The provision of cheap and high quality healthcare has catapulted the Malaysian healthcare system into the top global echelon. In 2014, InternationalLiving.com’s annual Global Retirement Index ranked Malaysia as the third best and most affordable country for healthcare globally. Malaysia’s healthcare scored 95 out of a possible 100 points for the following criteria:
• cost of care
• quality
• number of people per doctor
• number of hospital beds per 1,000 people
• percentage of population with access to safe water
• infant mortality rate
• life expectancy
• public health as a percentage of GDP
Malaysia has long been recognised as world class destination for healthcare. However, the past four years have seen the industry expand at a faster rate compared to during the years in the middle of the last decade. Figure 1 shows that between 2007 and 2008, the number of healthcare travellers to Malaysia increased by an annual average of 3.78%. Between 2010 and 2013 though, the number increased by 23.9% per annum.
Does Malaysia have the medical personnel to accommodate this medical tourism boom? This month we’ll take a look at the human resource element of the medical industry, with a particular focus on the nursing profession. We examine whether our hospitals are staffed to the optimal amount with nurses before considering the effect on patients.
