Beyond the Skin, Across the Ages: GP Symposium in Batu Pahat

By Dr Lim Tzyy Huei, Consultant Dermatologist at Pantai Hospital Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia

I was honoured to moderate the dermatology panel discussion at the GP Symposium organised by Pantai Hospital Batu Pahat, held at Katerina Hotel, Batu Pahat.

Our session, “Beyond the Skin, Across the Ages: Multidisciplinary Care in Dermatology,” brought together specialists from paediatric dermatology, rheumatology and internal medicine to explore the importance of collaborative care across different age groups.

From left: Dr. Reyhanah binti Mohd Rashid (Paediatric Dermatology), Dr. Lee Hwai Jien (Rheumatology) and Dr. Teo Kuo Zhau (Internal Medicine).

It was a privilege to be joined by:

• Dr. Reyhanah binti Mohd Rashid, Paediatric Dermatologist, Hospital Sultan Ismail, Johor Bahru

• Dr. Lee Hwai Jien, Rheumatologist, Hospital Sultanah Nora Ismail, Batu Pahat

• Dr. Teo Kuo Zhau, Internal Medicine Specialist, Hospital Sultanah Nora Ismail, Batu Pahat

Each panelist brought a valuable perspective to the discussion, helping us consider both the skin condition and the patient’s wider health needs.

Three cases across different age groups

Through three clinical cases, we explored some of the challenges encountered in dermatology:

1. Recurrent paediatric eczema — managing eczema in children that repeatedly flares up or remains difficult to control despite treatment.

2. Bullous pemphigoid in an elderly patient — diagnosing and treating this blistering skin condition, while considering the patient’s physical vulnerability, other medical conditions and the safety of treatment.

3. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) — understanding how skin changes may reflect a disease that also affects other organs, and how specialists from different disciplines work together to provide comprehensive care.

For me, the session reinforced the importance of considering each patient’s age, underlying medical conditions and overall health alongside their skin disease. This is a perspective I aim to bring to my daily dermatology practice in Batu Pahat.

My sincere thanks to the panelists for sharing their experience and insights, to everyone who joined the session, and to the organising team at Pantai Hospital Batu Pahat for bringing the event together.

I am grateful for the opportunity to exchange ideas across specialties and reflect on how we can work together to improve patient care.