KUALA LUMPUR: Private hospitals expect less paperwork, shorter approval times and greater certainty for operators with the introduction of a fully digitalised licensing system under the 2027 Budget.
Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) president Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh said the e-CKAPS portal would streamline the licensing process for private healthcare facilities, which has traditionally relied on manual procedures.
"At the Budget dialogue, we made the case that technology benefits both public and private healthcare by making our processes more efficient.
"Licensing is one of the most process heavy areas for private hospitals, and our licensing process has been a manual process.
"With a fully digitalised system, we expect to see a significant reduction in paperwork, shorter approval times, and greater certainty for operators," he said in a statement.
The government has allocated RM7.5 million under the 2027 Budget to develop the e-CKAPS portal, which is expected to reduce licensing processing times by up to 65 per cent.
Kuljit said the portal could set a benchmark for wider digitalisation across the healthcare sector, in line with Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad's vision for a digitalised healthcare system.
It added that its inclusion in the Budget shows the government's willingness to listen to industry and to act on practical reforms that improve how healthcare is regulated and delivered.
"APHM sees this as an important step towards a more connected and efficient national healthcare system. APHM looks forward to working closely with the ministry on the design and rollout of e-CKAPS," he said.
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