Executive Insights Volume XVIII, Issue 34

Poised for Growth: Prospects for Southeast Asia’s

Private Healthcare Providers
Southeast Asia (SEA) is emerging as the bright people for members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation
and Development (OECD), SEA countries range between 5 and 25
spot for private healthcare provider investments, beds per 10,000 people.
with increasing demand for private health services
Despite increased spending in recent years, average healthcare
supported by strong growth fundamentals and the expenditure per capita in SEA still remains far below the OECD
inherent gap in public healthcare infrastructure. average (US$643 versus US$4,741 in 2014), signifying high growth
Growth drivers for private healthcare demand potential for the region. Figure 1 illustrates the robust per capita
growth rates of healthcare spending projected for SEA in the near
include rising economic development and future. Some markets, like Indonesia, will experience accelerated
incomes, an underdeveloped healthcare growth with the rollout of universal healthcare to cover their entire
populations.
infrastructure, increased healthcare spending,
changes in population demographics, more Changing population demographics and the rise of chronic
diseases. Figure 2 highlights the increase in the middle-to-
favorable government regulations and a thriving
affluent-class population in SEA from 344 million in 2015 to 382
medical tourism industry in the region. million by 2020, increasing the pool of consumers who can afford
private healthcare. Changes, including more urbanized lifestyle
Rising GDP and healthcare spending. Sustained economic and an increasingly aging population, have led to a rise in chronic
development in SEA has led to a rise in incomes, increasing the diseases, which accounts for approximately 70% of disease
consumer base of those who are willing to pay for healthcare. It burden in the region, fast approaching the 80% level in OECD
also raised average life expectancy from 52.1 years in 1965-1970 countries. Chronic diseases will increase the demand for access
to 69.3 years in 2005-2010. Healthcare spending is increasing to healthcare. With universal healthcare programs providing
rapidly as governments try to upgrade the underdeveloped affordable access for lower-income populations, the more affluent
infrastructure needed to support the rising demand for healthcare. will increasingly turn to private healthcare providers for better-
Compared with the average of around 50 hospital beds per 10,000 quality services. Out-of-pocket payments have been increasing
due to increased incomes, and the demand for private health
insurance is growing.

Private Healthcare Providers in Southeast Asia: Poised for Continued Growth was written by Zafar Momin, Managing
Director, Calvin Wijaya, Senior Associate Consultant, Pattanit Chareonkul, Associate Consultant, and
Paul Bernardo, Life Science Specialist, in L.E.K. Consulting’s Singapore office.
For more information, contact healthcare@lek.com.
 Executive Insights

Figure 1
Growth in incomes and healthcare expenditures for selected SEA and Asian countries (2010-2020F)

Historical (2010-2015) Outlook (2015-2020F)

15 15

China

CAGR% GDP per capita (2015-20F)

CAGR% GDP per capita (2010-15)

10 Vietnam India
Indonesia
10 Philippines
Philippines
Vietnam Malaysia
5
India
Thailand
Australia China
Malaysia Singapore 5
Indonesia
0 Thailand
Size = 2015 total Singapore Size = 2015F total
Australia healthcare exp. healthcare exp.
= 7,500 MUSD* = 7,500 MUSD*
-5 0
-5 0 5 10 15 20 0 5 10 15 20

CAGR% healthcare expenditure per capita (2010-2015) CAGR% healthcare expenditure per capita (2015-2020F)

*MUSD (millions of U.D. dollars)

Source: Country healthcare statistics, World Bank, L.E.K. analysis

Favorable government regulations and universal healthcare. are shifting their focus to address the unmet needs of patients in
Countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines small but fast-growing cities. Several such Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities
are striving to provide universal healthcare coverage for all their have been growing in terms of population, income, infrastructural
citizens, which is straining the resources and service quality in connectivity, workforce size and political clout. In Indonesia, Siloam
public hospitals due to the accelerated uptake. Governments have Hospitals plans to grow its provider business by establishing 50
been slow to address the need for significant investment in public hospitals (from the current 20 hospitals) and 24 clinic units in 30
hospital infrastructure and for a greater number of healthcare cities and regions, bolstering its bed capacity to over 10,000 beds
professionals. For example, public hospitals are often overcrowded to serve 15 million patients. In Malaysia, KPJ is adding nine new
and plagued with shortages of doctors, medical supplies and hospitals to the current 25 hospitals, as well as expanding existing
diagnostic equipment, which affects their ability to deliver high- hospitals to grow from 2,912 beds to 4,392 beds by 2018. BDMS,
quality care. To expand healthcare offerings beyond the public the largest healthcare provider in Thailand, with 43 hospitals across
sector, governments are providing incentives such as tax holidays, the country, plans to build two new hospitals in Surat and Chiang
and raising the caps for foreign equity ownership to encourage Rai, as well as expand and upgrade 10 of its existing hospitals. The
private healthcare providers to fill the demand/supply gap. growth is not just in adding hospital beds but also in providing
specialized care in key areas that are lacking in up-country and
Additional contributors to healthcare demand growth remote areas.
There is strong evidence that the private healthcare provider
market will continue its growth trajectory for the near future. Medical tourism. The growth of the highly lucrative medical
At least two additional factors will contribute to its trajectory tourism business has resulted in an increasing number of private
­— geographic expansion of medical infrastructure beyond Tier 1 hospitals in the SEA region seeking international certifications such
cities, and medical tourism. as JCI (Joint Commission International) accreditation to expand
patient capture beyond SEA. Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore
Latent growth potential beyond Tier 1 cities. Hospital have traditionally been the major destinations for medical tourism
infrastructure in most SEA markets is uneven and tends to be due to government healthcare promotion support, availability of
concentrated around Tier 1 cities; hence, there is significant room internationally accredited facilities and staff, and high standards
for geographic expansion. As the healthcare provider market
becomes more mature in the Tier 1 cities, providers and investors

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Figure 2
Growth in middle-class population in SEA CAGR %
(2015-2020F)
100 100 2.2%
100 385
1.8 3.7 Affluent 382
90 380 4

Growth of middle class (2015; 20F) Millions of persons

Proportion of middle class (2015; 20F) Percent

80 3
375

70
61.6 370
7

60 69.1 Middle*
365

50
7

360
40

355
30

16
350
20
36.6
27.2 Poor
10 345
344

0 0

2015 2020F SEA Indonesia Vietnam Philippines Malaysia Others** Total

2015 SEA
2020F
Note: *Middle-class income strata: $1000-$1500 USD. **Includes Singapore, Brunei, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia
Source: Economic Intelligence Unit; Euromonitor, International Monetary Fund

of care. In 2012 alone, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore drew Traditionally, patients from developing countries sought treatment
2.53 million, 700 thousand and 850 thousand medical tourists, in developed countries; however, the reverse flow of patients
respectively, from within SEA as well as the Middle East and has been increasing in recent years. Nationality profiles of
Western countries, generating over US$4.83 billion in total medical tourists are increasingly diversified, with more intensive
revenue. From 2011 to 2015, medical tourist arrivals have grown at promotional effort from top private hospital chains to capture
12% and 4% compounded annual growth rates for Thailand and affluent overseas patients. For example, Parkway Pantai leverages
Singapore, respectively. Thailand receives approximately four times its international referral network to attract patients across Asia and
more medical tourists than Singapore, but the per capita spend is the Middle East to its medical hub in Singapore, which provides
lower due to decreased costs across medical procedures. customized inpatient and ancillary services such as visa application.

Foreign patients are a major contributor to private hospital In summary, the medical tourism sector will remain an exciting
revenue, particularly because patients come for advanced medical space for private hospital players, although the proliferation and
procedures, which generate higher revenue per patient. For professionalization of private hospital chains in the region will also
example, in Thailand, foreign patients accounted for roughly 40%- mean a tougher competition landscape in the future.
60% of private hospitals’ revenue and will continue to be the key
revenue growth driver. In Thailand, both Bumrungrad and BDMS Challenges to growth in SEA’s private healthcare
are upgrading facilities and increasing bed capacity to capture the provider landscape
growing influx of foreign medical tourists. Key challenges in the provider landscape include high market
valuations, inadequate supply of doctors and nurses, uncertainty
over patients’ willingness to pay, dilution of quality of care
standards, and inability to provide cost-effective healthcare
delivery.

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High market valuations. In SEA, the private hospital sector has Figure 3
outperformed other sectors in terms of share value growth over the Share value index of SEA healthcare sector and selected indices
past decade. Average valuation for SEA private hospitals stands at
24x EBITDA multiple or 60x PE ratio, which is high compared with 1,500

hospitals in other regions (Figures 3-5). These high valuations mean

that future investments will come at a premium, which may result

(2005-16) Percent
1,000
in lower returns and longer payback periods if companies cannot
maintain their growth trajectories.
500
Investor optimism in the sector and increased M&A activity have
contributed to the high valuation of existing healthcare providers.
Over the past decade, the SEA healthcare sector witnessed
0
almost 100 deals in the private provider segment worth almost Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan Jan
US$7 billion. Key players such as IHH, Siloam, BDMS and KPJ are 01 01 01 01 01 01 01
acquiring or building capacity to capture potential growth across 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016
provider segments, while trying to gain economies of scale and
Index: SEA Pharma Index: SEA Healthcare Distributors
scope. Several corporate and private equity investors, such as Mitsui Index: SEA Hospital S&P 500 - Healthcare Sector
& Co., CVC and Quadria Capital, have also been quite focused
on and active in this sector in the region. Singapore, Malaysia and Source: CapitalIQ
Thailand led the region as M&A hotspots, although this may change
in the future subject to relative attractiveness in other countries and
Thailand’s local language requirements, may limit the entry of
a more favorable foreign investment climate in this sector.
foreign doctors. Compared with the OECD average of over 30
Limited supply of doctors and nurses. There is a shortage of doctors per 10,000 people, SEA countries have between two
doctors and nurses in the region, and local medical schools lack and 20 doctors per 10,000 people, with Indonesia being one of
the capacity to meet the growing demand. Regulations, such as the big laggards in generating an adequate supply of physicians.

Figure 4
55 Financial ratios for selected hospitals
EV / EBITDA multiple of selected hospitals (September 2016)

51
50

45

40

35
31
30
28
26
25 24
21 22 SEA average: 23.5
20 18
17
16
15 12
11
10
9
8 8

IHH KPJ Siloam Mitra Sarana Raffles HMI Talkmed BDMS BHP Samitivej HCA Tenet Ramsay Rhoen

Malaysia Indonesia Singapore Thailand USA Australia Germany

Source: Bloomberg

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Furthermore, physician reputation is a strong factor in patient Cost-effectiveness. Stakeholders will need to evaluate their
choice, which will place a premium on acquiring experienced staff operations and performance to increase efficiency in the face of
and drive up operating costs. Private healthcare providers may cost pressures. Government initiatives to limit healthcare costs and
need to consider innovative solutions to fulfill staffing needs, such improve transparency have been launched in several SEA countries.
as telemedicine or exchange programs and collaborations with For example, Indonesia’s e-catalogue system lists the prices of all
prominent doctors and institutions. For example, BDMS in Thailand pharmaceuticals and medical devices registered in the country.
has strong collaborations with M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and Thailand uses e-procurement and e-tender processes to secure
the Stanford University Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. bulk medical supplies at discounted prices. Providers are shifting
surgical procedures to day care and outpatient treatment to
Patients’ willingness to pay. Patients are becoming much better increase turnover and profitability; for instance, Malaysia’s volume
informed and more demanding in terms of the price and quality of of cataract surgeries has shifted from 39% outpatient surgeries in
service expected. Furthermore, differences in the cost of procedures 2002 to over 52% since 2010.
between countries coupled with cheaper travel costs may drive
patients away from their local healthcare providers to foreign Private healthcare providers will also seek to reduce their costs
providers that deliver a similar level of care at a more agreeable without compromising service quality, such as by consolidating
price. As competition intensifies in the region, providers must be able large orders and staggering supply deliveries to ensure sufficient
to create a rewarding patient experience with high-quality service. on-site inventories. IT solutions will become increasingly essential
for managing, coordinating and delivering quality, cost-effective
Dilution of standards. As private healthcare providers add healthcare. Even hospital suppliers will face pressure to find
capacity, the quality of service and standards could become harder innovative solutions to remain competitive, such as shifting
to maintain. Longer waiting hours, lack of medical attention and from product-focused offerings (e.g., syringes and needles)
medical errors may diminish the hospital brand. The use of IT to customer-focused value-based solutions (e.g., insulin self-
solutions, such as EMR and automated pharmacies, is becoming administering kits). Stakeholders are increasingly turning to IT-
essential to maintaining high service and quality standards, but the based solutions and value-chain solutions to gain and maintain a
high cost and integration issues may limit their adoption. strong competitive advantage.

Figure 5
Financial ratios for selected hospitals
180

162
160
P/E ratio of selected hospitals (September 2016)

140 137

120

100

80 72

60 54 SEA average: 59.9

43 40
36 38 38
40 35
26
18 18
20 13 11

IHH KPJ Siloam Mitra Sarana Raffles HMI Talkmed BDMS BHP Samitivej HCA Tenet Ramsay Rhoen

Malaysia Indonesia Singapore Thailand USA Australia Germany

Source: Bloomberg

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Conclusion better standards of care at competitive prices. This challenge will

The outlook for investments in the private healthcare provider require incumbents and new entrants to focus on realizing greater
landscape in SEA continues to be positive due to strong growth cost efficiencies, demonstrate progressive management thinking to
fundamentals, but investors need to be cautious of the issues, evolve the traditional business models and physician engagement
which may dampen their returns. The high valuations of private models, leverage data and technology to enhance operations
healthcare providers require that they continue to meet their and quality of care, and engage increasingly in collaborative
growth targets in the face of mounting costs. These challenging partnerships to deliver greater value and affordable healthcare.
growth targets will require providing access to and delivery of

About the Author

Zafar Momin is a Managing Director and Head of L.E.K.’s Southeast Asia practice. Zafar has over 25 years of
experience in strategy consulting and industry. He has provided strategic advice to a wide range of clients on
strategy, operations, marketing & sales, mergers & acquisitions and performance improvement.

L.E.K. Consulting is a global management consulting firm that uses deep industry expertise and rigorous analysis to help business
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