KL Int'l Tertiary Hospital eyes medical hub status with integrated approach

The upcoming facility will integrate medical and wellness services for a holistic patient experience.

Integration is one crucial element for the KL International Tertiary Hospital to realise its goal of becoming an all-encompassing medical hub not just for Malaysia, but also as a means to attract international clients.

To Dato’ Dr. Jacob Thomas, the hospital team’s executive director, this initiative is part of a larger-scale vision known as KL Wellness City, an ecosystem that houses healthcare services, wellness programmes, and lifestyle amenities.

“Our goal is to create a holistic environment where residents, patients, and visitors can access medical care, preventive health measures, fitness facilities, and relaxation spaces — all within the same community,” said Dr Jacob.

Meanwhile, he touted that the hospital, with a scalable 1,000-bed capacity, is set to feature modern diagnostic laboratories, imaging facilities, and advanced medical equipment to provide services ranging from health screenings to specialised treatments.

Such equipment and technology include a hybrid angio operating theatre, a hybrid magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) operating theatre, robotic surgery, three Tesla MRI scanners, 256-slice CT Scans, and biplane and single-plane catheterisation laboratories.

Moreover, the hospital is being designed to support seamless transitions to simplify patient movement across different key facilities, which is particularly beneficial for those with mobility issues.

A central park

Sustainability and health remain deeply connected and according to Dr Jacob, located near the hospital grounds will be a 1.3-acre central park to provide a natural environment for patients and their families.

“This green outdoor space will feature trees, grass, and flowing water to create a more serene environment for patients to come out, whether walking or in a wheelchair, to enjoy their surroundings,” he said.

Dr Jacob told Healthcare Asia that the park will have areas designated for recreational activities such as aerobics, Tai Chi, and other exercises, whilst also providing spaces to promote community bonding. “To enhance the experience, there will be cafes and various amenities surrounding the park, making it a hub of activity,” he said.

The hospital executive also noted that KL International Hospital is gearing towards pursuing a green building index for sustainable development. “This positions it as an eco-friendly hospital that ensures it fits in with the environment in terms of energy utilisation,” he said.

Attracting international patients
With Dr Jacob's experience as a board member of the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC), he is no stranger to advancing the country’s medical tourism; and to him, the first step in attracting international patients is to recognise their specific needs.

In line with this, he mentioned they will be developing personalised healthcare packages for each patient. “Whether it’s a comprehensive health check-up, elective surgery, or wellness retreat, our packages will be convenient,” he said.

What’s more, is that the hospital aims to integrate traditional medicine alongside conventional medical treatments.

“Whether it be Chinese, Indian, Malay, or even acupuncture, these practices will be integrated into the current healthcare system,” said Dr Jacob.

Multilingual services
The executive director also noted how language barriers may deter medical tourists from accessing healthcare from other countries, prompting the hospital to prioritise adding multilingual services to their roster.

“We must ensure that we provide care in a way that is easy for them to understand. This includes having sufficient Interpretation services readily available for other languages,” he said.

To achieve this, the hospital will employ staff proficient in English, Mandarin, Arabic, and other commonly spoken languages, whilst also looking into artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies to improve patient experiences.

Lastly, he advocated establishing strategic partnerships to promote the hospital, and as a whole, KL Wellness City as a top destination for healthcare services.

“This is not just another hospital. We want this to be a complete, integrated healthcare destination,” Dr Jacob said.