Private hospital in Puchong

[ppfoong]

There is a new hospital in Bandar Puteri nearby Giant called Columbia Asia, very modern looking building still under renovation.

[ppfoong]

Here is a news article about it:


KUALA LUMPUR: Healthcare company Columbia Asia Sdn Bhd expects its new RM55 million hospital in Puchong to contribute 25% of the company¡¦s revenue in its financial year ending March 31, 2008.

Its Southeast Asia chief executive officer Kelvin Tan said the annualised revenue from the Columbia Asia Medical Centre (CAMC) Puchong could be as high as RM30 million based on the estimated RM13 million for the second half of the current financial year. Columbia Asia is projecting its group revenue to hit RM51 million for FY08.

Speaking to reporters at the official opening of the company¡¦s seventh hospital yesterday, he said: ¡§We have already achieved about half so far and our profit margin would be about 10% to 15%.¡¨

Columbia Asia is 30% owned by the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and the rest by Columbia Pacific Healthcare Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of International Columbia US LLC, which also has operations in India, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Tan said another three hospitals would be opened soon beginning with its CAMC in Taiping in six months, Kota Damansara in a year and Nusajaya in 2009.

¡§The cost is about the same (as CAMC Puchong), the only variation is the cost of land,¡¨ said the company¡¦s group medical director Dr Mohd Arrifin Ali.

Tan said CAMC Puchong took 15 months to build and is one of Columbia Asia¡¦s model hospitals with similar infrastructure, process and hospital management software.

It has 20 resident doctors and visiting consultants, and is equipped with 78 beds to serve a population of over 280,000 from Puchong and the surrounding neighbourhoods.

Tan said the hospital uses a proprietary software operating system, which coordinates medical records, billing and queuing of patients to enable a paperless environment.

He said the initial cost of the system was US$2 million (RM6.8 million) but had risen to US$3 million.

¡§It will continue to rise as we find certain needs from doctors,¡¨ Tan said, adding that RM15 million from the total cost was spent on medical equipment to ensure up-to-date diagnostic, ancillary and surgical facilities.

With the efficiency of the system and the company¡¦s focus on reducing a patient¡¦s stay in the hospital, he said treatment costs could become more affordable.

He added that 60% to 70% of the cases admitted to Columbia Asia hospitals were insurance-related, indicating its affordable pricing.

[ppfoong]

Columbia Asia Medical Center, Puchong is a Community Hospital providing multidisciplinary clinical care focusing on prevalent diseases in the locality. The hospital provides specific forms of treatment, surgical procedures and intensive care, along with appropriate ancillary services (clinical laboratory, radiology, and pharmacy services), nursing care and intensive skilled care. To be opened in 2007, the facility is Columbia Asia¡¦s second community hospital in West Malaysia. A built-to-suit hospital, it was designed to deliver effective and affordable healthcare to communities in Puchong.

¡P Built in 2006, to be opened by the end of 2007
¡P Located on Lebuh Puteri, Bandar Puteri Puchong (0.5 km from Giant Puchong), off the highway to Damansara, Cyberjaya and USJ. Easily accessible from the neighboring areas of Sunway, Subang, Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam, Cyberjaya, Putrajaya and Kinrara.
¡P Estimated 250 employees (150 nurses, 30 doctors) with practicing privileges.

[Ramesh Ramoo]

Hi PPFoong,

Thanks for the information.