Young doctors turn to e-hailing as private clinics struggle

 

DESPITE THE common belief that doctors enjoy high incomes, some young general practitioners (GPs) are finding it increasingly difficult to stay financially afloat, with some taking on side gigs such as e-hailing to cope with rising living and business costs.

More worrying, several clinic owners have reportedly turned to personal loans just to keep operations going.

One doctor, identified only as Luqman, 33, said the clinic he launched in 2022 has at times recorded losses after accounting for monthly operating expenses.

Speaking to Berita Harian, he said private clinics are under growing financial strain as medicine costs continue to rise each year, compounded by higher wage expenses following the implementation of the new minimum wage.

Luqman said he left the public healthcare sector in 2022 after becoming disillusioned with job security and the demanding workload in government service, before opening his own clinic in Sepang. However, the transition has been far from easy.

“My clinic is still in survival mode. Every year, operating costs keep increasing while revenue has gone down,” he said.

According to him, the clinic requires between RM35,000 and RM40,000 monthly to break even, translating to a need for roughly 10 to 15 patients per day.

To stay afloat, he said he had no choice but to apply for a personal loan to cover business costs, including medication purchases and staff wages.

Beyond managing the clinic, Luqman also works additional jobs, including driving for e-hailing platforms and taking locum shifts at other clinics to supplement his income.

He admitted he may eventually need to consider an alternative career if conditions do not improve, with insurance and sales among the industries he is considering.

“If there is no meaningful intervention to strengthen private clinics, I may have to prepare an exit strategy,” he said.

He stressed that GPs are not solely profit-driven and remain a critical pillar of the healthcare ecosystem.

“We are not second-tier doctors. Private GPs are part of the backbone of the healthcare system and remain ready to support national health services,” he added.

Another doctor, who requested anonymity and identified himself as Dr Jay Chay, said he resigned from government service in June last year due to poor work-life balance.

He later entered a joint venture to open a private clinic in Sepang, Selangor, where he currently holds a 49% stake.

Still, he said the clinic has struggled to hit revenue targets, partly because many patients now prefer buying their own medicines.

According to Dr Jay, clinic earnings typically cover only around 60% of total operating costs.

He also raised concerns over patients sourcing medications online or through social media, often without approval from the Health Ministry.— Focus Malaysia