BIG CARING Group and Hospis Malaysia Collaborate to Strengthen Community-Based Palliative Care
As more patients with serious illness prefer to receive care at home, continuity of access to essential palliative care medications remains one of the quieter but significant challenges faced by patients and caregivers within the community.
To help address this, Malaysia’s leading retail pharmacy chain BIG CARING Group and Hospis Malaysia have formalised a partnership to strengthen community-based palliative care support through improved accessibility to essential medications. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Wong Hooi Fen, Director of Pharmacy Division at BIG CARING Group and Dr Lim Zee Nee, Medical Director of Hospis Malaysia.
Through selected BIG Pharmacy and CARiNG Pharmacy outlets, patients referred by Hospis Malaysia will be able to obtain prescribed medications more conveniently. Hospis Malaysia will coordinate referrals based on patient location and medication availability to help ensure a smoother collection process while reducing some of the travel and logistical challenges faced by families managing palliative care at home.
All participating pharmacies are staffed by qualified pharmacists trained in prescription validation, safe dispensing practices and regulatory compliance, ensuring medications are handled safely and appropriately in accordance with healthcare requirements.
Commenting on the collaboration, Wong Siew Lai, Chief Marketing Office of BIG CARING Group said, “Community pharmacies are among the most accessible healthcare touchpoints in the community and we believe they can play a stronger role in improving access to medication for patients receiving palliative care. Through this collaboration with Hospis Malaysia, we are confident we can progressively help bridge gaps in access to essential medications for more families navigating palliative care over time.”
Hospis Malaysia currently supports approximately 400 patients at any given time through its multidisciplinary team of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and rehabilitation therapists across Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.
Dr Lim Zee Nee, Medical Director of Hospis Malaysia said, “This collaboration between Hospis Malaysia and BIG CARING Group marks a significant step in strengthening community-based palliative care and improving access to essential medications for patients with serious illnesses. Through this partnership, we aim to ease the burden on patients and caregivers by enabling more timely and convenient access to treatment, while enhancing continuity of care at home.”
“By combining clinical expertise with an extensive community pharmacy network, we are
strengthening support for patients where it matters most – in their homes, with dignity and
compassion. We thank BIG CARING Group for their commitment to advancing person-centred community healthcare.”
The collaboration forms part of BIG CARING Group’s broader efforts under flagship Ribbon of Hope C.A.R.E initiative, particularly the “A” pillar representing Affordable Medications and Accessible Services.
While Ribbon of Hope was initially developed to support cancer patients and caregivers, its focus on improving access to care and practical support within the community remains highly relevant to broader palliative care and healthcare needs.
Currently implemented at selected outlets, the collaboration is expected to progressively expand to more participating locations in the future to further improve accessibility and convenience for patients and caregivers.
