Local healthcare service providers need to regularly reinvent themselves - Najib

The Prime Minister said it was the role of these professionals to be the catalysts for improvement, whilst ensuring that the needs and quality of care of patients remain the primary consideration.

He noted that strategic alliances between healthcare service providers would help advance the industry through the adoption of best practices and cross border clinical collaboration.

"As borders between countries become blurred with international cooperation, the potential gains are immeasurable. I urge healthcare service providers to leave no stone unturned in pursuing this potential.

"Becoming a regional healthcare hub ultimately creates more job opportunities and wealth, which benefit the economy and country as a whole," he said in his speech when openeing the ParkCity Medical Centre (PMC) and the unveiling of Ramsay Sime Darby Health Care (RSDHC) logo, at Desa Park City in the capital, Tuesday.

PMC was the first hospital officially opened under a joint venture between Sime Darby Healthcare and Australia's largest private hospital group, Ramsay Health Care Limited.

The RM320 million 300-bed state-of-the-art hospital, which was completed in July 2012 and began operations in December 2012, is a multi-disciplinary hospital offering full inpatient and outpatient medical and surgical services, advanced diagnostics and 24-hour emergency services.

Najib said this partnership would further boost Malaysia's aims to be a regional healthcare provider and provided a solid platform for expansion in the Asian healthcare sector.

"Over the past three years Malaysia has seen more than 20 percent growth in health tourism, generating almost RM600 million in revenue last year alone.

"This is a result of improved quality of healthcare, customer experience, proactive alliances and niche marketing. Patients heading to Malaysia have mainly sought cardiac, cosmetics, ophthalmology, dental and orthopaedic treatments, as well as diagnostic services," he said.

Najib believed that Malaysia's medical tourism industry was succeeding in part because of effective government regulation which ensures that foreign patients get quality and safe care.

He said that among countries fast becoming interested in Malaysia's medical tourism industry was Japan, registering a 20 per cent growth.

Najib said the prospect of reversing the international brain drain of medical professionals through medical tourism was also very positive.