KL Wellness City welcomes new executive director for international hospital team

Integrated care and advanced facilities to attract international patients.

Dato’ Dr. Jacob Thomas has joined KL Wellness City as an Executive Director at KL International Hospital Team last April. With over 40 years of experience, Dr. Thomas brings a wealth of knowledge and a clear vision for the future of the hospital.

"The KL International Hospital is actually a dream come true for me for what I wanted in a healthcare facility. This is not just another hospital. We want this to be a complete, integrated healthcare destination, which includes wellness, preventive care, and curative care," Dr. Thomas stated. 

The hospital's design focuses on providing seamless care within a 26-acre facility, ensuring patients do not need to travel between different locations for various services. "The developers and people who have put this place together have taken a lot of pains to make sure that the patient doesn't have to go from one facility to another," Dr. Thomas explained. 

Moreover, KL Wellness City offers a comprehensive range of healthcare services, including curative wellness, tertiary care, and complementary medicine. "The developers of this facility have made a lot of efforts to ensure that all this is available under one roof, and so it is unlike any other facility we are used to," Dr. Thomas emphasised.

Dr. Thomas’s extensive experience in hospital management has shaped his approach at KL Wellness City. "I've been with another group for the longest time, more than about 40 years. When I was working there, it was a single hospital, an excellent hospital, but just one hospital. We were able to give good care, quality care, international accreditation," he recounted. However, the limitations of a single facility often required referring patients elsewhere for various needs.

In contrast, KL Wellness City provides a wide array of services, including aged care, tertiary care, and cancer research, all within one integrated facility. "Many hospitals don't have seniors living or aged care, whereas in KL Wellness City, we have a facility adjoining the hospital and doctors’ suites which looks after aged care and also tertiary care and research," Dr. Thomas noted.

Attracting world-class doctors and international patients is a key strategy for Dr. Thomas. "Doctors come and want to practise here because of all, not just the facility itself, but also the medical devices, the staff, the ease of getting referrals coming in, both local as well as international patients who want to come in ease of travel from the International Airport to our facility," he said. 

To enhance Malaysia's appeal to international patients, Dr. Thomas highlights the importance of understanding and meeting their needs. Addressing language barriers through interpreters, marketing the unique offerings, and collaborating with the Malaysian Healthcare Travel Council and embassies are crucial steps in this strategy.