Communication in Malaysia is easy as medical staff is generally fluent in English. Patients from Indonesia can even communicate in Indonesian, which is similar to the language used in Malaysia. Special counters for Indonesian patients can be found at most Malaysian hospitals, plus a number of hospitals have representative offices in Jakarta. KPJ Healthcare Berhad in Selangor, for example, has a representative office in Indonesia and collaborates with Medika Permata Hijau Hospital in Jakarta.
This hospital is a top hospital in Malaysia and is part of the KPJ Healthcare Group of Hospitals. With over 25 years of experience, KPJ boasts of experience in serving patients at it various clinics and of its specialized doctors. This hospital not only provides medical consultations but also, like a travel agent, attends to tourism matters, ranging from tickets, visas and hotels to taking care of optional local sightseeing tours.
Penang Adventist Hospital is another Malaysian hospital popular in Indonesia, particularly in Medan, which is only an hour’s flight away. Set up in 1924, this hospital is one of over 400 Seventh Day Adventist hospitals and health centers the world over.
This hospital boasts complete facilities with no fewer than 35 specialized clinics, ranging from a general practitioner’s clinic to clinics for cardiology, psychiatry and cosmetic surgery and reconstruction. Penang Adventist Hospital is also noted as a center for cardiac care with its programs for heart examination, catheterization, the placement of balloon and stents, bypass cardiac surgery, etc.
It is noteworthy that patients are always informed of the cost of medical treatment before it is performed. Hospitals in Malaysia are generally transparent, especially for checkups, which may be offered in packages like “Basic Health Screening”, “Women’s Package”, “Men’s Package” or “Health Vacation Package.”
Some of the health packages combine health and tourism services. The “Health Vacation Package”, for example, is just like an entertainment package. It costs $386 (single room/four-star hotel) and covers three nights of accommodation, breakfast for three days (for one person), a complimentary buffet dinner, airport-hotel transfer and an Executive Screening Program Consultant Package at a local hospital. With a host of beautiful sights in the country, Malaysia offers a winning combination of health and leisure services. (Burhan Abe)
The Jakarta Post, December 19, 2007
