Healing Malaysia’s healthcare system
11-Dec-16, The Star
As more patients opt for public hospitals, patient volume in private hospitals has dropped by 20% to 30%, according to Private Hospital Association Malaysia president Datuk Dr Jacob Thomas.
%20The%20Star.jpg "Healing Malaysias healthcare system (c) The Star")
Image: The Star
And, with medical inflation expected to be at 15% in 2017, private hospitals too must find ways of coping in light of falling revenue. Charges will go up when private hospitals can no longer contain their costs within reasonable limits.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah recently announced that the Government would come up with a voluntary private insurance scheme, for better healthcare access to the private sector. With financing from the scheme, private hospitals could expand in urban and rural areas.
The biggest hurdle is changing the Malaysian mindset, expecting quality treatment for free.