Private docs: Proper regulatory set up needed

STAR, March 30, 2009

PETALING JAYA: A national doctors’ medical association is concerned that Malaysia is rushing to liberalise its healthcare services without a proper regulatory framework, which will affect the overall healthcare system.

The Federation of Private Medical Practioner’s Association of Malaysia (FPMPAM) believes that although the basic aspects of globalisation are inherently good and in some ways inevitable, the Malaysian healthcare services sector is unprepared for this.

FPMPAM’s president Dr. Steven Chow said that ASEAN needs to harmonise healthcare standards (such as in the EU) before opening up market access. However, this should only be done gradually.

“Currently, there is no suitable and regulatory framework to prevent the exploitation of the national healthcare market by foreign businesses,” he said.

“In this vulnerable regulatory environment, we can expect more resources to be poured into the more lucrative aspects of healthcare.

“This will jeopardise the standard of healthcare in areas such as rural and preventative care,” he added.

Dr. Chow said that without proper safeguards, the move would exacerbate Malaysia’s healthcare woes as market forces and business sense was unlikely to encourage foreigners to start their business in small towns, where the problem of shortage and poor access to healthcare services was more apparent.

“But most importantly, we cannot rush this process, especially if it is for the sake of boosting medical tourism. Healthcare is not another business commodity,” he said.

“We need to ensure that this move will benefit the people of Malaysia and not just business,” said Chow.

“There are too many unanswered questions on the macro and micro levels,” he said.

“Right now, patients are still not aware of the proper channels to go should they be shortchanged by a foreign doctor.”

Another concern raised was about how to ensure that these doctors maintained the standard as services in delivery and in other crucial areas such as local socio-cultural norms and doctor-patient communication.