HMI also says it is in talks with the government of Brunei to use Mahkota for cancer and cardiac surgery. Indeed, even some Singaporeans are making the three-hour car journey to Malacca to take advantage of the exchange rates for simple surgery like appendicitis operations, Gan notes. And some are filling up prescriptions for chronic illnesses like diabetes and hypertension with the hospital in Malaysia. Of course, regional expansion isn't without risk. It was our tuition fee.
China is a very tough market.
Since then, however, and with China's imminent entry into the World Trade Organization, conditions for investing there have improved, she notes. Beijing has started liberalizing regulations on private health care. As a result, HMI is conducting a feasibility study in Guangdong province with a view to setting up and managing a specialist outpatient clinic in a joint venture with a public hospital there. It's also exploring a tie-up with a private clinic in Beijing. Parkway is moving into markets such as Vietnam and China.