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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Medical tourism (also called medical t ravel , heal th tourism or global
healthcare) i s a term init ial ly coined by travel agencies and the mass
media to describe the r apid ly growing prac ti ce of travelling across
international borders to obtain health care.
Such services typical ly include elect ive procedures as wel l as complex
specialized surgeries s uc h a s joint replacement (knee/hip), cardiac
surgery, dental surgery, and cosmetic surgeries. As a pract ical mat ter , pro vid ers an d cu stome rs co mmon ly u se info rma l ch an ne ls o f
communication-connection-contract , and in such cases this tends to mean
less r egula tory or l egal over sight to assure qual ity and l es s formal
recourse to reimbursement or redress, if needed.
Leisure aspects typica lly associa ted wi th t ravel and touri sm may be
included on such medica l t ravel t rips . Prospective medica l touri sm
patients need to keep in mind the extra cost of travel and accommodations
when deciding on treatment locations.
Medical or Health tourism has become a common form of vacationing, and
covers a broad spect rum of medical services . I t mixes leisure, fun and
relaxation together with wellness and healthcare.
Many people from the developed world come to India for the rejuvenation
p ro mis ed b y y og a a nd A yu rv ed ic m as sa ge , b ut f ew c on sid er it a
destination for hip replacement or brain surgery. However, a nice blend of
top-class medica l exper ti se a t a tt rac tive pr ices i s he lp ing a growing
number of Indian corporate hospitals lure foreign patients, including from
developed nations such as the UK and the US.
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The mos t r ecent t rend in priva t iza tion of heal th serv ices i s medica l
t ou ris m, w hi ch is g ai ni ng p ro min en ce i n d ev el op in g c ou nt ri es .
Global ization has promoted a consumeris t culture, thereby promot ing
goods and services that can feed the aspirat ions arising from this culture.
This has had i t s ef fect in the health sector too, wi th the emergence of a
p ri va te s ec to r t ha t t hr ives by s er vi ci ng a s ma ll per cent age o f t he
population that has the abil i ty to "buy" medical care at the rates at which
the "high end" of the private medical sector provides such care. This has
changed the character of the medical care sector , wi th the ent ry of the
corporate sector . Corporate run inst i tut ions are seized with the necessi ty
to maximize prof i t s and expand thei r coverage. These object ives face a
const raint in the form of the relat ively smal l s ize of the populat ion in
developing countries that can afford services offered by such inst i tut ions.
In this background, corporate interes ts in the Medical Care sector are
looking for opportunit ies that go beyond the l imited domestic "market"
for high cost medical care. This is the genesis of the "medical tourism"
industry.
Medical Tourism as an Industry
Medical tour ism can be broadly def ined as provis ion of 'cos t ef fect ive '
private medica l care in col labora tion with the touri sm indust ry for
patients needing surgical and other forms of special ized treatment. This
process is being facil i tated by the corporate sector involved in medical
c ar e a s w ell as t he to uri sm i nd us tr y - b ot h p ri va te a nd p ub li c.
I n many devel op ing count ri es i t i s bei ng act ivel y p romoted by t he
government 's of ficial pol icy . India 's National Health pol icy 2002, for
example, says: "To capitalize on the comparative cost advantage enjoyed
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by domest ic health faci l it ies in the secondary and tert iary sector , the
policy wil l encourage the supply of services to patients of foreign origin
on pay ment . The r enderi ng o f s uch s er vi ces on pay ment i n f or ei gn
exchange will be treated as 'deemed exports ' and will be made el igible for
al l f iscal incentives extended to export earnings". The formulation draws
from recommendations that the corporate sector has been making in India
and specifically from the "Policy Framework for Reforms in Health Care",
drafted by the prime minister 's Advisory Council on Trade and Industry,
headed by Mukesh Ambani and Kumaramangalam Birla.
Description
Generally there are three types of medical tourist:
1) Foreigners coming specially for treatment
2) Foreigners seeking treatment & leisure
3) Expatriates.
Factor s tha t have l ed to the increasing populari ty of medica l t ravel
i nc lu de t he h ig h c os t o f h ea lth c ar e, l on g w ai t t im es f or c er ta in
p rocedures, t he eas e and a ff or dabi li ty o f i nt er na ti onal t rave l, and
improvements in both technology and standards of care in many countries.
Medical tourists can come from anywhere in the world, including Europe,
the UK, Middle East , J apan, the Uni ted States , and Canada . This i s
because of their large populations, comparatively high wealth, the high
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expense o f hea lt h car e o r l ack o f hea lt h car e opt ions l ocal ly , and
increasingly high expectations of their populations with respect to health
care. An author i ty at the Harvard Business School recent ly s tated that
"medical tourism is promoted much more heavily in the United Kingdom
than in the United States".
The t ime spent wait ing for a procedure such as a hip replacement can be a
year or more in Britain and Canada; however, in Costa Rica, Singapore,
Hong Kong, Thailand, Cuba, Colombia, Phi lippines or India, a pat ient
could feasibly have an operation the day after their arrival.
Perceptions of medical tourism are not always positive. In places l ike the
US, which has high s tandards of qual i ty , medical tour ism is viewed as
r isky. Nonetheless , the number of Americans who are going abroad for
heal th care i s increasing . In some part s of the world, wider poli ti ca l
issues can influence where medical tourists will choose to seek out health
care.
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CHAPTER II
Top Destinations for Medical Tourism
The countries which are generally preferred over all other countries in
the world for medical tourism destinations generally provides a wide
ar ray of medica l f ac i l i t i es in a low cos t packages . As the exper t s
bel ieve that the medical tourism des tinations wi ll have a pos it ive
impact on the economy of these dist inctive countries and benefi ts the
t ra de rs a nd p at ie nt s a li ke . T he m ed ic al to ur is m d es ti na tio n phenomenon may also encourage the foreign inves tors who hold an
interest in those countries.
One get s t he bes t o f med ical s er vi ces and a tt endance i n t hese
count ri es with r easonable pr ices. Some of the hospit al s in these
countr ies t ie ups wi th var ious recreat ional faci l i t ies to provide the
pat ient the bes t of al l the t ime. According to ones budget , one can
pay to hospitals which arrange the best available treatment package
for you. I f one wants any other luxur ious t reatment the hospi tal of
these medical tour ism des t inat ions wi l l also provide wi th the same.
Such as f ive star services with a round a clock nurse what is more do
you need in your medical tourism destination it is the best you can get
in these destinations.
The best of the medical tourism destination is Belgium . This country
has doctors special izing in various medical f ields such as surgery of
hea rt , hea lt h s er vi ces, cos meti c s ur ge ry , and s ur ge ry o f knees ,
orthopedic surgery, and transplant of kidney and in care of teeth also
call ed dental care . One wil l ge t to have the best of t rea tment in
Belgium according to ones budget with pleasure and amusement.
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The top 5 of the medical tourism destination which provides the most
at tractive opportunit ies for patients and investors for there a medical
tour is as follows. These medical tourism countries are being selected
on there qual ity and affordabi li ty of care as well as openness to
foreign investment.
1. Panama.
2. Brazil.
3. Malaysia.
4. Costa Rica.
5. India.
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While some people took the options of only those medical destinations
which offer low cost treatment, but these are the countries where you
will get your medical treatment with relax and peace of mind. These
are the top medical treatment destinations where one will find the best
doctors and surgeons for your treatment. A patient wil l get to have a
great t ime in the superb beauty of these countries which is considered
to help the patient to recover and hell quickly. I t should also be noted
that the medical staff in these countries are largely and highly English
speaking so the confl ict of the language do not pose a major obstacle
for the foreign patients in visi t ing these countries for there medicaltreatment.
There a re s ome goa ls o f each o f t hese count ri es on whi ch t hese
countries are working. For example ; Panama represents a wide range
of opportunit ies for real estate investments and as well as investment
in the medical tourism industries. And goal of Brazil is to become one
of the most dominat ing economies in the wor ld in terms of medical
tour ism and i s f avorable for the fore ign investments . Malays ia i s
doing progress in medical tour ism by leaps and bounds . Malays ian
medical tourism has grown from 75,210 patients to 296,687 patients
f rom 2001 to 2006 which br ing about to ta l r evenue of $59 in the
country through this act. Malaysia at tracts foreign medical tour ists
and inves tor s a like for i ts f avorable exchange rate, poli ti ca l and
economic s tabi l i ty and due to high rate of l i teracy. Costa Rica l ike
Panama has become a popular medica l dest ina tion for the fore ign
peoples due to its High-Quality medical fac ilities.
The countr ies poli ti cal s tab il ity, h igh educations l evels and i ts
pol icies for f ree t rade among medical tour have also at tracted the
foreign investors. While India, arguably has the lowest and the highest
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quali ty of medical facil it ies available for medical tourism. According
to the report of the world travel and tourism council India was ranked
as one of the top ten emerging destinations due to i ts highly skil led
and equipped doctors and hospitals.
As more and more pat ients f rom Europe, the US and other af f luent
nations with high Medicare costs look for effective options; India is
pi t ted agains t Thai land, Singapore and some other Asian countr ies ,
which have good hospitals, salubrious climate and tourist destinations.
While Thailand and Singapore with their advanced medical facil i t ies
and buil t- in medica l touri sm options have been drawing fore ign
patients of the order of a couple of lakh per annum.
But , things are going to change dras ti ca l ly in f avour of India,
esp ec ia lly in v ie w o f the h ig h qu ality ex pe rtise o f med ical
profess ionals , backed by the fas t improving equipment and nurs ing
fac il it ies, and above a ll , the cost -ef fec tiveness of the package .
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Medical Tourism in India - At a glance.
India i s considered the leading country promot ing medical tour ism-and
now i t i s mov ing i nt o a new a rea o f "medi ca l out sour ci ng ," where
subcontractors provide services to the overburdened medical care systems
in western countries.
Government and pr ivate sector s tudies in India es timate that medical
tourism could bring between $1 bil l ion and $2 bil l ion US into the country
by 2012 and that medical tourism to In dia is growing by 30 % a year.
India 's top-rated educat ion system is not only churning out computer
programmers and engineers , but an es t imated 20,000 to 30,000 doctors
and nurses each year.
The larges t of the es timated hal f-dozen medical corporations in India
serving medical tourists is Apollo Hospital Enterprises, which treated an
estimated 60,000 patients between 2001 and spring 2004. I t is Apollo that
is aggressively moving into medical outsourcing. Apollo already provides
overnight computer services for U.S. insurance companies and hospitals
as well as working with big pharmaceutical corporations with drug trials.
Apollo has also reacted to criticism by Indian politicians by expanding its
services to India's millions of poor. .India is known in part icular for heart
surgery, hip resurfacing and o ther a reas of advanced medicine. The
government and pr ivate hospi ta l groups are commi tted to the goal of
making India a leader in the industry. The industry 's main appeal is low-
cost t reatment . Most es timates claim t reatment cos ts in India s tar t at
around a tenth of the price of comparable treatment in America or Britain.
India i s becoming the dest ina tion of choice for US c it izens seeking
complicated, high-end medical procedures.
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The Indian government is taking steps to address infrastructure issues that
hinder the country 's growth in medical tourism. The South Indian ci ty of
Chennai has been declared India 's Heal th Capi tal , as i t nets in 45% of
health tourists from abroad and 30-40% of domestic health tourists . Many
countr ies have developed l inks for speedy t reatments in India for thei r
nationals on account of the fact that in these countries one has to wait for
extended periods of time to undergo operations.
In India, medical t reatment i s not only fas t but also cos ts a f ract ion of
what i t cos t s in USA or Europe . The growing need i s for h igh l evel
s peci al ized t reat ment s l ike t rans pl an ta ti on o f v it al o rgans, cance r
treatment, neuro-surgery, cardiac surgery and many more.
Why India?
India is benefiting in a big way from globalization.
It has become the latest hub for medical
outsourcing, with patients from all over the world
f locking to myriad hospi tals for t reatment . They
are the new medical tourists and India is f launted
as a medical tourism destination. As per Mc Kinsey
s tudy I nd ia s med ical t ou ri sm i ndus tr y can be
worth a whopping $2.2 bil l ion annually in terms of
revenue. I t was only a quest ion of t ime before India harnessed i t s vas t
pool of skil led doctors and nurses along with access to the most modern
medical technology, at par wi th the bes t in the wor ld. Moreover India
enjoys the advantage of a skil led medical workforce f luent in English. All
medical procedures including hospital ization and recovery costs much be
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less as compared to America and Europe . Indian hospitals adhere to global
quality standards for treatment and surgery.
Patients in al l over the world covered by medical insurance have to wait
for years to undergo treatment. Though many may frown at the mention of
India, an increasingly large number of patients not having insurance from
the US and Europe is undergoing t reatment here. They are consul t ing
doctors at the best Indian hospitals to undergo special ized surgery with
proper arrangements for recuperation, unlike hospitals in their home
country which discharge patients early due to lack of beds. Indian doctors
a re q ua lif ie d in th e f ie ld s o f c ar di ac s ur ge ry, c os me ti c s ur ge ry,
orthopedics, pediatr ics, and dentistry. Most importantly if one compares
the cost of treatment, lodging and boarding and airfare, i t s t i l l works out
cheaper by a huge margin.
For e .g . ; A dental implant wil l cost a t
least 75% less in India as compared to the
US. An MRI will cost about $60 in India
and about $700 in the US. An open-heart
surgery wi l l cos t jus t $4500 in India as
compared to $18000 in the US. Crano-
facial surgery or a hip replacement costs
about $4300 in an Indian hospital while it
may cost upwards of $13000 in America.
A k idney t rans pl an t can cos t j us t 500
euros whi le i t may cos t you about 8500
euros in Britain.
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India has some of the bes t hospi tals and t reatment centers in the wor ld
with the best facil i t ies . All medical investigations are conducted on the
latest , technologically advanced diagnostic equipment. Str ingent quali ty
assurance exercises ensure reliable and high quality test results. As Indian
corporate hospi tals are on par , i f not bet ter than the bes t hospi tals in
Thailand, Singapore, etc there is scope for improvement, and the country
m ay b ec om e a p re fe rr ed m ed ic al d es ti na tio n. I n a dd it io n to t he
increasingly top class medical care, a big draw for foreign patients is also
the very minimal or hardly any waitlist as is common in European or
American hospitals. In fact, priority treatment is provided today in Indian
hospitals . The Apollo Group, Escorts Hospitals in New Delhi and Jaslok
Hospitals in Mumbai are to name a few which are established names even
abroad. A l is t of corporate hospitals such as Global Hospitals , CARE and
Dr L.V. Prasad Eye Hospital s in Hyderabad, The Hindujas and NM
Excel lence in Mumbai , also have bui l t capabi l i t ies and are handl ing a
s tead il y i nc reas ing f low o f f or ei gn pat ient s. I nd ia has much mor e
exper t ise than say Thai land or Malays ia. The infras t ructure in some of
India 's hospi tals i s also very good. What i s more s ignif icant i s that the
costs are much less, almost one-third of those in other Asian countries.
The privatization of the medicare sector has brought with i t f ive-star
facil i ties and wor ld-class t reatments . The country can now boas t of a
number of corporate hospitals . India is a source market for professionals
in the medical f ield for many renowned hospitals around the world. Hi-
t ech medica l f aci li ti es have become a necessi ty fol lowing consumer
demand among the world's fastest growing middle class.Indian hospitals
are becoming known internationally for s tandards of health care delivery
comparable to the bes t in the wor ld. India has the technology and the
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sk il le d su pe r- sp ec ia lis ts c ou pl ed w it h s ou nd i nf ra st ru ct ur e a nd
p ro fess iona l management, nur ses and par amed ical s ta ff t o t ake on
international competition.
What makes India attractive?
The Indian medical tour ism indust ry , growing at an annual rate of 30
percent , caters to pat ients chief ly f rom the US, Europe, West Asia and
Africa. Although in its nascent stage, the industry is outsmarting similar
indust ri es of o ther countr ies such as Greece , South Afr ica , Jordan,
Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore.
As the cost of Health care Industry is increasing day by day, patients in
the developed world are looking overseas for medical treatment. India's
low cos t & availabil i ty of highly t rained doctors appeal to this medical
tourists . Previously, foreign patients were traditionally not covered under
medical insurance outside their home countries. However, companies l ike
Blue Cross, Blue Shield of US have begun to tie ups with Indian hospitals
for providing "customized medial facilities".
What makes it so attractive?
Foremost is the cost factor. The medical costs in India are one-tenth
of the costs in western countries. For instance, a heart surgery costs
$6 ,000 in India as agains t $30,000 in the US. Simi lar ly , a bone
marrow transplant costs $26,000 in India as compared to $2,50,000
in the US.
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Secondly , foreign pat ients throng Indian hospi tals to pass up the
long wait ing l is ts and queues in the ir na tive countr ies. Indian
hospitals provide immediate at tention to patients rather than asking
them to wai t for several months l ike in most western countr ies .
Fur ther , foreign patients need not tackle insurance and nat ional
medical systems in India as they have to in their native lands.
India offers the bes t t reatments in modern medicine and in every
medical division such as cardiology, orthopedic surgery, eye care,
gynaecology, cosmetic surgery and dental surgery. I t also provides
t radi tional methods of t reatment such as Ayurveda, Homeopathy,
Naturopathy and Yoga.
Indias private hospitals have gained international recognit ion for
the ir s ta te-of -the-ar t f aci li ti es and d iagnost ic cent re besides
unsurpassed skills. Their technology and procedures are on par with
hospitals in developed nations.
Foreign patients can get package deals including f l ights , t ransfers,
hote ls , t reatment and pos t-opera tive vacation for the ir medica l
visits to India.
Many foreign patients prefer to combine their leisure and relaxation
visits to India with healthcare.
The Government of India has declared tha t t rea ting of fore ign
patients is legal . I t is encouraging medical tourism in the country
by of fering t ax breaks and export incent ives to part ic ipa ting
hospitals. In addition, the Government has cleared medical visas.
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CHAPTER III
Top 10 Reasons Why Medical Tourism is Popular ?
Medical tour ism dates back to the t imes when weal thy Europeans and
Asians would travel within their continent or to other continents to seek
health related treatments. But, of late, the trend has been popularized by
Americans, Canadians, Bri t ish and others who travel to far-off countries
in search for low-cost high quality healthcare or for care that 's not readily
available in their country.
F ol lo win g a re th e to p 1 0 r ea so ns w hy p eo pl e tr av el t o f ar -f lu ng
developing countries for medical care:
1. Incredible Savings: The top on the l i s t i s savings . Depending upon
your destination country and the cost of the procedure back home, expect
to save at least 50%.
For exa mple: A cardiac bypass surgery is est imated at well over $100,000
in the US. But in India, at a 5-star type hospital , you can have the same
surgery for only about $10,000. That 's 90% savings even after you have
pa id for your t ravel , accommodation and vacation for yoursel f and a
companion.
2. No Wait-Lists: Access to immediate service is what attracts those from
countries that have public health care s ys te m to wa rd s
medical tourism. A case at hand is that of a Canadian who suffered from
chronic backpain for 16 years and was given medication to deal with i t
for all those years. Tired of the system and of the worsening pain, she
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went to India to get her spinal surgery. She now tel ls everyone how she
got her back by going to India.
3. Excellent Quality: To demonstrate their commitment to quali ty many
international providers choose to be accredited by organizations such as
JCI, JCAHO and ISO or by their local accrediting organizations.
4 . Wor ld -Cla ss F ac il it ie s: Internat ional providers of fer luxurious
accommodation, private spacious rooms, and access to hospitality services
24 x 7. The facil i t ies are immaculate and there are no infections that we
so often hear about being present in UK hospitals.
5. Access to Latest Technology : The technology and equipments used by
them are the lates t and the greates t . I t ' s not uncommon to see surgeons
working with b il lion doll ar robotic machines in operat ing rooms.
6. Surgeon Expertise: Most surgeons catering to international patients
have ei ther been educated or have received profess ional training at top
schools i n t he U S, U K o r i n o th er c ou nt ri es i n E ur op e. T he y h av e
col leagues in the US, UK and e l sewhere , so i t should not come as a
surprise if they know your local surgeon at home.
7. Personalized Service: Most medical t ravelers vouch for the genuine
and excel lent service that they receive f rom surgeons , nurses and other
medical s taff al ike. The staff to patient rat io is low making high level of
personal care possible.
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8. Longer Hospital Stay: One of the advantages of medical travel is you
get to stay in the hospital for long without incurring hefty room charges.
You can have a longer hospital s tay than possible in your local hospital
back home under the supervision of your surgeon and physical therapist .
9. Great Convenience: Given the ease of international travel combined
with low a ir fares , your l if e -changing surgery i s jus t a f light away .
Another convenience that you get is not having to leave the comforts of
your home unti l the surgery is due. You can research al l you want on the
Internet about hospitals and surgeons, share your medical records online
with them, bookand plan your itinerary on the web, etc.
10. Travel Opportunities: Whi le t he p ri mary mot ivat ion f or mos t
c us to me rs is a ff or da bl e s ur ge ry th e o pp or tu nit y to v is it e xo tic
des t inat ions is an addi t ional draw for some. You can choose to have a
relaxing recovery in a resor t set t ing or i f your surgeon al lows you can
even enjoy outdoor tourist attractions.
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CHAPTER IV
Major Players In Indian Medical Tourism:
Whos in it?
The hospitals in India, Malaysia and Thailand that part icipate in medical
tourism are al l working on gett ing accredited by the Joint Commission of
Accreditat ion of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), an American based
commission whose mission is to "... improve the safety and quali ty of care
provided to the public through the provision of health care accreditation
and related services that support performance improvement in health careorganizations." The JCAHO has a list of accredi ted hospit al s
worldwide. By gett ing accredited hospitals can assure their international
patients that their quality ofcare standards are at an international level.
Medical tourism is also growing due to the strength of the dollar and the
devaluation of other currencies. This increases the purchasing power of
the doll ar and means tha t a foreigner wi th US dollar s can purchase
expensive medical procedures for minimal cos t. The National Health
Policy i s a lso act ive ly promoting medica l tour ism. The chief c it ies
attracting foreign patients to India are:
Kolkata
Chennai
Bangalore
Mumbai
Delhi
Jaipur
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The hospi ta ls tha t a tt ract l arge number of fore ign touri st besides
Indians are:
Apollo Hospital, Delhi.
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi.
AMRI, Kolkata.
Christian Medical College, Vellore.
Wockhardt Hospitals.
BM Birla Heart Research Centre, Kolkata.
Manipal Heart Foundation, Bangalore
Escort Heart Institute & Research Centre Limited, New Delhi
Breach Candy Hospital, Mumbai
Escorts Hospital, Jaipur.
Asian Heart Institute, Mumbai
PD Hinduja Nat ional Hospi tal and Medical Research Centre,
Mumbai.
Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai.
Tata Memorial Hospital
The Tata Memorial Centre is the national comprehensive cancer centre
for the prevention, treatment, education and research in Cancer and is
recognised as one of the l eading cancer cent res in th i s par t of the
world.
Nearl y 8500 maj or ope ra ti ons a re per fo rmed annua ll y and 5000
patients t reated wi th Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy annual ly in
multi-disciplinary programmes delivering established treatments. Apart
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f rom the pat ient care and service, cl inical research programmes and
randomized tr ials contribute increasingly to improved delivery of care
and highest standards of work ethics.
Surgery remains the v it al form of t rea tment a long with r adia tion
t he rapy and chemother apy. The s tr at eg ies f or ear ly d iagnos is ,
t reatment management , rehabi li tat ion, pain relief and terminal care
have been establ ished in a comprehens ive and mul tidi sc ip l inary
approach for a total cancer care programme.
All India Institute of Medical Sciences
AIIMS' contribution in the f ields of medical education, research and
special ized treatment is widely acknowledged. The main object of the
institute is to demonstrate high-standard of medical education, training
of personnel and to conduct exper iments and research in various
disciplines of medical sciences.
Twenty-five clinical departments including four super specialty centers
manage practically al l types of disease condit ions with support from
pre- and Para-clinical depar tments. However, burn cases , dog-bi te
c as es a nd p at ie nts s uf fe ri ng f ro m i nf ec tio us d is ea se s a re n ot
enter tained in the AIIMS Hospi tal . AIIMS also manages a 60-beded
hospi tal in the Comprehensive Rural Heal th Centre at Bal labgarh in
Har yana and p rovi des hea lt h cover t o about 2 .5 l akh popul at ion
through the Centre for Community Medicine.
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Apollo Hospital
Apollo Hospital s i s commit ted to t rea ting pa ti en t s with medica l
expertise and compassion.
Set up on 15 acres of land, the Indrapras tha Apol lo Hospi tals br ings
together some of the most talented medical professionals from all over
the world, with the best of t echnology and an excell ent working
environment. I t has set aside free beds for those who can't afford care,
has set up a t rus t fund and i s p ioneering remote , satel li te - linked
telemedicine across India.
This 695-bed hospital provides world-class healthcare facil i t ies , with
50 s uper -s peci al ti es . Wit h a t ot al o f 19 ope ra ti on t heat re s, and
I ndrapr as tha Apo ll o o ff er s t he l at es t med ical t echnol og ies and
techniques.
As part of the Apol lo Hospital s Group, commit ted to de livering
healthcare of internat ional s tandards , the Indrapras tha Apollo has a
dedicated team to ensure the highest standards of patient care.
Other Locations
Apollo Hospitals are also available in Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Chennai,
Colombo and Hyderabad.
It is India's
first hospital to perform and angioplasty in 1989.
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F irst suc cessfu l ca se in Asia for D ire ction al co ron ary
arthectomy.
Performed f ir st four cases in the count ry for ro tabla tors for
coronary occlusion.
Successful completion of 20,000 open heart surgeries with 98.50
per cent su ccess.
B.M.Birla Heart Research Centre
B M Birla Heart Research Centre is a super special ty hospital dedicated
e xc lu siv el y t o t he d ia gn os is , t re at me nt a nd r es ea rc h r el at ed to
car di ovas cu la r d is eases. S ince i ts commi ss ioni ng i n 1989, i t has
established i tself as Indias most advanced heart centre comparable to the
best in the world. Not only do patients from all over India seek treatment
here , but pa ti en ts f rom Bangladesh , Bhutan , Nepal, Maur it ius, Hong
Kong, Kenya and other neighbouring countries also avail of i ts facil i t ies.
T he C en tr e i s m an an ge d b y h ig hl y t ra in ed , yo un g, d yn am ic a nd
accomplished team of medical and para-medical professionals working
both coll abora t ive ly and interprofessionally. The enti re spectrum of
cardiac ai lments, affecting both adults and children, are dealt with at this
Cen tr e. B .M.Bir la Heart Res ea rch Cen tr e has a s peci al i nt er es t i n
advanced field of cardiac surgery, especially reconstructive operations on
babies.
B. M. Birla Heart Research Centre is committed to providing World Class
C ar di ac c ar e t o p at ie nt s. T he c en tr e h as p erf or me d a n um be r o f
breakthroughs in Cardiac Surgery and Angioplasty. Now the ISO 14001
Certif ication proves yet again that our persuits for the highest s tandards
are directed towards Quality Heart Care.
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Achievements :
For the f irst t ime in the world key-hole surgery was performed to
close a hole in the heart.
First 'Dynamic Cardiomyoplasty' performed in Asia.
For the first time in India Open Heart Surgery was performed on a 9
day old baby weighing 2.5 kg
Firs t t ime in India, Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenat ion was
performed on a neonate for respiratory distress.
For the f ir st t ime comple te Arter ia l Graft for i schaemic hear t
disease.
Instruments designed at the Centre ( l ike Special Bull Dog clamp)
are being extensively used in Cardiac Surgery.
Special kind of technique known as 'Bir la Hear t Technique ' has
been developed and is being used extensively in the area of Cardiac
Surgery to reconstruct heart valves.
Firs t t ime in India, fai l ing hear t of an Adul t was suppor ted wi th
Artificial Heart and Mechanical Circulation for 100 hours.
One of the few centres performing complicated operat ions on al l
age groups ranging from Neonats to elderly patients.
Escorts Heart Institute and Research Center
In Delhi, it performs 15,000 heart operations every year, and its death rate
is 0.8 percent , ( less than hal f of al l major hospi tals in the U.S.) . They
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also offer a pediatr ic children's healthcare unit. Their impressive results
have boosted medical tourism to their facilities.
Wockhardt Hospitals, Mumbai & Bangalore
Wockhardt Ltd . , the mos t r enowned heal thcare
ins ti tut ion in India, has associated wi th Harvard
Medical International , USA. As associate hospitals
o f Har va rd Med ical , USA i n I nd ia , Wockhar dt
hospi tals benef i t f rom the extens ive learning and
experience of Harvard Medical School and i ts aff i l iated
i ns ti tu tio ns wo rl d- wi de . T his a ss oc ia ti on h el ps
Wockhardt Hospitals to stay at the forefront of medical
technology and techniques, way ahead of others.
Wockhardt Hospitals, Mumbai , has become the f i rs t
super-special ty hospi tal in South Asia to achieve accreditat ion f rom
Joint Commission International (JCI) , USA. JCI is the gold standard in
global healthcare s tandards . With this , Wockhardt Hospi tals joins an
exclus ive group of 71 hospi tals wor ldwide, which have passed JCIsstr ingent cl inical quali ty standards. JCI is the international arm of the
Joint Commission on Accreditat ion of Healthcare Organizations, which
evaluates quality standards of US hospitals.
Wockhardt Hospita ls , Bangalore: Wockhardt Hospi ta ls Group has
es tabl ished a chain of super special ty hospi tals at Mumbai , Bangalore,
H yd er ab ad , K olk at a a nd N ag pu r. W it h l at es t t ec hn ol og y, m ul ti-
disc ip lin ary c ap ab il ity, sta te of th e a rt fac ilities, w orld c la ss
i nf ra st ruct ur e and excel lent pat ient car e ambience and p rocess es ,
W oc kh ar dt H os pi ta ls is p ois ed to b ec om e t he m os t a dv an ce d a nd
progress ive healthcare ins ti tut ion in this par t of the wor ld. There are
many others , but these are the faci l i t ies that are the most popular for
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medical tourism. As costs continue to rise, the appeal of medical tourism
will continue to grow. It will be interesting to see if these trends make an
impact on healthpolicies in the Western world.
CHAPTER V
Facts of Medical Tourism in India :
An es timated 150,000 "medical tour ists" vis ited India last year ,
representing a 20 per cent jump over the previous year.
The CII-McKinsey report suggests that medical tourism could fetch
as much as $2 b i ll ion by 2012, compared to an est imated $333million currently.
Ayurveda tourism earned RS.6000 crore last year.
Medical Tourism or Medical Travel is the growing phenomenon of
Americans traveling abroad for affordable healthcare.
The Medica l Tour ism market i s currently va lued a t $20 b i ll ion
annually. These numbers are expected to double by 2010.
More than 150,000 Americans t raveled abroad for heal thcare las tyear and that number is projected to double in 2008.
The primary destinations for US patients include India, Thailand,
Mexico, Costa Rica and Singapore.
C ommon pro ced ure s in clud e de ntal wo rk, h ea rt su rge ry,
orthopedics, cosmetic surgery, neurosurgery, fert il i ty treatments,
LASIK eye repair, and cancer treatments.
Medical travelers come from all over the US, and represent al l ages
and races . The mos t common fac tor i s tha t the pa t i en t i s e i ther
uninsured or underinsured. With 85 mill ion Americans fal l ing into
this category, the potential demographic is enormous.
Savings vary wor ldwide and by procedure. Broadly, pat ients can
expect rates 25%75% less than those in the US.
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Agencies specializing in internat ional medical t ravel( known as
health travel planners or medical concierge agencies) are a growing
part of the medical travel industry and work with hospitals, clinics,
physicians, surgeons, air l ines, hotels and recovery retreats abroad
to offer patients the best quality at the most affordable rates.
Some insurance companies al low for coverage based on out of
network rates. Although most US insurance companies wil l not
currently cover procedures abroad, regulations are expected to
change as American employers and insurance companies evaluate
the savings potential.
Over the past f ive years , near ly 100 hospi ta ls and t rea tmentcen te rs abr oad have become acc redi ted t o US s tandar ds o f
healthcare, through the Joint Commission Internat ional (JCI) ,
the nations leading hospital accreditation organization.
For dental care and cosmetic-aesthetic surgery, most Americans
prefer to t ravel to Mexico, Brazi l or Argentina, wi th shorter
flights and the allure of potential vacationing prior to treatment.
For o rt hopedi c and car di ovas cu la r p rocedures, Ameri cans
general ly prefer to t ravel to India and Southeast Asia ( e.g .
T ha ila nd , S in ga po re a nd M ala ys ia ) w he re a cc re dit at io n
s tandards , heal thcare infrast ruc ture and choice of qual if ied
physician is greater.
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CHAPTER VI
Benefits Of Medical Tourism
An increasing number of people f rom post -indust ri al ized na tions are
choos ing to t ravel internat ional ly to r ece ive medica l t rea tments. The
reasons for this emerging phenomenon are var ied. By choosing medical
travel to an emerging country such as Thailand or India, one can f ind new
medical treatments that have not yet been approved in their home country.
The wait for treatment may be shorter and hospital accommodations may
be friendlier. Cheap surgery and affordable, comfortable accommodations
are other benefits of medical tourism. Some people simply find the idea of
traveling to an exotic location appealing. There are actually many reasons
for medical tourism's increasing popularity:
Speed & Convenience : The overburden and heavily taxed health systemsin developed countr ies r esult s in the l ack of hospit al beds and long
wait ing t imes for elect ive, and even l i fe-saving procedures. For many
people, medical tourism is the only viable option for receiving these types
of t rea tments and procedures . Many countr ies invest heavily in thei r
heal thcare sys tem for the purpose of suppor ting and expanding thei r
medical tourism industry, so there is often an improved level of service
and facilities available to overseas patients.
Options : Certain procedures are not approved by the publ ic hea l th
author it ies , as many of them are deemed to be exper imental or untes ted
procedures that have not received the adequate amount of tes t ing and
approval . In other cases, some procedures are not recognized or endorsed,
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so patients who are seeking alternative treatment or therapy have to travel
overseas to undergo these types of procedures. In many cases these
procedures are very well-established overseas, and there is a very low-risk
i nvol ved, whi le o ther s may be p ract iced because o f l es s s tr ingent
government regulations or restrictions.
Cost : Cost i s another of the most popular reasons why people choose
medical t ravel . I t can offer substantial savings , providing inexpensive
plastic surgery and other procedures for people who cannot afford them in
their home countr ies. Wages for specia lty doctor s and hospit al s tay
expenses are much lower in places l ike India and Mexico. Even when one
i nc lu de s t he c os t o f th e tr ip , i nc lu din g a ir fa re , a cc om mo da tio n,
t rans port at ion and o ther expenses, not t o men ti on t he cos t o f t he
procedure , medica l tour ism can s ti ll p resent a much cheaper option
compared to undergoing a procedure local ly . These normal ly apply to
procedures that are not subsidized by the government, or do not fall under
the insurance pol icy or coverage of the pat ient . The degree of union or organized labor control , cheap labor costs and the streamlining of service
providers and medical facil i ties in medical tourism des tinations also
translate to substantial savings. In many cases, the quali ty of service is
e qu iv al en t o r b ett er t ha n lo ca l h ea lt hc ar e p ro vid er s, s uc h is th e
i mp ro ve me nt a nd e ff ic ie nc y o f h ea lt hc ar e s ys te ms in o ve rs ea s
destinations. For example, hip replacement becomes a cheap surgery when
performed in certain emerging countr ies . A hip replacement typical ly
costs at least $50,000 in the United States, whereas i t is only about $5500
in India. Even when f igur ing in the addi t ional cos ts of t ravel and other
expenses, one can expect to save about 75% on a hip replacement surgery
by choosing medical travel . Inexpensive plast ic surgery, dental care, and
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bar iat ric surgery, and many other t reatments are also common, cheap
medical travel procedures.
Therapeutic Benefits : Medical procedures often cause a certain amount
of s t r es s on the pa t i en t , whether i t i s a phys ica l and/or menta l in i t s
nature. There is always a certain amount of r isk post-procedure, so most
patients are advised to take a sufficient amount of t ime to recuperate and
recovery f rom the procedure . Being s itua ted in an idy ll ic loca tion or
somewhere that is out of reach from the stress and pressures of daily l ife
can have a positive effect on the recovery process for the patient.
Availability of Cutting Edge Medical Treatments : First world countries
such as the Uni ted States , Aus tral ia , and Bri ta in have the s tr ic test
guidelines for approving new medical treatments. When a new surgery or
cure is developed, i t can take years for the procedure to become available
to the masses . Somet imes, people mus t wait for the ir government to
gather s tat i s t ics and deem the treatment safe. In other ins tances , there
simply aren't enough doctors skil led in the new treatment to be able to
handle everyone who seeks i t . Emerging nat ions do not have as many
regulations dictat ing their medical industry, including the plast ic surgery
f ield. This means that one may be able to t ravel overseas and receive a
medical treatment y ea rs bef or e i t becomes ava il ab le i n t he ir home
country. Before doing so, of course, one should research the treatment or
plastic surgery that they wish to have in detail. Gain as much information
as possible about prospective doctors as well as the medical industry in
Mexico, India, Thai land, or whichever country is being considered for
medical travel.
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Availabi li ty of Doctors and Operating Rooms : Like cutt ing edge
medical treatments, the availabil i ty of doctors and operating rooms can
cause a long wait for some procedures in one's home country. This is not
the case wi th medical t ravel. Plast ic surgery or medical care is of ten
available months sooner in emerging countries. For some procedures, such
as bar iat r ic surgery , pat ients may be required to go through months of
counseling and preparation beforehand in the United States . For those
who see th is as a h assle, med ic al trav el is a grea t a lte rn ativ e.
One does not have to end up on a long wai t ing l i s t for a good doctor ,
hospi tal space, or operat ing room when choosing medical t ravel . Whi le
th i s may not be t rue a t home, there i s an abundance of cheap medical
resources around the world. Post - indust r ial ized nat ions wi th nat ional
government healthcare systems have the biggest problems with having to
wai t months for a medical t reatment , whether i t i s essent ial ( in some
c as es , b ar ia tr ic su rg er y) o r e le cti ve (s uc h a s p la sti c su rg er y) .
Desire to Travel to an Exotic Location : Some seekers of medical travel
f ind the prospect of being able to t ravel abroad exci t ing. Fulf i l l ing a
dream to see an exotic location such as Mexico, Thailand, Brazil , or anynumber of o ther countr ies may help t ip the sca les towards choosing
medical tourism. A vacation can be tacked on to the end of the tr ip, often
for an inexpensive pr ice. Relaxing in an exot ic locat ion sounds l ike a
great way to recover from one's inexpensive plas ti c surgery.
Higher Quality Hospital Experience : Medical travel often provides a
higher quali ty hospital experience than one would f ind at home. Hospital
s taf f may not be as overworked as doctors and nurses are in f i rs t wor ld
count ri es , a llowing them to be more a tt en tive and f ri endly . Qual ity
personal care is poss ible when the profess ionals have fewer pat ients to
care for. There is more of a customer service mentali ty towards treatment
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in medica l tour ism, which makes them eager for the ir pa ti ent s to be
happy. The hospital stay can also be longer.
Affordable Luxury Accommodations and Service : The
accommodations at many faci l it ies where one can f ind medical
tourism are nothing l ike the hospi ta ls people are used to in
countries l ike the United States and England. The buildings are
kept extremely clean. Hospital ity services are available around
the clock , and large private rooms are offe red. The re is
ass is tance w ith the log is ti cs o f med ical t rave l and get ting
oriented in a foreign country. A personal nurse, yoga classes, a
persona l t rans lator, and even shopping ass is tance may be
available. Some of these medical tourism services do require an
add it iona l fee . However , l ike the inexpensive surgery, these
services are generally much cheaper than they would be in one'shome country. Medical t ravel is an opt ion that should not be
overlooked when one is seeking cheap surgery . There are a
growing number of quality medical tourism facil it ies around the
world with well-trained staff and state-of-the-art equipment. The
immediate availabil ity and luxury accommodations of these
inexpensive treatments make medical travel well worth looking
into.
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Disadvantages of Medical Tourism .
Although there are countless advantages and benefi ts to medical tourism,
there are also a few disadvantages , dangers , and concerns of which you
should be aware. Medica l tour ism i s a t rade-off , pure and s imple.
Although one might receive personalized at tention, quali ty health care,
conveni ence , a ff or dabl e p ri ci ng , and a chance t o exper ience a new
cul tu re , one occas iona ll y s ac ri fi ces f amil ia ri ty and cer ta in legal
guarantees .
1. Medical Malpracti ce Suits
Although most medical tourism facil i t ies (hospitals , dental cl inics, etc.)
wil l have medical malpractice insurance to cover any unforeseen events,
seeking damages can sometimes be d i ff icu lt in cases of negl igence ,
misdiagnoses, or incompetence. This is not to say that medical tourists
have absolutely no legal recourse, but if the patient is looking for largecash settlements, he should probably stay in his home country. The laws
of your country might not be any easier to decipher, but you will probably
enjoy greater access to more transparent guidelines and regulations
2. Insurance Laws May Vary
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Dependi ng on t he t ype o f insurance a nd d ep en di ng o n t he t yp e o f
procedure one needs,he might not be fully covered if you travel abroad.
You'l l want to check with your insurance carrier and see what port ion of
the f inal bi ll they're wil ling to cover. In the past , medical tourism was
largely relegated to the cosmet ic surgery indust ry , and thus, insurance
usual ly wasn' t a major factor s ince elect ive procedures aren ' t normal ly
covered. But increasingly, hospitals in medical tourism destinations l ike
Thailand and India have begun offer ing l i fe-saving medical procedures
that your insurance company would probably cover back home.
3. Postoperat ive Treatmen ts
For many procedures , i t ' s cus tomary to check in wi th your physician or
dent is t f rom t ime to t ime as you recupera te . However , by rece iv ing
treatment abroad, i t becomes prohibit ively expensive to consul t wi th
whatever doctor or dentist provided you with primary care. This is one
reason why many medical tourists decide to recuperate while they are still
abroad. Fortunately, many medical tourism destinations have excellent
facilities to care for and entertain recovering patients. It 's not uncommon
to f ind medical tourists relaxing on the beaches of Phuket or Goa as they
recuperate. But for procedures requiring longer recovery periods, you'l l
need to make postoperative ar rangements on your own. This usual ly
requires consulting a local physician or dentist in your hometown, in
addit ion to whatever foreign health care provider supervised the original
treatment.
4. Its Best Not to Travel Alone
Anytime you have major surgery done, it 's always good to have a friend or
family member present both during and after the procedure. When flying
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abroad to receive medical treatment, i t 's s trongly recommended that you
take someone wi th you. However, this necessar i ly dr ives up the total
price of your medical vacation since you'l l have to book flights and hotel
reservations for at least two people.
5. Finding the Best Medical Facility Possible
Whe n yo u sho p aro un d for ho spitals an d d en ta l clin ics in yo ur
nei ghborhood, y ou can eas il y v is it t hem i n per son, check out t he
facil it ies , and meet with hospital s taff . But with medical tourism, this
type of in-person reconnaissance becomes a little harder to manage.
CHAPTER VII
How Can The Government Facilitate?
The role of the government is cr i t ical in various areas if we need to scale
the exist ing model. Some of the areas where government can and should
act are:
Medical Education.
I t i s h igh t ime tha t the government r ea l ly looked hard a t the demand
s uppl y s it ua ti on o f human r es ources i n t he hea lt hcar e s ec to r and
recal ibrated the supply of special is ts and paramedicals in the country.
This would mean changes to policies on post- graduate medical education,
nursing education etc.
Infrastructure
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Qual i ty of heal thcare service can be l imi ted by t raf f ic and har tals . The
las t thing the f ledgl ing medical tour ism indust ry in India wants i s bad
press on a couple of foreign pat ients in ambulances that were s tuck in
traffic for several hours due to a political partys rally. From airports, and
high ways, and hassle free environments for patients relat ives, there is
quite a bit where improvements can be made on the infrastructure side.
Law And Order
Law and order and genera l sense of securi ty are defini te ly areas for
improvement . For al l the gold in the wor ld, I might want to get my hip
replaced in nearby countr ies, which are infes ted with and mines and
missiles waiting to take off.
Legal Infrastructure & Ethics
What is the mechanism for international patients who seek legal redressal
for service gone bad? How long would i t take for resolving the same in
India? Is our legal infrastructure geared up to handle healthcare specif ic
issues in a speedy manner?
Privacy Of Patient Information
One area that is understated in discussions around healthcare services in
India is confidential i ty of patient data and regulations related to privacy
and secur i ty of pa t i en t da ta in India . A good s tar t would be to adopt
HIPAA standards in India.
Role Of IT Standards :
Final ly , adopt ing and adapt ing of IT sys tems and s tandards that are in
vogue in the developed world would be required to ease the administrative
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processes involved in cross-border care and integration with the medical
records in the country of origin.
CHAPTER VIII
SWOT ANALYSIS
From the above i t may be questionable that what makes India at tractive?
In shor t , we can por t ray the SWOT analysis of Indian medical tourism
business.
STRENGHTS :
Quality of service.
Exquisite Locations.
Alternative medical cures like Yoga, Homeopathy and Ayurveda.
Niche market.
Emerging markets or developing countries have most benefits
Different iat ion f rom r ivals i s through the leisure element of the
medical tour ism package (e.g. dent is t ry and Car ibbean is lands or
dentistry and Taj Mahal)
Positive forecast growth.
Established travel destinations have a natural marketing platform.
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Absence of market rules in developed countr ies banning medical
tourism in developing favours market growth.
WEAKNESS :
Local people cant afford the same type of service that is offered to
tourists.
Abs ence o f l aws o r pol ic ie s f or i nt er na ti onal med ical car e.
Therefore consumer not protected against malpractice.
The nature of the product , medicine and leisure, requires init ial
significant investment.
Lack of infrastructure.
Lack of uniform pricing policy. Poor infrastructure in government aided hospitals.
Lack of proper Institute on medical Instrumentation.
The downsides of medical tourism :
Government and basic medical insurance, and sometimes extended
medical insurance, of ten does not pay for the medical procedure,
meaning the patient has to pay cash.
There is l i t t le follow-up care. The patient usually is in hospital for
only a few days, and then goes on the vacation portion of the trip or
returns home. Complications, s ide-effects and post-operative care
a re t hen t he r es pons ib il it y o f t he med ical car e s ys tem i n t he
patients' home country.
Mos t o f t he count ri es t ha t o ff er med ical t ou ri sm have weak
malpractice laws, so the patient has little recourse to local courts or
medical boards if something goes wrong.
There are growing accusat ions tha t prof it ab le; private- sec tor
medical tourism is drawing medical resources and personnel away
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from the local population, although some medical organizations that
market to outside tourists are taking steps to improve local service.
OUR PROBLEMS :
India i s s ti ll a developing country and has severa l inherent
problems
There is a negative perception about the country because of poor
hygiene and sanitation
No uniformity of qual i ty and accredi tat ion is now becoming a
reality
Medical insurance i s s ti ll in i ts infancy and has a very low
penetration Flight connectivity needs at tention Infrastructural
woes cont inue to af fect the ai rpor ts , roads and power Save for
the ini t iat ives taken by a few organized players, there has been
no focused marketing till now.
THEIR PROBLEMS :
LACK OF KNOWLEDGE
The knowledge about medical tourism is mostly shared by word-of- mouth
or by persons who are internet savvy.
LACK OF TRUST
Pat ients f rom developed countr ies are s t il l scept ical of the quali ty of
medica l care abroad, and doubly scepti ca l of ventures tha t have no
personal or local c ontacts.
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LACK OF FOLLOW-UP
Cont inui ty in heal th care i s a major cause for concern. There are many
stories on the internet about the people who opted for treatment abroad,
but returned home without follow-up care and suffering complications.
LACK OF MEDICAL LIABILITY
Patients from developed countries know that they have legal recourse to
medical malpract ice for heal thcare in thei r countr ies . This i s of ten not
true of procedures that take place overseas, and are not under their legal
jurisdiction.
OPPURTUNITY :
May be adopted by almost any country as i t i s not geographic
specific but knowledge and infrastructure-specific.
It will create new and more jobs for locals in the service sector.
Due to the global nature of medical tourism firms
internationalize immediately as the target market is abroad.
To di fferenti ate the service can be based on the country s
landscape and tourism attractions.
Impact on Forex reserve.
Contribution in GDP.
Sharp rise in medical as well as tourism Industry.
THREATS :
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Abs ence o f mar ke t r ul es i n devel oped count ri es banni ng
medical tourism in developing destinations may not last.
Cor rupt ion i n devel op ing count ri es can del ay s ome l aws
required to improve the service.
The low-pr ice s t rategy may not be sus tainable i f input cos ts
increases.
Retaliat ion by healthcare providers medical tourist generating
destinations.
Foreign players may enter into the market.
Lack of foreign accreditation.
Strong competition from Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore
CHAPTER IX
MARKETING MIX
PRODUCT:
Medical Packages :
The heal th care sec tor in India has wi tnessed an enormous growth in
inf rast ruc ture in the pr iva te and voluntary sector . The pr iva te sec tor
which was very modest in the early stages, has now become a f lourishing
industry equipped with the most modern state-of-the-art technology at i ts
d is posa l. I t i s e st imat ed t ha t 75- 80% of hea lt h car e s er vi ces and
inves tments in India are now provided by the pr ivate sector . An added
plus had been that India has one of the largest pharmaceutical industr ies
in the world. I t is self sufficient in drug production and exports drugs to
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more than 180 countr ies . The di fferent medical t reatments available in
Inida are as follows:
Bone Marrow Transplant
Brain Surgery
Cancer Procedures (Oncology)
Cardiac Care
Cosmetic Surgery
Dialysis and Kidney Transplant
Drug Rehabilitation
Gynaecology & Obstetrics
Health Checkups Internal/Digestive Procedures
Joint Replacement Surgery
Nuclear Medicine
Neurosurgery & Trauma Surgery
Preventive Health Care
Refractive Surgery
Osteoporosis
Spine Related
Urology
Vascular Surgery
Common Types of Medical Tourism Treatments Available :
Medical travel, also called medical tourism, can provide a wide variety of
t reatments and surger ies . The procedures offered do include the well -
known choices of plast ic and bariatr ic surgeries. However, they also go
beyond those options tha t we hear about mos t oft en . Lesser -known
medical travel services include everything from cancer treatment to brain
surgery , dental work, hip replacements, health spas , and sex change
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operations. Elective procedures as well as cutt ing edge services are both
available to the travel tourist.
Medical: Necessary medical treatments are increasingly being performed
abroad because they can be done fas ter and cheaper than in one 's home
country. Cutt ing edge procedures are often easier to obtain in emerging
countries than in first world nations due to ridiculously long wait periods.
Top destinations for medical services include India, Malaysia, Thailand,
and Singapore.
Weight Loss Surgeries : Bariatr ic and lap band surgeries are commonly
associated with medical tourism. One reason for this is that patients must
often pass cert ain cri te ri a and undergo counsel ing in order to have
bariatr ic surgery done in the United States. If a patient gets turned down
or wants to bypass this process , they can go to Thai land for low-cost
bariatric or lap band surgery. These are both forms of weight loss surgery.
Bariatr ic is the more invasive and l ife-altering version, whereas lap band
surgery can be reversed.
Ophthalmology: As more people are seeking to have LASIK surgery doneon thei r eyes , low-cost opt ions are becoming more popular . LASIK eye
surgery repairs near-sightedness with a laser . I t can be found around the
world for less than $1000, whereas i t i s closer to $4000 in the Uni ted
States.
Orthopedics: Hip replacement , hip resurfacing, and knee surgery are
commonly performed in the medical t ravel indust ry . The vas t f inancial
savings of having these surgeries done abroad and long wait periods of up
to a year in some countries encourage people to choose medical tourism.
Cardiology : Medical tourism options in cardiology can include low-cost
open heart surgery , bypass surgery , bal loons and s tents , and more. By
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going to India, one can have open heart surgery for approximately $4500
(before travel expenses) and avoid the nine- to eleven-month wait that is
typical in Britain and the United States.
Fertility and Reproductive : Fer ti l ity and reproductive procedures are
performed on both men and women in the medical tour ism indust ry . In
Vit ro f er ti li za ti on and o ther f er ti li ty t reat ment s, whi ch a re r at he r
expensive, can be done for a much cheaper pr ice in emerging countries.
Steri lizat ion, mastectomies, and vasectomy reversals are just a few of the
offerings.
Neurology: In the United States and the United Kingdom, a typical wait
period for brain tumor biopsy or surgery is s ix to eight months. A spinal
s ur ge ry may t ake n ine t o e leven months t o get i n. These t ypes o f
situations make medical travel an option to consider.
On cology : Cancer treatments are extremely cost prohibitive in the United
States. The best doctors or those who perform new treatments might have
l ong wai ti ng l is ts . Peopl e o ft en choos e med ical t rave l f or cancer
t reatments when they want to explore options not available in their own
country.
Organ Transplants : Medical tourism procedures involving low-cost
organ transplants include bone marrow, l iver , and kidney transplants . The
bone mar row p rocedure , f or example , has an approxi ma te cost of
$250,000 in the United States versus $69,000 in India.
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Cosmetic surgery: I t i s not uncommon to see people on TV who have
used medical tourism for inexpensive cosmet ic surgery . I t i s one of the
mos t popular forms of treatment for which people decide to choose
medical tourism. One reason for this is that insurance plans usually don't
cover plast ic surgery because the procedures are elective. This makes i t
imp ortan t for mo re p eo ple to h av e th em d on e in ex pe nsive ly.
Common plast ic surgery procedures that are done in medical tour ism
i nc lude min imal ly -i nvas ive a s wel l a s mor e ext ensi ve p rocedures.
Liposuction, facelif ts , tummy tucks, breast enhancements and reductions,
nose jobs, and sex change operations are al l popular . Since the TV reality
show Extreme Makeover, some facilities are now offering similar services
of multiple plastic surgeries to completely redo one's appearance.
When looking for plast ic surgery options abroad, there are many choices.
Argent ina, Costa Rica, Mexico, Brazi l, the Phi lippines, the Dominican
Republ ic , South Afr ica, Malaysia, Poland, and Thailand are al l popular
destinations for inexpensive plastic surgery. Thailand is especially known
as th e po pu lar p la ce to g o for lo w-co st sex c