COVER STORY COLUMBIA ASIA HOSPITAL CELEBRATES ITS 20th Anniversary The advancement of a distinct multi-disciplinary specialty private hospital group whose presence today spans across South Asia and Southeast Asia with two decades of quality patient care olumbia Asia Group of operation which covers four major Hospitals presence in countries in South Asia and Southeast Malaysia now spans Asia. This modern private healthcare 20 years. From their group is soon to grow even bigger humble beginnings, and further expand their presence today Columbia Asia has 28 multi- across the rest of Asia with six Cdisciplinary specialty hospitals in more facilities currently at different 18 INFOMED MALAYSIA | JUL - SEPT 2016 stages of development. Columbia Asia now owns and manages 11 private multi-disciplinary specialty hospitals throughout Malaysia, three in Indonesia, three in Vietnam and 11 in India. Columbia Asia hospitals are located in residential areas and widely respected for bringing affordable and quality healthcare to the communities. These modern healthcare facilities are modelled and equipped with new medical technologies in an environment that can offer excellent healthcare to ambulatory care and less invasive The biggest advances in the families and corporations. Columbia treatments, shortening the length of healthcare are about small yet Asia has made significant strides in stay for the patients. significant, evidence-based strides, “Today Columbia Asia have cared for over 12 million outpatients and approximately 3 million inpatients in Malaysia alone.” JUL - SEPT 2016 | INFOMED MALAYSIA 19 COVER STORY when consistently carried out delivers readmissions, and reducing the and Gynaecology, General Surgery, positive patient outcomes. average length of stay (ALOS), Orthopaedics, ENT, Ophthalmology, Community initiatives like positively affects patient outcomes and Urology and Dermatology. These screenings, public talks with these are primarily some of the many core disciplines effectively meet the corporate, primary caregivers and critical KPIs that effectively measure majority of the healthcare needs of the with dedicated community partners the quality indicators and help community. are initiatives that will promote determine the quality of the healthcare Apart from these core medical preventive medicine and education. provided. The Columbia Asia Hospitals services, Columbia Asia has available It is about engagement with the have been able to maintain their ALOS other sub-specialised services such people the hospital serves and its at approximately 2 days. as respiratory medicine, cardiology, commitment towards delivering Among the many attributes, one rheumatology, colorectal surgery, the best patient care possible and of the primary success factors of breast and endocrine surgery, sports together support the efforts better to the Columbia Asia Hospital model medicine, hand and microsurgery manage the health and wellness of is the comprehensiveness of their and many more, situated in various the community as a whole. medical programme which includes locations across Columbia Asia group Improve patient safety such as Radiology, Anesthesiology, Internal of hospitals. reducing hospital-acquired infections, Medicine, Paediatrics, Obstetrics Medical governance remains COLUMBIA ASIA HOSPITALS IN MALAYSIA Bintulu Bukit Rimau Cheras Iskandar Puteri Miri Petaling Jaya Puchong 20 INFOMED MALAYSIA | JUL - SEPT 2016 an important pillar in ensuring a healthcare facility remains focused on providing the best patient care possible. Every Columbia Asia Hospital has a Medical Advisory Committee (MAC) which consists of the heads of department of each medical and surgical discipline and is chaired by the Chief of Medical Services based in each Columbia Asia Hospital. Above this medical governing structure at the facility, Columbia Asia prides itself in having established a Medical Advisory Board (MAB) which is made up of all the Chief of Medical Services from all Columbia Asia group of hospitals. The Medical Advisory Board is chaired by the company’s Group Medical Director. The three primary roles and focus of the MAB is to continually raise the standard and quality of patient care; conduct stringent credentialing and clinical privileging of consultants, and uphold uncompromising commitment towards the ethics and conduct of practitioners of patient care. Over the years, these values have remained the pillars of Columbia Asia’s medical program. The success of this private healthcare model which today is being replicated across the region to help meet the ever growing demand for effective and efficient healthcare. Columbia Asia is today in the forefront of being the preferred healthcare provider for families, corporates, 3rd party administrators and insurance. The healthcare scene is changing from provider-driven to patient-centred, where healthcare consumers are increasingly taking charge of their healthcare. Hospitals are also moving from receiving patients to reaching out and supporting the healthcare needs of the community or population-based healthcare. Seremban Setapak Taiping Shah Alam JUL - SEPT 2016 | INFOMED MALAYSIA 21 COVER STORY InfoMed: How has been the growth AN EXCLUSIVE path for Columbia Asia since its INTERVIEW WITH THE inception 20 years ago? CEO OF COLUMBIA KT: From our humble beginning of ASIA - SOUTHEAST three facilities in Malaysia in the ASIA 1990’s, today we have 11 facilities in Malaysia and 28 across the It was an opportune moment to catch region. We believe we have a private up with Mr. Kelvin Tan, the CEO – healthcare model that is efficient Southeast Asia, Columbia Asia on and effective, which is sustainable their 20th anniversary this year to KT: We have evolved through the many even during difficult and challenging relive the many milestones Columbia challenges we faced over the past times. We are gaining significant Asia had overcome to get to be where years to be better and more resilient endorsement from corporates, 3rd they are today and what the future in our commitment to be the preferred party administrators and insurance holds for Columbia Asia Hospitals and private healthcare choice for families, companies, as they have come to their valued customers. corporates, 3rd party administrators believe in our healthcare model as and insurance companies. We remain one that delivers effective and efficient InfoMed: This is Columbia Asia determined in our resolve to provide patient care. Over the years, we have Hospitals 20th anniversary, what the best patient outcome possible, and cared for over 12 million outpatients is your most important message we want the community we serve to and approximately 3 million inpatients to the healthcare consumers after know that we are here to stay and to in Malaysia alone. This we view as a successfully providing services build better and more efficient hospitals positive endorsement and trust from here in Malaysia for 20 years? to meet their needs. the patients we serve, and we will 22 INFOMED MALAYSIA | JUL - SEPT 2016 continue to cherish and build on remain focused in what we believe inflationary pressures, but we believe that trust. we can do best and let the public we are better poised to manage judge our deliverables. At our end, these pressures as we are committed InfoMed: Your expansion plan and we need to look at healthcare as a to staying away from unnecessary the new hospitals you’re planning? noble profession that demands our excesses, whilst offering our patients KT: Apart from the 28 hospitals in compassion, commitment and integrity. the best patient care possible. operation, we have six more which are currently at different stages of InfoMed: We understand that InfoMed: Columbia Asia has been development, and three of which are Columbia Asia is involved in CSR providing quality care within the located in Malaysia. These three will program such as National Blind ambit of cost consciousness and be located in Klang, Johore Bahru and Football Team, Cleft Lip and Palate appropriate care by investing in a Penang. We are continuously looking Project, Scoliosis and Diabetes value driven model. How has this for new development sites across Asia Awareness Project. Can you model worked in meeting your and even Africa, as we believe the elaborate on these good works? consumers’ expectation of quality Columbia Asia Hospital model is the KT: We do what we can as and positive customer experience? private healthcare model that effectively opportunities are presented to us to be KT: Yes, we believe it has. More and meets the needs of our patients today. of service. If we feel it’s an appropriate more corporates are entrusting the CSR, we will try to mobilise our healthcare of the employees to us to InfoMed: How would you continue available resources to assist and hope ensure their most valued asset are to improve your services keeping to be able to collaborate with other CSR kept healthy and effective. In addition, efficiency and costs sensitivity as conscious companies to bring some most of the major insurers and TPAs a priority? cheer and hope to the less fortunate. are endorsing Columbia Asia group KT: Our efficiency is derived through We believe it’s the right thing to do, to of hospitals as their preferred our model, as our system and give back to the society we serve. healthcare provider. processes effectively deliver good patient outcomes at an affordable InfoMed: As we are looking at InfoMed: In Malaysia, more than cost. The Columbia Asia model omits newly developing demographics