Editor’s Note: In our last issue we featured a write-up from Josef Woodman on the first Malaysia International Healthcare Travel Expo 2012 held late last year. His enthusiasm for the event and Malaysia as a medical travel destination inspired me to reach out to Dr. Mary Wong at the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) and learn more about the organization and its approach to growing the industry in that country.Medical Travel Today (MTT): Let’s start with the basics. What differentiates Malaysia from other medical travel destinations in terms of clinical quality? Dr. Mary Wong Lai Lin, Malaysia Healthcare Travel CouncilDr. Mary Wong (MW): The main point of differentiation is the fact that Malaysian medical travel is initiated and supervised by the Ministry of Health. In most countries, medical travel is simply driven by a tourism board that promotes the availability of services and a country’s assets. That’s not the case in Malaysia. For us, it’s highly regulated. The Ministry of Health really oversees our efforts in the areas of quality concerns starting with licensing. In order to be considered as a MHTC medical travel provider, a facility has to be licensed under the government’s Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act. If you don’t comply in specific areas related to quality and safety, you don’t get a license. In addition, a facility must be accredited by either the Joint Commission International (JCI) or the Malaysian Society for Quality in Health (MSQH). A facility is also required to submit foreign patients’ data to MHTC. Finally, a facility must have a dedicated medical tourism department with an international patient center and a robust website that promotes their offerings and qualifications. That’s extremely important and it’s not just hype. The MHTC is accountable to essentially a two-person board. That Board includes the Minister of Health himself and the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of the Economic Planning Unit. These are two very high-level ministers who take our work, and the country’s reputation, quite seriously. They are apprised of all issues and challenges related to medical travel and, believe me, every aspect of the care delivered is monitored and reported on. The result is truly excellent clinical quality and exceptional patient experiences and outcomes. MTT:What initiatives are underway amongst Malaysian stakeholders, such as Ministry of Health, Ministry of Tourism, Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), to promote medical tourism?MW: Because we are a government agency, we work closely with MATRADE and the tourism and immigration departments. If someone needs assistance getting a visa or a visa extension, for example, we can do that very easily. The experience from the prospective patient perspective is quite seamless. There’s no ping-ponging between different agencies that one might have elsewhere. In terms of initiatives, we are looking at customer satisfaction standards and working closely with government agencies and private sector… And when I say closely, I really mean it. This is not an initiative just handed down from the government. We have private hospital representatives who attend our operation meetings. Our advisory council members, all appointed by the Prime Minister, represent both the public and private sector. Representatives of the Malaysian Medical Council, hotels, dental associations, and others all attend our regular meetings. Our vision is one we truly plan together. I don’t think you will see this approach in any other country. It’s a combined initiative that allows us to work based on each other’s strength. MTT:How high of a priority is medical travel for the Ministry of Tourism?MW: The Ministry of Health takes it quite seriously. In fact, up until a few years ago medical travel fell under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism. However, the government, realizing how important quality was to the delivery of care and success of the industry, assigned it under a unit of the Ministry of Health. In 2009 Ministry of Health set up the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council, and in October 2011, MHTC was corporatized to speed up its operations. I think that move and their continued regulation of the industry speaks of their keen interest in it. MTT:Are there particular specialty areas you’ll be looking to grow and promote in the year ahead? MW: The two most sought after areas of care are open-heart surgery and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). For that reason they’ll remain at the top of our list. We’re also looking to promote orthopedics. We currently have patients coming from all over the world for hip and knee replacements. MTT:I was under the impression that the majority of your patients were somewhat regional.MW: It’s true we draw a lot of “local” patients, especially from Singapore, but our largest patient populations come from Indonesia, Japan, India, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia and China. In fact, from the US alone Malaysia receives about 12,000 patients per year. That’s certainly up from years past. I think a big part of that growth stems from the fact that we’re basically an English-speaking country. Everyone in Malaysia speaks English – from cab drivers and waiters to nurses and doctors – there simply is no communication barrier. I think people are catching on to that and it’s helping to drive our numbers. MTT:Are you aware of any growing interest by employers versus individuals to develop relationships with Malaysian healthcare facilities?MW: Not yet, but it is a sector we’re very interested in growing. I think once employers look at Malaysia as a destination it will be hard to not consider the option. As it is, we’re already one of the top ten tourist destinations in the world. Our healthcare costs are excellent – from hospital fees to hotels. For example, open-heart surgery here versus Singapore is 2.5 times less. Plus, you can stay in at the Ritz-Carlton or Mandarin Oriental for about $180 per night. That kind of pricing extends to everything here. It’s extremely reasonable by comparison certainly to the US and to many other destinations. Plus, as I mentioned, the language barrier is non-existent. Employers can feel comfortable that their employee will be understood and will understand completely how they will be cared for, by whom, etc. MTT:You mentioned Singapore. How would you say Malaysia compares to Singapore in terms of quality, cost, and patient experience?MW: I can only speak to that in terms of cost savings in that care here is much more affordable. I can say that we’ve seen a tremendous increase in the number of Singaporeans coming here for care. In 2011 we had 5,800 patients from Singapore. By October of 2012 the number had already reached 6,500. MTT:To what do you attribute the increase?MW: Cost is certainly one factor, as is wait time. Wait time in Malaysia is essentially non-existent. You see your doctor the day you register and not just for a handshake. They sit with patients and consult with them about their options. They’re interested in making sure they understand the patient’s goals and medical needs and work to direct them to the best course of care. I’m not certain that happens to the same extent in Singapore as it does here. In addition, we have ten hospitals that operate under the Singaporean MediSave plan. That’s certainly an option for those paying out-of-pocket. And then there’s just the appeal of Malaysia that works for people from all over the world: It’s very safe and very multicultural. Different races and religions all exist in harmony. There’s hardly any stress. It’s really ideal for vacations and recovery. Everyone can feel at home. About Mary Wong Lai Lin, Ph.D. Dr. Mary Wong Lai Lin is the CEO of Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC), a corporatized agency set up under the Ministry of Health Malaysia to develop and promote the healthcare travel industry and to position Malaysia as the healthcare destination of choice. Dr. Mary Wong has 20 years of experience working in the Ministry of Health Malaysia, serving in various capacities at the federal level, in a state hospital, and in two state health departments. Her experiences are in the areas of health policies, planning and management. She holds a Ph.D. in Health Policy, Economics and Financing from the National University of Singapore.
