Columbia Asia Hospital – Bintulu wins Best Hospital (Maternity category) at Readers’ Choice Awards 2021

As Best Hospital (Maternity category), Columbia Asia Hospital – Bintulu proves that it has what it takes to provide expecting parents (or parents who hope to be expecting!) with the type of maternity care and services they require. As far as structure goes, this hospital is fully equipped with two labour rooms, a nursery with incubators, phototherapy and continuous fetal monitoring. Other than pregnancy and childbirth, it also covers reproductive health, preconception and fertility issues. Pre and post-natal workshops are held every quarter featuring talks by the hospital’s various experts.

On-ground in this small yet booming town, communities in and around Bintulu that are largely from the industrial sector, make hospital recommendations to each other through word of mouth. The preference is for doctors who go beyond their vast experience and high qualifications in order to connect with patients.

Consultant Obstetrician & Gynecologist at Columbia Asia Hospital – Bintulu, Dr Abi Ling is of the opinion that patient-doctor relationship should not be entirely clinical. “I regard patients as family members. You have to spend time talking to them; about themselves and their families. You have to earn their trust and confidence,” says Dr Abi.

Another Obstetrician & Gynecologist from the same hospital, Dr Haslina Sarkawi, could not overstress the importance of personal touch by getting to know her patients up, close and personal. “In a close-knit community like Bintulu, it feels like everyone knows everyone,” she says.