Optimising Patient Care in Psychiatry With Policy and Practice of ECT in Malaysia

Abstract

There has not been much research done in Malaysia concerning electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). In 2012, ECT service was incorporated in the Neuropsychiatric Unit (NEURON) in Kuala Lumpur Hospital (KLH) to provide optimal treatment to patients. Since then, the NEURON has organised annual ECT workshops, improved and standardised the ECT prescription and individual treatment forms, published the first KLH Handbook of ECT in 2014, and formed the Neuropsychiatry Centre for Neuromodulation Therapies (SYNAPSE) in KLH. We completed the National ECT Survey in March 2020. Out of 53 hospitals with psychiatric service, 36 (67.9%) have ECT service. All ECT centres also provide anaesthesia service for the ECT procedure. Medical officers privileged in ECT perform the procedure and manage the dose titration. All ECT centres have a review process to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the ECT procedure concerning their patients. During the COVID-19 pandemic, ECT continued with a strict and properly documented standard operating procedure (SOP). This SOP includes mandatory personal protective equipment for the medical staff and RTK-PCR testing for patients. Moving forward, we are preparing the first National Guideline on ECT Management, which will be completed by September 2021.