The Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia (APHM), an association representing private hospitals and medical centres in Malaysia since 1972, announced its collaboration with JA Assure, a multinational niche market InsurTech firm, to offer Doctor Shield, an online professional indemnity insurance platform to all medical professionals in 147 APHM member hospitals beginning 1 September 2020.
The launch of Doctor Shield in early 2019 marked a significant milestone in Malaysia’s healthcare industry as this complete online enrollment process was Malaysia’s first – including features like instant online rate quotations, complete online policy issuance in less than ten minutes, and instant online policy renewal. Japhire Gopi, Founder & CEO of JA Assure Group said, “Having Chubb as the underwriter gives us complete peace of mind. The endorsement of APHM is a strong signal that we are on the right track in serving the medical community and the public.”
Doctor Shield policies are underwritten by Chubb Insurance Malaysia Berhad, an established general insurance company in Malaysia. Steve Crouch, Country President of Chubb Insurance Malaysia Berhad said, “Chubb has been underwriting medical malpractice insurance for decades and we are well-versed in risks associated with the evolving healthcare landscape. Doctor Shield has been developed to help medical professionals de-risk their medical practice in a smarter and faster way, so they can focus on patients’ care with confidence.”
Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh, the President of APHM said “The APHM elected to join the partnership and endorse Doctor Shield (thedoctorshield.com) recognising that Doctor Shield’s forward-facing and pro-digital approach to the indemnity insurance process, combined with innovative product features, are added value heretofore unheard of in the industry. As well, it is an opportunity for medical professionals in APHM’s member hospitals to save valuable time through improved efficiency.”
Through this collaboration, APHM has succeeded in negotiating and achieving across the board price reductions for private sector medical professionals. The savings on indemnity coverage to industry professionals as a whole cannot be overstated. In these uncertain times, this is another example of APHM’s commitment to helping raise the standards of medical care within the country.
Besides APHM leading the way in costs savings, all the participants share the conviction that a “pro-mediation” approach to disputes – one of the Doctor Shield cornerstones – promotes a better alternative to traditional litigation. A mediation driven process means public and medical professionals can recover faster and move on with their professional lives without being drained by protracted and costly legal battles where, in the end, there are no clear winners.
