Corporate Information

---

Health Systems Research is a field of research that focuses on the functions of the system which comprises of individual units, organizations and institutions or the complex inter-link between organizations and the health system as a whole. It provides scientific evidence to policy-makers and health managers at every level, to enable them to make evidence-based decision making on health matters.

IHSR began as a Unit within the Institute of Public Health (IPH), expanded into a Division and was subsequently established as an independent Institute in November 2002. Initially, it was located within the IPH until April 2005 when it acquired its own premises.

Currently, the Institute is made up of 7 divisions, namely Health Policy Studies and Analysis Division, Health Care Quality Research Division, Health Care Services Research Division, Health Outcomes Research Division, Health Financing and Economics Research Division, Medical Statistics, Data Management and ICT Division, and Administration Division.

IHSR is one of the component Institutes under the umbrella of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It was designated as the WHO Collaborating Centre for Health Systems Research in 1988 and has been re-designated every four years until 2001. In 2001 it had received additional recognition with its re-designation as the WHO Collaborating Centre for HSR and Quality Improvement (QI). The current re-designated period is for 2004-2009. This recognition subsequently led to the placement of the National Quality Assurance Secretariat for the MOH QA Programmes within this Institute. As the Secretariat, its major responsibility is to function as the coordinating centre for the development of Quality Assurance Programmes in Health Ministry.

The Institute is expected to provide significant contribution in health sector reform and health care system restructuring through facilitating decision-making at various levels, particularly at policy level within and outside the Health Ministry. The IHSR hopes to further strengthen this role through building its capacity and capability in knowledge translation (KT) in health policy and health practice research. The concept of KT is new and has been defined by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research in April 2000 as "a broad concept encompassing all steps between the creation of new knowledge either through research or synthesis of research evidence and its application to yield beneficial outcomes for society"

Thus, the core business of IHSR will be to undertake and focus on KT activities which include knowledge generation, dissemination, communication, technology transfer, knowledge management and knowledge utilization. In short, KT is the two-way exchange between researchers and those who apply knowledge.

An extensive SWOT analysis method was adopted, in which all possible factors were included and later weighted according to importance and current capability. Internal factors with the highest weighted importance and current capability constitute the strengths and those with the highest discrepancies between the importance and the capability constitute the Institute's weaknesses. Similar formula was adopted for the external factors to identify the Institute's opportunities and threats. A series of strategies were formulated based on SWOT analysis. For manageability, efficiency and effectiveness, only 5 highest weighted strengths, weaknesses, opportunity and threats were capitalized to identify potential strategies to be considered.

The strategies were later prioritized using the criteria of lowest cost, shortest duration, most easily available resources, highest immediate managers' acceptability, most doable and highest benefits to the Institute. Based on consensus, different weights were provided for each criterion in its ranking value. The following are the strategies prioritized in decreasing order of importance towards the fulfillment of its mission, and ultimately the realization of its vision:

• To increase the Institute's capacity and capability in the field of Health Policy and Practice Research and knowledge translation
• To strengthen alliances to enhance the Institute's roles and functions
• To promote and advocate translation of knowledge (the use of evidence) through various communication/interaction channels/platforms
• To brand and promote IHSR and its products
• To strive towards financial autonomy/corporatisation of the Institute

In July 2005 the Advisory Board for IHSR was formalized. The Board serves in an advisory capacity and comprises of 10 prominent figures of national and international standing, to advise the Institute on its future roles and activities. Presently, the Chairperson is Yg. Bhg. Datuk Dr. Megat Burhainuddin Megat Abdul Rahman, a former MOH senior policy maker who has a long and vast experience in health policy and planning.

• Y. Bhg. Datuk Dr. Megat Burhainuddin Megat Abdul Rahman (Chairperson)
  
• Y. Bhg. Dato' Dr. Professor Anuar Zaini Md. Zain, Monash University Malaysia
  
• Y. Bhg. Dato' Dr. Associate Professor S. Noor Ghani, Department of Social & Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya
  
• Y. Bhg. Dato' Dr. Narimah Awin, Director of Division of Family Health and Nutrition, Public Health Department, Ministry of Health
  
• Dr. Rosnah Hadis, Director of Planning and Development Division, Ministry of Health
  
• Dr. Amar Singh, Senior Consultant and Head of Paediatrics Department, Ipoh Hospital, Ministry of Health
  
• Y. Bhg. Dato' Dr. Ahmad Razin Dato' Ahmad Mahir, State Health Director of Kelantan, Ministry of Health
  
• Dr. S. Sivashunmugum, Director, Institute for Public Health, Ministry of Health
  
• Dr. Soe Nyunt-U, Director of Division of Health Sector Development, World Health Organization, Western Pacific Regional Office, Manila
  
• Assoc. Prof. Challermchai Chaikittiporn, Dean Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Thailand