Malaysia is one the fastest emerging destinations for medical tourism in Asia, mainly catering for Asian health travelers.
According to the Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia (APHM), the majority of Malaysia's medical tourists come from Indonesia mainly due to the superior quality of healthcare that Malaysia offers. The same reason draws health travelers from other Asian countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Patients from richer Asian countries like Singapore and Japan, (which are the second and third highest origins of medical travelers respectively), visit Malaysia due to the lower prices of medical procedures.
Australians and people from the European Union are attracted to the lower cost of medical procedures in Malaysia, whilst
Middle Eastern medical travelers visit Malaysia for both the price and the quality of healthcare provided. The country has also been targeting Muslim tourists with its options for Halal treatments, such as
medicine not derived from pork.
The Healthcare System in Malaysia
The majority of hospitals offering services to medical tourists are privately owned institutions following internationally recognized standards in healthcare.
Currently, there are at least 35 hospitals in Malaysia that are being geared towards medical tourism. All are accredited locally by the
Malaysian Medical Society for Quality of Health (MSQH) and are licensed by the
Malaysian Ministry of Health. Most of these hospitals are accredited by international bodies including the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the Joint Commissions International (JCI) among others, making them on par with medical institutions in western countries.
Doctors and staff practicing at Malaysian international hospitals are English-speaking and internationally trained. Over 90 percent of these doctors were trained in the UK, USA or Australia, and in some cases are involved in international medical research.
Top Hospitals in Malaysia for Medical Tourism
- Penang Adventist Hospital
Jalan Burma, Malaysia
First accredited by the JCI on November 2007. Established in 1924, this non-profit hospital is fully owned and controlled by a Malaysian company and has grown since then as a tertiary healthcare institution using up-to-date medical equipment and procedures.
- Twin Towers Medical Center
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur is the in-house medical facility situated in the Petronas Twin Tower complex. This medical center is the largest outpatient polyclinic in Malaysia's premiere commercial center, catering to both local and international patients.
- Institute Jantung Negara National Heart Institute
Also known as IJN, it is the leading heart institution in Malaysia that is also JCI accredited offering advanced cardiovascular and thoracic health services to both adult and pediatric patients, working in conjunction with leading international medical organizations and using the latest techniques in heart care.
- International Specialist Eye Center (ISEC)
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
First accredited by the JCI on February 2009. An ambulatory surgical center or ASC, ISEC is Malaysia's premiere center for ophthalmology and eye care.
- Browse our list of hospitals in Malaysia >>.
Common Treatments done by Medical Tourists in Malaysia
Hospitals and healthcare facilities in Malaysia offer a wide array of procedures and services for medical travelers, which include but are not limited to the following:
Cost of Medical Treatment in Malaysia
The following are cost comparisons between Medical procedures in Malaysia and equivalent procedures in the UK and the United States:
| Procedure |
UK Hospitals |
Malaysia |
Average Savings |
| Face Lift (rhytidectomy) |
$11,000 - $12,000 |
$2,500 - $3,500 |
70% - 77% |
| Breast Augmentation (Mammoplasty) |
$7,000 - $8,000 |
$3,000 - $4,000 |
50% - 57% |
| Breast Reduction |
$8,000 - $9,000 |
$3,000 - $4,000 |
55% - 63% |
| Breast Lift |
$2,000 - $3,000 |
$900 - $1,000 |
55% - 67% |
| Tummy Tuck |
$6,000 - $7,000 |
$2,000 - $2,500 |
64% - 67% |
| Liposuction (lipoplasty) |
$5,000 - $6,000 |
$2,000 - $3.000 |
50% - 60% |
| Nose Surgery (Rhinoplasty) |
$5,500 - $6,500 |
$2,000 - $2,500 |
61% - 64% |
| Procedure |
UK Hospitals |
Malaysia |
Average Savings |
| Porcelain Bonded Crowns |
$950 - $1,000 |
$150 - $200 |
80% - 84% |
| Root Canal (per canal) |
$300 - $400 |
$200 - $250 |
33% - 38% |
| Procedure |
US Hospitals |
Malaysia |
Average Savings |
| Angioplasty |
$55,000 - $57,000 |
$7,500 - $8,500 |
80% - 86% |
| Heart Bypass |
$120,000 - $130,000 |
$11,500 - $12,500 |
90% - 91% |
| Heart-valve Replacement |
$150,000 - $160,000 |
$14,500 - $15,500 |
90% - 91% |
| Hip Replacement |
$41,000 - $43,000 |
$9,500 - $10,500 |
75% - 77% |
| Hysterectomy |
$18,000 - $20,000 |
$3,500 - $4,500 |
77% - 81% |
| Knee Replacement |
$38,000 - $40,000 |
$7,500 - $8,500 |
78% - 80% |
| Procedure |
US Hospitals |
Malaysia |
Average Savings |
| Face Lift (rhytidectomy) |
$7,000 - $9,000 |
$2,500 - $3,500 |
61% - 64% |
| Breast Augmentation (Mammoplasty) |
$5,000 - $8,000 |
$3,000 - $4,000 |
40% - 50% |
| Breast Reduction |
$4,000 - $6,000 |
$3,000 - $4,000 |
25% - 33% |
| Complete Liposuction (lipoplasty) |
$4,000 - $6,500 |
$2,000 - $3.000 |
50% - 53% |
| Nose Surgery (Rhinoplasty) |
$5,500 - $6,500 |
$2,000 - $2,500 |
61% - 63% |
| Procedure |
US Hospitals |
Malaysia |
Average Savings |
| Root Canal |
$600 - $1,000 |
$200 - $250 |
67% - 75% |
| Porcelain Crown |
$600 - $1,000 |
$150 - $200 |
75% - 80% |
Malpractice and Liability Laws in Malaysia
Statistics from 2004 have indicated that at least 50 percent of private medical practitioners in Malaysia had
no medical indemnity cover, although the Ministry of Health in Malaysia have declared an increasing trend in the amount of compensation paid by the Malaysian government for liability cases since the year 2000. At present, the Malaysian government follows the Tort system for the control and regulation of litigation cases due to medical malpractice of negligence, wherein compensation is paid only for proven negligent cases.
Pros
-
Medical facilities
State-of-the art medical, healthcare and diagnostic facilities
-
Prices
Competitive prices for medical procedures and treatments
-
Language
English-speaking, highly trained and qualified medical specialists and staff
-
Quality standards
Strict adherence to internationally recognized quality medical standards
-
Tourism infrastructure
Affordable accommodation and a favorable tourism destination, suitable for post-surgery recovery
Cons
-
Safety concerns
Terrorist activities and kidnapping of tourists are still primary concerns, particularly in certain areas of the country that are geared toward Western visitors and tourists
Traveling to Malaysia
There are six international airports in Malaysia catering for more than 35 international carriers from all around the world. This makes Malaysia very accessible from neighboring Asian countries as well as from outside the continent.
Average estimated travel time in hours
| From/To |
Malaysia |
| New York City |
20 |
| Los Angeles |
19 |
| London |
12 |
| Singapore |
1 |
| Jakarta |
2 |
| Dubai |
7 |
| Riyadh |
7 |
| Bangladesh |
3 |
| Pakistan |
5 |
| Tokyo |
6.5 |
| Sydney |
8 |
Entry and Exit Requirements to Malaysia
There are various
visa requirements to Malaysia depending on the country of origin. Length of stay is typically 1 to 3 months; however extensions may be available upon request to the Malaysian High Commission.
The following is a brief summary of visa requirements from prominent nations where most medical tourists are arriving from (October 2009):
- No Visa Requirements:
- UK and British Commonwealth / protected countries
- United States of America
- Switzerland
- Netherlands
- No Visa Requirements depending on maximum length of stay:
- 3 months maximum:
Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Bosnia Herzegovina, Chile, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Norway, Oman, Peru, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Slovakia, Tunisia, Turkey, U.A.E., Uruguay, and Yemen.
- 1 month maximum:
Asian Countries, Hong Kong, Macau, British National Overseas and North Korea
- 14 days maximum:
Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Macau (travel permit) and Portugal Alien Passport.
- Needs Malaysian Visa for a stay exceeding one month:
- Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, Indonesia, Cambodia and the Philippines
- Needs Malaysian Visa for Entry
- Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Angola, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo Republic, Cote D'Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Rwanda, Senegal, Western Sahara, Taiwan
- Special Approval Required
- Citizens of Israel and Yugoslavia
Statistics of Medical Tourism in Malaysia
Malaysia is one of the few countries
where the government actively supports and promotes medical tourism. The number of medical tourists has risen dramatically, with
770,134 health tourists arriving for treatment in the country in 2013, making it one of the major destination countries within the region. Globally, it has been ranked as one of the
top 5 medical tourism destinations in the world and it is expected that earnings for
2014 will be over 200 million USD.