METHOD: Stakeholders from key dental organisations/professions in Malaysia were purposively sampled and invited to participate in a semi-structured interview (n = 20) using a pre-tested topic guide. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using Framework Analysis.
RESULTS: Drivers for workforce were identified across four main domains: policy-politics; trends in demography; social and economic; and, technology-scientific development. The pace of change and possible interplay between drivers, most notably government policy, liberalisation of education and health services and challenges of workforce governance, followed by Malaysian demography and health trends. Implications for the future, including possible uncertainties, particularly in relation to specialisation and privatisation were identified, together in balancing and meeting public health needs/demands with professional career expectations.
CONCLUSION: Stakeholders' views on the high-level drivers for change broadly mirror those of high-income countries; however, specific challenges for Malaysia relate to rapid expansion of dental education and a young workforce with significant career aspirations, together with imbalances in the health care system. The impact of these drivers was perceived as leading to greatest uncertainty around specialisation and privatisation of the future workforce.
METHODS: We matched medicines from the public sector procurement report by medicine formulation to medicines with a Management Sciences for Health (MSH) International Reference Price (IRP) for each year. Price ratios were calculated, and utilizing the information on quantity and expenditure for each product, summary measures of procurement efficiency were reported as quantity- and expenditure-weighted average price ratios (WAPRs) for each year. Utilizing MOH procurement data to obtain information on procurement type, a multiple regression analysis, controlling for factors that can influence prices, assessed whether procured efficiency (relative to IRPs) differed by MOH procurement type.
RESULTS: Malaysia's public sector purchased medicines at two to three times the IRP throughout the study period. However, procurement prices were relatively stable in terms of WAPRs each year (2.2 and 3.2 in 2010 to 1.9 and 2.9 in 2014 for quantity and expenditure WAPRs, respectively). Procurement efficiency did not vary between the three different methods of MOH procurement. Procurement efficiency of both imported originators and imported generics were significantly lower (P
DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: A questionnaire survey was conducted with 99 respondents in selected hospitals in Selangor, Malaysia.
FINDINGS: This study aims to discover the perception of PWDs towards FM service quality, and it has found a gap for improvement. The area that requires the highest attention includes the importance of (1) assurance on accessibility despite maintenance activity being conducted (2) criticality of facilities maintenance itself, (3) assurance on comfort and safety, (4) reliable medium to ask for assistance or giving feedback, (5) signage that is clearly seen and easily understood and (6) staff responsiveness.
RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS: This instrument is validated by PWDs under the physical disability category only, specifically in the hospital context. Future research is recommended to identify the FM service quality aspect for different categories of disability (sensory, mental or intellectual impairment).
PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The findings provide evidence for FM to consider PWDs' perceptions in FM strategy development. Even FM provides a healthcare support system. FM service quality partly reflects healthcare service quality.
SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Accommodating the need of PWDs through the improvement of FM service quality aspect will partly fulfil the right of PWDs for equality of access to healthcare.
ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This SERVQUAL tools can be improvised and used to measure the perception of PWDs on FM service quality systematically and holistically. Understanding the service quality aspect is important for a facility manager to precisely measure and prioritise what is truly important to the building users with special needs and try to accommodate this need in the management activity.