KUALA LUMPUR: KPJ Healthcare Bhd expect to see a continuing recovery in patient numbers and group performance this year.

       Chairman Datuk Md Arif Mahmood said as at the end of February 2022, KPJ Healthcare’s bed occupancy rate (BOR) was tracking at 50 per cent and it would strive to improve the BOR over the year.

       "To ensure we achieve higher utilisation rates, we will work to bolster our marketing efforts, introduce new packages for our patients and continue collaboration with the Health Ministry to decant patients from the public healthcare system.

       "The re-opening of borders and easing of quarantine requirements will certainly help us to begin rebuilding our health tourism segment,” he said in the company’s annual report 2021 filing in Bursa Malaysia.

       Md Arif said in the past, KPJ Healthcare went on an aggressive expansion drive, opening four hospitals over a five-year span.

       He said the company would continue to increase overall bed capacity progressively to cater for growing demand namely at its new KPJ Damansara Specialist Hospital 2 (DSH2), KPJ Puteri Specialist Hospital, KPJ Ampang Specialist Hospital, KPJ Klang Specialist Hospital and KPJ Penang Specialist Hospital.

       "We will also be upgrading and refurbishing our existing hospitals and driving utilisation in a more efficient manner.

       "In line with this, there will be significant developments in our digital health ecosystem, starting with the launch of the new DSH2 in the second half of 2022,” he said.

       In 2021, KPJ Healthcare Bhd was declared the "Best Hospital of the Year in Malaysia” and KPJ Damansara Specialist Hospital was named "Paediatric Service Provider of the Year for the Asia Pacific region”.

       KPJ Tawakkal KL Specialist Hospital had the distinction of being named "Orthopaedic Service Provider of the Year in Asia Pacific” for the fifth year running and Tawakkal Health Centre was named "Dental Service Provider of the Year in Asia Pacific” for the second time since 2019. - Bernama