patient experience and communicate the assurance of patient safety from arrival , throughout treatment , and upon returning home ,” he said .
By building trust among healthcare travellers , through constant and effective communication and dedication to providing a safe patient experience , he feels confident that there will be a more positive attitude towards healthcare travel once restrictions have been lifted .
This confidence comes from the fact that Malaysia has over the years successfully built a global reputation as a preferred healthcare destination , hosting 1.2 million healthcare travellers in 2019 alone .
Once dubbed the “ hidden jewel of Asia ” for healthcare , Malaysia remains positioned as the “ world ’ s healthcare marvel .” As such , it ’ s crucial for it to “ stay warm ” within its markets , both in and outside Southeast Asia , if it wants to remain at the top of patients ’ minds as a destination for their healthcare . “ As a globally recognised and award-winning destination for healthcare travel , we remain optimistic that Malaysian healthcare will rebound owing to the reputation we have carefully built over the past ten years and our value propositions of world-class quality , ease of accessibility , and affordability for healthcare treatments ,” said Mohd Daud .
Even before the pandemic emerged , MHTC had begun pursuing niche branding initiatives to establish Malaysia ’ s identity as the Cardiology and Fertility Hubs of Asia and as a Cancer Centre of Excellence . It had also been working to launch Malaysia ’ s first Flagship Medical Tourism Hospital programme and establish a framework for aged care . These initiatives will continue as borders reopen and it becomes easier for international patients to travel for their care .
Over the last decade , Malaysia gained a solid reputation for cardiac treatment due to the strengths of its practitioners and healthcare infrastructure . The National Heart Institute , for example , was lauded globally last year for becoming the first hospital outside of the United States to implant a Micra AV pacemaker , an implantable device for the treatment of a slow heart rate via pacing . Mohd Daud believes that such expertise will continue to attract a niche group of patients to Malaysia .
Another area where Malaysia will continue to attract patients is in its fertility treatments . The country boasts a success rate of one in two fertility patients for IVF — a statistic matching some of the leading fertility destinations in Europe and North America . It also provides advanced treatments including oncofertility and artificial intelligence for fertility viability testing , areas that have strengthened the country ’ s position as the fertility hub of Asia . Furthermore , of the 30 fertility centres worldwide that have International RTAC accreditation , which is seen as the gold standard in the field , eight are in Malaysia .
Malaysia is also gaining an international reputation
The National Heart Institute is a popular facility among healthcare travellers
in oncology , having emerged as the third most prepared country in the Asia-Pacific region to battle cancer in a study conducted by The Economist Intelligence Unit .
As a sector heavily reliant on international travel , the health tourism industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic , owing to lockdowns and border restrictions . This has greatly impacted many links within the healthcare travel value chain , including travel and tour agencies , hoteliers , health facilitators , tour guides , and logistics providers . How does Mohd Daud hope to revive their fortunes and achieve MHTC ’ s projected goals ?
“ When leading an industry which almost entirely depends on international travel , we must be quick on our feet to develop contingency plans . Our agility , adaptability and creative thinking resulted in Malaysia being one of the first of a few countries to open a medical travel bubble back in 2020 ,” he said .
“ The pandemic has accelerated the implementation of telemedicine and catalysed the adoption of digital healthcare services into existing healthcare services . For Malaysia , maximising its digital potential will be an ongoing challenge , but for a good reason .”
The MHTC also plans to launch the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Industry Blueprint 2021-2025 , a document that aims to guide the industry forward , and to continue working closely with the Ministry of Health to prepare standard operating procedures that make healthcare travel safe for all the parties involved . n
Malaysia is also gaining an international reputation in oncology , having emerged as the third most prepared country in the Asia-Pacific region to battle cancer in a study conducted by The Economist Intelligence Unit
GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com OCTOBER 2021
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