What does MSQH expect of patient experience, and how do you make it world class?

MSQH expects patients to understand their care in a language they can follow, know the likely cost first, give informed consent, be able to complain, and be asked for feedback, with a patient satisfaction survey every six months in hospitals. The clinics patients recommend do all of it fast, in the patient's own language, on every visit.

What the standards ask for

MSQH's 7th edition Patient and Family Rights standard asks for a documented policy giving patients information on all services, information in a language they can understand on their diagnosis, treatment, alternatives and risks, access to an interpreter, shared decision-making, and the approximate cost of treatment before care.¹ Its governance standard tracks a hospital-wide patient satisfaction survey every six months.²

The Medical Clinic Standards ask for patient information and informed consent, a medical report on request, a chaperone, respect for cultural and religious needs, a grievance mechanism, and a patient satisfaction survey.³ For licensed facilities, the 2006 Regulations require that patients are told the likely costs of a proposed treatment.⁴

From compliant to world class

1. Answer within the hour. Put a response clock on every new enquiry. An enquiry answered within the hour is far more likely to become a conversation.
2. Speak the patient's language. Reply in the language the patient wrote in, whether Malay, English, Chinese or Tamil, with your team approving every reply.
3. Show the price first. Show the fee and cancellation policy before the patient commits, and give an itemised bill.
4. Keep the doctor's eyes on the patient. Let the note be written from the consultation, for the doctor to read, edit and sign.
5. Follow up. Send the recall or result follow-up a clinician has approved, when the plan says it is due.
6. Ask and act. Ask for feedback after each visit, review it monthly, and tell patients what changed.

1. Month ______ Clinic ______
2. New enquiries ______ Answered within the hour ______ %
3. Languages patients wrote in ______
4. Complaints ______ Answered within ten working days ______ %
5. Compliments ______ Feedback responses ______
6. One change we made because of a patient ______

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Questions

Does MSQH require a patient satisfaction survey?

Yes. The clinic standards list a patient satisfaction survey as evidence for quality improvement, and the 7th edition hospital governance standard tracks one hospital-wide every six months.

Do patients have a right to a medical report?

Yes. MSQH's clinic standards and the 2006 Regulations both provide for a medical report on request, on payment of a reasonable fee.

Must patients be told the cost before treatment?

MSQH's hospital standard asks for the approximate cost before care, and the 2006 Regulations require licensed facilities to tell patients the likely costs of proposed treatment.

Sources

1. 1Malaysian Society for Quality in Health, 2026Service Standard 06, Patient and Family Rights, 7th Edition version 1.1Read source
2. 2Malaysian Society for Quality in Health, 2026Service Standard 01, Governance, Leadership and Direction, 7th Edition version 1.1Read source
3. 3Malaysian Society for Quality in Health, 2024Medical Clinic Standards, 2nd editionRead source
4. 4Malaysian Society for Quality in Health, 2006Private Healthcare Facilities and Services (Private Hospitals and Other Private Healthcare Facilities) Regulations 2006Read source

Written by the wai team from the Ministry of Health Malaysia and the Malaysian Society for Quality in Health guidance, checked on 16 October 2026. This is guidance, not legal advice. Neither the Ministry of Health nor MSQH endorses wai or any software.