Treatment in Indonesia Vs Malaysia

Health is a basic right for everyone, without knowing economic status, race, religion or citizenship. However, if someone is sick, everyone can choose a place for treatment according to their abilities and needs. Most people will choose the place of treatment that is closest to their domicile, but some people also consider the health services available at that place, including the quality.

In health services there are several main factors that affect the quality and effectiveness of services, including:

1. Accessibility: The patient's ability to get the right health care when needed, including the availability of health facilities, locations, and transportation.

2. Availability of Services: This includes the availability of specific medical services, equipment, and resources needed for care, from primary care to tertiary care and specialties.

3. Professional Competence: Training, knowledge, and skills of health workers including doctors, nurses, and other support personnel.

4. Continuity of Care: Coordination of care between various providers and service levels, including the management of chronic diseases and follow-up after acute care.

5. Efficiency: Efficient use of resources, including time and cost, without sacrificing service quality.

6. Justice: Fair and equal care without discrimination based on economy, race, religion, or citizenship, in line with the principle that health is a basic right for all people.

7. Patient Safety: Efforts to reduce risks, errors, and health care-related infections.

8. Patient Involvement: Active participation of patients in their own care, including information sharing decision making, and personal health management.
9. Patient Satisfaction: The patient's perception and experience of the quality of his care and service.

10. Quality and Practice-Based Evidence: The use of health care practices that have been proven effective through research. Malaysia is often the destination for Indonesian treatment because it often gets reviews on social media because of quality, shorter waiting times, competitive costs, medical tourism branding, more affordable flight costs, easy visa procedures. One of the cities known for its medical tourism is penang with its Island hospital. But, is that true?. Let's look at the following considerations: According to several studies, health services in Malaysia are indeed better than Indonesia in terms of patient satisfaction index, waiting times, and more competitive costs. However, the issue faced by Malaysia is the uneven distribution of health services between urban and rural communities, (Hutapea, 2019) (Ratnasari et al., 2021) and the issue of the quality of public services that are still not on par with private services. On the other hand, Indonesia still faces many challenges in equitable distribution and accessibility of health services, but the government continues to strive to improve the quality of health services through various programs such as National Health Insurance. So, overall, the choice of treatment in Indonesia or Malaysia depends on the needs and abilities of each individual. However, it is important to consider key factors such as access, quality, cost, and patient satisfaction when choosing a place for treatment, both in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Here are 5 reasons why someone might choose not to go to Malaysia, even though this country is famous for its health services.

Cost and insurance

- Although medical costs in Malaysia are relatively more affordable than other developed countries, they are still more expensive than domestic treatment, especially if they are not covered by insurance.

- Not necessarily all health insurance in Indonesia covers medical expenses abroad, or there may be complicated claim procedures.

Communication and Language:

O Language barriers can be obstacles, especially if the patient is not fluent in English or Malay.

O Explaining medical history and symptoms in detail can be difficult, and has the potential to cause miscommunication with medical personnel.

Distance and Travel Time:

O Travel to Malaysia requires additional time and costs, especially if the patient is from an area far from access to international flights.

O The post-care recovery process also needs to be taken into account, as the patient may need time to readapt to the environment and routine at home.

Family and Social Support:

O Treatment abroad means being away from family and relatives who usually provide moral and practical support during the healing process.

O Longing and discomfort in a foreign environment can also affect the patient's psychological condition

Advances in Health Services in the Country:

O Indonesia continues to strive to improve the quality of its health services.

O Currently, many hospitals and clinics in Indonesia have been equipped with advanced medical technology and professional medical personnel.

Important to remember: The decision to seek treatment at home or abroad is highly personal and depends on a variety of factors, including health conditions, costs, personal preferences, and availability of services. It is better to do research and consult with a doctor before making a decision.

The most common thing we encounter in patients who have had surgery abroad is in the process of controlling their former surgery. Because the best treatment pattern in the medical world is returned to the doctor who treats it. It is feared that the problems that arise in the future will become a burden for patients.