was a real pain waiting for the hospital to open from March 2010 till today. The initial opening supposes to be end of March 2010 but due to various delays in issuance of CF followed by the operating license by MOH, we have finally manage to have our soft launch today. Our official opening ceremony will be on 29/07/2010 by the Johor MB.

Dr.Teh, one of our O&G specialist bought a cake for the soft launch and it was huge. We have a very good team of doctors down here and we hope the hospital, which is very strategically located, will be a success.

I have submitted my resignation as part-time consultant at Regency Specialist Hospital and have also informed Monash of my intention to downgrade my position from full-time senior lecturer to 0.3 fracional staff. Since I love teaching, I will continue teaching as long as I can.

As for my clinic in Hospital Sultanah Aminah which I have been running since 2008 voluntarily, I will be slowly phasing it out by the end of the year, or even earlier. 

BTW, we are still looking for another Physician, Surgeon and Pediatrician. Anyone?

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I have been on leave since 4/06/2010, enjoying myself before going full-time private beginning 17/06/2010. Yes, my private practice in Columbia Asia Hospital, Nusajaya will start on 17/06/2010 after finally receiving the operating license from Ministry of Health on 10/06/2010.

Last weekend I was in Tapah attending my brother in-law’s wedding and then to seremban (my parent’s house) on Tuesday before returning to JB on Wednesday 9/06/2010. The first thing I did upon returning to JB is to watch my favourite TV series in the 80’s, on big screen. The A-team was my favourite when I was in secondary school in mid 80’s. It was shown on TV3 when they first started their service in 1985. Even though I was a bit sceptical at the beginning, but I must say that the movie was excellent. They kept the characters as close as possible to the original. It was action packed and funny right from the beginning. It is definitely better than Iron Man 2 and even Prince of Persia. I find the ending of Prince of Persia rather disappointing.

Of course, from 11/06/2010 I will be very busy watching the World Cup 2010. Sleepless night at times. Along with this 1 month of excitement , things are changing in my life as I pursue my private hospital life and reducing my commitments to many other things like teaching, research and a little bit of social life.

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