Malaysia’s healthcare system is under tremendous pressure due to rising costs driven by an ageing population, chronic diseases, and increased demand for specialised treatments. It is imperative that we shift our focus from tertiary care to a robust primary healthcare system. Primary care, with its emphasis on prevention, early diagnosis, and chronic disease management, is the cornerstone in curbing unnecessary hospitalisations and controlling overall healthcare expenditures.
Highlights:
- Prevention Over Treatment: Emphasising regular screenings and lifestyle interventions can prevent complications from chronic diseases, reducing costly hospital admissions.
- Alleviating Hospital Burden: Strengthening primary healthcare will decrease unnecessary referrals, allowing tertiary hospitals to concentrate on complex cases.
- Cost Efficiency: Countries with strong primary care systems typically incur lower overall healthcare costs, ensuring sustainability.
- Strategic Investments: Increased funding for primary care, public-private partnerships, digital health solutions, and an expanded scope for GPs are essential for long-term improvement.
- Consequences of Neglect: Ignoring primary care will lead to unsustainable government subsidies, higher insurance premiums, and deteriorating health outcomes.
By realigning our resources and priorities towards primary healthcare, we can create a more sustainable, efficient, and accessible system for all Malaysians.
If you are interested in reading more, please check out Qualitas Country Head, Dr Junaidi Ismail’s full article on the QHM Malaysia website: Primary Healthcare: The Key to Controlling Malaysia’s Escalating Healthcare Costs.
