Tabiniko’s Hospitality Guardian Support – If You Need Hospitalization in Malaysia

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Recently, there was an influenza outbreak at a certain international school, and two of the TabinHospital Admissioniko-registered students studying alone contracted the flu. Since the two students share the same dorm room, it seems the infection spread between them. One student’s parents happened to be in Malaysia, so the student was isolated in a hotel for five days. The other student’s parents were not in Malaysia, so the student had to be hospitalized.

I’d like to share on my blog what hospitalization in Malaysia is like, from admission to discharge. For families with children studying alone abroad, it can be extremely worrying when their child falls ill in a foreign country—both for the child and for the parents.

From Hospital Admission to Discharge

When a student feels unwell, the dorm staff take them to a nearby clinic (a local doctor). In this case, the student had a high fever and was in quite poor condition. After testing, they were diagnosed positive for influenza. Once a student is confirmed to have influenza in Malaysia, they cannot stay in the dorm and must undergo a five-day isolation.

In such situations, the dorm staff contact us, the guardians. We immediately inform the parents and coordinate with the school, the insurance company, and the hospital. We then pick up the student from the dorm and take them to the hospital.

It’s preferable to be admitted to a hospital close to both the school and our residence. However, upon arrival, we were surprised to find the hospital full. We quickly contacted nearby hospitals to check availability and were informed that one had an open bed, so we headed there immediately.

Upon arriving at the hospital, we went through the registration process at the reception. There are various procedures related to insurance, so the waiting time was quite long. Although we were told that a bed was available, we still had to wait before the student could be admitted.

Fortunately, while waiting, there was a bed available where the patient could lie down. We rushed to the dorm in the afternoon, but the student was not admitted until the evening. Even though the insurance would cover the costs, an initial deposit payment is still required.

After registration, the student goes through a medical consultation with a doctor, followed by various tests, including blood tests, to prepare for hospitalization. Because there are multiple examinations and insurance procedures to complete, admission to the hospital room cannot happen immediately. The student waits on a temporary bed until a hospital room becomes available.

At 9 p.m., the student was finally able to enter the hospital room. From the time we arrived at the hospital until admission, it took about five hours. This is roughly the amount of time you can expect when being admitted to a hospital.

At that time, the student was admitted to a shared room with one other patient.

This is the hospital food. I can eat it, but non Malaysian children might find it hard to get used to.

Familiar ready-to-eat foods—like nut bars, canned meals, or soup cans—might be easier for the student to manage. Oh, but is there a microwave? Microwaves aren’t common in Malaysia, so it could be a good idea to bring a small supply of your own emergency food, just in case.

And five days later, it was time for discharge. We coordinate with both the hospital and the dorm staff to set the discharge day. Because influenza requires a five-day isolation, even if the student has recovered, they cannot return to the dorm immediately. It’s lonely at the hospital, but there’s no choice.

We confirm the time the dorm allows the student to return, complete the hospital discharge procedures, and escort the student back to the dorm. The dorm has curfews, and it is closed while everyone is at school, so we need to coordinate the return time carefully. Since insurance procedures are also involved, discharge can take more than four hours. Once the student is back at the dorm, we also explain the prescribed medications to the dorm staff.

The cost of hospitalization for five days was RM8,279.85. Of this, RM468.70 was paid by the patient, and RM7,811.15 was covered by the medical insurance.

Medical expenses in Malaysia are quite high, so it was fortunate to have insurance. To obtain a student visa, students must enroll in a local Malaysian medical insurance plan, so most international school students already have some form of coverage. Even if it’s not for visa purposes, medical costs in Malaysia can be very expensive, so it’s essential to have some kind of health insurance—otherwise, it can become a serious financial burden.

A friend of mine who was hospitalized for dengue fever stayed in the hospital for about a week and paid around RM10,000, so I believe the cost of this hospitalization is typical for a private hospital in Malaysia.

In the unlikely event that a student needs to be hospitalized in Malaysia, it can be extremely worrying for both the child and their parents, especially if the student is studying alone. When we accompany students to the hospital, we keep parents informed by sending photos and updates about their child’s condition, providing careful support to help ease their worries as much as possible.

At Tabiniko, we provide guardian support for students studying alone. We also offer short-term stays. If you are interested, please feel free to contact us.

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