UCrest chairman Eg Kah Yee (left) with MDC Asia Link Bhd CEO Dr Aslan Bacho at the signing ceremony of the business partnership agreement on Wednesday. (Photo by Zahid Izzani/The Edge)

KUALA LUMPUR (April 3): Hospital operator MDC Asia Link Bhd (MDC) said on Wednesday that its plan for an initial public offering (IPO) in Bursa Malaysia this year will be delayed due to digitalisation challenges.

“We are aware that competing in the healthcare industry is challenging without an integrated digital system for our clinic operations” MDC founder and chief executive officer Dr Aslan Bacho said during the signing ceremony of business partnership with digital health service provider UCrest Bhd on Wednesday.

The partnership with UCrest will adopt the iMedic platform as the clinic management system (CMS) for its dental business operation by using artificial intelligence (AI) and internet of medical things (IoMT).

iMedic will be used to manage the patients through a mobile app which will allow them to track the related vital signs, biomarkers and lifestyle that can affect the oral health and manage their dental care plan.

“We hope this partnership will accelerate business model refinement, enhance customer relations, and improve overall company valuation for MDC,” Aslan said.

Originally targeted for early this year, Aslan said the group is now looking forward to executing the IPO plan within the next three years, leading up to 2026.

The group had in 2022 said its intention to become a public-listed company after officiating the opening of its maternity hospital and MDC Pusrawi confinement centre in Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya.

As part of its growth strategy, MDC plans to establish a specialist dental hospital, four maternity hospitals, and 99 dental and medical clinics by 2025.

Currently, MDC operates 25 dental clinics primarily in the Klang Valley area, with a special focus on paediatrics dental care, general dentistry, and orthodontic services.