Five-year strategic partnership valued over 100 million MYR between the two healthcare companies will enhance labour markets in Melaka and Johor whilst offering improved treatment and patient care options for cancer, neuroscience and cardiovascular diseases through the further development of the Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in these clinical areas.
Regional private healthcare provider Health Management International (“HMI Group”) is entering into a strategic partnership with Siemens Healthineers, to advance the Malaysian healthcare industry and cultivate local talents surrounding the use of new medical technologies in their tertiary hospitals Mahkota Medical Centre (“Mahkota”) in Melaka and Regency Specialist Hospital (“Regency”) in Johor.
As part of this RM100 million five-year strategic partnership, which is the first-of-its-kind in Southeast Asia, HMI Group will partner Siemens Healthineers to roll out innovative medical technologies, digitalisation platforms and clinical services advancements across the Group including Mahkota and Regency in Malaysia. The partnership will enable HMI Group to optimise clinical performance, provide opportunities for more skilled local jobs, enhance clinical education and further develop the hospitals’ Centres of Excellences (CoE) in the key clinical areas of cancer, neuroscience and cardiovascular diseases. This investment is a crucial component of HMI Group’s ongoing expansion initiatives in both hospitals, and strengthens HMI Group’s commitment to building new capabilities to stay ahead at the forefront of providing superior care and to improve lives and communities.
As part of this RM100 million five-year strategic partnership, which is the first-of-its-kind in Southeast Asia, HMI Group will partner Siemens Healthineers to roll out innovative medical technologies, digitalisation platforms and clinical services advancements across the Group including Mahkota and Regency in Malaysia. The partnership will enable HMI Group to optimise clinical performance, provide opportunities for more skilled local jobs, enhance clinical education and further develop the hospitals’ Centres of Excellences (CoE) in the key clinical areas of cancer, neuroscience and cardiovascular diseases. This investment is a crucial component of HMI Group’s ongoing expansion initiatives in both hospitals, and strengthens HMI Group’s commitment to building new capabilities to stay ahead at the forefront of providing superior care and to improve lives and communities.
Tackling NCDS in Malaysia through further development of Centres of Excellence
In September 2020, the Ministry of Health reported that non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which are medical conditions or diseases that are not infectious including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer, have cost the Malaysian economy an estimated RM8.9 billion, equivalent to about 0.65% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) due to productivity losses in the workplace and premature deaths of the working population1. The World Health Organisation has also estimated that about 74% of all deaths in Malaysia are caused by NCDs2.
Group CEO of HMI Group Ms Chin Wei Jia explained that the further development of CoEs in cancer, neuroscience and cardiovascular diseases as part of the strategic partnership is in line with the Malaysian government’s goals to address the growing issue of NCDs and reduce premature mortality caused by NCDs by 2025. The focus on these areas for the new Centres of Excellence also aligns with the nation’s NCD trends, as 35% of NCD deaths are from cardiovascular diseases, followed by 16% from cancers2.
“This strategic partnership will enable Mahkota Medical Centre and Regency Specialist Hospital to improve patient care by serving as flagship reference sites for Siemens Healthineers in Southeast Asia. As the care of our patients is at the centre of everything that we do, our partnership will accelerate the adoption of connected health, thereby providing faster access to care, while building telehealth and predictive analytics capabilities at scale, all of which will go a long way in enhancing our patients’ journey towards a healthier outcome through better diagnosis,” shared Chin.
The further development of CoEs will capitalise on the latest offerings in digital health and big data. With regards to technological enhancements, both Makhota and Regency will be digitalised and networked through end-to-end high quality diagnostic imaging, treatment modalities and informatics from Siemens Healthineers. These enhancements will enhance the continuum of care and further improve the overall patient experience.
"This is the first such Value Partnership for Siemens Healthineers where our role moves beyond providing the latest technology but also includes enhanced training programmes, healthcare consultation and digital solutions, delivered over an extended period. This will enable HMI Group to constantly enhance its hospital services and Centres of Excellence in accordance with the latest trends in the industry, said Rod Frazer, Managing Director,” Siemens Healthineers, Malaysia.
Group CEO of HMI Group Ms Chin Wei Jia explained that the further development of CoEs in cancer, neuroscience and cardiovascular diseases as part of the strategic partnership is in line with the Malaysian government’s goals to address the growing issue of NCDs and reduce premature mortality caused by NCDs by 2025. The focus on these areas for the new Centres of Excellence also aligns with the nation’s NCD trends, as 35% of NCD deaths are from cardiovascular diseases, followed by 16% from cancers2.
“This strategic partnership will enable Mahkota Medical Centre and Regency Specialist Hospital to improve patient care by serving as flagship reference sites for Siemens Healthineers in Southeast Asia. As the care of our patients is at the centre of everything that we do, our partnership will accelerate the adoption of connected health, thereby providing faster access to care, while building telehealth and predictive analytics capabilities at scale, all of which will go a long way in enhancing our patients’ journey towards a healthier outcome through better diagnosis,” shared Chin.
The further development of CoEs will capitalise on the latest offerings in digital health and big data. With regards to technological enhancements, both Makhota and Regency will be digitalised and networked through end-to-end high quality diagnostic imaging, treatment modalities and informatics from Siemens Healthineers. These enhancements will enhance the continuum of care and further improve the overall patient experience.
"This is the first such Value Partnership for Siemens Healthineers where our role moves beyond providing the latest technology but also includes enhanced training programmes, healthcare consultation and digital solutions, delivered over an extended period. This will enable HMI Group to constantly enhance its hospital services and Centres of Excellence in accordance with the latest trends in the industry, said Rod Frazer, Managing Director,” Siemens Healthineers, Malaysia.
Enhancing the job market
Besides the new partnership with Siemens Healthineers, HMI Group is also constructing a major extension block at Regency to become a 500-bed hospital, which will create an estimated 300 new high-skilled jobs for Malaysians. The new labour market will be directed at fulfilling the needs of the developing CoEs by growing specialist talents within Malaysia. Additionally, HMI Group is looking to recruit local talents in the fields of clinical, allied health and hospital management, to meet the ever-evolving demand of patient care in their two Malaysian hospitals.
In addition to attracting new talents, HMI Group will also concentrate on upskilling their existing staff to ensure competency in operating the new technologies. This move also supports the Malaysian government’s goal of developing the nation as a viable healthcare tourism hub.
“With the new technologies coupled with our skilled talent pool, we would not only position Mahkota and Regency amongst the most comprehensive hospitals in the Southeast Asian region. The integration of telemedicine technologies provides improved access to care for local communities, while offering a unique opportunity to extend the reach of medical tourism into pre and post surgical care. Ultimately, our objective is to continuously offer access and best of care on-demand for patients. If our hospitals become more attractive to international patients seeking the best medical care, that would only bring a positive impact to the Malaysian economy,” said Chin.
The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) has been actively expanding the country’s market base in medical tourism since its formation in 2009. In 2019, Malaysia was ranked as the top international medical tourism destination in terms of volume of inbound medical travellers for the third consecutive year3. HMI Group’s hospitals in Malaysia are both accredited Elite Partner Members of MHTC, providing exemplary service to international patients. Makhota Medical Centre has established one of the most comprehensive cancer centres in Southern Malaysia. Regency Specialist Hospital was recently awarded platinum status for World Stroke Organisation (WSO) Angels Award in Q3 2020, recognised for demonstrating global standards in stroke care practices.
Beyond the boundaries of healthcare, the partnership with Siemens Healthineers is also expected to have positive ramifications in the economies of Melaka and Johor due to the spillover effect from the partnership’s investment. The further building of the CoEs will spur further local growth within the consumer, tourism, construction and social services sector, all of which will also contribute indirectly to Malaysia’s growth and movement towards becoming a developed nation.
In addition to attracting new talents, HMI Group will also concentrate on upskilling their existing staff to ensure competency in operating the new technologies. This move also supports the Malaysian government’s goal of developing the nation as a viable healthcare tourism hub.
“With the new technologies coupled with our skilled talent pool, we would not only position Mahkota and Regency amongst the most comprehensive hospitals in the Southeast Asian region. The integration of telemedicine technologies provides improved access to care for local communities, while offering a unique opportunity to extend the reach of medical tourism into pre and post surgical care. Ultimately, our objective is to continuously offer access and best of care on-demand for patients. If our hospitals become more attractive to international patients seeking the best medical care, that would only bring a positive impact to the Malaysian economy,” said Chin.
The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) has been actively expanding the country’s market base in medical tourism since its formation in 2009. In 2019, Malaysia was ranked as the top international medical tourism destination in terms of volume of inbound medical travellers for the third consecutive year3. HMI Group’s hospitals in Malaysia are both accredited Elite Partner Members of MHTC, providing exemplary service to international patients. Makhota Medical Centre has established one of the most comprehensive cancer centres in Southern Malaysia. Regency Specialist Hospital was recently awarded platinum status for World Stroke Organisation (WSO) Angels Award in Q3 2020, recognised for demonstrating global standards in stroke care practices.
Beyond the boundaries of healthcare, the partnership with Siemens Healthineers is also expected to have positive ramifications in the economies of Melaka and Johor due to the spillover effect from the partnership’s investment. The further building of the CoEs will spur further local growth within the consumer, tourism, construction and social services sector, all of which will also contribute indirectly to Malaysia’s growth and movement towards becoming a developed nation.
Improving patient outcomes
HMI Group and Siemens Healthineers will also be working to increase the quality of care for patients by upgrading HMI Group’s facilities to the latest innovative technologies. For instance the latest MRI with Biomatrix technology supported by Artificial Intelligence (AI) allows user to scan every patient type by automatically adjusting to each individual patient, resulting in a higher diagnostic confidence, fewer rescans, more predictable scheduling and consistent, high quality personalised exams. Having access to more and frequent data, HMI Group will have a comprehensive profile of patients and the capability to transform data into actionable insights for better diagnosis and timely interventions. The Dual Source technology in the CT scanner, with industry’s fastest and most versatile scan mode, helps to handle unplanned patients in urgent situations at a much lower radiation dose, ensuring the safety of both patients and staff.
Another area that the partnership will address is reducing the amount of time spent on operational and staff planning with regards to processing patients. Siemens Healthineers will work with HMI Group to augment the use of medical imaging technology with its teamplay performance management applications and healthcare consulting services as part of HMI Group’s move towards digitalizing healthcare. This will enable HMI Group to make quick and well-informed decisions by offering a clear overview of its clinical and operational performance data, thereby improving the overall patient experience by reducing bottlenecks such as long patient waiting times.
Long-term partnership
The partnership with Siemens Healthineers signals the start of a long-term relationship between these two companies to advance healthcare delivery in Malaysia and the region.
“As our first reference site for Value Partnerships in Southeast Asia, HMI Group will demonstrate how healthcare consulting plays a critical role in developing meaningful partnerships to overcome the increasing challenges in the industry today." adds Frazer.
“HMI Group is committed to not just improve the lives of our patients but the community as a whole, by developing local talents, continuous investment in innovative medical technologies, and further development of our Centres of Excellence. Even with Covid-19 still affecting Malaysia and many countries globally, we are confident that our investment towards advancing healthcare delivery in Malaysia will lead to better care for our patients and ultimately contribute to a better economy for the future,” said Chin. “This long-term collaboration with Siemens Healthineers will transform Mahkota Medical Centre and Regency Specialist Hospital into modern medical centres providing technology enabled, specialised care for our cancer, neuroscience and cardiovascular disease patients. Our partnership with Siemens Healthineers will strengthen our vision to deepen clinical capabilities, scale impact and contribute to the health of our community,” said Chin.
“As our first reference site for Value Partnerships in Southeast Asia, HMI Group will demonstrate how healthcare consulting plays a critical role in developing meaningful partnerships to overcome the increasing challenges in the industry today." adds Frazer.
“HMI Group is committed to not just improve the lives of our patients but the community as a whole, by developing local talents, continuous investment in innovative medical technologies, and further development of our Centres of Excellence. Even with Covid-19 still affecting Malaysia and many countries globally, we are confident that our investment towards advancing healthcare delivery in Malaysia will lead to better care for our patients and ultimately contribute to a better economy for the future,” said Chin. “This long-term collaboration with Siemens Healthineers will transform Mahkota Medical Centre and Regency Specialist Hospital into modern medical centres providing technology enabled, specialised care for our cancer, neuroscience and cardiovascular disease patients. Our partnership with Siemens Healthineers will strengthen our vision to deepen clinical capabilities, scale impact and contribute to the health of our community,” said Chin.
About HMI Group
Founded in 1998, Health Management International Pte. Ltd. (“HMI Group”) is a growing regional private healthcare provider with presence in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. HMI Group operates two tertiary hospitals in Malaysia, Mahkota Medical Centre and Regency Specialist Hospital. In Singapore, the Group operates StarMed Specialist Centre, a one-stop ambulatory care centre and owns a stake in OneCare Medical Group, a chain of GP clinics. The Group’s training arm, HMI Institute of Health Sciences, is a social enterprise which trains numerous graduates for the Singapore healthcare sector. The Group also operates a network of patient representative offices in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. HMI Group is focused on growing its existing healthcare businesses, as well as expanding its presence regionally. HMI Group places great emphasis on medical, operational, and service excellence, as well as continual investment in technology and its people. HMI Group’s vision is to be a leading healthcare group in Asia. HMI Group’s dedicated team of doctors, nurses, and healthcare staff, supported by experienced hospital management, enables HMI Group to attend to close to 1 million patients annually. HMI Group is committed to deliver comprehensive, quality, and value-based healthcare services to become a trusted healthcare provider in Asia. Further information is available at www.hmi.com.sg.
About Siemens Healthineers
Siemens Healthineers AG (listed in Frankfurt, Germany: SHL) is shaping the future of Healthcare. As a leading medical technology company headquartered in Erlangen, Germany, Siemens Healthineers enables healthcare providers worldwide through its regional companies to increase value by empowering them on their journey towards expanding precision medicine, transforming care delivery, improving the patient experience, and digitalizing healthcare. Siemens Healthineers is continuously developing its product and service portfolio, with AI-supported applications and digital offerings that play an increasingly important role in the next generation of medical technology. These new applications will enhance the company’s foundation in in-vitro diagnostic, image-guided therapy, and in-vivo diagnostics. Siemens Healthineers also provides a range of services and solutions to enhance healthcare providers ability to provide high-quality, efficient care to patients. In fiscal 2020, which ended on September 30, 2020, Siemens Healthineers, which has approximately 54,000 employees worldwide, generated revenue of €14.5 billion and adjusted EBIT of €2.2 billion. Further information is available at www.siemens-healthineers.com/en-sg. This collaboration with HMI Group is a long-term Value Partnership. This partnership model with Siemens Healthineers enables healthcare providers to optimize business processes, expand capabilities, and advance innovation. It spans on the entire Siemens Healthineers portfolio, to generate added value above and beyond equipment itself. Value Partnerships are designed to fit the customer’s needs entirely. Siemens Healthineers has formed Value Partnerships with many healthcare providers around the world. The latest examples include Hamilton Health Sciences in Canada, the University of Missouri System in the USA, Dallah Health Company in Saudi Arabia, and Braunschweig Municipal Hospital in Germany.
Founded in 1998, Health Management International Pte. Ltd. (“HMI Group”) is a growing regional private healthcare provider with presence in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. HMI Group operates two tertiary hospitals in Malaysia, Mahkota Medical Centre and Regency Specialist Hospital. In Singapore, the Group operates StarMed Specialist Centre, a one-stop ambulatory care centre and owns a stake in OneCare Medical Group, a chain of GP clinics. The Group’s training arm, HMI Institute of Health Sciences, is a social enterprise which trains numerous graduates for the Singapore healthcare sector. The Group also operates a network of patient representative offices in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. HMI Group is focused on growing its existing healthcare businesses, as well as expanding its presence regionally. HMI Group places great emphasis on medical, operational, and service excellence, as well as continual investment in technology and its people. HMI Group’s vision is to be a leading healthcare group in Asia. HMI Group’s dedicated team of doctors, nurses, and healthcare staff, supported by experienced hospital management, enables HMI Group to attend to close to 1 million patients annually. HMI Group is committed to deliver comprehensive, quality, and value-based healthcare services to become a trusted healthcare provider in Asia. Further information is available at www.hmi.com.sg.
About Siemens Healthineers
Siemens Healthineers AG (listed in Frankfurt, Germany: SHL) is shaping the future of Healthcare. As a leading medical technology company headquartered in Erlangen, Germany, Siemens Healthineers enables healthcare providers worldwide through its regional companies to increase value by empowering them on their journey towards expanding precision medicine, transforming care delivery, improving the patient experience, and digitalizing healthcare. Siemens Healthineers is continuously developing its product and service portfolio, with AI-supported applications and digital offerings that play an increasingly important role in the next generation of medical technology. These new applications will enhance the company’s foundation in in-vitro diagnostic, image-guided therapy, and in-vivo diagnostics. Siemens Healthineers also provides a range of services and solutions to enhance healthcare providers ability to provide high-quality, efficient care to patients. In fiscal 2020, which ended on September 30, 2020, Siemens Healthineers, which has approximately 54,000 employees worldwide, generated revenue of €14.5 billion and adjusted EBIT of €2.2 billion. Further information is available at www.siemens-healthineers.com/en-sg. This collaboration with HMI Group is a long-term Value Partnership. This partnership model with Siemens Healthineers enables healthcare providers to optimize business processes, expand capabilities, and advance innovation. It spans on the entire Siemens Healthineers portfolio, to generate added value above and beyond equipment itself. Value Partnerships are designed to fit the customer’s needs entirely. Siemens Healthineers has formed Value Partnerships with many healthcare providers around the world. The latest examples include Hamilton Health Sciences in Canada, the University of Missouri System in the USA, Dallah Health Company in Saudi Arabia, and Braunschweig Municipal Hospital in Germany.