Medical tourism firm eyes cosmetic surgery market

New Straits Times, October 3rd, 2008

LENNY: Perfect Enhancement has tied up with two major private hospitals and hotels in the Klang Valley.

By: Azlan Abu Bakar

MEDICAL tourism agency Perfect Enhancement Sdn Bhd (PESB) expects to capture 10 per cent of the cosmetic surgery market share within five years.

Aside from having confidence in its marketing strategy and services, the firm attributes its optimism to the industry’s rapid but stable growth.

“We are geared towards penetrating the cosmetic surgery market by offering our services not only to international patients but also by enhancing our branding and marketing efforts locally,” said PESB managing director Lenny Irana Zahari.
She said PESB believes their strict business practice of working only with the best surgeons, private hospitals and hotels in the country would make them the preferred medical tourism agency in three years.

“Furthermore, we are proud to be the only agency that has a visiting medical consultant who is a qualified doctor, performing screening interviews and post-procedure care - something that is lacking in other industry players,” she said.

Lenny said the firm has tied up with two major private hospitals and hotels in the Klang Valley and is looking at possibilities of catering to other medical tourism needs in the future.

She said Nuwire Investors had listed Malaysia as the third best country for medical tourism in the world based on quality and affordability.

In 2006 alone, medical tourism had contributed an estimated RM204 million in revenue and is expected to have a steady growth of 30 per cent until 2010.

“In the past, we have been hearing Malaysians travelling to neighbouring countries to undergo cosmetic surgery due to cost and privacy.

“We believe this is still happening due to the sensitive nature of the subject and we see this as a loss on behalf of the country’s tourism and medical industry specifically,” she said.

Lenny said local patients need better understanding and awareness of the expertise of doctors in Malaysia and the technological advancements available in medicine.

“Efforts by Tourism Malaysia and the Health Ministry in promoting health tourism would have minimal impact internationally due to locals travelling abroad for medical treatment, especially cosmetic surgery,” she added.

While not promoting cosmetic surgery alone, the firm feels that it is part of their responsibility to educate the public about the proper channels and the importance of understanding the procedures and its risks as well as knowing the best people to do the job.