Ask an expert! Interview with Mr Shimada from Hibari Clinic
（Interview date：27th April 2021, standing on the left: Mr Shimoda）
What made you open a clinic in Malaysia?
We felt that there was a lack of "clinics that are accessible and provide a peace of mind for Japanese" in Malaysia
There are about 20,000 Japanese expats in Malaysia, and it got me thinking if there are enough hospitals and clinics for mothers and children to go to from where they reside at in Malaysia. Therefore, we thought of creating a clinic that is open 365 days a year, for Japanese expats in Malaysia.。
I thought that if there was a clinic that was open all year round, providing services to a wide range of patients, from all age groups, maybe that would cater to the public better than a state-of-art healthcare facility.
Can you tell us more about the characteristics of medical care in Malaysia?
There are good and bad. Honestly, it varies.Some hospitals are equipped with excellent medical facilities that rival to those in Japan. Some rooms are decorated so well that they feel like luxury hotel rooms. On the other hand, there are many hospitals that are not equipped with medical facilities.
There are also very patient and nurturing doctors that are gentler than some doctors in Japan. But on the other hand, there are some doctors that do not send an entrusting nor safe message to the patients.
If you look at Japan, it is pretty standard and on average, the service provided is pretty good. Furthermore, there is an image of abundance of such service in Japan as well.
Why are there such distinguishments between doctors in Malaysia?
I think it is a result of education. It seems that the quality of a doctor is roughly determined by which university or country he or she graduated from. Malaysia is a multi-ethnic country, and I do not know if this will change.Preferential treatment depending on ethnicity may or may not be allowed.
What are the characteristics of your doctors then?
Our clinic selects doctors with excellent communication and human qualities, as well as focusing on their skills.Hibari Clinic is chosen by many because of our foundation: "listens to patients attentively and provides thorough explanation about treatments" and "good communication and professional opinions".
In addition, there are other various systems for evaluating doctors based on reception and communication with patients. Reception and interpretation staff members also often provide assistance to the doctors.
What is the top feature of your clinic?
There have been a lot of changes from our first clinic to now.The main feature when we started in 2015 was that all correspondence via phone, mail etc throughout the entire process could be done in Japanese. Of course, opening 365 days a year was an added advantage too. However, there has been an increase in clinics that offer Japanese services today.
We believe that our clinic provides「 additional value through human interaction and services
Recently, everything from appointments to medical examinations can be done through AI. But I believe that the added value of our services through "human interaction" is more likely to stick.
In Japan, web-based reservations and medical questionnaires that can be filled out with a single touch at the time of visit are becoming popular. However, because we are in Malaysia (a different environment to Japan), the warmth of human touch to our patients will help them feel more secure and comfortable through the manual way instead.
However, there are also downsides to full manual systems and there is the fear that the limitation of manual services will not be sufficient in meeting our patient's needs. Therefore, we are also slowly turning to automation in our services such as in acceptance of reservation through LINE.
In this healthcare line, what do you consider the most important?
One of the most important aspect is a system that is always ready in receiving patients.Medical care is indispensable in people's lives. I manage the clinic that it is indestructible through the high waves of challenges. In addition, since we (management) are responsible for the lives of our employees, we are continously ensuring that our employees are happy and a solid future for the clinic.
Do you have a message for expats who wish to move to Malaysia?
I think there are a lot of woes concerning the wide spread infectious disease. The covid situation is the same in Japan as it is in Malaysia. If you would like to receive any of your vaccinations or feel a little under the weather, please do not hesitate to contact us. We have a system in place that allows you to receive medical examinations without worry as an expatriate.
Clinic name
Hibari Clinic
Address of main branch
Lot L2-01, 2nd floor, 1 Mont Kiara Mall, Kompleks 1 Mont Kiara, No. 1, Jalan Kiara, Mont Kiara, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Working hours
365 days (including weekends and public holidays)
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