Medical Toursim Final I

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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

Medical Toursim Final I

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