KUALA LUMPUR — Rising employee benefit and medical plan costs are placing greater scrutiny on how Malaysian organisations plan and manage workplace health, particularly where responsibility is shared across HR, Procurement, HSE, Facilities, Operations and multiple external providers.

Aon’s Malaysia Pulse Survey Report 2025 found that 72% of surveyed organisations had experienced an increase in overall employee benefit costs over the preceding three years, with 34% reporting increases of more than 10% per annum.

Separately, Aon’s 2026 medical-trend outlook projects a 16% gross medical trend rate for employee medical plans in Malaysia in 2026, up from 15% in 2025.

Where workplace health and readiness requirements span several functions, organisations may need to coordinate licensed clinics, laboratories, allied health professionals, product suppliers and technical specialists at the same time.

Against this backdrop, Novum Health Solutions Sdn. Bhd. has introduced Novum Corporate Health, an evidence informed framework developed under medical leadership to help organisations structure and coordinate workplace health, medical readiness, safety procurement and selected industrial safety requirements while maintaining clear professional boundaries.

The framework begins with the organisation’s requirement rather than a fixed catalogue of services.

A health screening or workplace influenza vaccination programme may be initiated by HR, while Procurement manages commercial arrangements and Operations manages scheduling and site access. First aid readiness, eyewash requirements or selected safety equipment needs may instead involve HSE or Facilities, alongside external suppliers and specialist service providers.

“The challenge is often not finding a clinic, supplier or specialist. It is understanding what the organisation actually requires, bringing the right parties together and keeping responsibilities clear when several internal teams and external providers are involved.” said Novum Corporate Health spokesperson.

For HR and People teams, the framework can support the coordination of corporate health screening, workplace influenza vaccination and evidence based health education, together with annual programme planning and selected partner led workforce health pathways such as musculoskeletal and physiotherapy support, nutrition and metabolic health programmes, and sleep and fatigue awareness.

For Procurement, HSE, Facilities and Operations teams, requirements may include workplace first aid supplies and replenishment, eyewash needs, professional alcohol testing equipment, healthcare related sourcing and selected emergency readiness products.

Industrial and operational workplaces may also require selected safety solutions such as portable and personal gas detection, area monitoring, respiratory protection and emergency escape equipment.

Novum’s role is to help clarify organisational requirements, structure suitable scopes, compare supplier options and coordinate quotations, scheduling, logistics and recurring lifecycle needs such as replenishment, replacement, servicing or calibration.

Regulated responsibilities remain with the appropriate professional or provider.

Medical consultations, blood collection, laboratory testing, vaccination, diagnosis, treatment, individual medical advice, clinical records and clinical follow-up remain with the responsible licensed healthcare provider.

Engineering, installation, commissioning, calibration, maintenance and other specialist technical activities remain with the appropriately qualified or authorised technical provider.

This separation is particularly relevant where one organisational requirement crosses several internal functions and external suppliers.

For employers, the practical question can therefore shift from “Which provider should we buy from?” to “What does the organisation actually need, who is responsible for each part, and how should those parties work together?”

Novum Corporate Health is initially focused on organisations in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, with wider Malaysian requirements considered according to project scope, supplier capability and partner coverage.

About Novum Corporate Health

Novum Corporate Health is the workplace health brand of Novum Health Solutions Sdn. Bhd. (202601032598 / 1694693-V).

Developed under medical leadership, the framework helps organisations plan, source and coordinate workplace health programmes, workforce health initiatives, medical readiness, healthcare procurement and selected industrial safety requirements through appropriate licensed clinical partners, professional providers, suppliers and technical specialists.

Novum Corporate Health is not a clinic, laboratory, vaccination provider, occupational health authority, statutory safety certifier or engineering provider.

–PitchMyStory