Vicki Williams opts for professional medical screening at a private health centre in Malaysia… with positive results
“Aren’t you worried that they will find something wrong?” was the most common response from friends when they found out I would be experiencing medical tourism in the form of an executive health check on a business trip to Kuala Lumpur. While a tiny part of me favoured taking the ostrich approach (and burying my head in the sand), the majority of me was excited.
My thinking was if several hours of poking, prodding and jogging turned up something of concern, it would still be early days, giving me plenty of time to get on top of the situation.
Fast-forward to KL
As the taxi swept up the impressive driveway of Prince Court Medical Centre, I felt as if I was arriving at a five-star resort. From the manicured gardens to the pink-jacketed doorman and the lobby with its many water features, mini bamboo groves and atrium feel, nothing said hospital to me – certainly no hospital I have ever visited before.
When I was setting up the appointment I noticed on the website that packages can be tailored to suit individual needs. As a woman of a certain age, I enquired if I could add some extra tests to the Basic Screening package and was advised to go for the Well Women Screening Package.
A testing time
Prince Court has a dedicated Executive Health Screening Centre. The first order of the day was form filling and an explanation of the tests/procedures that I would be having that day. I was also asked to select a light meal (western and local options) that I would be able to enjoy once I had completed certain tests. While I thought this was a nice touch, I was more interested in when I could have a coffee. I had started my fast at 10pm the previous evening, and not being able to have that cup of coffee as part of my waking-up routine made me realise just what a fix it does indeed give me. However, before I was allowed to have anything to drink other than water I had to provide a blood sample – enough for three vials and leaving a sizeable bruise on my arm that took over two weeks to heal – blood pressure test, long-distance and colour-distinction eye tests, hearing test (sitting inside a small, coffin-like box was not a pleasant experience), BMI (body mass index) and other basic measurements.
This was followed by a lung capacity test – a case of expelling air at force through a cardboard tube with the goal to push the sailboat on the computer screen across to the other side as quickly as possible. My first few failed attempts had both myself, and the very sweet nurse, in stitches of laughter. I got the hang of it once she gave me a demonstration.
In-between these tests I had to keep sipping water as I needed to provide a urine sample and until I did I was not allowed to have anything else to drink. I found this hard – there is only so much water I can drink on an empty stomach first thing in the morning (I had arrived at 7.30am). I wondered why I wasn’t asked to bring in a sample, which would have been so much easier, but maybe it’s a hygiene issue.
Checking the foundations
I was finally allowed, at this point, to have a coffee, but as that craving had passed – or because I was allowed to have one – I ended up opting for a hot chocolate. This I enjoyed in the spacious, carpeted waiting area. It made me think of a club lounge of a hotel with its flat-screen TVs, newspapers, magazines, sofas and table/chair seating options, hot and cold drinks and snacks such as fruit, and the most delicious homemade muesli bars I have eaten in some time.
After a brief wait (the centre gets busy from 8.30am), it was off for x-rays (including a mammogram) and ultrasound tests. Then it was back to the centre for a general physical exam with the doctor (including a chance to raise any health concerns).
Next I was wired up like Christmas tree lights to a heart-monitoring machine for the cardio stress test – which to my surprise I completed without getting out of breath.
At this point, I was allowed to have a shower, with towels and a full set of toiletries provided. I sat down to eat my pre-ordered meal at 11.30am; I was then free to either wait until 2.30pm, when the doctor would see me again to discuss my results, or leave and come back – which I did.
In good working order
I was definitely relieved to hear that in general I was in good health, something that I imagined I was, but it’s always good to have your instincts confirmed by science.
I do have an off-the-chart RA (rheumatoid arthritis) factor, so high that they tested my blood twice. While this is not conclusive proof that I have, or will develop, rheumatoid arthritis I was advised to see a rheumatologist for further assessment. (Something I will do after I try to reduce it naturally.) I did appreciate that the doctor recognised a sense of calm panic on my face when she was discussing this with me, and reassured me that while it is something I should follow up on, it is not something I should be worried about.
It was also recommended that I reduce my alcohol intake while increasing my hydrating fluids intake. This news did not come as a complete surprise – I’m Australian (and a journalist), and it’s a quintessential characteristic of being an Aussie to like a beer or three. As drinking less was something I had been thinking about anyway, it has not been that much of a hardship to take steps towards staying within the medical recommended alcohol unit consumption per week. I imagine I will keep this up most of the time… after all, everything in moderation, including moderation.
At the end of the final consultation, I was presented with a folder containing all the test results, in either hard copy or on disc. I now have a portable medical history, and a benchmark for yearly comparison.
Verdict
Having a dedicated centre for executive health screening adds to the one-step-removed feeling… I only had to leave the centre to have x-rays and ultrasound tests so my interaction with the medical centre itself (read sick people and germs) was minimal. This was something that I really appreciated – in my mind hospitals are places full of sick people or act as a reminder of the handful of times when I have been a patient and was really ill.
The centre is staffed mostly by women, which ensures even the shyest person will receive the privacy he/she needs to make this a comfortable process. The staff, with their friendly, professional manner, and surprising sense of humour, made the experience an enjoyable one. In addition, their strong English-language skills meant no communication problems.
Overall, I was impressed by the facilities and the staff, and would happily return. I intend now to have a yearly check-up and at these prices – up to 70 percent cheaper than private hospitals in Hong Kong – preventative medicine is something I can afford.
More Info More information about Prince Court’s health check packages can be found at www.princecourt.com The government’s Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council’s website www.myhealthcare.gov.my is a good resource for general information about the country’s medical tourism, as is www.health-tourism.com/malaysia-medical-tourism
