GlobalHealth Awards 2021

Gleneagles Hospital Kuala Lumpur’s renowned Endocrinology Unit was established in 2000 and is staffed with experts who focus on treating conditions including diabetes, hyper- and hypothyroidism, metabolic disorders, menopause, osteoporosis, hypertension, and cholesterol issues, among others.

Our Endocrinology Unit has been fortunate to be able to encompass nearly all the related specialities needed to run a comprehensive endocrine service within our Gleneagles Hospital Kuala Lumpur site, Dr Saiful B Kassim explained.

The Endocrinology Unit consists of seven dedicated pituitary neurosurgeons who carry out pituitary surgeries while the consultant interventional radiologist performs all aspects of endocrine radiology including adrenal vein sampling for primary aldosteronism and Cushing’s syndrome as well as petrosal sinus sampling for Cushing’s disease. Additionally, four dedicated endocrine surgeons undertake thyroid surgery, and parathyroid surgery and nine urologists perform adrenal surgery with endocrinologists as gatekeepers. Housed within the same site is also a Paediatric department that works closely with the Endocrinology Unit on growth hormone disorders, diabetes, and thyroid disease.

We believe that this concentration of clinical facilities has been of major benefit in the care of complex endocrine cases. Equally, the informal network of us in Gleneagles Hospital Kuala Lumpur coupled with our excellent colleagues in General Practice, hospitals in other states as well as overseas links have streamlined central referral of more complex endocrine conditions while enabling peripheral management of others

Endocrinology Unit

Indeed, Gleneagles Hospital Kuala Lumpur’s Endocrinology Unit has gone from strength to strength working seamlessly as a multi-disciplinary team. This team includes two dedicated and highly capable diabetes specialist nurse educators who educate both local and international patients on diabetes-specific cutting-edge technology such as insulin pumps, ICR (insulin to carbohydrate ratios), and ISF (insulin sensitivity factors). There are also five specialist dieticians working closely with not only diabetes patients but also obesity patients to assist them in their weight loss regimen and peri-bariatric surgery therapy. A specialist podiatrist, two psychologists, and three psychiatrists are also available for support and consultation; as diabetes distress is a known complication of diabetes. Additionally, supporting this team includes 15 Orthopaedic surgeons (for diabetic foot ulcers and infections), five ophthalmologists for diabetic eye disease, two nephrologists for diabetic kidney disease as well as 10 cardiology for cardia-related issues.

eHealth

During the pandemic and ensuing Movement Control Order period, Gleneagles Hospital Kuala Lumpur provided more free consultations by email, telephone as well as virtual consultations via eHealth, which allowed patients to maintain communications with their healthcare provider even during a global health crisis.

More information about eHealthChat can be found here.

"I think we are well and truly blessed to have such comprehensive infrastructure and technology in place as well as impeccable personnel to ameliorate any possible challenges ahead" Dr Saiful B Kassim said.