KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29: Malaysian athletes have started receiving added mental and physical health access through a hybrid healthcare support programme introduced by the National Sports Institute (ISN), and DOC2US, a homegrown leading digital health and e-prescriptions provider, since May this year.
Under the programme, a joint effort by ISN and DOC2US, national athletes will be provided equitable, accessible and holistic healthcare, a press statement issued by DOC2US said today.
Dr Raymond Choy, CEO & Co-founder of DOC2US, said: “We fully support ISN’s goals in putting the
wellbeing of our national athletes as priority. Due to the nature of their practice, they are especially prone
to mental stress, and various mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and other more severe
cases.
“This is all on top of the prevailing physical health issues which are staple in the sports industry. This
collaborative effort is a step forward to tackling those challenges. As part of our drive to contribute to the country and the people, we leverage the many offerings of digital technology in our battle against national health issues to achieve our collective national healthcare goals.”
He also expressed his appreciation to the Ministry of Youth and Sports for supporting the programme, which is expected to serve as a foundation to empower the vision of a digital-first era in healthcare, in alignment with the pillars of Malaysia Madani.
The programme, which has been in operation since the SEA Games in May 2023, provides a hybrid form
of healthcare, both physically and virtually, through the application of digital health technology.
The services available to national athletes through this programme, are free virtual health advisory, virtual
consultation and e-prescription, and physical home support, by board approved medical professionals.
DOC2US’ mental healthcare platform powered by TeleHope Health, will enable access to mental
healthcare services for athletes as well, such as mental health screening, free mental health advisory and
teleconsultations with licensed psychiatrists and psychologists of TeleHope Health.
Dr Aw Tsung Wai, the Chief Mental Health officer of TeleHope Health added, “When it comes to the
prevalence of mental health issues, one in five secondary school students are found to be diagnosed with
depression and two in five have anxiety. Mental health is an occurring challenge faced by youth, with most mental health issues manifesting in late teens and it is more so for athletes who are constantly in
competitive and high-stress environments in their daily lives, between education and sports.”
The hybrid healthcare approach, with its digital element, is expected to enable athletes to conveniently access healthcare and encourage them to seek help, easily through a tap on the screen, at home or while busy participating in any overseas event, Dr. Aw added.
–WE