Malaysia Digital Health

The Digital Health market in Malaysia is undergoing growth and transformation, driven by consumer demand for convenience and accessibility. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated this trend, with initiatives like the MySejahtera app gaining widespread adoption for contact tracing.

In 2023, Malaysia’s Parliament approved the Health White Paper prepared by the Ministry of Health (MOH), outlining reforms for the healthcare system over the next 15 years. Key components include the implementation of the MOH ICT Masterplan; this includes initiatives such as the phased roll-out of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and Electronic Lifetime Health Records (ELHR), and Health Information Exchange (HIE).

Currently, only three percent of health clinics in Malaysia have digital health records. The government recognizes the importance of digital records for efficient data access and sharing across facilities.  Digital records also reduce patient waiting times. At the same time, appropriate data governance and security remains a concern from the public.

According to the Health Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, the comprehensive digital health transformation, to be implemented in 2024, aims to ensure that each person has only one health record, accessible by both government and private health facilities. Over the next four to five years, it will lead to the establishment of an integrated Malaysian healthcare system.

Approximately $31 million (RM150 million) has been allocated by the government to maintain and expand information technology systems under the MOH, including implementing Clinic Management System Subscriptions in 100 health clinics.

Teleconsultation services are gaining traction in private hospitals.  This trend takes advantage of advances in remote medicine.  Several telemedicine service providers, such as DoctorOnCall, Doc2Us, and Qmed Asia, have emerged to meet growing demand.

If your U.S. company specializes in digitalization and data protection and can contribute to Malaysia’s healthcare digital transformation, please contact Commercial Specialist Bethany Tien at office.kualalumpur@trade.gov