Comparative cost analysis of virtual consultation for outpatient service in Malaysian public health clinics
- 1Department of Community Medicine, Universiti Sains Malaysia School of Medical Sciences, Kubang Kerian, Malaysia
Abstract
Context:: Malaysia has rapidly expanded Virtual Consultation Services (VCS) in public primary care to improve access and reduce healthcare burden. However, local evidence on patient-incurred cost savings from VCS remains limited.
Objectives:: This study estimated the mean cost saving per patient from virtual consultations compared with physical consultations and examined differences in patient-incurred costs between the two modalities in Malaysian public primary care.
Methods:: A cross-sectional study was conducted from July to October 2025 in 91 government health clinics across East and West Malaysia. Malaysian adults aged ≥18 years who had attended at least one physical and one virtual outpatient follow-up consultation were included. Cost data were collected from the patient’s perspective using a structured online proforma. Direct and indirect costs were identified, measured, and valued. Paired t-tests were used to compare mean costs, with Wilcoxon signed-rank tests performed as sensitivity analyses.
Results:: A total of 420 participants were included (mean age 37.23 years [SD = 11.04]; 78.3% female). The mean total cost of a physical consultation was RM47.97 (SD = RM60.69), compared with RM0.04 (SD = RM0.69) for a virtual consultation. The mean cost saving per patient was RM47.93 (SD = RM60.64), with a significant mean difference (95% CI: RM42.12–RM53.75; P < 0.001). Travel costs and productivity loss were the main contributors to cost savings.
Conclusion:: Virtual consultations resulted in substantial patient-level cost savings compared with physical consultations, supporting continued scale-up of VCS in Malaysian public primary care.
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BibTeX
@article{razak2026comparative,
title = {{Comparative cost analysis of virtual consultation for outpatient service in Malaysian public health clinics}},
author = {Ihsan Abdul Razak and Surianti Sukeri and Noor Aman A. Hamid},
journal = {Journal of family medicine and primary care},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_212_26},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13722236},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Comparative cost analysis of virtual consultation for outpatient service in Malaysian public health clinics
AU - Ihsan Abdul Razak
AU - Surianti Sukeri
AU - Noor Aman A. Hamid
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/01
JO - Journal of family medicine and primary care
DO - 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_212_26
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13722236
AB - Context:: Malaysia has rapidly expanded Virtual Consultation Services (VCS) in public primary care to improve access and reduce healthcare burden. However, local evidence on patient-incurred cost savings from VCS remains limited. Objectives:: This study estimated the mean cost saving per patient from virtual consultations compared with physical consultations and examined differences in patient-incurred costs between the two modalities in Malaysian public primary care. Methods:: A cross-sectional study was conducted from July to October 2025 in 91 government health clinics across East and West Malaysia. Malaysian adults aged ≥18 years who had attended at least one physical and one virtual outpatient follow-up consultation were included. Cost data were collected from the patient’s perspective using a structured online proforma. Direct and indirect costs were identified, measured, and valued. Paired t-tests were used to compare mean costs, with Wilcoxon signed-rank tests performed as sensitivity analyses. Results:: A total of 420 participants were included (mean age 37.23 years [SD = 11.04]; 78.3% female). The mean total cost of a physical consultation was RM47.97 (SD = RM60.69), compared with RM0.04 (SD = RM0.69) for a virtual consultation. The mean cost saving per patient was RM47.93 (SD = RM60.64), with a significant mean difference (95% CI: RM42.12–RM53.75; P < 0.001). Travel costs and productivity loss were the main contributors to cost savings. Conclusion:: Virtual consultations resulted in substantial patient-level cost savings compared with physical consultations, supporting continued scale-up of VCS in Malaysian public primary care.
SN - 2249-4863
SN - 2278-7135
ER -