Edited by Prof Dr Aziz Baba (26 Dec 2007)

The Clinical Haematology Unit at Hospital USM (HUSM) is adminstratively under the Department of Internal Medicine, an academic department of the School of Medical Sciences (SMS), Universiti Sains Malaysia.  We are lecturers from the Medical School reponsible for the provision of haematological services in HUSM, the teaching hospital of SMS.  We work hand in hand with our colleagues from the Department of Haematology who are primarily haematopathologist. 

Our three main functions are, clinical services, undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and research.

Regarding clinical services; we run inpatient, outpatient and daycare services.  In patients are cared for in a 16-bed wale ward located at the 3rd floor (Ward 3S) and a 19-beds female ward located at the 1st floor (Ward 1TD).  Both these wards are shared with the Oncology and Radiotherapy Department.  Some of our patients are also located in the General Medical Wards at 7U, 7S and 8S.  Our inpatient capacity also includes a hepafiltered BMT unit with 10 beds, 4 or which are single bed rooms and 6 open beds.  Transplant activity is planned to commence by early 2008.  We also cater for interdepartmental referral for consultation.

Our scope is both in benign and malignant haematology.  We mainly care for patients with leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma and other marrow disorders.  The unit is manned by 3 clinical haematologist assisted by medical officers who come on 3 monthly rotation as part of their MMed (internal medicine) training.

We received referral from health centers in the East Coast mainly direct referrals from Hospital Zultanah Zainab in Kota Bharu, Hospital Kuala Krai and Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah in Kuala Terengganu.  Individuals from Kelantan who happen to reside outside Kelantan may at times request to return to HUSM from various part of Malaysia. 

Since August 2006 we started Daycare services for patients requiring blood investigations, blood product transfusion, outpatient marrow assessment, chemotherapy, myeloma follow-up, post chemotherapy G-CSF support.  Daycare services are available every working day from 8.15 am to 4.00 pm.   Patients come via appointments or phone consultations.

Our academic activities include supervising candidates from Masters of Medicine (Internal Medicine) and the Masters of Pathology (MPath) program that undergo 3 monthly posting in our unit for structured hands-on and online training.  Second year medical undergraduates are also posted to our unit to gain clinical expereince.

Research activities are carried out most of the time together with our laboratory colleagues under the haematology clusters.  We also collaborate with other engaged ourselves with collaboration with other departments within USM as well as with other institutions and researh bodies.