KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 31): Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin hopes that the monitoring and tele-medicine service for patients after discharge, or EM Watch, currently being used at two leading hospitals, can be expanded to other hospitals involving various departments.

He said as of now, the EM Watch service is only available at the Emergency and Trauma Department of Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) and Sungai Buloh Hospital and has benefited 926 patients since it was introduced on Feb 8, 2021 until Oct 31.

"The EM Watch service includes similar patient care in the emergency department's observation ward, such as follow-up examinations by doctors, e-prescription of medicine, medical certificates, referral letter to hospital or clinic, notification of blood test results and so on.

"The difference is that it is done virtually, and patients can see their doctors online at home or anywhere, providing convenience for them in many ways. It can also reduce congestion and provide cubicles for more critical patients," he said at the EM Watch service launching ceremony in HKL on Monday.

Elaborating, Khairy said the EM Watch uses cHEART, a health application developed by a local technology start-up, Data8, using blockchain technology for data security.

The project is an initiative under the National Technology and Innovation Sandbox from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation to encourage local innovation projects to use new technology in solving problems faced by the public.

To get the EM Watch service, Khairy said patients must meet the specified criteria, in addition to downloading and registering via the cHEART application with the date for the tele-consultation with the doctor to be determined by the hospital.

Also present at the ceremony were the head of National Emergency Medicine Services, Health Ministry, cum head of HKL Emergency and Trauma Department, Datuk Dr Mahathar Abd Wahab.