Mahkota Medical Centre investing RM250m in innovative healthcare services
09 Nov 2023
HMI Group, the parent company of Mahkota Medical Centre (MMC), is investing RM250 million in innovative approaches to deliver world-class healthcare services through Centres of Excellence (CoEs) specialising in critical fields such as cancer.
The Breast Cancer Clinical Care Programme Certification (CCPC) accreditation and MMC’s status as a shortlisted finalist in the Flagship Medical Tourism Hospital Programme demonstrate the group’s commitment to medical excellence. The flagship programme, spearheaded by the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC), aims to raise globally renowned icons for healthcare travel.
“We are confident in our capacity to play a pivotal role in propelling Mahkota toward realising Malaysia’s healthcare and medical tourism aspirations,” said HMI Group group CEO Chin Wei Jia.
Shortlisted finalists are expected to provide top-notch healthcare services and adhere to international standards, contributing to Malaysia’s medical tourism industry and global recognition.
For 2024, MMC will focus on increasing investments in medical technologies, digital health applications and the development of CoEs to address complex medical procedures. The southern region of Malaysia, particularly Melaka, is a priority due to its strategic location, accessibility and rich heritage.
Accessible and Affordable
MMC CEO Teo Chin Yee said MMC provides value-based healthcare services that are accessible and affordable.
“We aim to offer international patients a seamless and culturally sensitive healthcare experience through various initiatives, including Authorised Representative Offices (AROs) and an International Patient Centre,” she said.
Teo further shared that the centre will be using a significant amount of the RM250 million fund to channel towards the development of new CoEs across various medical specialities.
Teo said these CoEs will not only leverage advanced technologies but also the ongoing training and development of healthcare professionals.
“This paired approach will ensure world-class medical care for international patients,” she added.
She also highlighted that the medical centre has increased its efforts to elevate the quality of touchpoints through providing personalised assistance.
“Our nurse navigator programme is one example of how we will be implementing more initiatives to create greater connectivity with doctors and medical professionals, while streamlining processes for a seamless patient journey for all international patients.”
Additionally, the medical centre is building trust with international patients through increased engagement initiatives. This will require proactive communication and ongoing follow-ups, which will be aided by integrated services. To illustrate, the CCPC programme offers a five-year follow-up to closely monitor patients following the completion of their treatment.
Making Improvements
Meanwhile, MMC will be focusing on key improvements including an increase in investments in medical technologies to facilitate better diagnosis and improve patient outcomes, as well as the development of digital health applications to provide an efficient patient journey and accessible healthcare services and information.
“MMC is also focused on building CoEs for highly complex medical procedures and aims to achieve international accreditation, which will further boost the hospital’s reputation,” Teo affirmed.
She also opined that building the centres across the southern region of Malaysia should be a priority due to its close proximity to other nations in the south, such as Indonesia and Singapore.
MMC plans to increase its strategic role in Malaysia’s medical tourism agenda, strengthened by its rich heritage and easy access to the airport and ferry ports. While the government may have broader initiatives, MMC is also actively doing extensive fieldwork to understand diverse languages and cultural sensitivities.
MMC has established AROs in the home countries of international patients, where they serve as a reliable resource that eliminates language barriers and is well-versed in cultural sensitivities, ensuring a smoother experience for international patients. Additionally, it will have an easily accessible International Patient Centre, where the patient experience team will be stationed.
“These personnel are trained to receive and assist patients from our targeted international markets,” Teo explained.
All in all, the hospital affirms its commitment to provide value-based healthcare services that are accessible and affordable, empowering international patients to understand healthcare options through competitive pricing and cost transparency.
Source: The Malaysian Reserve
