Medical Tourism in Malaysia

Medical tourism in Malaysia has been a rising tourism genre for the last couple of years, and since 2008, some states like Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Melaka and Sarawak have actively promoted medical healthcare in Malaysia.

In contrast, other states have been extra active in this business in the last couple of years, including Selangor, which has the most medical facilities in the country. The cities of Kuching, Miri, and Kota Kinabalu in the east of Malaysia, where numerous medical facilities and hospitals have opened, will also join in.

Medical Tourism in Malaysia

Apart from the entire Malaysia, the state of Selangor has also snowballed for medical tourism, namely with the accessibility of three airports here. The country’s main airports are KLIA, KLIA2 and the Subang SkyPark Terminal in Subang, Petaling Jaya, which make entering Malaysia easy.

The Subang SkyPark Terminal has also brought in many visitors seeking medical treatment from neighbouring countries due to the low cost of flying and staying here in Selangor.

malaysia-cost-of-medical-to Medical Tourism in Malaysia

The cost of medical procedures in six countries is based on the year 2014. Source Ginger Healthcare.

Why is Malaysia engaging in Health Tourism?

A clear-cut answer is that the country has excellent infrastructure, medical expertise, language compatibility, food choices, shopping and, of course, the many beautiful places to visit around

Malaysia.English is widely spoken around the country, and in all medical facilities, It is the primary medium. Most doctors and specialists speak multiple languages, such as English, Bahasa Melayu, and Chinese.

After all, Malaysia was once under British rule for many years. An additional value that makes Malaysian health tourism attractive includes a six-month visa extension provision for health tourists.

The Cost of Medical Treatment in Malaysia?

The main factor behind this is the extremely low cost of medical treatment in Malaysia, which is a fraction of what it can cost in the patient’s own country. For example, a heart bypass in the USA or UK can cost anywhere between $90,000 to $100,000; in Malaysia, it will only cost $18,000 to $20,000.This alone saves the patient a whopping 80%! Imagine doing your surgery and having your family here for some shopping and vacation, yet you are still spending less than 50% of the cost back home.

According to another source, by 2017, an estimated 15.7 million medical tourists from the USA will travel to other countries for treatment. Malaysia is one of the hot spots for this in Southeast Asia. The most sought-after treatments by foreign patients were orthopaedic, cardiac care and cancer treatments.

medical-tourism-malaysia Medical Tourism in Malaysia

DEMC Medical Center in Shah Alam.

Medical Facilities in Malaysia

There are many international medical facilities; some are JCCI accredited, while others comply with the Ministry of Health’s strict medical tourism ruling. Most hospitals and facilities offer many treatments that are popular among medical tourists.Public Hospitals

Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL): This is one of Malaysia’s largest and oldest hospitals. It provides a wide range of specialized services but is unsuitable for medical tourism.
Hospital Putrajaya: Offers comprehensive services, including specialized treatments, and is known for its modern facilities.
Hospital Penang: This is a major public hospital in Penang, providing extensive medical services to the northern region of Malaysia.

Private Hospitals

Prince Court Medical Centre (Kuala Lumpur): Known for high-quality care and modern facilities, catering to both local and international patients.
Gleneagles Kuala Lumpur: Offers a wide range of specialized medical services with a reputation for excellent patient care.
Sunway Medical Centre (Selangor): Provides comprehensive healthcare services with a focus on advanced technology and specialized care.

Specialist Centers

National Heart Institute (Institut Jantung Negara – IJN): Specializes in cardiology and cardiovascular surgery.
Cancer Research Malaysia: Focuses on cancer treatment and research with several treatment centres across the country.
Pantai Hospital: Known for its specialized departments, including orthopaedics and fertility treatments.

Traditional and Complementary Medicine

Herbalife Clinics: Offer traditional herbal treatments alongside modern medical care.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Clinics: These are available in various cities and provide acupuncture, herbal remedies, and other traditional therapies.

Since mid-2012, Malaysia has had eight hospitals with JCI accreditation: the Gleneagles Hospital, the National Heart Institute, the Penang Adventist Hospital, and the Sime Darby Medical Centre Subang Jaya. The other 85 hospitals around Malaysia—32 private facilities—hold accreditation from the Malaysian Society for Quality in Health (MSQH).

medical-facilities-tourism-malaysia Medical Tourism in Malaysia

Some of the modern medical facilities in Malaysia.

Medical Patients in Malaysia

Among healthcare visitors, Indonesians are the most prominent patients in medical tourism here. Many seek the healthcare system in Malaysia due to the similarity in language and food found in the country.Plus, the connectivity from the neighbouring country is fast and cheap, with budget airlines and ferry services available. Malaysia’s healthcare services were also highly demanded by patients from India, China, Indochina, Japan, Britain, and the United States.

Medical Tourism Numbers in Malaysia

According to Malaysian Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, in a report by the Star Newspaper, in the year 2000, the country recorded about 56,000 foreign patients seeking treatment in Malaysia. In 2012, 583,000 patients sought medical treatment in Malaysia, a tenfold increase in the last decade.

malaysia-top-5-medical-tourism-in-the-world Medical Tourism in Malaysia

Malaysia is ranked in the Top 5 for medical tourism in the world. Source Med Gadget.

Medical Tourism Receipts in Malaysia for 2012

According to the Oxford Business Group (OBG) in its latest Malaysia Report, over 600,000 foreign patients generated more than RM600 million in revenue by 2012.

2007 – RM253.8 million from 341,288 foreign patients
2008 – RM299.1 million from 374,063 foreign patients
2009 – RM288.2 million from 336,225 foreign patients
2010 – RM378.9 million from 392,956 foreign patients
2011 – RM511.2 million from 583,296 foreign patients

The largest number of patients heading to Malaysia’s medical facilities come from Indonesia, with 335,150 patients reported in 2011, bringing in a total revenue of RM 325.3 million.

Medical facilities on the island of Penang attracted around 49% of total foreign medical revenues. In comparison, institutions in KL and the greater Klang Valley attracted 21% of total spending, and those in Melaka took in about 10% in 2011. *Statistics are taken from Borneo Post, 18th January.

Top 5 Medical Tourism Destinations in the World

In January 2013, Malaysia ranked third among the Top five countries for Medical Tourism, after India and Brazil. This shows that the country aggressively promoted healthcare to the world.

In another related article, dated 7 February 2013, Malaysia was listed as No.5 for the best place worldwide for cosmetic surgery.Over in Asia, Malaysia was listed in four other countries as the top medical tourism destination in Asia, with prices compared to US dollars for standard medical procedures. Please have a look at the chart below.

Procedure	Country (USD$)
Procedure	US	Thailand	India	Malaysia	Singapore	South Korea
Coronary Artery Bypass	88,000	23,000	9,500	20,800	32,000	35,000
Valve Replacement With Bypass	85,000	22,000	8,500	18,500	29,500	33,000
Hip Replacement	33,000	13,000	8,000	12,500	17,000	15,500
Spinal Fusion	41,000	16,000	9,500	17,900	20,500	22,000
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Cycle	15,000	6,500	3,300	7,200	9,500	7,500

columbia-asia-hospital-malaysia Medical Tourism in Malaysia

Columbia Asia Hospital in Malaysia

Conclusion

The country’s medical industry is moving fast, with many other speciality centres gearing up. Skin specialists, optometrists, dentists, and dermatological specialists are also jumping onto the bandwagon here.Many hospitals also organise roadshows in the region, and world-class medical seminars have been conducted here. Medical talks, expos, and even professional conferences are ongoing throughout the year.

Many top hospitals in Sabah have offered medical tourism because of the strong demand from neighbouring countries. Sarawak is also no stranger to medical tourism in the last 10 years.

With the country’s growing tourism trend, Malaysia targeted 36 million tourists in 2013. The last number for 2012 was 25.3 million tourists. About 600,000 of them came to Malaysia for medical tourism.

Share this content: