What is health care? Healthcare is defined as in the oxford dictionary as maintaining and improving the physical and mental health of someone through the provision of medical services. It is also defined in the Merriam Webster as restoring the health of someone and preventing the spread of diseases that can harm a person life helped by trained and license profession by giving them medicine, therapy and treatment to make them feel better. In the past few decades, Malaysia Healthcare has undergone a radical transformation.
Before the birth of colonization Malaysian use traditional medicine and methods introduced by the local citizen of Malaysia. Ever since the independence day back at august 1957, the different system of health care were transferred from British colonial rules to help the growing needs of proper care of the Malaysian citizen. (Castro 2009). Malaysia is a popular destination for medical tourism as the service provided are vast such as cardiology, dentistry, general service and etc. (Healthcare in Malaysia, n. d).
Malaysian healthcare is govern by the ministry of health but is divided into two categories which are private sector and public sector. The goal for the healthcare of the public sector is to provide an affordable healthcare for the citizen of Malaysia with the proper equipment and medicine. For the private sector it is also for the citizen healthcare but the medical fees higher than the fees from the public hospitals, because the private hospitals usually have better equipped equipment and facilities.
Both of these sectors contribute differently in Malaysia healthcare system. Healthcare in Malaysia, 2012) The Malaysia government will help the citizen of Malaysia with their health issues of the country by improving the facilities, according to the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) annual dinner. The Prime Minister has spoken that if the nation wants to prosper it will have to start with healthcare of the people, as the people health of one country is important. Therefore one of the goals to achieve in the “Wawasan 2020” is to have a world class health care system that is affordable and assessable to the people of the country.
The preliminary analysis indicates that the health services are quality and affordable but problems lies in the long waiting lines, insufficient staff, crowded facilities. (Razak, 2012). Every country has advantages and disadvantages of the healthcare system. Now let us talk about the advantages of Malaysia Healthcare System. Advantages of the healthcare system in Malaysia. Malaysia healthcare system is winning praise from the World Health Organisation and also from other countries. Among the programs attracting attention is the RM1 minimum fee for treatment at government hospitals and clinics nationwide.
According to the public hospital services that heavily subsidized by the government, there are 98% of the total cost of providing medical services by the government to the people. Besides this, the patients just bear 2% out of 100%. Malaysian also will be given hospital treatment when the duration of staying is less that RM500 through the government subsidy. (Malaysia benefits from affordable health care, 2011). One of the advantages of the Malaysia healthcare are the performance of some of the most difficult treatments in the world and also professional in all medical disciplines.
The treatments are carried out in state of the art facilities that have been furnished to meet international standards. The high quality in treatments is thus maintained at the technology as well as professional levels. The medical practices followed in Malaysia are at par with the best in the world, incorporating sophistication as well as international expertise. The medical team consists of specialists who have been trained in outstanding medical institutions around the world while the visiting faculty comprises of distinguished specialists belonging to world famous Medical Centre.
The biggest advantage is the hospitality. It is because the faculties of the hospitals are speaking English this facilitate a proper communication and interaction between the medical staffs hail from various parts of the world, hence erasing any alien feeling for the foreign patient, who has opportunity to relate with an identical nationality. Hospitality and services are being the keywords of our practice are a comfortable stay in fully equipped and luxurious rooms is assured to the patient. The facilities are complemented by equally proficient nursing faculties offering round the clock service to the patient.
The advantage of the healthcare system in Malaysia is value for your money. In the current scenario of international medicine, Malaysia healthcare service give more benefit to the patients all over the world compared with the cost of medical treatment is skyrocketing in the U. S and Europe. With medical faculties trained in some of the most esteemed medical institutions in the world and also the highly specialized hospitals, Malaysia confidently claims of a medical care that supersedes in affordability and quality. By the way, a common cosmetic surgery costs the patient a lot in the U. S.
While in Malaysia its cost less compared to U. S. The disparity is proof of the cost-effective nature of Malaysian procedures. Besides this, this brings a lot of people come for vacation along with the treatment for the holiday seekers. And what’s more you still spend only lesser than what you would have, in order to undergo the medical treatment alone in the U. S or U. K. The patient is assured of complete privacy as we ensure to maintain and conduct the details of all our procedures including information transfer under strict confidentiality, preventing unwarranted attention from any source.
Malaysia healthcare also offers the chances to take advantage of a vacation along with the treatment either through the various tailor made packages on offer or by helping to build personalized holiday cum treatment package utilizing through online services. (Why choose Malaysia healthcare, n. d). Disadvantages of healthcare system in Malaysia. However, there are many things changing but the Malaysian healthcare system. Malaysian healthcare system are either moving backward or being stationary in certain view. (Pagalavan, 2012). Almost every area has government hospitals. There are 2 types of government hospitals, with and without specialist.
Pagalavan(2012), claims that government hospitals with specialists will be located in bigger area. There are no specialists in government hospitals in smaller area. However, medical officers will be located in these hospitals. The medical officer will have problems because there are no seniors to teach or supervise them any procedure. There is only one medical officer “on-call” each day in smaller area hospitals. During these call, the medical officer need to cover the whole hospitals, including the labor room, ward and the emergency department. Most of the general hospitals are overcrowded with patients.
Each ward can have between 40-60 patients of one time. Patients need to queue long to get the treatment. There can still be long delay before treatment is available. There is no comfortable and private environment for the patient after major operations. These are where all the housemen and postgraduate students used to train. The amount of work is very high and stressful due to patient and lack of specialist. Therefore, people are forced to go private hospitals for better treatment since public hospitals are not well cared. Abdul Rahman Bakar (2011) said private hospitals gives fast treatment and has a choice of when he wants to be treated.
He can also choose which consultant or specialists he wants to see. The standard of care is not up to internationally standards because the treatment that been given in public hospitals are not satisfactory or happy. (Pagalavan, 2005). The consultants are all by own in private hospitals. There are no medical officers, housemen or senior consultants to supervise or help them. If one of the doctors got stuck in halfway by doing something like surgery, the consultant will not find help unless another surgeon in the same hospital is willing to help if he is free.
Pagalavan (2012) stated that anyone can be general practitioners in Malaysia by completing 4 years of compulsory service with government. There been many severe competitions among public and private hospitals. Due to this competition, some black sheep began to appear in this system just to make many and nothing else. Many general practitioners are badly managing common medical conditions. If the general practitioner does not know anything to do, they will not refer to a specialist either in public or private hospitals because they do not want to lose the patient to other physician which will reduce their income.
In Malaysia, healthcare system is also providing health insurance. This health insurance is only can be used in certain hospitals. However, these systems frequently get corrupt, overloaded and inefficient. Health insurance also failed to meet the needs of a majority of patients. They also generally offer a limited range of treatment choices. Taxes on productive sector get so heavy until everyone is motivated to get sick instead of healthy. There is no solution available and the best treatment and choices are very limited. (Zwise, 2011).
Based on Farlex’s The Free Dictionary (2013), healthcare system is a system or program where healthcare is given to the public and it is financed either by the government or private organization. It is also stated that there are four elements in a healthcare system which are the personal healthcare service provided to the public by hospitals and clinics. Besides that, a healthy environment is given to the public. For example, the control of food and water supply. Not only that, to provide education and research activities related to healthcare.
For example, research activities are based on the prevention of a disease and the last element is the insurance coverage on health. According to Ministry of Communication and Multimedia Malaysia (2010), the concepts of 1Malaysia are as follows integrity, education, meritocracy, loyalty, acceptance, humility, perseverance and culture of excellent. Holding on to the values of One Malaysia, the government had made a few changes on the healthcare system (1Malaysia, 2013). Such as, the 1Malaysia Privilege Card which gives a discount of 10% to 50% at medical clinics over 4500 selected merchants nationwide to over 10 million Malaysians.
The “Program Kebajikan Rakyat 1Malaysia” (KAR1SMA) also provides assistance in money for low income senior citizens, children and disabled citizens. Beside that the Menu Rakyat 1Malaysia is offering subsidized food for the citizen of Malaysia. “Skim Keselamatan Makanan 1Malaysia” (SK1M) aims to improve the food quality in Malaysia. Not only that, “Kedai Ikan Rakyat 1Malaysia” (KIR1M) is to supply fish, chicken, meat and vegetable at a reasonable price which is 40% cheaper than market price.
The government also provides clinic services called “Klinik 1Malaysia” with the cost of RM1 on medical treatment. Free Medical Treatment for Senior Citizen which can benefit for over 1. 5 million Malaysians where the senior citizens which do not need to pay a token of RM1 for treatment. The “Program Susu 1Malaysia” provides free milk for 3 million primary school students to build a generation of healthier and stronger “Malaysians Klinik Bergerak 1Malaysia” which is a mobile clinic which serves at East and Peninsular Malaysia in the rural areas which also provides medical service on dental and eye. Pusat Bersalin Berisiko Rendah 1Malaysia” is given a fee of RM3 for the delivery which includes treatment, room, food and medicine. The fee is waived for civil servants. Malaysia government also came out with an idea of 1 Care in collaborate with 1Malaysia concept which aims to create a fair, more efficient and high technology health care system so that they can improve access to various level of health care for all Malaysians. (Ministry of Health Malaysia, 2010).
This actually shows that government did make changes to restructure nation health care for better life quality. However, it is still a long way to go compared to countries like Japan and United States. Besides, there is also a need for all the doctors working under government to attend conference and workshops to update their knowledge and technology with other countries. This provides a good opportunity for the inexperience doctors to improve their skills and offer a better service to mankind.
As we all know, government too, announced 1Malaysia Clinic which provide a quality service with low cost to benefit the poor and also aim to increase the health quality among our people. In conclusion, 1Malaysia is a good concept cause it is a guide for all of us to improve our nation health care system. All we need is to foresee the problems in it and to make it better. For example, government should be aware of the low quality services in the general hospital especially in the rural areas.
Hospitals in rural areas are having insufficient equipment and facilities and causes problems such as most patients have to be sent to hospitals in city in order to get treatment. In this case, they should focus more on providing these basic needs for hospitals in rural areas. With all the above statements, the resources and quality of services provided by the public hospitals in Malaysia must be improved. It is obvious that we urge the government to emphasize on funding the expenditure to health care system in Malaysia so that citizens can be access to various resources easily.
These resources that we should be targeted are advance medical equipment, greater access to pharmaceutical drugs and materials as well as the hospitality support. (Rasiah, R. , Abdullah, N. R. W. , & Tumin, M. , 2011). To effect the changes, it is required for the government and also the private sector to reposition the healthcare clause. In addition to the government and the private healthcare sectors, it is also critical that civil society advocates the voice of the disadvantaged for them to have enough space to be heard.