1974

The name "Fatima” was derived from "Our Lady Fatima" in Portugal, a popular site of pilgrimage. Hospital Fatimah admitted its first patient on 1st August 1974 and was officially declared open by His Royal Highness The Late Sultan of Perak, DYMM Sultan Idris Shah of Perak on 6th December 1974. The opening ceremony was also attended by the Minister of Health and other dignitaries.

Initially, key positions in the Hospital were held by 12 Brothers Of Mercy and 5 Franciscan Sisters from Salzkotten, Germany. In 1983, The German Brothers and Sisters had to leave the country. The vacuum was soon filled by the Franciscan Missionaries of Divine Motherhood (FMDM) Sisters in February 1983. The FMDM Sisters were another well-known and well-liked congregation and were at that time running Our Lady’s Hospital at Jalan Chung Thye Phin, Ipoh, Malaysia. One year after the FMDM Sisters joined Hospital Fatimah, it was corporatised. The Hospital is now managed by lay-people.

Initially the Hospital had 148 beds and all its medical equipment were from Germany. At that time the Hospital had the best equipped Physiotherapy Unit in the country. The first specialist unit to be established was the Orthopaedic Unit. This legacy has consolidated our position in providing one of the most reputable orthopaedic services in the country. Subsequently the Ear, Nose & Throat Clinic was set up and followed by the Medical Unit, Obstetric Unit and finally the General Surgery Unit.

1987

The Outpatient Block was extended to cope with the demand for Specialist Outpatient Services. At the same time, four more operating rooms were added to cater to the increasing number of surgical procedures.

1997

By the early 1990’s, it became clear that additional beds would be needed for the Hospital to expand and meet the demand for its services. Plans were therefore commissioned and an additional inpatient wing was added to the Hospital. It was opened in 1997.

1998

Since then, the Hospital has continued to further rationalize its services seeking to develop particularly its community services and its distinctive philosophy of care. As part of this, a Client Support & Counselling Centre, a Health Screening Centre and an Emergency Department were established. The privatisation of Resident Consultant Clinics took place. The Hospital also introduced a Welfare Programme and embarked on various contracted out service arrangements in an effort to extend its range of medical technology and to keep its running costs in check. The Hospital also achieved the MSO:ISO 9002:1994 Quality Management System Award in 1998.

2000

The Quality Management System award was upgraded to MS: ISO 9001:2000 award. In year 2009 this was further upgraded to the MS ISO 9001:2008 certification.

3 new disciplines of Paediatrics, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery were established, further enhancing the Hospital's vision of becoming a premier tertiary hospital in the community. This was later followed by Ophthalmology and Cardiology services.

2001-2004

The year 2003 saw the opening of its Haemodialysis Centre with a Resident Nephrologist.

2005

2006-2009