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Transcript of SEM 4 Final Report
A
GLOBAL/ COUNTRY STUDY AND REPORT
ON
“MEDICAL TOURISM OF BANGLADESH”
Submitted to
Gujarat Technological University
IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENT OF THE AWARD FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTERS OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF
Prof. (Dr.) Mamta Brahmbhatt
SUBMITTED BY
Priten Khandavi (117690592090)
Jay Bhatt (117690592021)
Mukesh Chaudhary (117690592089)
Parth Mehta (117690592062)
Uday Chabhad (117690592088)
[Batch: 2012-13]
MBA Sem III/IV
Shri Jairambhai Patel Institute of Business management and Computer ApplicationMBA PROGRAMME
Affiliated to Gujarat Technological University, Ahmedabad MAY-2013
1
DECLARATION
We, the undersigned students, declare that the conceptual framework of this Global/Country
Study Report entitled “MEDICAL TOURISM OF BANGLADESH’’ has been developed
based on the detailed literature from the websites, books as shown in the bibliographical
reference. We have quoted several statistics, notes, opinions and other information directly
from various government/academic/industry sources with the clear mention of the source of
information. Apart from all this, all other opinions, remarks, inferences and analysis are our
own and original creation.
Moreover, we also declare that for this work, either G.T.U. or any other university has not
conferred any degree or diploma to us before.
Priten Khandavi (117690592090)
Jay Bhatt (117690592021)
Uday Chabhad (117690592088)
Mukesh Chaudhary (117690592089)
Parth Mehta (117690592062)
Place: Gandhinagar
Date:
2
3
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We would take the pleasure of thanking all the people, without their support and help, it
would not have been possible to prepare this project.
We take this opportunity to thank Gujarat Technological University by providing an
opportunity to learn and understand a particular industry in a foreign nation.
We would like to express our sincere thanks to the director of our institute Dr. S O Junare
for his constant support and motivation.
Our Hearty thanks go to our project guide Prof. (Dr.) Mamta brahmbhatt, without whose
guidance and encouragement the project study wouldn’t have been possible.
Finally, thanks to our beloved family, whose devotion and candid dedication always inspired
us and encourage us to achieve better off.
4
PREFACE
As we are very much interested in business, we chose the course of Business Administration.
M.B.A. Programme is related with administration and management. It is a professional course
rather than vocational and the profession requires the situational how it exists in practical.
The Master of Business Administration Programme is well structured two year post
graduation Programme organized by GTU (Gujarat Technological University) -Ahmadabad.
The Gujarat Technological University prescribes “Global Country Report (GCR)” by
M.B.A. students and then presents a report to them. Global Country Report is an integral part
of M.B.A. and all students have to undergo for GCR around last two semesters (Third &
Fourth Semester) and then prepare a report on the same after studying entire country over
view.
The main objective of GCR at M.B.A. level is to make students aware about Globalization
International business as well as application of management concepts in practical word. And
also to develop skill and knowledge in a student by supplement to the theoretical study of the
business management in general.
Only book knowledge and class-room discussion is not enough for management student.
The M.B.A. Programme provides student with a fundamental functions and actives as well as
an exposure to strategic thinking and management
5
TABLE OF CONTENT
SR PARTICULER PAGENO. NO.
1 Introduction Of Medical Tourism In India1.1 Overview of Medical Tourism in India 11.2 History 31.3 Medical tourism policy 101.4 Various Competitors And Participants In This 11
Market1.5 Medical Tourism Statistics 141.6 Factors affecting Medical Tourism 181.7 Disadvantages and Dangers of Medical Tourism 201.8 Key issues to the medical tourism industry in India 22
2 About Medical Tourism In India2.1 Medical Tourism Great Scope in India 242.2 Importance of Medical Tourism in India 252.3 Other important aspects related to Medical Tourism 30
Policy of Indian Government2.4 International Patient's Guide for Medical Care in India 31
2.5 Facilities/Treatments available in India 382.6 Reason Behind The Growth Of Medical Tourism In
India2.7 SWOT ANALYSIS
3 Medical tourism prospects in Gujarat
3.1 Gujarat Medical tourism 533.2 Policy and Regulation 583.3 Development of Healthcare in Gujarat 593.4 Expanding for better 62
4 Travel destinations countries4.1 Cost Comparison of Medical Treatments: India vs. 63
the World4.2 Destination countries of medical tourism 674.3 Process 684.4 Risk 684.5 Legal Issues 694.6 Ethical issues 704.7 Benefit 71
6
5 Packages and health medical mix
5.1 Health Marketing Mix 755.2 Product 805.3 Price 815.4 Place 855.5 Promotion 85
5 Recommendation 896 Conclusion 906 Bibliography 93
7
Executive Summery
Traveling abroad for health is not a new phenomenon. Medical tourism is actually
thousands of years old. In ancient Greece, pilgrims and patients came from all over the
Mediterranean to the sanctuary of the healing god, asklepios; the god of healing was located at
Epidaurus. In roman Britain, patients took the waters at a shrine at bath, a practice that continued
for 2,000 years. During 18th century wealthy Europeans used to visit health resorts in North
Africa. But in the past seven years or so, the movement has accelerated sharply. It is growing
rapidly and turning out to be an immense business opportunity for nations which have the
strategic advantage of having resources in terms of medical technology, infrastructure and right
human resources. Cross-border travel for health reasons is a $40 billon market and growing at
over 15% a year throws up huge opportunities for anyone smart enough to tap it. Broadly defined
as a collaboration of medical services with the tourism industry, healthcare tourism offers cost
effective medical services for individuals who cannot afford these services in their country due to
high costs or to people who are tired by long waiting times. Also patients from countries, where
treatment is not available, can avail the benefits of healthcare tourism. Countries that are actively
promoting healthcare tourism include Belgium, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Thailand, Cuba,
Costa Rica, Hungary, and Poland. Greece and South Africa are also emerging as new
destinations. India is the latest entrant in the field of health tourism. The WTO identified four
modes that will help boost trade in health care services worldwide. Medical travel is the most
visible face of the increasing global trade in health care services.
The other three models are,
Cross border delivery of trade
The setting up of hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centers
The movement of health personnel
Health care insurance companies within industrialized nations have begun considering medical
tourism as a potential cost-saving measure, and have discussed providing round trip airfare and
tourist excursions as "consumer incentives" to help encourage this kind of travel. Medical
tourism holds the promise of reducing health care costs for individuals, companies, and
governments, as the latter will likely offer discounts and/or rebates to their employees and
constituents to prompt them to chose the medical tourism option and, in turn, reduce the insurer's
and self-insurer's growing costs of providing quality health care. There are also many companies
that can help arrange patients' surgeries, travel arrangements and tours. Many of these companies
partner with specific hospitals, thereby arranging a cheaper price for their patients than one could
arrange on their own through the hospital directly. The emergence of a private sector that thrives
by servicing a small percentage of the population that has the ability to "buy" medical care has
changed the character of the medical care sector. Corporate run institutions are seized with the
necessity to maximize profits and expand their coverage. In this background, corporate interests
in the medical care sector are looking for opportunities that go beyond the limited domestic
"market" for high cost medical care. This is the genesis of the "medical tourism" industry. The
private sector stool stands on three legs
1. Quality
2. Affordability
3. Ethical practice with tight fiscal controls resulting in reasonable profit.
You might go for medical tourism if
1. You want to save up to 90% on world class medical treatment.
2. Insurance cover for you does not exist or is unknot sufficient.
3. Procedure advised to you is not offered in your country.
4.Insurance company does no cover procedure you plan to undergo.
Benefits
1. Cost savings.
2. Better-quality care.
3. Excluded treatments.
4. Unique Procedures.
5. No waiting.
6. Sufficient stay:
7. Attraction of the new and different.
Medical Tourism Statistics
More and more countries are becoming medical tourism destinations. Medical tourism statistics
revealed an anticipated growth of the industry from about $40 billion in 2004 to $100 billion by
the year 2012. The estimate was made by the Confederation of India and the McKinsey
Company.
Another report disclosed that an estimated 750,000 Americans seek treatment abroad in 2007. It
was also estimated that a million and a half Americans sought healthcare outside the US in 2008.
the Indian segment is still a sliver of the US$60-billion global medical tourism market, the
consultancy firm Deloitte estimates the country's business will grow at a robust clip of 27 per
cent each year. The reason for its attraction for Indian industry and tourism is not far to seek.
According to the Ministry Of Tourism, as against an ordinary vacationer per-capita spend of
US$3,000 per visitor, the average medical tourist in India puts out more than $7,000 per visit.
India's abysmal spend of 4.9 per cent of its GDP on healthcare -- as compared to America's 15.3
percent, Switzerland's 11.3 percent or France's 11.1 percent – the country is well poised to
become a frontrunner in the global medical tourism market.
Various Competitors and participants in this market.
Affordable Medical Tourism
The Mediator
Prime India
Indi Smile Medical Network
Unhealthy Consultancy Private Limited
Modi Healthcare and Tourism Corporation
Many hospitals in India are accredited by international institutions and are offering world-class
treatment at that cost which is comparatively 40-50% less than that of any European country.
Year Revenue (In Billion US $)
2004 :-40
2006 :-60
2008:- 80
2012 :-100
Source:-www.health-tourism-india.com
Development Act 1951 to grant it the status of an industry and to promote accommodation
sector, so that every segment of tourism industry including hotels throughout the country can
avail various benefits under the Industrial Policy of the respective state governments like Land
banks for budget hotels, Exemption of duty on stamp paper, Exemption in VAT and Sales Tax,
and Single window clearance for new hotel projects etc.
Medical tourism policy is important to know how the tourism works in medical sector so that we
add brief tourism policy in this report.
Medical tourism (also called medical travel, health tourism or global healthcare) is a term used to
describe the rapidly-growing practice of travelling across international borders to seek healthcare
services. Services typically sought by travelers include elective procedures as well as complex
surgeries, etc.
India is touted as the best destination for medical health tourism. The opportunities are
tremendous and every sector of tourism are exploring this burgeoning growth industry, from the
Government of India, travel agents, hotel companies, India’s State tourism boards and most of
the hospitals, including all private hospitals. They’re seeking to combine both leisure tourism
with medical tourism and capitalize upon just how inexpensive the same quality and sometimes
better quality medical care costs are in India compared to the United States’ soaring medical
costs.
After this basic intro of medical tourism policy We add step by step process or say guidelines for
the international patients regarding to how medical tourism works in India.
Travelling overseas for surgery or any other medical treatment is an important decision. Taking
the right steps and following a systematic approach can make this choice a truly rewarding
experience. This guide is aimed at helping patients understand the complete process from the
point he/she wish to evaluate the options till he/she actually come back home after visiting India
for medical treatment.
Patients who go to the another state for the medical treatment , cost related to that treatment is
very much important for the patients so that patients can take a right decision for their treatment
so that on the basis of that We do cost comparisons of various state with India in relevant to
different -different diseases.
India has no parallels in healthcare when it comes to cost effective treatments in comparison with
other countries. Significant cost differences exist among US, UK and South Asian countries. Add
to it, the waiting time which is almost nil in case of India. After all, your health cannot be put at
stake due to long waiting lists.
After all this We find out the growth of medical tourism in India and also work on and search
reason behind the successful growth of medical tourism in India and also finding out advantage
and limitation of it in relevant to India.
In recent time there are many factors which may affect medical tourism and main factors which
factors are as follows.
Low cost of medical treatment
Experienced and talented pool of Medical Professionals
Strong Private Hospital Infrastructure
Experience in Medical Tourism
Medical decisions by Doctors, not by rules made by Non-Medicos
Familiarity of Western Patients with Indian Doctors
To summarize it, the future of Medical Tourism in India is very bright. In the next few years,
Hospitals in India are going to expand and new hospitals will open.
Medical Tourism Corporation facilitates medical treatment to top Hospitals in India. Request a
quote using the form on this page for more information.
Marketing Mix:-
Marketing mix is the set of controllable variables that an organization uses to influence the target
market. The four Ps have long been the basis for marketing strategy in most industries and are
increasingly being considered by healthcare organizations. Below follows the implementation of
4 Ps to health services.
CHAPTER:-1 Introduction to Medical Tourism
1.1 Overview of Medical Tourism The first recorded instance of medical tourism dates back thousands of years to
when Greek pilgrims traveled from all over the Mediterranean to the small territory in
the Sardonic Gulf called Epidaurus. This territory was the sanctuary of the healing
god Asclepius. Epidaurus became the original travel destination for medical tourism.
Spa and sanitariums may be considered an early form of medical tourism. In eighteenth
century England, for example, patients visited spas because they were places with
supposedly health-giving mineral waters, treating diseases from gout to liver disorders
and bronchitis.
The medical faculty of India in collaboration with the tourism industry has
worked together to provide cost-effective treatment to people across the globe. With the
privatization of medical care in India evolved the recent and popular trend of treatment
along with the fun of a vacation, better known as medical tourism in India.
India best known as a tourist's paradise offers a choice of beaches, majestic palaces,
refreshing hill stations and more. With the new trend of medical tourism in India, now
vacationers can enjoy a rejuvenating holiday and also avail of world-class medical
treatment of different sorts.
India is now considered as the golden place for treating patients mostly from the
developed countries and Far East for ailments and procedures of relatively high cost and
complexity. India is also aggressively promoting medical tourism in the recent years -and
gradually now it is shifting towards a new area of "medical outsourcing," where
subcontractors provide better services to the overburdened medical care systems in
Australia & in western countries.
Factors that have led to the increasing popularity of medical travel include the
high cost of health care, long wait times for certain procedures, the ease and affordability
of international travel, and improvements in both technology and standards of care in
1 | P a g e
many countries. The avoidance of waiting times is the leading factor for medical tourism
from the UK, whereas in the US, the main reason is cheaper prices abroad. In 2009, there
were 60,000 patients going for treatment abroad in the UK.
Many surgery procedures performed in medical tourism destinations cost a
fraction of the price they do in the First World. For example a liver transplant that costs
$300,000 USD in America costs about $91,000 USD in Taiwan. A large draw to medical
travel is convenience and speed. Countries that operate public health-care systems are
often so taxed that it can take considerable time to get non-urgent medical care. Using
Canada as an example, an estimated 782,936 Canadians spent time on medical waiting
lists in 2005, waiting an average of 9.4 weeks. Canada has set waiting-time benchmarks,
e. G. 26 weeks for a hip replacement and 16 weeks for cataract surgery, for non-urgent
medical procedures.
Medical tourists come from a variety of locations including Europe, the Middle
East, Japan, the United States, and Canada. Factors that drive demand for medical
services abroad in First World countries include: large populations, comparatively high
wealth, the high expense of health care or lack of health care options locally, and
increasingly high expectations of their populations with respect to health care.
In First World countries like the United States medical tourism has large growth
prospects and potentially destabilizing implications. A forecast by Deloitte Consulting
published in August 2008 projected that medical tourism originating in the US could
jump by a factor of ten over the next decade. An estimated 750,000 Americans went
abroad for health care in 2007, and the report estimated that 1.5 million would seek health
care outside the US in 2008. The growth in medical tourism has the potential to cost US
health care providers billions of dollars in lost revenue.
An authority at the Harvard Business School recently stated that "medical tourism
is promoted much more heavily in the United Kingdom than in the United States".
Additionally, some patients in some First World countries are finding that insurance
2 | P a g e
either does not cover orthopedic surgery (such as knee/hip replacement) or limits the
choice of the facility, surgeon, or prosthetics to be used. Medical tourism for knee/hip
replacements has emerged as one of the more widely accepted procedures because of the
lower cost and minimal difficulties associated with the traveling to/from the surgery.
Attractions in India
India is a land is assorted beauties. The golden sands and palm fringed beaches of
Goa, the magnificent monuments and architectural beauties like the Taj Mahal, Red Fort,
misty hill stations like Manali, Kulu, Shimla, are significant tourist attractions and
numerous tourists visit India from different parts of the world.
Hospitals in India
Among some of the leading Hospitals that offer medical tourism in India is the
group of hospitals. The hospital promises exceptional medical facilities along with
special care and concern.
Apollo hospital
Sterling hospital
Rajasthan hospital
CIMS hospital
Selby hospital
Mayflower woman's hospital
Sal hospital
Indus hospital
Doshi hospital
1.2 History of medical tourism
Medical tourism is nothing new. The history of medical tourism cites that even in
the early times, people have been traveling to other countries for health purposes. There
were the ancient Greeks and Egyptians who went to hot springs and baths to improve
their health as well as the 18th and 19th century Europeans and Americans who flocked
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to health spas and sanitariums and even in remote places in the hope that they will get
treatment for diseases such as tuberculosis, gout, bronchitis or liver diseases.
The history of medical tourism dates back to its first recorded case when Greek
pilgrims traveled from the Mediterranean to Epidauria, a small territory in the Saronic
Gulf. It was said that this small territory was the sanctuary of Asklepios, known as the
healing God. Thus, it was recorded in medical tourism history that Epidauria is the
original destination for medical tourism.
Long before Americans stepped onto foreign soil for cardiac surgery, a tummy
tuck or a dental job, medical travelers from around the world have been searching far and
wide to seek the best medical services. One can say that the concept of medical travel is
as old as medicine itself. Medical tourism history in fact dates back to ancient times.
The following is a short excerpt into the colorful history of medical tourism. These time
lines indicate that if ever healthcare is in short supply - wherever the location or whatever
period in time it may be - sick and injured people will travel for healthcare.
Medical Tourism History - Ancient Times
Studies of ancient cultures depict a strong link between religion and healthcare,
which dates back thousands of years. Most ancient civilizations recognized the
therapeutic effects of mineral thermal springs and sacred temple baths. The following are
some of the earliest civilizations.
The Sumerians (circa 4000 BC) constructed the earliest known health complexes
that were built around hot springs. These healthcare facilities included majestic elevated
temples with flowing pools.
During the Bronze Age (circa 2000 BC), hill tribes in what is now known
presently as St. Moritz, Switzerland recognized the health benefits in drinking and
bathing in iron-rich mineral springs. The same bronze drinking cups that they used were
4 | P a g e
found in thermal springs in France and Germany, which could signify health pilgrimages
within these cultures.
The Ancient Greeks were the first to lay a foundation for a comprehensive
medical tourism network. In honor of their god of medicine, Asclepius, the Greeks
erected the Asclepia Temples, which became some of the world's first health centers.
People from all over, traveled to these temples to seek cures for their ailments.
By the year 300 BC, other therapeutic temples flourished under the Greek domain. One
facility called the Epidaurus was the most famous and included services like a
gymnasium, a snake farm, a dream temple, and thermal baths. Other temple spas included
the Sanctuary of Zeus in Olympia and the Temple of Delphi.
In India, the history of medical tourism was also slowly unfolding with the
popularity of yoga and Ayurvedic medicine. As early as 5000 years ago, constant streams
of medical travelers and spiritual students flocked to India to seek the benefits of these
alternative-healing methods.
When Rome became a global power, several hot-water baths and springs called
thermae came into existence and gained popularity among the elite. These baths were not
only healthcare facilities, but became commercial and social networking centers for the
rich and the elite.
Medical Tourism History - the middle Ages
With the downfall of the Roman Civilization, Asia continued to be the prime
medical tourism destination for healthcare travelers. Temples gave way to hospitals that
provide clinical services to travelers seeking healthcare. These institutions are chronicled
in medical tourism history.
In Medieval Japan, hot mineral springs called ones became popular throughout
the nation due to their healing properties. The warrior clans soon took notice of these
5 | P a g e
springs and began using them to alleviate pain, heal wounds, and recuperate from their
battles.
Many early Islamic cultures established health care systems that also catered for
foreigners. In 1248 AD, the Mansuri Hospital was built in Cairo and became the largest
and most advanced hospital in the world of that time. With the capacity to accommodate
8,000 people, this hospital became a healthcare destination for foreigners regardless of
race or religion.
History of Medical Tourism - The Renaissance Period
The Renaissance Period of the 14th to 17th century, not only highlighted the
rebirth of art and culture in Europe and England, but was also a period where medical
tourism flourished.
A village known as Ville d'Eaux or Town of Waters became famous throughout
Europe in 1326 when iron-rich hot springs were discovered within the region. Prominent
visitors like Peter the Great and Victor Hugo visited these wellness resorts. The word
―spa‖, derived from the Roman term ―salude per aqua‖ or health through waters, was
first used here.
During the 16th century, the rich and the elite of Europe rediscovered Roman
baths and flocked to tourist towns with spas like St. Mortiz, Ville d'Eaux, Baden Baden,
Aachen and Bath in England. Bath or Aquae Sulis enjoyed royal patronage and was
famous throughout the known world. It became the center of fashionable wellness and
became a playground for the rich and famous.
History of Medical Tourism - The Post-Renaissance Period
Towards the end of the Renaissance period, aristocrats from around Europe
continued to swarm to Bath for healing and therapeutic cleansing.
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In the 1720s, Bath became the first city in England to receive a covered sewage
system and was ahead of London for several years. The city also received technological,
financial, and social benefits. Roads were paved, streets had lights, hotels, and restaurants
were beautified – all because of Medical Tourism.
The most noteworthy traveler in the history of Medical Tourism was Michel
Eyquem de Montaigne. He was the French inventor of the essay, and was believed to be
the father of luxury travel. He helped write the earliest documented spa guide in medical
tourism history.
The discovery of the New World brought new destinations for European medical
travelers. During the 1600s, English and Dutch colonists started building log cabins near
mineral springs rich with medicinal properties. During this time, it was noted that the
Native Americans in the New World were adept in the healing arts. Knowledge in herbal
medicine was exceptional and rivaled those in Europe, Asia or Africa.
During the 18th and 19th century, several Europeans and Americans continued to travel
to remote areas with spas and health retreats hoping to cure various ailments like
tuberculosis.
Medical Tourism History from the 1900s to 1997
During this time, the USA and Europe were not only the commercial and
industrial centers, but they were also the center of the healthcare world. Medical travel
was limited to the affluent rich who traveled to these countries in order to receive high-
end medical services.
In 1933, the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) was established and
became the umbrella organization for the medical specialist boards in the United States.
The ABMS established educational and professional policies, which became the blueprint
of standards around the world.
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In 1958, the European Union of Medical Specialties (UEMS) was formed. The
UEMS is made up of different National Medical Associations from member nations of
the European Unions.
During the 1960s, India became a destination of choice for pilgrims when the
New Age movement began in the USA. The flower child movement, which drew the elite
and socialites of America and the UK, eventually developed into a fully-fledged medical
tourism industry, with yoga and Ayurvedic medicine rediscovered.
With the cost of healthcare rising in the 1980s and 1990s, American patients
started considering offshore options, like dental services in Central America. Whilst US
doctors were appalled at the idea of seeking healthcare in foreign hospitals during these
periods, Cuba started programs luring foreigners for eye surgeries, heart and cosmetic
procedures.
History of Medical Tourism from 1997 to 2001
The Asian economic crisis in 1997 and the collapse of Asian currencies prompted
government officials in these nations to direct tourism efforts in marketing their countries
as premiere destinations for international healthcare. Thailand quickly became the hub for
plastic surgery, with fees charged at a fraction of what Western countries could offer.
It was in 1997 that the Joint Commission International was formed to check and
investigate international healthcare facilities for conformance to international standards
due to the emergence of health providers around the world.
Medical Tourism from 2001 to 2006
After the events of 9/11 and the construction boom in Asia, medical tourism
continued its massive growth with as many as 150,000 US Citizens traveling to
destinations in Asia and Latin America in 2006. During this time, the dentistry and
cosmetic surgery industries reached new heights in these countries.
8 | P a g e
Thailand, Singapore and India became legitimate medical destinations due to JCI
accreditation. Other Southeast Asian and Latin American countries are emerging as
healthcare destinations as well with JCI accreditation and partnerships with prominent
US-based health providers.
Medical Tourism in 2007 and Beyond
The number of American medical tourists increased to 300,000 in 2007, the
largest ever in medical tourism history. This figure is estimated to reach over a million by
2010, as patients continue to pack suitcases and board airplanes for offshore procedures
such as: face-lifts, bypass surgery or fertility treatments.
In 2008, several healthcare and insurance companies in the United States
considered medical outsourcing. These offered their members the possibility to get non-
emergency procedures and surgeries in other countries. Many are also considering
foreign medical procedures as part of health plan coverage.
Medical Centers, Hospitals, Clinics, Doctors, Surgeons, Medical Tourism,
Affordable Healthcare, Medical Spas, Alternaagent@tive Medicine, Cosmetic Surgery,
Dental Treatment, Health Tourism, Global Health Destinations, Surgery Abroad, Medical
Travel, Wellness Vacation, Overseas Operations
Surgery Abroad
Alternative Medicine Treatment Abroad Anti-Aging Treatment Abroad
Ayurveda Treatment Abroad Cancer Treatment Abroad
Chronic Diseases Treatment Abroad Cosmetic/Plastic Surgery Treatment Abroad
Dentistry Treatment Abroad Detox Treatment Abroad ENT Treatment Abroad
Executive Healthcheck Treatment Abroad Eye/Lasik Care Treatment Abroad
Fertility Treatment Abroad Gynecology Treatment Abroad
Heart Care/Surgery Treatment Abroad Infertility IVF Treatment Abroad
Laparoscopic Surgery Treatment Abroad Medical Spa Treatment Abroad
Neurology Treatment Abroad Obesity/Bariatric Surgery Treatment Abroad
Orthopedic/Knee Surgery Treatment Abroad Pediatric Treatment Abroad
9 | P a g e
Rehabilitation Treatment Abroad Skin Care Treatment Abroad Spine Care
Surgery Treatment Abroad Sports Medicine Treatment Abroad Stem Cell Therapy
Treatment Abroad
Urology Treatment Abroad Vascular Surgery Treatment Abroad Yoga/Meditation
Treatment Abroad
Cancer Treatment in Turkey, Fertility Treatment in Turkey, Heart Care/Surgery in
Turkey, Infertility
1.3 Medical Tourism policy
Medical tourism (also called medical travel, health tourism or global healthcare)
is a term used to describe the rapidly-growing practice of travelling across international
borders to seek healthcare services. Services typically sought by travelers include elective
procedures as well as complex surgeries, etc.
India holds advantage as a medical tourism destination due to following factors:
Most of the doctors and surgeons at Indian hospitals are trained or have worked at some
of the medical institutions in the US, Europe, or other developed nations.
Most doctors and nurses are fluent in English.
Top -of-the-line medical and diagnostic equipment from global international
conglomerates is available at many Indian hospitals.
Indian nurses are among the best in the world. Nearly 1000 recognized nurses-
training centers in India, mostly attached to teaching hospitals, graduate nearly 10,000
nurses annually.
Even the most budget-conscious traveler can afford first-rate service and luxury
amenities Initiatives of Ministry of Tourism to promote Medical Tourism
Dedicated exhibition space for Medical Tourism in ITB, Berlin
In order to promote the positioning of India as a Medical destination and increase
the presence of the medical fraternity in the international travel exhibitions, a dedicated
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space of 4 sq m. was provided to the medical fraternity within the India Pavilion at ITB
Berlin.
Road shows for promotion of Medical Tourism
Road shows' focusing on Medical Tourism are a continuous process and is
organized in consultation with the Stakeholders from time to time. The last road show
was organized in West Asia (Dubai, Riyadh, Kuwait and Doha) in October 2009 which
was led by the Minister of State for Tourism.
Production of Publicity Material
Brochure, CDs and other publicity materials to promote Medical and health
tourism have been produced by Ministry of Tourism and have been widely circulated for
publicity in target markets.
Fiscal Incentives Provided by Ministry of Tourism for Development of Medical Tourism
Salient Features of MDA for Medical Tourism
For participation in approved Medical and other Tourism Fairs/Medical
Conferences/Wellness Fairs and its allied Road Shows Ministry of Tourism provides
Market Development Assistance. This scheme was extended to the Medical Tourism
Service Providers and Wellness Tourism Service Providers during the year 2009.
Financial support under the MDA Scheme is provided to approve medical tourism service
providers, i.e. representatives of Hospitals accredited by JCI and NABH and Medical
Tourism facilitators (Travel Agents/ Tour Operators) approved by Ministry of Tourism,
Government of India and engaged in Medical Tourism.
1.4 Various Competitors and participants in this market
Affordable Medical Tourism
Services: Staffing Services to Hospitals, Content Writing/PR for Hospitals, Hospital Web
Marketing, Patient Counseling and Immigration Services, Travel/Tourism Services to
Patients, Medical/Health Medical Tourism Insurance
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Website URL: http://www.affordablemedicalto...
Established Year (If Applicable): 2009
The Mediator
Services: Patient Counseling and Immigration Services, Travel/Tourism Services to
Patients, Medical/Health Medical Tourism Insurance
Website URL: http://www.themeditour.com
Prime India
Services: Staffing Services to Hospitals, Hospital Web Marketing, Patient Counseling
and Immigration Services, Travel/Tourism Services to Patients Primes have been
successfully emerging in the industry making a remarkable development in various fields
like Jeweler, Tele Communication, BPO & Medical Tourism. Being a young, dynamic
Institute we drive positive and remarkable success in every industry we progress. We
deliver our services without compromising on time and quality. We are proud to be the
leading International Patient Care Facilitator in building the world's health care
infrastructure and in providing treatments for millions of people around the globe. As a
learning organization we grow with our customer needs and love to take new challenges.
Backed up with strong quality processes and well trained efficient staffs, we align our
strategies to achieve our business goals.
A medical tourism facilitator company runs by pioneers of Indian healthcare and
hospitality industry. It provides high quality healthcare services, amiable hospitality,
tourism services, rejuvenating wellness services and comfortable travel services to the
international medical traveler to India
Indi smile Medical Network
Services: Patient Counseling and Immigration Services, Travel/Tourism Services to
Patients, Medical/Health Medical Tourism Insurance
Contact Email: [email protected]
Website URL: http://www.indismile-medical-n...
Established Year (If Applicable): 2009
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India's largest network of hospitals less than one roof, Indi smile Medical Network has in
it the maximum number of hospitals and other affiliates.
Unhealthy Consultancy Private Limited
Services: Staffing Services to Hospitals, Content Writing/PR for Hospitals, Hospital Web
Marketing, Patient Counseling and Immigration Services, Travel/Tourism Services to
Patients, Medical/Health Medical Tourism Insurance
Contact Email: [email protected]
Website URL: http://www.unihealthonline.com
Established Year (If Applicable): 2009
Modi Healthcare and Tourism Corporation
Services: Staffing Services to Hospitals, Patient Counseling and Immigration Services,
Travel/Tourism Services to Patients
Contact Email: [email protected]
Website URL: http://www.mhctc.com
Kanchanjunga Healthcare
Services: Patient Counseling and Immigration Services
Contact Email: [email protected]
Established Year (If Applicable): 1998
Location:2, Prabhat , Mulund -West , Mumbai , Maharashtra , India 400080
Akshar Health Care Pvt. Ltd
Services: Staffing Services to Hospitals, Travel/Tourism Services to Patients,
Medical/Health Medical Tourism Insurance
Contact Email: [email protected]
Website URL: http://aksharmeditour.com
Location:A/2/804, Anmol Tower, , , Ahmedabad , Gujarat , India 380063
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1.5 Medical Tourism Statistics
More and more countries are becoming medical tourism destinations. Medical
tourism statistics revealed an anticipated growth of the industry from about $40 billion in
2004 to $100 billion by the year 2012. The estimate was made by the Confederation of
India and the mckinsey Company.
Another report disclosed that an estimated 750,000 Americans seek treatment
abroad in 2007. It was also estimated that a million and a half Americans sought
healthcare outside the US in 2008.
Almost a decade after it was originally envisioned as a major phenomenon,
medical tourism in India is beginning to take off. More and more people across the globe
are eschewing expensive treatments or long waits at hospitals at home for the benefits
offered by cheaper countries like India, Thailand, Philippines and Singapore and
combining a tummy tuck, say with a visit to the Taj Mahal or the beaches and misty
mountains of Kerala.
Although India had fallen behind other countries after the initial promise, two
studies say health tourism is projected to be the next big thing after India's IT outsourcing
boom. A 2009 report by the Confederation of Industries (CII)-mckinsey forecasts that,
medical tourism will generate US$2.4 billion during 2009–2012 for India by attracting
1.1 million health tourists, up from 150,000 in 2002.
Though the Indian segment is still a sliver of the US$60-billion global medical
tourism market, the consultancy firm Deloitte estimates the country's business will grow
at a robust clip of 27 per cent each year. The reason for its attraction for Indian industry
and tourism is not far to seek. According to the Ministry Of Tourism, as against an
ordinary vacationer per-capita spend of US$3,000 per visitor, the average medical tourist
in India puts out more than $7,000 per visit Leading Indian medical experts ascribe this
exponential growth to demand. "With health care costs going north," says Dr Alok Roy
of Fortis Hospital, one of the leading service providers in the medical tourism sector,
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"patients are compelled to look at cost-effective destinations for medical treatments. And
what could be better if they can combine that with sightseeing at scenic locations?"
Delhi-based physian Narottam Puri believes the current expensive and overburdened
health care system in the US is not sustainable due to a variety of factors.
"India, on the contrary," Puri says, "is a value-for-money destination for health
care because we produce over 30,000 new doctors each year combined with a diverse
genetic pool for drug testing."
Ironically, despite India's abysmal spend of 4.9 per cent of its GDP on healthcare
-- as compared to America's 15.3 percent, Switzerland's 11.3 percent or France's 11.1
percent – the country is well poised to become a frontrunner in the global medical
tourism market.
For starters, India's pricing of its medical services is lower than in comparable
countries. A report by the Planning Commission points out that while carry Joint
Commission International accreditation similarly, heart valve replacement surgery for
US$10,000 in Thailand, $12,500 in Singapore and US$200,000 in the US can be carried
out in India for $8,000. According to the American Medical Association data, as against a
charge of $5,000 for a spinal fusion in India, a patient will pay $62,000 in the US, $9,000
in Singapore and $7,000 in Thailand.
India also offers an impressive scale and repertoire of treatments, qualified,
English-speaking doctors and a varied landscape in which medical tourists can recuperate
– from the beaches of Goa to the deserts of Rajasthan.
"The essence of medical tourism is a combination of quality healthcare across a
range of disciplines coupled with visits to scenic locations to recuperate or rejuvenate
oneself," says Pradeep Thukral, Executive Director, Indian Medical Travel Association
(IMTA) which works with Indian hospitals and tourism bodies to promote health tourism.
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Experts say India also has a reputation for world-class expertise in cardiac care, cosmetic
surgery, joint replacements, neurological and orthopedic treatments and dentistry. "The
capacity in super specialty segment Indian hospitals is expanding fast and – unlike the US
or the UK -- there is no waiting period for local or overseas patients," explains Dr. Roy.
Infrastructure spending for health care has also surged. The private sector especially has
flourished, equipped with state-of-the-art technology. Top Indian corporate hospitals like
Apollo, Fortis, Wockhardt, Max and Manipal have stepped in to provide quality
healthcare and technology. A large number of new private specialty hospitals and
integrated health cities coming up in the top metropolitan areas are adding further heft to
India's medical tourism offerings. It is estimated that nearly 75 per cent of health care
services and investments in India are now provided by the private sector. Coupled with
this is the fact that India has perhaps one of the largest pharmaceutical industries in the
world which is not only self-sufficient in drug production but also exports them to over
180 countries at a fraction of the price of US pharmaceuticals.
According to Vishal Bali, CEO, Wockhardt Group of Hospitals, Indian clinical
and paramedical talent is globally accepted as high standard. Also, many hospitals now
carry Joint Commission International accreditation which puts them at par with the
world's best. "Third-party intervention through health insurance," adds Bali, "has also
given Indian medical tourism a fillip."
To tap the commercial potential, the Indian hospitality industry too is venturing
into the market. Spas at star-rated hotels have jumped onto the wellness bandwagon to
offer a smorgasbord of traditional treatments like ayurvedic massages and recuperative
therapies.
"Traditional Indian treatments cover every aspect of medicine at a reasonable
cost. This provides the perfect impetus for overseas patients to come to India," explains
Dr Jairam Nair, Director Spas, Amatrra Spa, and New Delhi. In addition to traditional
medicine, adds Nair, India offers many more relaxing and rejuvenating treatment options
like yoga, ayurveda, meditation and naturopathic medicine.
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The Ministry of Tourism's Market Development Assistance scheme to cover Joint
Commission International and National Accreditation Board of Hospitals certified
hospitals which have a rigorous evaluation process has also helped bolster the wellness
sector.
The MDA scheme offsets overseas marketing costs for travel companies earning
foreign exchange. By opening up the MDA, hospital groups will be made eligible for
financial assistance, including publicity through printed material, travel and stay
expenses for sales-cum-study tours and participation fees for trade fairs and exhibitions.
The government is also lending support, investing about $6.5 billion in medical tourism
infrastructure over the next two years. India has also launched an accreditation program
for secondary and tertiary hospitals by the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals
and Healthcare Providers, which works with qualified assessors to grant accreditation to
hospitals through a stringent evaluation process.
The government has also been working towards providing priority medical visas
for. "However the main bottleneck for medical tourists coming from the UK and US for
major surgeries is that the insurance companies are not willing to cover treatment in
India. Although this scenario is changing, the process is painfully slow," said a joint
secretary at the Ministry of Health.
Travel companies are also liaising with hospitals to facilitate travel, arranging
phone consultations with physicians in India to help the overseas patients save time and
money once they get to India. Most Indian hospitals also allow the patients' personal
physicians to consult with Indian doctors from overseas. Western patients usually get an
all-inclusive package that includes flights, transfers, hotels, treatment and often a post-
operative vacation.
The tourism ministry is prompting all players to form a government-industry
partnership on the lines of NASSCOM to strengthen the Indian healthcare brand
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overseas. Efforts will be made to launch uniform pricing bands and to combine medical
packages with innovative travel products, according to Pradeep Thukral, executive
director of the Indian Medical Travel Association.
In fact to cater to the burgeoning demand, India is now diversifying into a new
area of "medical outsourcing" where subcontractors provide services to the overburdened
medical care systems in western countries. This initiative has the support of the National
Health Policy which declares that treatment of foreign patients is legally an "export" and
deemed "eligible for all fiscal incentives extended to export earnings."
"However, the biggest challenge for India to emerge as a top medical tourism destination
is on the non-medical side," Thukral cautioned. "The marketing, the infrastructure and
services to support the growth of medical tourism are still at a nascent stage in the
country. Till that is shored up, India can't hope to be a frontrunner in the field."
1.6 Factors affecting Medical Tourism
Low cost of medical treatment: Prime Driver of Medical Tourism in India Private health
care in India is comparable to much that is available at the best hospitals in the world and
at a far lower cost. Even considering the cost of air travel and luxury hotel
accommodation (if required), the cost savings comes out to be 40-80% of what is in the
USA.
Experienced and talented pool of Medical Professionals
With a long history of subsidized medical education and high investments in medical
research, India has one of the biggest pool of medical professionals and scientists in the
world.
Many Indian doctors have learned their trade and practice it in the US and UK.
Due to the sheer volume of patients and less bureaucratic delays in acceptance of new
medical procedures, surgeons have more experience in some of the new medical
techniques. For example, hip resurfacing surgery was introduced in USA by the FDA in
2006, whereas it had already been in practice in India for many years then.
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Strong Private Hospital Infrastructure
India has one of the biggest private hospitals in the world. Many of them are affiliated
with top world medical institutes like Harvard Medical and John Hopkins. A number of
these hospitals are also accredited by JCI, USA, or ISO. These medical centers have the
infrastructure, experience and the setup for quality conscious medical tourism patients
from the West.
English is widely spoken
It‘s the medium of most public conversations and the preferred language of
communication in hospitals and medical centers.
English is also the medium of instruction in schools and professional
training. A Government that is favorable to medical tourism
Indian government has a special visa for medical tourists that allow them to stay for long
periods in the country. Also, the government has an investment of US $6.5 billion in the
pipeline for medical tourism. This is for setting up affordable hospitals in India and
budget hotels for patient‘s relatives.
Experience in Medical Tourism
Medical tourists from South Asia and Middle East have been coming for medical
treatment to India for many years now. Also, Medical tourism from UK to India has
become quite common. It‘s only Medical Tourism from North America (USA, Canada)
to India that is a relatively new phenomenon.
Medical decisions by Doctors, not by rules made by Non-Medicos
Unlike many countries, doctors have most of the say in medical treatment in India, unlike
many countries where doctors are afraid that what they say or do might be used against
them in a law suit.
Familiarity of Western Patients with Indian Doctors
Many Western patients have had previous experience with Indian doctors.
One in 20 physicians in the USA is from India; a large number of Indian physicians
practice in the UK, too.
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To summarize it, the future of Medical Tourism in India is very bright. In the next few
years, Hospitals in India are going to expand and new hospitals will open.
Medical Tourism Corporation facilitates medical treatment to top Hospitals in India.
Request a quote using the form on this page for more information.
1.7 Disadvantages and Dangers of Medical Tourism?
Although there are countless advantages and benefits to medical tourism, there are
also a few disadvantages, dangers, and concerns of which you should be
aware. Medical tourism is a trade-off, pure and simple. Although you
might receive personalized attention, quality health care, convenience, affordable pricing,
and a chance to experience a new culture, you occasionally sacrifice familiarity and
certain legal guarantees.
1. Medical Malpractice Suits
Although most medical tourism facilities (hospitals, dental clinics, etc.) will have medical
malpractice insurance to cover any unforeseen events, seeking damages can sometimes
be difficult in cases of negligence, misdiagnoses, or incompetence. This is not to say that
medical tourists have absolutely no legal, but if you're looking for large cash settlements,
you should probably stay in your 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. For a more detailed discussion on legal issues surrounding
health travel, please visit our Medical Tourism Malpractice & Liability section.
2. Insurance Laws May Vary
Depending on the type of insurance you have, and depending on the type of procedure
you need, you might not be fully covered if you travel abroad. You'll want to check with
our insurance carrier and see what portion of the final bill they're willing to
cover.
In the past, medical tourism was largely relegated to the cosmetic surgery industry, and
thus, insurance usually wasn't a major factor since elective procedures aren't normally
20 | P a g e
covered. But increasingly, hospitals in medical tourism
destinations like Thailand and India have begun offering life-saving medical
procedures that your insurance company would probably cover back home. Make sure
you have the facts first. To get started, please consult our Medical Tourism
Insurance section.
3. Postoperative Treatments
For many procedures, it's customary to check in with your physician or dentist from time
to time as you recuperate. However, by receiving treatment abroad, it becomes
prohibitively expensive to consult with 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 find medical
tourists relaxing on the beaches of Phuket or Goa as they recuperate. But for procedures
requiring longer recovery periods, you'll need to make postoperative arrangements on
your own. This usually requires consulting a local physician or dentist in your hometown,
in addition to whatever foreign health care provider supervised the original treatment.
4. It's 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
abroad to receive medical treatment, it's strongly recommended that you take someone
with you. However, this necessarily drives up the total price of your medical vacation
since you'll have to book flights and hotel reservations for at least two people.
5. Finding the Best Medical Facility Possible
When you shop around for hospitals and dental clinics in your neighborhood, you can
easily visit them in person, check out the facilities, and meet with hospital staff. But with
medical tourism, this type of in-person reconnaissance becomes a little harder to manage.
We have tried our very best to provide contact information and background info
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for all of the medical facilities listed throughout this Web site, but the ultimate decision
rests solely with you. By following the steps outlined in Planning a Medical Vacation,
you can minimize the chances of selecting a medical facility that fails to meet your
standards.
1.8 Key issues to the medical tourism industry in India
As various countries are at loggerheads to get a greater share in the medical
tourism industry, India needs to carve out a distant niche for itself, by leveraging its
existing strengths and thereby offering a unique value proposition. Generally, there are
three types of medical tourists.
Foreigners coming for medical treatment Foreigners seeking treatment and leisure
Expatriates
The country like India is facing the following issues/challenges to become a tourist
destination with competent medical tourism industry. They are: Lack of infrastructural
facilities like lack of connectivity, lack of coordinating system, poor power supply and
poor water supply.
Most Indian hospitals are also facing the lack of trust from the foreign patients. The
hospitals have observed poor hygiene awareness in medical attendants, unhygienic food
handling, and lack of proper hospitality services, heterogeneous pricing of services and
no industry standards.
The government can play a vital part to upgrade the medical tourism sector. But the
industry is facing the following problems which are caused by the governments. They
are:
(a) No regulations,
(b) Taxation anomalies,
(c) Bureaucratic roadblocks,
(d) No works on land reforms,
(e) Lack of long-term investor friendly policies and
(f) Instability with respect to terrorism and communal tensions.
On the part of insurance and allied services, the medical tourism industry in India is also
facing some key bottlenecks.
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They are:
(a) Inadequate insurance cover,
(b) Underdeveloped insurance market in India,
(c) Insurance frauds and
(d) Overseas companies refusing reimbursement.
The following challenges, due to the infrastructural parts in medical tourism sector in
India, are:
(a) Poor accessibility,
(b) Lack of capital,
(c) Lack of Community participation and awareness,
(d) Lack of involvement from rural sector,
(e) Lack of concern for sustainability,
(f) Complex visa procedures,
(g) Lack of good language translators, and
(h) Poor airport facilities. Apart from these, there are some specific issues to
promote medical tourism in India.
They are:
(a) Quality accreditations to the Indian hospitals and service providers,
(b) Training and Development to the Doctors, Nurses and Para medical staffs,
(c) Lack of customer oriented approach
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CHAPTER:-2 Medical tourism in India
2.1 Medical Tourism Great Scope in India
The medical practitioners in India are among the best in the world. Top surgeons
in Indian hospitals have international work experience and are abreast of the latest
medical advances. Indian hospitals match international standards with regard to medical
equipment, nursing care and hygiene standards.
India‘s system of traditional medicine are a combination of Ayurveda, Siddha
Yoga and meditation, it aims at curing ills and helping the patient to lead a healthy,
balanced lifestyle. There are a number of health farms and nature spas in India that attract
a number of foreigners looking for help in bringing about lifestyle changes and
detoxification of the body.
The Ministry of Tourism has recognized the scope of medical tourism and has
initiated MDA (Market Development Assistance) Scheme to key players in the Medical
Tourism space. Road shows are organized at regular intervals to promote India as a
Medical Tourism destination. India is a world leader in both traditional as well as
conventional systems of medicine. The hospitals and medical staff in India are
comparable to the best in the world.
In a report published in 2010, The Confederation of Indian Industry and Mckinsey
predicted the emergence of medical tourism as the next big Indian success story. This
industry, still in the nascent stage, is predicted to grow at a rate of 30% over the next 5
years and contribute additional revenue of USD 2.3 Billion by 2012. This industry is
slated to be the next largest export grosser after the software industry.
Medical tourism refers to the provision of facilities for a client to travel, stay and
recuperate at a healthcare facility. The medical tourism industry, therefore, generates
income directly for the travel industry, hospitals and medical staff, and the hospitality
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industry. Other industries that indirectly gain from medical tourism are the banking and
medical insurance industry and the allied medical services industry.
India is the destination of choice for complex procedures such as cardiac surgery,
orthopaedic operations, and neurosurgery as well as dental treatment. India is the
preferred medical tourism destination among Americans, who are not covered by
insurance because of the high cost of medical facilities in the US. The cost of a medical
procedure in the US exceeds the cost of travel to and fro to India, medical and surgery
costs and also the cost for the recuperation in India. The British prefer to be treated in
India as their National Health Service is unable to provide immediate treatment because
of the long waiting list. Countries like Greece, Malaysia and South Africa also provide
similar services. India‘s USP in medical tourism is in the rates for surgical procedures,
which are 10 to 15 times lower than elsewhere in the world.
President Obama in a recent press release has expressed his opposition to medical
tourism and has proposed to make affordable healthcare available to Americans through
the 2010 US health reform law. The doyens of India‘s healthcare industry feel there is
very little cause for worry to India as people travel to India not only considering the costs,
but also because of the assurance of high-quality healthcare that India has to offer.
2.2 Importance of Medical Tourism in India
Now a days, the concept of medical tourism in India is gaining high popularity.
Lots of people travel or go on holidays for improving their health or for fitness purpose.
In real terms, Medical tourism means, traveling or visiting other country for the medical
treatment, to save costs, get better medical facilities or get the treatment fast. If we take a
look of the past few years, we will find a large chunk of patients from all over the world
visit India for their medical treatment. Some of the key factors for developing medical
tourism in India are as follow:-
(1) Cheaper pricing option available for treatment: This factor plays a very
important role for developing medical tourism in India. The cost of treatment is
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very low as compared to USA, Russia, UK or any developed country. This is the
main reason that people from all over the world come to India for medical
treatment.
(2) Beautiful Country to visit: There are hundreds of visiting places, which attract
patients to come here for treatment and visiting places. Most visitors must visit
North India (Rajasthan, Delhi, UP) and South India (Kerla, Karnataka,
Tamilnadu). In this way it contributes to develop medical tourism in India.
(3) Availability of Doctors: The availability of the doctors is very convenient in
India. A patient need not to have to wait for long to consult a doctor and the
doctors are very efficient and can be considered to be of the world class level.
This factor also assists in developing medical tourism in India rapidly.
(4) World class services and infrastructural: Indian hospitals are equipped with
well infrastructural facilities and providing world class services to the patients and
also getting so much popularity and recognition from the patients, who come from
abroad for the treatment.
(5) Good Climate: Health tourists can find very good climate over here. Still lots
of cities are less polluted and peaceful. It keeps them refreshing and they can
recover very fast which is also playing its role for the growth of medical tourism
in India.
(6) No Language Barrier: This is also a very crucial factor that a large number of
people form USA and UK come down to India for treatment. Here a large chunk
of people can speak and understand English language. After US, India is the
second largest English speaking country.
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More than 100 Million people can communicate in English. So a patient does not face
any language problem. He can easily share and discuss his problem with doctors and get
the desired treatment. In this way this contributes to develop medical tourism in India.
In short, the scope of development of medical tourism in India is very high. According to
a survey, approximately 150000 medical tourists come to India every year. People who
visit India once, want to come again and again. Indian scenic beauty and its culture give
them a great sense of satisfaction and pleasure.
Medical tourism in India is a very good idea if a person wants to save his cost of
treatment on one hand and explore the Indian beauty on other hand. So these are the main
factors responsible for the rapid development of heath tourism in India.
Other aspects:
These days it seems like every country in the world promotes itself as a haven for
medical tourism. The reality is that in most cases they offer sub-standard facilities and
limited skills/qualifications.
India has tens of thousands of expert physicians and nurse practitioners. Over the last two
decades, the economic boom in India has led to the building of medical facilities &
infrastructure that competitor the very best that western medical care that the west has to
offer. Many of the physicians that practice in these hospitals and clinics have returned (to
India) from the U.S. and Europe, leaving behind successful practices.
While some small countries may be viable as alternatives for minor surgical procedures,
India is the only mainstream option that offers a comprehensive solution for any and all
medical needs, and does this with the highest levels of service, facilities, and professional
skills. A complex transplant or bypass procedure can be achieved for a tiny fraction of the
cost for the same procedure in the U.S.
This lower cost includes significantly longer post-operative care in the hospital itself. The
costs are usually a lot lower than even the deductable most insurance company's levy on a
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patient.
Easy Tours has strong working relationships with Escorts Group Hospitals and Research
Centers and Apollo Group Hospitals and Research Centers. This ranges from
relationships with the top doctors and nurse practitioners to the board members and
administrators of the institutions. This allows us to facilitate the highest levels of service
combined with the very best medical treatment possible.
From the moment that a client contacts us and tells us what their medical needs are, we
become their guide, liaison, and coordinator. We serve as a conduit of information
between the client and the hospital/clinic and work with the client to determine the best
facilities and staff to handle their particular medical needs.
We then handle all of the details that require contact with the providers. The patient will,
of course, be able to speak to the hospitals, doctors, and other providers, but they need
not worry about all of the mundane tasks which need to be performed prior to their
departure.
We have a U.S. and India based staff of specialists who focus on Medical Tourism, and
stay abreast of all current developments in their respective fields. They work closely with
our leisure travel specialists and are able to coordinate explorations of India‘s (and other
Asian countries) major tourism attractions. These can be facilitated for a vacation for the
patient and/or their travelling companion(s).
A very important aspect of medicine is the recovery phase. It has been statistically shown
that patients recover more quickly and with a much higher success rate when they
incorporate practices that enhance physical, mental, and emotional well being. Your
client can take advantage of one of Easy Tours‘ optional extensions that include the
world‘s best guided regimens of Aryuveda, Yoga, and Meditation, which speed healing
and bring the mind and body together as one.
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The emerging world of medical tourism is one that must be tapped into by successful
travel agents. Most people who are considering it as an attractive option have already sold
themselves on the idea, but have no idea how to make it happen. Likewise many agents
may feel as though they have been struck by lightning when asked about medical tourism
by a potential client. This does not have to be the case.
A close partnership with Easy Tours will take the mystery out of the process, and convert
that person who, ―thinks it might be a good idea‖, into someone that understands the
incredible advantages that Medical Tourism offers, and is confident enough in the process
to make it happen.
Other importance:
The National Health Policy 2002 envisages an overall increase in health spending to 6
percent of GDP by 2010, of which one-third would be committed to public health
investment. The Policy aims at widening the extent and coverage of care. It also encircled
a greater role for private sector in the urban primary care and tertiary care sectors with
growth of private health insurance.
International tourists are choosing India as their medical treatment destination because it
has a rich cultural heritage and innumerable tourist destinations. In recent years, India is
being seen as an important player in the globally growing ―Medical tourism‖, which is
projected as a new segment in travel and healthcare business. This has put India on the
international map as a haven for those seeking quality and affordable healthcare. In 2004,
India treated and cared for 1.8 lakh patients, which approximately grew by 25-30 percent
in 2005 as Indian corporate hospitals are at par, if not better than the best hospitals in
Thailand, Singapore, etc. According to CII (Confederation of Indian Industries), India has
the potential to promote medical tourism by attracting one million tourists per annum, as
it offers holistic medical services with meditation, ayurveda, allopathic and other systems
of medicine.
India is the most touted healthcare destination for countries like South-East Asia, Middle
East, Africa, Mauritius, Tanzania, Bangladesh and Yemen with 12 percent patient inflow
from developing countries and the most sought after super specialties are cardiology,
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neuro-surgery, orthopedics, joint replacement, gastroenterology, ophthalmology,
transplants, urology, dentistry and plastic surgery.
―First World Treatment at Third World Costs‖
A combination of three key factors – quality, availability and cost has been key factors in
fuelling the phenomenal growth witnessed in the Indian medical tourism industry. 60% of
doctors in India‘s leading Indian hospitals have international qualifications, thus
increasing the acceptance and comfort levels among international patients. An English
speaking populace, exotic tourist locations and alternative medicinal cures are some
factors that are largely responsible for India having edge over other neighboring
countries. On the demand side, prohibitive medical costs and lengthy waiting time are the
prime factors, which generally encourage people to seek treatment outside their home
countries.
2.3 Other important aspects related to Medical Tourism Policy of Indian
Government
India is touted as the best destination for medical health tourism. The
opportunities are tremendous and every sector of tourism are exploring this burgeoning
growth industry, from the Government of India, travel agents, hotel companies, India‘s
State tourism boards and most of the hospitals, including all private hospitals. They‘re
seeking to combine both leisure tourism with medical tourism and capitalize upon just
how inexpensive the same quality and sometimes better quality medical care costs are in
India compared to the United States‘ soaring medical costs.
The Government of India, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the
Ministry of Tourism has set up a Task Force to help facilitate the medical health tourism
industry and help this industry achieve its targets and to give momentum for its growth.
The Task Force will fast-track any opportunities for the industry and will formulate
policies for Accreditation programs for health-care institutions and will classify the
medical health tourism service providers on the basis of infrastructure, quality and
services provided, including services from other companies other than medical, such as
companies that will improve and facilitate foreign patients transportation and
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accommodations. The Task Force will standardize all procedures and will facilitate
foreign patients in choosing the best hospitals. Plus, the India Government will add to this
support by quickly processing medical visa‘s, improve flight connections and develop
better infrastructure for getting from the airport to the selected hospitals or other arranged
accommodations.
The Government of India has proclaimed that the treating of foreign patients is
legal and it encourages medical health tourism in its country by offering export incentives
and tax breaks to participating hospitals. This in turn has caused hospitals to invest in the
most current state-of-the-art medical equipment, the best skilled medical staff from
around the world, create programs that integrate clinical treatments and traditional
treatments with the services provided by airline carriers, tour operators and hotel
companies. This partnership gives foreign patients a worry free experience before and
during the medical health procedure and when they return to their native country, any
aftercare required will already be in set in place once the medical health procedure is
finished.
2.4 International Patient's Guide for Medical Care in India
Detailed invaluable information has been collated for you in just in 7 steps below:
Empower yourself with knowledge
Getting in touch with us
Final steps to decide on your medical treatment
Planning your travel to India
Ready to go at the hospital
After you return back home
Empower yourself with knowledge
As your health is of utmost importance to you, it is important that you empower
yourself by doing some research before you decide to go overseas for medical care.
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Update by reading all you can on the internet and other available media. If possible, talk
to people who have been abroad for surgery.
Consult your General Physician or Surgeon and get his opinion. Request your
General Physician to prepare a detailed medical history (summary) of your present
medical condition as this would be required by the overseas hospital physician as a basic
input for providing you an informed opinion on the course and cost of treatment. Your
physician would also brief you about the procedure that may benefit you or an alternate
treatment if available.
Your overseas physician would also advise you on planning the follow-up care in
the home country after your return from India.
There are always various options available like whether you want to deal directly
with the hospitals or go through a company working as a medical travel facilitator (a
mediating medical travel facilitator Company provides you and end to end solution to all
your requirement from the time you leave you country and reach back home in a
dedicated and personalized way making it cost effective and a satisfying experience).
Send your query by clicking on the send query button and emailing your present
medical condition and the procedure that you are planning to undergo and send by
clicking the Submit button. Make sure that you have filled in your phone number and
email address correctly. You would get an Auto response email confirming receipt of
your query almost by return mail. If you do not get this automated mail response, please
log in your query again.
Usually They would get back to you with in 24 to 48 hours with an initial
response and may ask you to send them more detailed medical information like scanned
copies of your medical reports, x rays and MRI scans etc enabling the hospital specialist/
surgeon‘s to give and opinion and a cost estimate
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Sometimes the heavy scanned copies of medical reports may not go as
attachments with your email. You can in that case use free services like
www.yousendit.com to send the reports.
Final steps to decide on your medical treatment
They would send you a detailed package cost with details of the inclusions and
exclusions (costs not included in the package) to have complete transparency. This would
also include the number of days of stay at the hospital included in the package.
They would also send you a profile of the surgeon or physician who would be
treating you.
You can ask as many questions that you may like at this stage to your physician or
surgeon to have a complete clarity regarding your condition and the expected results.
How many days you will be required to stay at the hospital and in India after you get
discharged from the hospital before you are able to fly back home? They would be able to
arrange the accommodation for you within your budget for your post hospital stay in the
India.
You can make the final decision about your treatment when all your questions are
answered and the opinion/ estimate have been confirmed to you for the hospital finally
selected by you.
Planning your travel to India
All major Indian cities are now connected to handle international flights from
Europe, Middle East and Far East as They'll as have daily connecting flights.
Passport and Visa is a must requirement to travel to any country abroad .You need
a valid Passport and Indian visa to enter India. If you do not have a passport, please apply
for one. For medical treatment related reasons, the passport is issued on priority. If you
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already have a Passport, it MUST HAVE more than 6 months of validity still left on it.
Or else please get the passport revalidated before applying for Indian Visa.
You can locate the local Indian consulate or Indian Embassy from the ―Mission
& Posts‖ section of Indian Government‘s website
http://india.gov.in/overseas/indian_missions.php
The website of the Indian Embassy or Consulate in your home country will have
all the information about applying for Indian Visa.
Please ask the hospital to email you a formal invitation letter for coming to India
for medical treatment and attach a copy of this letter with your visa application.While you
plan for your air travel, please check out the costs and air connections to the Indian city
where you would be going on various airlines or travel websites. Or you also contact your
local travel agents around you in your home country who specializes in inbound travel to
India.
It is good idea to let your airline know through your travel agent about your special
requirement like seat with a better leg room of wheel chair. Your travel agent will inform
the airline of all such requirements to ensure a safe and comfortable travel for you and
your companion if there during the travel to India.
In case you wish to stay for some more time for a holiday in India after your
hospital stay, please carry your mobile phone handset with you.
You can buy an Indian Sim Card locally while in India and save money on local
calling as well as be accessible to your Indian hospital or hotel staff.
Ready to go
Once the decision and all necessary formalities to have treatment is finalized,
please do inform us about your travel plans, flight numbers etc so that they can book your
surgery, room and airport pick up in time. Please do try to provide this information at
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least one week in advance of your arrival in India as they would also brief you about the
weather enabling you to do your packing accordingly.
You have a choice to transfer the cost of medical surgery or treatment by bank
transfer to the hospital prior to your starting the journey or make a booking in advance
prior to arrival. They would send you the Bank Wire Transfer Instructions of the Bank
Account. You can send these to your bank and ask them to transfer the required money to
hospital‘s bank account in India. They would send you the confirmation of the receipt of
your funds.
It is important that you carry all your medical records and any medicine that you
may be taking with you. Heavy woolens or warm clothing is generally not required as the
climate in India is generally warm and pleasant in winters. As long as you stay in the
hospital, you will be provided comfortable hospital clothing to wear. They suggest you
carry a few sets of loose fitting; comfortable clothing and a pair of walking shoes which
you can wear post the surgery.
Please ensure to take photocopies of your passport, visa and other documentation and
keep them separately at home informing the details of where you are going with someone
at home.
Please take good care of your personal belongings, Passport, Cash; Air tickets etc.
in the aircraft and till you reach the hospital.
Before your flight lands in India, please fill in the immigration and other form given to
you by air hostess and hand over these to the immigration officer with the passport. Both
the passport and a portion of form would be stamped and returned to you, please keep
these safely Please collect your baggage from the baggage area and proceed to the arrival
area where you will find our representative waiting to receive you with a board in your
name and he will take all care of you till reach you the hospital.
At the hospital
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On arrival at the Hospital, you will be taking to the room already reserved for you.
The admission formalities would be completed in the room itself and some initial
treatment related queries would be asked to you by the hospital admitting staff and the
duty doctor.
Your passports, valuables like cash, jeweler or expensive items can be kept in the
safe deposit box in your room.
Your treating physician or surgeon will explain you the proposed treatment and
answer any query from your side. The hospital will obtain your written consent to any
operation and any other procedures (including investigations). You will then be asked to
sign a consent form. Some procedures do not require formal written consent, but staff
will explain all the risks, benefits and alternatives before asking for your verbal consent.
Food and Beverages - The Diet is an integral part of your medication. The hospital‘s
dieticians, in association with your doctor, will assess your diet needs. You are advised to
follow the diet instructions specified by them for a speedy recovery. Please do let them
know your diet preference. Your companion however would get the normal choice of
meals and would be served food in the room itself. The hospitals also have a Cafeteria
where the patient‘s companions can walk in and choose from the varieties of cuisines
available at that time.
During the course of stay in India from your arrival to departure and specially
prior to being taken for surgery or procedure, your health updates would be informed to
your family back home and also as you progress. Your companion will also be kept
updated on daily basis. As your surgeon or physician intimates about the discharge from
the hospital. The hospital‘s guest relations executive will inform you when your final bill
is ready and if you have to pay any balance dues prior to leaving the hospital.
Please follow your physician's advice on rehab, physiotherapy and diet in a
disciplined manner to help your speedy recovery.
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While at the time of discharge from the hospital, you would be given a detailed
Discharge report and copies of all the investigations done during your stay. You would
also be explained anything that you may like to understand including your post care and
medication.
The airline flying you back to your country will require a ―Fit to Fly certificate‖
which will be provided by the hospital.
The hospital would also mention in case you have got a metal implant like stent or
artificial joint, as that will exempt you from going through the metal detectors at the
airport.
The return journey tickets would be reconfirmed prior to your departure and you
would be dropped at the airport by our representative assisting you all along.
After you return back home
While you follow up on the post care instruction given by your physician of
surgeon and progress towards speedy recovery, please share all your records with your
local physician enabling him to monitor your progress and advise you from time to time.
If you need any help or advice from your treating surgeon or doctor in India, They would
arrange the same through e-mail, telephone or web conferencing as required.
They would be following you on your health recovery for the first month ensuring
all support is available to you from your our side through your treating physician here.
Once your recover fully, They would request you for your feedback enabling us to
improvise further.
Do share your experience with others in your home country. Keep Smiling!
Please don‘t forget to share your satisfying experience with others and let
them also take the benefit of this service!!!!
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2.5 Facilities/Treatments available in India
Along with a choice of tourist places, India offers a range of outstanding medical
facilities like Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Surgery, Joint Replacement, Orthopedic
Surgery, Gastroenterology, Ophthalmology, Transplants and Urology. The Hospitals also
provide services like Neurology, Neurosurgery, Oncology, Ophthalmology,
Rheumatology, Endocrinology, ENT, Pediatrics, Pediatric Surgery, Pediatric Neurology,
Urology, Nephrology, Dermatology, Dentistry, Plastic Surgery, Gynecology, Psychiatry,
General Medicine and General Surgery. Other services like General Radiography, Ultra
Sonography, Mammography and Angiography are also provided
2.6 Reason behind the Growth of Medical Tourism in India
The popularity and growth of the ancient healing sciences as well as historical
traditions of treatment that are now making medical tourism in India as one of the most
preferred tourism choice across the world should be discussed with the emerging business
context of specialization and customization all across the travel and tourism industry in
the past few decades. The travel and tourism sector is speedily becoming one of the most
growing sector in the world following the customization drive and focus on specialization
all across the industry. Tourism is no longer just touring and travelling and it is becoming
more and more focused on the specialization in accordance with the customer choice,
requirement, travelling moods, cultural emphasis, economic factors, health condition and
specific social and socio-psychological trends. The specification drive and wide range of
diversification across various segments of tourism played a crucial role in the recent
boom and popularity of various types of tourism. As the health care situation all over the
world is continuously facing a wide range of medical challenges in respect of treating a
lot of life style oriented diseases and disorders that are chronic and almost tend to reach
an epidemic proportion, medical tourism is gaining in popularity and public appreciation
and India is one of the countries to offer a wide variety of choice of treatments and
healing traditions that are different in approach towards diseases and functioning of
organic system.
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India is the country that is widely acclaimed of its great traditions of healing and
medications that are organic as well as naturally validated and this is the precise reason
why there is a growing global interest in the healing and health care traditions of India
and the global or especially the interest of the people of world's developed nations in the
ancient Indian sciences of yoga, Ayurveda, meditative practices, natural herbal remedies
have made medical tourism in India one of the most sought after tourism categories. The
popularity factors that worked behind the medical tourism in India to be so much aspired
across the tourism industry mainly include the diversities of its ancient traditions and
corresponding wide range of treatment options along with other types of diversifications
in the social or cultural or natural resources that have been major attractions across the
tourism industry. Here we would discuss in depth regarding some of the most important
aspects of medical tourism in India.
The Great Diversity of Treatment
Before going into the discussion regarding the medical tourism in India we should take
note of some of the salient aspects in relation to the great diversity of treatment that made
the medical tourism in India so popular. India as a vast country has gone through a huge
dimension of historical upheavals, changes, transformations and faced a great array of
historical events in its thousand years of history and most interestingly India is one the
few countries in the world that have made so many cultural identities and influences
merged in the mainstream of the Indian culture and its national identity. Along with this
process of merger of the diverse range of cultures and influences several medical
traditions and natural healing sciences reciprocated and influenced each other and
enriched the medical tradition of the country in an unprecedented way. That is the reason
why medication in India boasts of so diverse a range of treatment comprising developed
tradition of modern medical science, Ayurveda, yoga, meditative practices and other
natural as well as organic medical procedures. Some of the most popular medical
traditions of the present India that are most crucial in promoting the medical tourism in
India are mentioned below.
Medical Tourism in India with emphasis on Ayurvedic Treatment
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Ayurveda is the most popular natural healing science of the great tradition of the country
that is accounted as a major contributing factor to the development of medical tourism in
India in regard to making various places in India as tourist destinations for medical
treatment seeking people from all over the world. The tradition of Ayurveda is one of the
most widely practiced medical discipline across various parts of India and traditionally
symbolizes natural and organic healing that has a coherent and intrinsic relation with
nature. Though Kerala tops the list in regard to the Ayurvedic treatment facilities across
India that are considered to be the most preferred destination for medical tourists from all
over the world, the wellness resorts and Ayurvedic hospitals are spreading all across the
country and becoming popular in the map of medical tourism in India. Some of the top
Ayurvedic clinics and hospitals in India include AryaVaidyaSala in Kerala,
Padinharkhara Ayurveda Hospital and Research Centres in Kerala, Indus Valley
Ayurvedic Centre in Bangalore, Ayurvedagram in Kerala, Ayurvedic Natural Health
Centre near Goa, etc.
Medical Tourism in India with emphasis on Yoga Treatment
Yoga is one of the most ancient tradition that primarily was associated with the Indian
spiritual traditions and yoga before being considered as a medical discipline of the
modern era mainly used to be viewed as the main body of spiritual practice comprising
cathartic and spiritual development across the physical, psychic, philosophical and
spiritual realities and perception as well as senses of devotees. The perception of yoga as
a medication or treatment of natural tradition is relatively new and modern. The tradition
of yoga comprises of mainly two separate traditions, namely Buddhist and Hindu and
these two traditions boast off different treatment procedures like physical exercise,
meditations, pranayama or exercises involving control of inhale and exhale of air,
developing natural living habits, etc. From the lush green flowery valleys of the snow
covered mountains in the Himalayas to the tropical backwaters of Kerala, you will be
finding huge varieties of yoga and meditation centers across India and many of them
centers are popular as the destinations for tourists interested in medical tourism in India.
Some of the most popular destinations for yoga and meditation for the medical tourists
visiting India include RamamaniAyenger Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune,
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ParmarthNiketan, Rishikesh, Ashtanga Institute in Mysore, Krishnamacharya Yoga
Mandiram in Chennai, Shivananda Vedanta Center in Trivandrum, Biuhar School of
Yoga in Munger, etc.
Medical Tourism in India with emphasis on Modern day Medical Treatment
procedures like Surgery
India is now one of the preferred destinations for surgery related modern medical
treatments like orthopedic surgery, obesity surgery, cosmetic surgery, neurosurgery and a
lot of other treatment categories. India now provides the cheapest rate of surgery in the
entire South East Asia and with comparative low and affordable treatment cost and global
standard it is becoming one of the most sought after destinations for medical tourists all
from over the world. For surgery and related treatments still Chennai and Delhi comes at
the top of the list with most number of world class facilities for surgery and the province
of Goa along with its global popularity for scenic and most exuberant sea beaches are
speedily becoming one of the to destinations for medical tourism in India as well. Some
of the top surgery facilities that are globally acclaimed for their excellence in medical
treatment include Apollo Victor Hospital, Goa, Fortis Hospital, New Delhi, Nova
Medical Center, Bangalore, Chennai Plastic Surgery, Chennai, Madras Joint Replacement
Center, Chennai, Ahalia Foundation Eye Hospital, Kerala, All Smiles, Bangalore, Etc.
The above mentioned description of the treatment facilities and categories of tourist
attractions for medical tourism in India have been derived from the various sources of
information in regard to the popularity and most frequent visits of tourists from all over
the globe to the healthcare & medical tourism destinations in India.
Some Other successful aspects related to scope of medical tourism in India
Indian Tourism in the 21st century has come a long way. Its latest venture is the
promotion of Medical Tourism. Medical Tourism or Health Tourism is the idea of
travelling abroad to well-known destinations for obtaining a wide variety of medical
expertise in the form of consultancy and medical procedures including surgery.
India has some of the best hospitals in par with USA, UK and Europe in terms of
expertise and facilities. India is considered a favorable destination for medical tourism
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because of its world class treatments at substantially lower costs. Treatment in India can
also be administered almost immediately without any waiting period owing to the large
pool of experienced doctors and supporting facilities. This is a major advantage for
citizens of western nations where healthcare is subject to long waiting period in case of
non-emergency procedures.
Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi
In India, top quality treatment is provided with anonymity and luxury at affordable rates.
The costs for the procedure, travel fare and convalescing stay in India together may cost
much lesser than the procedure alone in some nations. India also provides world class
treatment for every specialty in medical science like Oncology, Orthopedics, Cardiology,
Plastic Surgery, Gynecology, Dental procedures, Fitness therapies etc.
Indian tourism has built advanced transportation and communication systems, and the
country is now a fast growing economy despite global economic recession. These factors
have enabled it to provide competitive medical care as well as all the other logistical
needs required to make medical tourism attractive. A major reason medical tourism in
India has enormous potential for development is because of its cost effectiveness for
patients coming from the USA and UK, and the good healthcare facilities which is not
available in Middle east and African countries. People, especially Americans, who are
uninsured, choose medical treatment overseas due to its affordability and convenience.
Many countries like Singapore, Poland, Thailand, Israel, and Brazil are also promoting
medical tourism. But relating to cost and facilities, India is a reliable, affordable, and safe
medical tourism destination.
Alternative forms of medicine are also practiced widely and successfully in India. These
include:
Ayurveda
Aroma Therapy
Music Therapy
Meditation
Pranic Healing
Yoga
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The concept of Wellness tourism has been envisioned to re-establish the equilibrium of
lives and to help overcome the effect of prolonged stress due to today's fast paced life.
Here customers pay substantial fees to eat less, eat better, exercise, be counseled, sleep
more, meditate and be subjected to a regimen of massages, purging and sweating. The
aim of the treatment is to make one feel de-stressed, de-codified and reset the biological
clock and to be more focused in future.
2.7 SWOT analysis
India in Medical Tourism – SWOT Analysis
Medical Tourism may be defined as the ―provision of cost-effective medical care
with due consideration to quality in collaboration with tourism industry for foreign
patients who need specialized treatment and surgery‖. Statistical data indicate that in the
year 2008-09 around 126 million domestic trip has been made by Indians in order to get
cure at different places of the country as a result of the lack of economic opportunity and
poor health infrastructure in their own home town and a sum of 23,000 corer rupees have
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been spend by them on such trips. This waste of money can be stopped if initiatives in a
positive manner are taken by the local and the state level organizations and the
Government itself. It has been seen that where international tourist are migrating into
India for cheaper treatment and greener pastures, domestic migration in India is a result
of poor health infrastructure In rural areas and small towns.
The main reason for growing importance of medical tourism in India is the cost of
medical treatment which is comparatively 40% less, than offered by any other developed
countries whereas a cardiac patient has to pay
US$ 40,000 - 60,000 in the United States,
US$ 30,000 in Singapore,
US$ 12,000 - 15,000 in Thailand for his Treatment, the same treatment can be availed in
India in only US$ 3,000 - 6,000. At London one is charged £350 for some tests which
include blood tests, electro-cardiogram tests, chest X-Rays, lung tests and other tests
While in India same tests cost only US$ 84.A Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan
costs US$ 60 at Escorts Hospital in Delhi compared with roughly US$ 700 in New York.
When India is compared with Thailand it is found that India is comparatively very cost
effective rather Than Thailand in case of medical treatment. It is clear from the following
Table:-
Table -I
Treatment Cost In India (In US$) Cost In Thailand (In US$)
Bone Marrow Transplant US$ 30000 US$ 62500
Liver Transplant US$ 40000 US$ 75000
Open Heart Surgery (CABG) US$ 4400 US$ 14250
Hip Replacement US$ 4500 US$ 6900
Knee Surgery US$ 4500 US$ 7000
Hysterectomy US$ 511 US$ 2012
Gall Bladder removal US$ 555 US$ 1755
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This segment of tourism is increasingly gaining importance and attracting several
large orporations, such as pharmaceuticals and industrial companies, and several iris and
foreign investors to invest money in setting up super-specialty hospitals in India such as
Apollo, Medinova, CDR, Mediciti in Hyderabad; Hindujas and Wockhardt in Mumbai;
Max, Escorts, and Apollo in Delhi etc. These hospitals are well equipped with those new
machineries and technologies, which are required by the medical professionals to tackle
the serious diseases, and are capable to cater the needs of aristocrats and as well as of the
budgetary class. A Tourist who is coming to indulge/ lure himself in a healthy and pure
atmosphere, to learn the art of yoga and meditations, to rejuvenate oneself at the spas, or
for maintaining their looks by travelling to Cosmetic Surgery Clinics will be considered
as a medical tourist. It is not necessary that they should come for any surgery or treatment
to be count as the medical tourist. For example, going to China to get treated of backache
with acupuncture and acupressure is the example of former travelling to Kerala for
ayurvedic treatment for entire body. Specific Tour Packages for Medical Tourist in India
Government is launching various schemes and programmers to promote health tourism
and inviting foreign and private investors to invest in hospitals and accommodation
sector. According to a study 75-80% of health care services and investments in India are
now provided by the private sector. India is granting various incentives and tax rebate to
various pharmaceuticals industries to provide medicines, surgical equipments, and other
medical facilities. Various specific tour packages available to medical tourist are as
follows:-
1) Bone Marrow Transplant
2) Brain Surgery
3) Cancer Procedures (Oncology) and Cardiac Care
4) Cosmetic Surgery
5) Dialysis and Kidney Transplant
6) Drug Rehabilitation
7) Gynecology & Obstetrics
8) Health Checkups
9) Internal/Digestive Procedures
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10) Joint Replacement Surgery
11) Nuclear Medicine, Neurosurgery & Trauma Surgery
12) Osteoporosis, Urology and Vascular Surgery
13) Gall Bladder stones surgery and Hernia surgery
14) Laparoscopic Appendicectomy
15) Laparoscopic Banding of stomach for Morbid Obesity and others
16) Hip-Knee replacement surgeries and other orthopedic surgeries.
17) Heart surgery packages like Cardiac Surgery and Cardiology, Open Heart
Surgery, Angiographies and Angioplasties.
18) Treatments of different skin problems including skin grafting Contribution of
Many hospitals in India are accredited by international institutions and are
offering world-class treatment at that cost which is comparatively 40-50% less
than that of any European country. Acknowledging the significance of medical
tourism in India, Government is trying to persuade the international tourist traffic
by offering medical visa. Generally a medical visa is valid for one year, or the
period of treatment whichever is less. The period of medical visa can further be
extended for one year with the permission of state government or erros, if
prescribed by the specialized doctor/specialized hospital.
India not only offers the medical treatment but also other rejuvenative services
such as yoga, meditation, herbal therapies and other skin treatments which could
uplift the mood and enhance health of medical tourists. As a result India is
receiving a huge number of international tourists who are coming to gain the
rejuvenative benefits. In 2009, India has received a total of 180,000 foreign health
tourists. It is estimated that it will grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate of
over 19% and will reach up to 1.3 million by 2013.
Medical Tourism in India is playing a vital role in improving the economic and
social status of the society. According to a study by mckinsey & Company and the
confederation of Indian Industry, India will receive $1 billion business by 2012,
from medical tourism. Which is 1% of the total world-wide revenue? Generated
by medical tourism. The total revenue generated from medical tourism in the year
2004, worldwide was $40 billion which has increased up to $60 billion
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in the year 2006. Mckinsey& Company estimates that it will raise to $100 billion
by the end of the year 2012.
Table-2
Revenue Generated Through Medical Tourism World-Wide
Year Revenue (In Billion US $)
2004:-40
2006:-60
2008:- 80
2012:-100
Source:-www.health-tourism-india.com
India is preferred as a health destination, mostly by those people who are living
abroad and by those foreigners who demand for speedy and in expensive treatment.
Indian hospitals are now well equipped with skilled, trained and experienced doctors,
who have good command on English .Indian doctors treat twice number of patients, in
comparison to doctors in the western European countries. India is considered as a safe
place for medical treatment in comparison to other countries. Medical Tourism in India is
on the peak. Now health tourist can avail every kind of medical facilities easily and
conveniently. Various private investors and pharmaceuticals companies are coming
forward to provide their services to the health tourist. Statistics indicate that by the end of
the year 2012, India will receive around one million health tourist with a compound
annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.09% over the year 2007. In India a health tourist has to
spend less on different surgeries in comparison to other developed countries.
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Tourism in India is flourishing and gaining a status of industry and contributing a lot
towards the revenue generation and removing the problem of unemployment from the
society. Today many states of India like Kerala, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal,
Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu Uttar Pradesh, Dadar & Nagar Haveli, and uts of Daman &
Diu, has got a status of an industry. State governments are making provisions to include
tourism in Schedule-I, of the Industries Development Act 1951 to grant it the status of an
industry and to promote accommodation sector, so that every segment of tourism industry
including hotels throughout the country can avail various benefits under the Industrial
Policy of the respective state governments like Land banks for budget hotels, Exemption
of duty on stamp paper, Exemption in VAT and Sales Tax, and Single window clearance
for new hotel projects etc.
Quality
Large pool of doctors, nurses & paramedics
Strength: Over 650,000 doctors; - Highly skilled experts, and Comfort Level NRI doctors
Usage of English Indian Nurses increasingly getting international exposure.
Value Proposition
Quality medical services at 1/10th costs:
Complicated surgical procedures possible at 1/10th the cost
Increase in use of Computerized Hospital Information Systems
Software technologists facilitating tech revolution in healthcare
State-of-the-art medical establishments of great repute
Price advantage is a major selling point. The slogan, thus is, ―First World treatment‘ at
Third World Prices‖. The cost differential across the board is huge: only a tenth and
sometimes even a sixteenth of the cost in the West. Open-heart surgery could cost up to
$70,000 in Britain and up to id="mce_marker"50,000 in the US; in India‘s best hospitals,
it could cost between $3,000 and $ 10,000. Knee surgery (on both knees) costs
Rs.3,50,000 ($7,700) in India; in Britain this costs Rs.10,00,000
(id="mce_marker"6,950), more than twice as much. Dental, eye and cosmetic surgeries in
Western countries cost three to four times as much as in India (prices are based on 2004-
05 year).
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Thus healthcare industry has shown considerable growth in recent years in India. The
emergence of top-notch corporate hospitals and continuous efforts for improvement of
quality of care has placed Indian private healthcare in an envious position on the global
map. High ratio of foreign qualified experienced medical practitioners/specialists, well
trained nursing and medical staff have greater confidence levels amongst the people who
are seeking medical care from Indian hospitals.
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Mckinsey Report mention that the medical
tourism market has been growing at the rate of 15 percent over the past five years and by
2012, globally, medical tourism is said to be US$ 40 billion industry, and analysis
available projects that people from the Afro-Asian countries spend as much as US$ 20
billion every year on healthcare services outside their countries.
Medical Tourism in India: Finding A New Meaning!
Indian Medical Tourism Industry is very fast growing industry .Medical Tourism in India
is a fast developing concept. According to an estimate, Medical Tourism in India is
approximately growing by 25% per annum. People from all over the world visit India for
treatment like heart surgery, dental care and many more. Indian infrastructure has also
contributed to a great extent for developing Medical Tourism in India. This includes
superior medical facilities, advance technologies, quality services, better health care
advices and many more. All these factors are responsible to make India a preferred and
favorable medical tourism destination.
If we look at the past record, we will find that people from US, UK and Europe
frequently visit India for their treatment. The number is increasing day by day. So the
question is that why people from these countries regularly visit India and not other Asian
countries (Like Malaysia, Thailand) for their medical treatment? The answer is that
Indian offers cheapest pricing option for the treatment and patient can also get fast and
superior services.
Medical Tourism in India offers various kinds of benefits to the patients who come from
abroad.
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(1) Better and reasonable Pricing Option: This is the crucial factor which play a very
important role to attract patients form abroad. The cost of treatment is very low and
reasonable, compared to other countries.
(2) Widely English Spoken country: India is the second largest English spoken
country after US. Approximately 150 million people speak English. This is also an
important factor that attracts visitors form US and UK. People can easily exchange their
views and in this way this factor contributes in developing Medical tourism in India.
(3) Well equipped with best healthcare institutions: India is well equipped with world‘s
best health care institutions. Patients can find world class facilities and services over
here. Fortis hospital is emerging as a world class hospital for health care. It caters large
number of foreign patients and provides incomparable medical services and facilities.
(4) Worth watching places to visit: India is also equipped with hundred of beautiful and
worth watching places to visit. Thousands of visitors come here for their treatment, as
well as visiting the places also. Several tours and traveling companies are operating their
business at very reasonable prices. It costs very low for the people from US, UK and
Europe.
In short we can say that the concept of Medical Tourism in India is still new, but there are
huge scope for development and build it as an industry. Government is putting all of its
efforts to develop Medical Tourism as an industry and why not, because it is attracting
lots of Foreign currency to India and in this way helping in strengthening the Foreign
Reserve. If Medical Tourism in India continues to grow at a speed of 25- 30% every year,
we can easily anticipate what would be the future of this Industry.
Strength is an inherent capacity which an organization can use to gain strategic
advantage. An example of strength is superior research and development for a new
service industry development so that the industry can gain a strategic advantage. The
strengths in medical tourism are:
• Quality and Range of Services.
India has number of hospitals offering world class treatments in nearly every medical
sector such as cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery, joint replacement, orthopedic
surgery,
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gastroenterology, ophthalmology, transplants and urology to name a few. The various
specialties covered are Neurology, Neurosurgery, Oncology, Ophthalmology,
Rheumatology, Endocrinology, ENT, Paediatrics, Paediatric Surgery, Paediatric
Neurology, Urology, Nephrology, Dermatology, Dentistry, Plastic Surgery,
Gynaecology, Pulmonology, Psychiatry, General Medicine & General Surgery. For its
quality of services and the infrastructure available, India is attracting a vast pool of
tourists from the Middle East, Africa etc.
• Affordable costs:
For a long promoted for its cultural and scenic beauty, India is now being put up on
international map as a heaven for those seeking quality and affordable healthcare. With
50 million Americans without health insurance and waiting lists for state- run facilities
often endless in the UK,Canada and Europe, foreigners are increasingly flocking to India
because it offers quality treatment at a fifth of the cost abroad. In India, complicated
surgical procedures are being dine at 1/10th the cost as compare with the procedures in
the developed countries.
Limitation:
A limitation is an inherent limitation or constraint which creates strategic disadvantages.
An example of a limitation is overdependence on a single service line, which is
potentially risky for a service industry in times of crisis. The limitation is as follows:
• No strong government support/ initiative to promote medical tourism.
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• Low coordination between the various players in the industry- airline operators, hotels,
and hospitals.
• Lack of uniform pricing policies across hospitals.
• Cheating
• Political problems etc
A comprehensive approach was taken to scoping a variety of sources to synthesize what
is known about the patient's experience of medical tourism. The inclusion of steps such as
having two reviewers for every full source, developing a search strategy in consultation
with a librarian, and searching for sources of all types from a comprehensive grouping of
databases have added rigor to the scoping process and thus serve as strengths. However,
two main limitations exist. The first is that only English-language sources were retrieved
and reviewed. No doubt there is literature on medical tourism that has been produced in
other languages. At the same time, there were very little non-English-language sources
cited in the pieces reviewed, and so this suggests that the most important sources may be
available in English. For example, industry and government reports produced in non-
English-speaking countries were commonly available in English and so were included in
the review process. The second main limitation is that the media sources reviewed were
limited to Canada and a few major North American magazines and newspapers known to
cover Canadian health and health care issues. Placing this restriction on the inclusion of
media sources was necessary in order to keep the review manageable. As such, the media
sources included are presented as a representation of the types of local, regional, and
national coverage that exists of medical tourism within a particular country known as a
departure point for medical tourist.
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CHAPTER:-3 Medical tourism prospects in Gujarat
3.1 Gujarat Medical tourism
Medical tourism is focused as potential growth sector in Gujarat. Gujarat‘s
leading city, Ahmadabad is a fabulous place for medical tour or medical treatments venue
for India‘s leading exhibition for the travel and tourism industry. Ahmadabad is a
preferred medical tourism destination all over the world. With world class health
facilities, zero waiting time and affordable cost, Ahmadabad is becoming one of the most
sought after medical tourism destination in India. Apart from the world class amenities,
Hospitals offer pick up and drop service and ambulance services also. The 108 Service is
the highly appreciated ‗Medical at doorstep‘ Service.
Patients who required dedicated treatment and Surgery can avail the ‗cost
effective‘ facility with medical camps, travel trips and entertainment.
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Gujarat has evolved as one of the most preferred medical destinations for
international as well as domestic patients, Nikita Apraj, ENN analyses the healthcare
boom
Gujarat has been in a limelight for its stupendous development in various sectors–
infrastructures, industry, agriculture – to note a few. Healthcare sector in Gujarat has also
joined the club, given to rise in medical tourism and government initiatives
India‘s medical tourism sector is expected to experience an annual growth rate of
30 percent, making it a US$ 2 billion industry by 2015. Advant ages for medical tourists
include reduced costs, the availability of latest medical technologies and a growing
compliance on international quality standards, as well as the fact that foreigners are less
likely to face a language barrier in India.
Ahmadabad is one of the most preferred destinations for medical tourism in the
country given economic stability, industrial and agricultural development state of
Gujarat. Other cities in the state like capital Gandhinagar has also become one of the
most favored medical destinations for both Indian and foreign patients.
Medical tourism is divided into two categories – Domestic medical tourism in
which patients travel within cities or states to seek better healthcare and second one is
international medical tourism. International medical patients can be divided into two
subsets – Non Resident Guajarati, a subset specific to Gujarat, who want to be treated in
or around their native place. Another subset is of truly international patients who come to
India for a cost-effective treatment.
Over the time, Gujarat has build capabilities within the state reducing number of
patients going outside Gujarat for treatment to negligible. Ahmadabad is one of the most
preferred destinations for medical tourism in the country. Ahmadabad is one of the most
preferred destinations for medical tourism in the country
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Gujarat preferred by foreigners
―International patients come to India to be treated for old problems, not for acute
problems because they won‘t be able to reach here for acute problems. Majority of
patients arrive for joint replacement, spine surgeries, mental treatment, cosmetic
surgeries, and hair transplantation,‖ Dr Vikram Shah, MD, Shalby Hospitals says. While
these patients are being treated in the hospital, their relatives are free roaming various
departments in the hospital. So they utilize their free time to get treatments done – like
cosmetic surgeries, dental treatments.
―It‘s like pilgrimage; they would visit every small temple!‖ Dr Shah adds on a
lighter note. Shalby Hospitals, a leading hospital chain in the state can be said to the
pioneer in the medical tourism in India. Shalby Hospitals entered medical tourism almost
15 years ago. Patients from across Africa, England, Canada and US come to Shalby to get
their treatment done.
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Preferred by Indians as well
Medical tourism has given a significant impetus to Indian healthcare. In coming
years, medical travel is expected to be growing. International medical tourism is more
glamorous and often gets more limelight as compared to domestic medical tourism.
However, both kind of medical tourism play a significant role in the success of a hospital.
―We found success in internal medical travel but we get patients from Rajasthan, Madhya
Pradesh and from Maharashtra as well. We have been able to build that kind of brand
equity across India. That plays an important part in medical tourism,‖ says Dr Rajiv
Sharma, CEO, Sterling Hospitals. He feels ‗medical tourism‘ is not a proper phrase. ―I
would rather say medical travel. Nobody travels for fun, in case of medical condition,‖ he
explains. Sterling Hospital, a major chain of hospitals in Gujarat receives international
patients mainly from African countries like Nigeria, Uganda and Tanzania. Most of these
patients come for high-end tertiary care and treatment.
Building bridge between patients and doctors
Besides hospitals, there are several companies that help international medical
tourism by attracting patients from developing countries. Me-disoft Telemedicine of
Ahmadabad is one of these medical tourism companies that advise and help international
patients during their stay in India. Devendra Patel, MD, Medisoft Telemedicine who also
runs a telemedicine company explains the genesis of the company.
A telemedicine client in Africa requested Devendra Patel for an opinion of an
Indian doctor in a particular case. Through his contacts, he provided the client an opinion
of an Indian doctor free of cost by means of teleconferencing. The client got much
impressed by the quality of knowledge of the doctor and some of his patients actually
flew all the way from Africa to India for their treatment. Then request came from the
Indian doctors to help them with legal formalities, foreign regional registration and other
things like accommodation of these patients. That was how the company was born.
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―We get patients mainly from Asian countries, Gulf countries and countries in
Africa. Telemedicine is one of the ways to market our medical tourism services. We act
as a bridge between international patients and Indian doctors and hospitals. We are a
facilitator where we provide pick-up from the airport, hotel accommodation, physical
consultation and other support. Our person is always there to help the patients and their
relatives. We also help them in following-up the case as doctors may not always be able
to reply quickly to patient queries. We help the patients get their queries answered. We
take care of our patient-clients just like their relatives in their resident country would
have. We have associations with hospitals for international medical tourism,‖ Devendra
Patel explains the procedure in detail.
―Healthcare in Gujarat is becoming more structured and it will become more so in
coming future. Dr Rajiv Sharma, CEO, Sterling Hospitals
3.2 Policy and regulations
The Government of India is taking steps to address infrastructure issues that hinder the
country‘s growth in medical tourism. The government has removed visa restrictions on
tourist visas that required a two-month gap between consecutive visits for people from
Gulf countries which is likely to boost medical tourism. A number of hospitals in Gujarat
have hired translators for African and Gulf languages to make patients from Gulf and
African countries feel more comfortable while at the same time helping in the facilitation
of their treatment.
Though this has certainly helped medical tourism, hospitals still express
disconcert over the Foreign Regional Registration Office (FRRO) process. Patients
coming from countries other than India are required to complete FRRO norms within 14
days of their arrival in the country. The norms require personal presence of the person for
registration and involve many formalities and tedious paperwork. Given the condition of
the patient, it could prove to be a very painful experience. It also portrays a negative
image of the country.
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―International patients come to India to be treated for old problem, not for acute
problem.‖Dr Vikram Shah, Founder Chairman & MD, Shalby Hospitals
Image is important
Image of the country plays an important role in patient‘s decision of choosing a
destination for his treatment. International patients first choose a country depending upon
their budget and more importantly, quality of healthcare infrastructure in the country.
Then they choose a state and then a city where they want to be treated. So, image of a
state as well as a city, local policies and regulations, transport infrastructure in the city –
whether or not the city has any international airport, image of the city – crime rate,
experience of other patients, social milieu are all become deciding factors in patients
choice. Any sort of regulation that directly or indirectly affects travel will affect
international medical travel as well.
Organizations like CII and FICCI organize regular events in these target countries
and encourage delegations from these countries to come and see the facilities that we
have. We ourselves have received several delegations from countries like Kenya and
Tanzania in the past. Government intervention or regulatory intervention is critical for
growth. ―When these patients arrive in the city, we have to notify to the police. Things
like their safety and security, stay and accommodation which may seem very minor for a
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person in India but are very important for a person coming from out of India,‖ Dr Sharma
adds.
Majority of experts agree on the statement that international medical tourism in
India will flourish. Central and state government has realised importance of medical
tourism and he role it can play in the growth of economy. Talking about government
support to promote medical tourism in India in countries abroad, Dr Sharma says,
government is trying well to sell India and medical excellence in India.
3.3 Development of healthcare in Gujarat
Development in medical infrastructure and easily accessible healthcare facilities
has remarkably improved the health index of the population in Gujarat over the last few
years. Well developed ports, roads, airports, rails are also said to be responsible factors.
Today Gujarat has made a rapid progression to the state-of-the-art tertiary care corporate
hospitals getting established in major as well as two and three tier cities. Changing
mindset of the patients who have become quality conscious and more aware of their
healthcare needs can be listed as one he reasons behind this rapid progression. Besides,
growing per capita income and want of specialised and sophisticated healthcare has given
further impetus to this healthcare boom.
Central and state Government has realised importance of medical tourism and the
role it can play in the growth of economy.
Experts agree that healthcare in Gujarat is evolving fast. Earlier most of the
patients from Gujarat used to go to Mumbai and metro cities for treatment. Over the time,
Gujarat has been able to build capabilities within the state reducing number of patients
going outside Gujarat for treatment to negligible. ―Healthcare in Gujarat is becoming
more structured and it will become more so in coming future. I am sure we are looking at
a very bright future as far as healthcare delivery in Gujarat is concerned,‖ says Dr
Sharma.
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For example the prices of some medical treatments packages at Apollo Hospital are given
below:
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Hospitals in India
India offers world-class healthcare that costs substantially less than those in developed
countries, using the same technology delivered by competent Specialists attaining similar
success rates.
Please find below some hospitals that are highly known for their respective specialties :
Apollo Hospital
B.M.Birla Heart Research Centre
Escorts- Heart Surgery and Cardiac Surgery Hospital
Fortis Healthcare
Christian Medical College
Tata Memorial Hospital
Indraprastha Medical Corporation
Institute Cardiovascular Diseases
AIIMS
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Internal medical travel from Gujarat has diminished. Ahmadabad is now recognized as a
city that can provide best-in-class healthcare delivery. That is a reason there are many
patients coming to the city from Rajasthan, which is not as developed as Gujarat in terms
of healthcare and medical infrastructure. ―Gujarat has a good healthcare system.
Government of Gujarat is very supportive; things move fast when it comes to hospitals or
healthcare-related issues,‖ Dr Shah says.
―We take care of our patient-clients just like their relatives would have ‖Devendra
Patel, Director, Medisoft Telemedicine
3.4 Expanding for better
Major corporate hospital groups such as Sterling, Shalby Hospitals, CIMS, Apollo
and Wockhard have made significant investments in setting up state-of-the-art hospitals
in major cities of Gujarat. The other major private players in the state are.
Expansion is happening not only in terms of beds, but also in terms of super specialties.
As Dr Sharma informs, Sterling Hospitals has won the crown of being the only hospital
in Gujarat to have achieved ability to perform functional neurosurgery. The hospital
recently performed a successful surgery for Writer‘s Cramp, achieving the title of being
the first hospital in India and one of the few hospitals across the world to perform this
surgery.
Sterling Hospitals is planning on expanding its facilities to Surat. Shalby
Hospitals is coming up with two new hospitals – one will be in Indore, Madhya Pradesh
and another will be in Naroda, Gujarat. Each will be a 250-bed hospital, together
expanding capacity of Shalby Hospitals by 500 beds.
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CHAPTER:-4 Travel destinations countries
4.1 Cost Comparison of Medical Treatments: India vs. the World
India has no parallels in healthcare when it comes to cost effective treatments in
comparison with other countries. Significant cost differences exist among US, UK and
South Asian countries. Add to it, the waiting time which is almost nil in case of India.
After all, your health cannot be put at stake due to long waiting lists.
The American Medical Association has made a cost comparison study of
healthcare in different countries. According to the statistics released by AMA, a knee
replacement surgery would cost $40,000 in US, $10,000 in Thailand and $13,000 in
Singapore, while the same surgery would cost the person $8500 in India. That gives India
a certain edge when it comes to reasonable medical treatments. In addition, Indian
doctors are renowned all over the world for their prowess and skills.
A heart valve replacement surgery would cost the patients $200,000 in the US and
$90,000 in Britain while it would cost $12,500 in Singapore and $10,000 in Thailand.
The same procedure in India would cost only $8,000. While a bone marrow transplant
would cost $30,000 in India, in US it would cost anywhere between $250,000 - $400,000
while in UK the cost would be of the order of $150,000. Doctors in Thailand would
charge $3,500 for cosmetic surgery while those in US and UK would charge $20,000 and
$10,000, respectively. But in India, it costs only $2000. No matter what procedure you
undergo, you are sure to save 75% to 95% of healthcare costs. Besides, India is a great
place to explore with rich heritage, architecture and culture. So you can always combine
your treatment with a holiday.
Although costs in European countries such as Germany and Belgium may be less
than that in the United States, but Europe is still more expensive than India. In fact, the
data of AMA shows that India is the least expensive when compared to European as well
as other Asian countries. Apart from the cost benefit, you will have the same
sophistication in healthcare in India as available in any western country. Tour operators
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like Indian Holiday provide medical tourism packages at competitive prices and offer you
a hassle free recovery from your ailments and a great holiday too!
So, if you are suffering and medical intervention is inevitable and urgent, and you
are hard pressed to pay from your savings, India is the best option for medical assistance.
Would you not go to a country where top-notch medical professionals provide care for a
fraction of the cost?
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Following cost comparison tables prove the financial viability of the Indian
healthcare industry:
Cost Comparison of Selected Surgeries:
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Cost comparison between India, Thailand and Singapore:
Procedure India Thailand Singapore
Heart bypass 10,000 11,000 18,500
Heart valve 9,000 10,000 12,500
replacement
Angioplasty 11,000 13,000 13,000
Hip 9,000 12,000 12,000
replacement
Hysterectomy 3,000 4,000 6,000
Knee 8,500 10,000 13,000
replacement
Spinal fusion 5,500 7,000 9,000
Different-different hospitals in India have different medical treatment packages which
includes in medical tourism packages.
Hospitals in India that provide such facility:
- Apollo Hospital
- B.M.Birla Heart Research Centre
- Escorts- Heart Surgery and Cardiac Surgery Hospital
- Fortis Healthcare
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- Christian Medical College
- Tata Memorial Hospital
- Indraprastha Medical Corporation
- Institute Cardiovascular Diseases
- AIIMS
4.2 Destination countries of medical tourism
Include: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil,
Colombia, Cuba, Turkey, Thailand and Ukraine. In South America, countries such as
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Colombia lead on plastic surgery medical skills relying on
their experienced plastic surgeons. In Bolivia and Colombia, plastic surgery has also
become quite common. According to the "Societal Bolivian de Cirugia Plastica y
Reconstructiva", more than 70% of middle and upper class women in the country have
had some form of plastic surgery. Colombia also provides advanced care in
cardiovascular and transplant surgery.
In Europe Belgium, Poland, Slovakia, and Ukraine are also breaking into the
business. South Africa is taking the term "medical tourism" very literally by promoting
their "medical safaris".
A specialized subset of medical tourism is reproductive tourism and reproductive
outsourcing, which is the practice of traveling abroad to undergo in-vitro fertilization,
surrogate pregnancy and other assisted reproductive technology treatments including
freezing embryos for retro-production.
However, perceptions of medical tourism are not always positive. In places like the US,
which has high standards of quality, medical tourism is viewed as risky. In some parts of
the world, wider political issues can influence where medical tourists will choose to seek
out health care.
Health tourism providers have developed as intermediaries to unite potential
medical tourists with provider hospitals and other organizations. Companies are
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beginning to offer global health care options that will enable North American and
European patients to access world health care at a fraction of the cost of domestic care.
Companies that focus on medical value travel typically provide nurse case managers to
assist patients with pre- and post-travel medical issues. They also help provide resources
for follow-up care upon the patient's return.
4.3 Process
The typical process is as follows: the person seeking medical treatment abroad
contacts a medical tourism provider. The provider usually requires the patient to provide
a medical report, including the nature of ailment, local doctor‘s opinion, medical history,
and diagnosis, and may request additional information. Certified physicians or
consultants then advise on the medical treatment. The approximate expenditure, choice of
hospitals and tourist destinations, and duration of stay, etc., is discussed. After signing
consent bonds and agreements, the patient is given recommendation letters for a medical
visa, to be procured from the concerned embassy. The patient travels to the destination
country, where the medical tourism provider assigns a case executive, who takes care of
the patient's accommodation, treatment and any other form of care. Once the treatment is
done, the patient can remain in the tourist destination or return home.
4.4 Risks
Some countries, such as India, Malaysia, or Thailand have very different
infectious disease-related epidemiology to Europe and North America. Exposure to
diseases without having built up natural immunity can be a hazard for weakened
individuals, specifically with respect to gastrointestinal diseases (e.g. Hepatitis A,
amoebic dysentery, paratyphoid) which could weaken progress and expose the patient to
mosquito-transmitted diseases, influenza, and tuberculosis. However, because in poor
tropical nation's diseases run the gamut, doctors seem to be more open to the possibility
of considering any infectious disease, including HIV, TB, and typhoid, while there are
cases in the West where patients were consistently misdiagnosed for years because such
diseases are perceived to be "rare" in the West.
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The quality of post-operative care can also vary dramatically, depending on the
hospital and country, and may be different from US or European standards. Also,
traveling long distances soon after surgery can increase the risk of complications. Long
flights and decreased mobility associated with window seats can predispose one towards
developing deep vein thrombosis and potentially a pulmonary embolism. Other vacation
activities can be problematic as well — for example, scars may become darker and more
noticeable if they sunburn while healing.
Also, health facilities treating medical tourists may lack an adequate complaints
policy to deal appropriately and fairly with complaints made by dissatisfied patients.
Differences in healthcare provider standards around the world have been recognized by
the World Health Organization, and in 2004 it launched the World Alliance for Patient
Safety. This body assists hospitals and government around the world in setting patient
safety policy and practices that can become particularly relevant when providing medical
tourism services.
If there are complications, the patient may need to stay in the foreign country for
longer than planned or if they have returned home, will not have easy access for follow
up care.
4.5 Legal issues
Receiving medical care abroad may subject medical tourists to unfamiliar legal
issues. The limited nature of litigation in various countries is one reason for the lower
cost of care overseas. While some countries currently presenting themselves as attractive
medical tourism destinations provide some form of legal remedies for medical
malpractice, these legal avenues may be unappealing to the medical tourist. Should
problems arise, patients might not be covered by adequate personal insurance or might be
unable to seek compensation via malpractice lawsuits. Hospitals and/or doctors in some
countries may be unable to pay the financial damages awarded by a court to a patient who
has sued them, owing to the hospital and/or the doctor not possessing appropriate
insurance cover and/or medical indemnity.
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4.6 Ethical issue
There can be major ethical issues around medical tourism. For example, the
illegal purchase of organs and tissues for transplantation had been alleged in countries
such as India and China prior to 2007. The declaration distinguishes between ethically
problematic "transplant tourism" and "travel for transplantation". Medical tourism may
raise broader ethical issues for the countries in which it is promoted. For example in
India, some argue that a "policy of 'medical tourism for the classes and health missions
for the masses' will lead to a deepening of the inequities" already embedded in the health
care system. In Thailand, in 2008 it was stated that, "Doctors in Thailand have become so
busy with foreigners that Thai patients are having trouble getting care"..Medical tourism
centered on new technologies, such as stem cell treatments, is often criticized on grounds
of fraud, blatant lack of scientific rationale and patient safety. However, when pioneering
advanced technologies, such as providing 'unproven' therapies to patients outside of
regular clinical trials, it is often challenging to differentiate between acceptable medical
innovation and unacceptable patient exploitation. Some US employers have begun
exploring medical travel programs as a way to cut employee health care costs. Such
proposals have raised stormy debates between employers and trade unions representing
workers, with one union stating that it deplored the "shocking new approach" of offering
employees overseas treatment in return for a share of the company's savings. The unions
also raise the issues of legal liability should something go wrong, and potential job losses
in the US health care industry if treatment is outsourced.
Employers may offer incentives such as paying for air travel and waiving out-of-pocket
expenses for care outside of the US. For example, in January 2008, Hannaford Bros., a
supermarket chain based in Maine, began paying the entire medical bill for employees to
travel to Singapore for hip and knee replacements, including travel for the patient and
companion. Medical travel packages can integrate with all types of health insurance,
including limited benefit plans, preferred provider organizations and high deductible
health plans.
In 2000 Blue Shield of California began the United States' first cross border
health plan. Patients in California could travel to one of the three certified hospitals in
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Mexico for treatment under California Blue Shield. In 2007, a subsidiary of BlueCross
BlueShield of South Carolina, Companion Global Healthcare, teamed up with hospitals in
Thailand, Singapore, Turkey, Ireland, Costa Rica and India. A 2008 article in Fast
Company discusses the globalization of healthcare and describes how various players in
the US healthcare market have begun to explore it.
Traveling for medical management in another country for better technology,
services and standard, saving cost, availability and other reasons is medical tourism.
Millions of patients worldwide visit hospitals and clinics each year in countries other than
their own. India alone received 4, 50,000 patients in 2007 and they paid just 20% of what
hey would have paid in USA. Destination countries can be any one but India, Thailand,
Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Turkey Belgium, Hungary, South Korea Brazil, Costa
Rica, Panama, Mexico, USA are leading one.
You might go for medical tourism if -
1. You want to save up to 90% on world class medical treatment.
2. Insurance cover for you does not exist or is unknot sufficient.
3. Procedure advised to you is not offered in your country.
4. Insurance company does no cover procedure you plan to undergo.
4.7 Benefits
4.7.1 Cost savings.
The single biggest reason people travel to other countries for medical treatment is
the opportunity to save money. Depending upon the country and type of treatment,
uninsured and underinsured patients, as well as those seeking elective care, can realize 15
to 85 percent savings over the cost of treatment in the United States. Or, as one successful
health traveler put it, "I took out my credit card instead of a second mortgage on my
home." As baby boomers become senior boomers, costs of healthcare and prescriptions
are devouring nearly 30 percent of retirement and pre-retirement incomes. With the word
getting out about top-quality treatments at deep discounts overseas, informed patients are
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finding creative alternatives abroad. Airfare and lodging costs are governed by individual
preferences. To compute a ballpark estimate of total costs, add $5,000 to the amounts
shown in the table for you and a companion, figuring coach airfare and hotel rooms
averaging $150 per night. For example, a hip replacement in Delhi, India, would cost
about $10,000, for an estimated savings of at least $20,000 compared with the U.S. price.
The estimates above are for treatments alone. Airfare, hospital stay (if any), and lodging
vary considerably. Savings on dentistry become more dramatic when "big mouth-work"
is required, involving several teeth or full restorations. Savings of $15,000 or more are
common.
4.7.2 Better-quality care.
Governments of countries such as India and Thailand have poured billions of
dollars into improving their healthcare systems, which are now aggressively catering to
the international health traveler. VIP waiting lounges, deluxe hospital suites, and staffed
recuperation resorts are common amenities, along with free transportation to and from
airports, low-cost meal plans for companions, and discounted hotels affiliated with the
hospital. Moreover, physicians and staff in treatment centers abroad are often far more
accessible than their U.S. counterparts
4.7.3 Excluded treatments
Although health insurance policies vary according to the underwriter and
individual, your plan probably excludes a variety of treatments, such as cosmetic
surgeries, dental care, vision treatments, reproductive/infertility procedures, certain no
emergency cardiovascular and orthopedic surgeries, weight loss programs, substance
abuse rehabilitation, and prosthetics—to name only a few. Even the most robust health
insurance plans exclude a variety of conditions and treatments. You, the policyholder,
must pay these expenses out of pocket. In addition, many policies place restrictions on
prescriptions (some quite expensive), postoperative care, congenital disorders, and pre-
existing conditions. Rich or cash-challenged, young or not-so-young, heavily or only
lightly insured, folks who get sick or desire a treatment (even one recommended by their
physician) often find their insurance won't cover it. Confronting increasingly expensive
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choices at home, nearly 40 percent of American health travelers hit the road for elective
treatments. In countries such as India, Singapore, Dubai, and Thailand, this trend has
spawned entire industries, offering excellent treatment and ancillary facilities at costs far
lower than U.S. prices.
4.7.4 Unique Procedures.
Some procedures like orthopedic procedure known as hip resurfacing, a less
expensive alternative to the traditional hip replacement still no practiced in the United
States. While this procedure has been performed for more than a decade throughout
Europe and Asia, it was only recently approved in the United States, and its availability
here remains spotty. Some procedures and prescriptions are simply not allowed in your
country. Either Government or the Food and Drug Administration has specifically
disallowed a certain treatment, or perhaps it's still in the testing and clinical trials stage or
was only recently approved. Such treatments are often offered abroad. Hundreds of
forward-thinking Americans, many having suffered years of chronic pain, have found
relief in India, where hip resurfacing techniques, materials, and instrumentation have
been perfected, and the procedure is routine.
4.7.5 No waiting.
For decades, thousands of Canadian and British subscribers to universal, "free"
healthcare plans have endured waits as long as two years for established procedures.
"Some of us die before we get to the operating table," commented one exasperated
patient, who journeyed to India for an open-heart procedure. In the United States, long
waits are a growing problem, particularly among war veterans covered under the
Veterans Administration Act, for whom long queues are becoming far too common.
Some patients figure it's better to pay out of pocket to get out of pain or to halt a
deteriorating condition than to suffer the anxiety and frustration of waiting for a far-future
appointment and other medical uncertainties.
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4.7.6 Sufficient stay:
Medical travelers will welcome the flexibility at the best hospitals abroad, where
they are often aggressively encouraged to spend extra time in the hospital post-procedure.
Patient-to-staff ratios are usually lower abroad, as are hospital-borne infection rates.
There is no push out policy in overseas hospital, patient remains in hospital as longs as
necessary and for doctors and hospital.
4.7.7 Attraction of the new and different.
Although traveling abroad for medical care can be challenging, many patients
welcome the chance to blaze a trail, and they find the creature comforts often offered
abroad a welcome relief from the sterile, impersonal hospital environments so often
encountered in U.S. treatment centers. For others, simply being in a new and interesting
culture lends distraction to an otherwise worrisome, tedious process. And getting away
from the myriad obligations of home and professional life can yield healthful effects at a
stressful time. What's more, travel—and particularly international travel—can be a life-
changing experience. You might be humbled by the limousine ride from Indira Gandhi
International Airport to a hotel in central New Delhi or struck by the simple, elegant
graciousness of professionals and ordinary people in Thailand, or wowed by the sheer
beauty of the mountain range outside a dental office window in Mexico. As one veteran
medical traveler put it, "I brought back far more from this trip than a new set of teeth."
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CHAPTER:-5 Packages and health medical mix
5.1 Health Marketing Mix
Marketing mix is the set of controllable variables that an organization uses to influence
the target market. The four Ps have long been the basis for marketing strategy in most
industries and are increasingly being considered by healthcare organizations. Below
follows the implementation of 4 Ps to health services.
Product: the product decision involves deciding what goods or services should be offered
to a group of customers. ―An important element is new product development. As
technology and tastes change, products become out-of-date and inferior to competition so
companies must replace them with features that customers
Value: Product decisions also involve choices r regarding brand names, warranties,
packaging and the services which should accompany the product offering‖. The decision
of designing the product or service is crucial due to the fact that it gives the opportunity
to the company to keep a step ahead of its competitors. It is worth mentioning that before
designing the product, the company should take into consideration the future needs of
customers by formulating the market and being pioneer. In the health industry, the
product represents goods, services, or ideas offered by a healthcare organization. The
product is difficult to precisely be defined in healthcare, creating a challenge for
healthcare marketers. While, on the other hand, it is more difficult to quantify services
and consumers evaluate them differently from more tangible products. Health services
have changed and nowadays it is not necessarily the client himself who seeks medical
treatment but it can be the other way round. However it is the specific nature of the
―product‖ of healthcare that needs to be further explained and looked into.
Price: ―price in general is a key element of the marketing mix because it represents
a basis what the company receives for the product or service which is being marketed. All
the other elements represent costs, for example, expenditure on product design (product),
advertising and salespeople (promotion), transportation and distribution (place).
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Marketers, therefore, need to be very clear about pricing objectives, methods and the
factors which influence price setting. They also must take into account the necessity to
discount and give allowances in some transactions. These requirements can
influence the level of list price chosen, perhaps with an element of negotiation
margin built in (Jobber D., 1998:14). Price in the health services sector means that
a healthcare provider offers a service in exchange for its customers money. For
example, an employee paying an annual premium to a health plan, an insurance company
reimbursing a physician s fee and a consumer purchasing over-the-counter drugs are all
exchanges involving a specified price. In past pricing wasn't essential in the choosing of
medical tourism service segment. Cost effectiveness was negligible compared to the
desired result. Nowadays this has slightly changed but the introduction of private
insurance companies and the larger market share of private hospitals and clinics
has created a more competitive environment. Besides public hospitals are unable to
cope with the larger number of medical cases and needs, while furthermore private
hospitals offer diversified health packages depending on the patient financial
background. Due to the fact that the healthcare environment changes, the pricing for
health services is becoming a growing concern for marketers whose challenge is in
developing an understanding of what a customer is willing to exchange for some
satisfying good or service and a pricing approach compatible with the goals of the
organization and its cost constraints.
Promotion:―decisions have to be made with respect to the promotional mix: advertising,
personal selling, sales promotions and public relations. By these means the target
audience is made aware of the existence of a product or service and the benefits (both
economical and psychological) that it confers on customers (Jobber D., 1998:14)‖.
Regarding to health services, promotion represents any way of informing the market that
the organization has developed a response to meet its needs and includes the mechanisms
available for facilitating the hoped-for exchange. The promotional mix refers to the
various communication techniques such as advertising, personal selling, sales promotion,
and public relations or product publicity available to the marketer to achieve specific
goals. Nowadays marketing has moved from ―mouth to mouth‖ advertisement to more
sophisticated methods. It is not so strange anymore that health
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services should promoted and there is a rising interest in health related awareness and a
need to learn more in an accessible way. Also medical related world days have been
established to further promote public awareness. Finally the organizations through
their donations or sponsorship in charity or scientific research as an indirect
advertisement become popular.
Place:―place involves decisions concerning the distribution channels to be used and
their management, the locations of outlets, methods of transportation and inventory
levels to be held. The objective is to ensure that products and services are available in the
proper qualities, at the right time and place. Distribution channels consist of
organizations such as retailers or wholesalers through which goods pass on their way to
customers. Producers need to manage their relationships with these organizations
well because they may provide the only cost-effective access to the marketplace
(Jobber D., 1998:14)‖. Place in the health industry may refer to the location or the
hours a health service can be accessed. While in past years a physician could establish
an office in a location convenient for him, today the consumer increasingly
dictates the role of place in the marketing mix. In this, have also contribute the
economies of scale which have made modern and high tech equipment affordable to a
greater number of (even small) private hospitals and clinics in almost every city helping
prevent movement of clients to larger cities for specialized and complex medical
checkups. In some cases place factors may enhance perceptions of the quality of the
product, as when the physician s office or hospital is in a trendy location or on a
campus that facilitates efficiency of care. Also all major cities even the most remote are
able to ensure quality medical treatment for their citizens. Unfortunately
mountainous areas, small towns and little islands still lack complicated medical
equipment and have to move in many cases. Doctors who make house calls may be the
only way that home bound patients can get routine care. Systems or health plans
may speed up or hinder the setting of appointments by making them available
through online communications, for example. Finally, the ability to have one s
medical record available online has added a different dimension to the concept of place.
Health services
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According to the World Health Organization, health is a state of complete
physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or
infirmity. ―Essentially, health does not only mean diseases of body and soul but
also concerns a more general sense which has to do with an equilibrium state
between humans and the physical, biologic and social environment compatible with
full functional activity‖ ( Last JM., 1997:56). It can be seen that, health services are
organized so as to mediate in an effective way between health providers and people
who need medical care. Health care can be delivered by healthcare professionals,
dentists, nurses, pharmacies and other healthcare providers.
Figure 2.4: Production of health in society (Liaropoulos L., 20 07:66) Depending on the
nature of the health services they are classified as follows:
A. Primary Health Care
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―It is essential care made universally accessible to individuals and families in the
community by means acceptable to them, through their full participation and at cost
the community and country can afford. It forms an integral part both of the
country s health systems of which it is the nucleus and the overall social and
economic development of the country (World Health Organization 1978:12). ―The
purpose of existence primary care is something more than providing health care to
patients when it is needed. Health providers have to care for people throughout the course
of their lives. They should treat people as members of a community whose
health must be protected and enhanced and not as body parts with disorders that require
treating‖ (The World Health Report 2008: 11) This primary care requires among other
matters, accessibility to all patients and the existence of necessary therapeutic and
diagnostic centers which will be available to public 24 hours a day. This means
that a well-organized, political and financial supported system is required which
seems to be unaffordable to both developed and developing countries.
B. Secondary Health Care
The secondary health care is provided primarily by hospitals, by specific health
providers and health professionals who do not have the first contact with the patients.
However, the providers of health care may not necessarily work in hospitals as well as
hospitals can provide primary care services only in certain cases such as through the
outpatient clinic or laboratories. Institutional care is distinguished from non-hospital care
due to the fact that their main purpose is to provide collective services on an individual
basis. The various institutions, the main of which is the hospital, constitute the main
providers which gather medical knowledge of various sciences and expertise with
the purpose of investigation and treatment illness usually in its acute phase. The main
characteristic of institutional care is the reliance on the industrial or animation of
production where the division of labor enables many patients to benefit from
advances in scientific knowledge to the extent and in ways which are not possible on an
individual basis. ―The hospital or institution included in the general hospital sector
is a factor y of specialized services through a highly complex of production
process. Depending on the characteristics, hospitals can be distinguished according to:
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Their purpose or function
The type of cases that are hospitalized
Their legal form
Their geographic scope and the population with access to them
Their educational role (Liaropoulos L., 2007:74)
―Especially in Greece the secondary health services are provided by three
structures: a) the public hospitals which function is under the national health system and
responsible for their administration, organization, operation and financing is the state, b)
the public hospitals outside the national health system in which included the military
hospitals, the hospitals of some insurance agents such as the Social Insurance Institution
and the hospitals of Ministry of Justice and c) private hospitals and clinics that operate as
profit units‖ (Economou C., 2004:26)
C. Tertiary Health Care
―Tertiary y health care requires specialized knowledge and advanced equipment. It is
provided by university clinics which have the necessary technological infrastructure and
qualified staff in order to provide high expertise of health services. Depending on the
range of services provided, hospitals are divided into general hospitals which possess at
least surgical and pathological sector in specific parts and specific hospitals which have
hospitalization departments in one specialty. Finally, depending on the duration of
hospitalization divided into acute hospitalization and chronic disease situations‖
(Economic C., 2004:27).
5.2 Product: - Healthcare overseas Pvt. Ltd.
As of medical tourism provider offering various medical packages for our clients. The
basic motto of our company is to cater services to upper middle class family Bangladesh.
The basic advantage for them is cheapest treatment as compared to other countries like
U.S. and with the help of experienced doctor.
The services or the packages we offer are:-
1) Quit drugs habit treatment
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2)
3)
4) Heart surgery packages like Cardiac Surgery And Cardiology, Open Heart Surgery, Angiographies and Angioplasties.
5) Treatments of different skin problems including skin grafting
5.3 Price
Procedure Charges in India & USA
Procedure United States (USD) Approx India (USD) Approx
Bone Marrow transplant USD 2,50,000 USD 69,200
Liver Transplant USD 3,00,000 USD 69,350
Heart Surgery USD 30,000 USD 8,700
Orthopedic Surgery USD 20,000 USD 6,300
Cataract Surgery USD 2,000 USD 1,350
Smile Designing USD 8,000 USD 1,100
Metal Free Bridge USD 5,500 USD 600
Dental Implants USD 3,500 USD 900
Porcelain Metal Bridge USD 3,000 USD 600
Porcelain Metal Crown USD 1,000 USD 100
Tooth Impactions USD 2,000 USD 125
Root Canal Treatment USD 1,000 USD 110
Tooth Whitening USD 800 USD 125
Tooth Colored Composite USD 500 USD 30
Fillings / Tooth Cleaning USD 300 USD 90
COST COMPARISON – INDIA VS UNITED KINGDOM (UK)
Bone marrow transplantation surgery.
Knee replacement
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Significant cost differences exist between U.K. and India when it comes to medical
treatment. Accompanied with the cost are waiting times which exist in U.K. for patients
which range from 3 months to over months.
India is not only cheaper but the waiting time is almost nil. This is due to the outburst of
the private sector which comprises of hospitals and clinics with the latest technology and
best practitioners.
Procedure
Cost comparison between India, USA, Thailand, Singapore:
Procedure United Kingdom (USD) Approx India (USD) Approx
Open Heart Surgery USD 18,000 USD 4,800
Cranio-Facial surgery and skull base USD 13,000 USD 4,500
Neuro- surgery with Hypothermia USD 21,000 USD 6,800
Complex spine surgery with implants USD 13,000 USD 4,600
Simple Spine Surgery USD 6,500 USD 2,300
Simple Brain Tumor -Biopsy - USD 4,300 USD1,200
SurgeryUSD 10,000 USD 4,600
Parkinsons
- LesionUSD 6,500 USD 2,300
- DBS
USD 26,000 USD 17,800
Hip Replacement USD 13,000 USD 4,500
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Procedure US Cost India Thailand Singapore
Heart Bypass $130,000 $10,000 $11,000 $18,500
Heart Valve
Replacement $160,000 $9,000 $10,000 $12,500
Angioplasty $57,000 $11,000 $13,000 $13,000
Hip $43,000 $9,000 $12,000 $12,000
Replacement
Hysterectomy $20,000 $3,000 $4,500 $6,000
Knee $40,000 $8,500 $10,000 $13,000
Replacement
Spinal Fusion $62,000 $5,500 $7,000 $9,000
*approximate retail costs, US figures based on HCUP data, intl. figures based on hospital
quotes in named countries
Here's a brief comparison of the cost of few of the Dental treatment procedures between
USA and India
Dental Procedure Cost in USA ($) Cost in India ($)
General Dentist Top End Dentist Top End Dentist
Smile designing - 8,000 1,000
Metal Free Bridge - 5,500 500
Dental Implants - 3,500 800
Porcelain Metal Bridge 1,800 3,000 300
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Porcelain Metal Crown 600 1,000 80
Tooth impactions 500 2,000 100
Root canal Treatment 600 1,000 100
Tooth whitening 350 800 110
Tooth colored composite 200 500 25
fillings
Tooth cleaning 100 300 75
5.4 Package for course of quit drugs, drinking habit and smoking
habit. Name: Quit drugs habit organization.
Location: Nal sarovar
This course is available for Indian or non-Indian citizen.
Younger can also join this course without any hesitation.
Person who wants to join this course must follow the registration process.
No one can allow to using drugs during course.
Family residency is available with A/C rooms, food, and other supporting tools.
Only ayurvedic and homeopathic treatments are available.
Course handle by good skilled and experienced doctors.
For 1 person Rs 1, 00,000/- Indian rupees. Including with accommodation, food, total course of 30 days, medicines, and one day small picnic in a week.
For 1 person Rs 60,000/- Indian rupees. Including with accommodation, food, total course of 15 days, medicines, and one day small picnic in a week.
For 1 person Rs 1, 50,000/- Indian rupees. Including with accommodation, food, total course of 45 days, medicines, and one day small picnic in a week.
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Travelling charges from Mumbai to Ahmadabad by air and Ahmadabad to Nalsarovar by road are included.
Scheduled for course (MON TO SAT)
TIME PARTICULER5:00 AM TO 6:30 AM YOGA, EXERCISE, SPORTS ACTIVITY7:30 AM TO 7:45 AM BREAK FAST7:50 AM TO 11:50 AM MEDICAL TREATMENT12:00 PM TO 1:00 PM LUNCH BREAK1:00PM TO 3:30 PM PHYSICAL TREATMENT3:30 PM TO 4:00 BREAKFAST4:00 PM T0 7:00 PM PSYCHOLOGICAL TREATMENT7:00 PM TO 8:00 PM DINNER8:00 PM TO 10:00 PM OTHER ACTIVITY
Organization provide A/C car for traveling at cost of Rs. 13/- kmpl.
5.4 Place
Nalsorver
Knee replacement center.
5.5 Promotion
The key "selling points" of the medical tourism industry are its "cost effectiveness" and
its combination with the attractions of tourism. The latter also uses the ploy of selling the
"exotica" of the countries involved as well as the packaging of health care with traditional
therapies and treatment methods.
Price advantage is, of course, a major selling point. The slogan, thus is, "First World
treatment' at Third World prices". The cost differential across the board is huge: only a
tenth and sometimes even a sixteenth of the cost in the West. Open-heart surgery could
cost up to $70,000 in Britain and up to $150,000 in the US; in India's best hospitals it
could cost between $3,000 and $10,000. Knee surgery (on both knees) costs 350,000
rupees ($7,700) in India; in Britain this costs £10,000 ($16,950), more than twice as
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much. Dental, eye and cosmetic surgeries in Western countries cost three to four times as
much as in India.
The price advantage is however offset today for patients from the developed countries by
concerns regarding standards, insurance coverage and other infrastructure. This is where
the tourism and medical industries are trying to pool resources, and also putting pressure
on the government. We shall turn to their implications later.
The entire concept of medical tourism hangs on the efficiency, skill and competency level
of the doctors, specialists and consultants etc. World over patients and hospitals trust
Indian doctors without doubt. This is therefore an advantage for India. Patients from
around the globe expect the best of services solely based on the reputation of doctors of
Indian origin. But so far the government has failed to realize the advantage of this
important factor. This reputation and goodwill that Indian doctors enjoy could be
leveraged to attract and promote Indian medical tourism.
The other most important reason why India has not been able to attract more customers is
that there is no specific campaign which only promotes medical promotes medical
tourism. The incredible India campaign has catapulted India in the top 5 must visit unique
destination for lonely planet but so far as it goes Thailand, Bangkok and other east Asian
countries are still market leaders. Therefore there is still scope that with specific
marketing, advertising and promotion campaigns considerable number of tourists can be
attracted.
In India the strong tradition of traditional systems of health care such as in Kerala, for
example, is utilized. Kerala Ayurveda centres have been established at multiple locations
in various metro cities, thus highlighting the advantages of Ayurveda in health
management. The health tourism focus has seen Kerala participate in various trade shows
and expos wherein the advantages of this traditional form of medicine are showcased.
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A generic problem with medical tourism is that it reinforces the medicalised view of
health care. By promoting the notion that medical services can be bought off the shelf
from the lowest priced provider anywhere in the globe, it also takes away the pressure
from the government to provide comprehensive health care to all its citizens. It is a
deepening of the whole notion of health care that is being pushed today which
emphasizes on technology and private enterprise.
The important question here is for whom the 'cost effective' services is to be provided.
Clearly the services are "cost effective" for those who can pay and in addition come from
countries where medical care costs are exorbitant - because of the failure of the
government to provide affordable medical care. It thus attracts only a small fraction that
can pay for medical care and leaves out large sections that are denied medical care but
cannot afford to pay. The demand for cost effective specialized care is coming from the
developed countries where there has been a decline in public spending and rise in life
expectancy and non-communicable diseases that requires specialist services.
Urban concentration of health care providers is a well-known fact - 59 per cent of India's
practitioners (73 per cent allopathic) are located in cities, and especially metropolitan
ones. Medical tourism promotes an "internal brain drain" with more health professionals
being drawn to large urban centers, and within them, to large corporate run specialty
institutions.
Medical tourism is going to result in a number of demands and changes in the
areas of financing and regulations. There will be a greater push for encouraging private
insurance tied to systems of accreditation of private hospitals. There is a huge concern in
the developed countries about the quality of care and clinical expertise in developing
countries and this will push for both insurance and regulatory regimes. The potential for
earning revenues through medical tourism will become an important argument for private
hospitals demanding more subsidies from the government in the long run. In countries
like India, the corporate private sector has already received considerable subsidies in the
form of land, reduced import duties for medical equipment etc. Medical tourism will only
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further legitimize their demands and put pressure on the government to subsidies them
even more. This is worrying because the scarce resources available for health will go into
subsidizing the corporate sector. It thus has serious consequences for equity and cost of
services and raises a very fundamental question: why should developing countries be
subsidizing the health care of developed countries?.
Mediums of Promotions:-
Television
Radio
News Paper
Hoardings
Brochures
Internet websites
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Chapter 6 :-Recommendation
1. Here majority of the patients are from US, UK and Australia. So hospital should try to
capture the number of patients from other than these country.
2. The majority of the patients are coming for the Cardiac, Orthopaedic, Dental & Cosmetic
treatment, so our hospitals should develop super specialty ward and department to capture
more number of patients.
3. Our hospitals should develop alternative therapy ward or department like Ayurveda,
Yunani, Spa and Yoga along with the rehabilitation centres.
4. To increase the Advertisement of the Hospitals by using different media.
5. As most of the patients are satisfied with the Treatment and Facilities provided by the
hospitals, so hospitals should maintain them.
6. For patients who are dissatisfied with the treatment and facilities, hospitals should try to
know the reasons behind the dissatisfaction.
7. Hospital should reduced the Professional Attitude towards the NRIs patients.
8. Increase travel facility for the overseas tourists
9. Improve and modernize airport infrastructure and services.
10. Make more and more advertisement by using different medias to capture more market
shares.
11. Create public awareness about economic and social benefits of tourism.
12. The heath care centres can also dispatch membership card to their customers, this will result
in retaining of the customers for a longer period of time
13. The promoters should hold various campaigns in different nations and continents and offer
better discount packages.
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Chapter 7 :-Conclusion
India is a developing country and a lot needs to be done before we can call ourselves as a
developed country, all we can claim is to be a progressive one. After the dotcom boom in the
nineties we have gone through a lean patch as such. India as an emerging nation needs to grow
both from with in and outside; in the sense development needs to done both for the Indian
Diaspora and at the same time opportunities need to be grasped and developed so that overseas
investment pours in.
After the dotcom rush India has again got the opportunity to earn billions of dollars with medical
tourism . We have all the bases coved in the sense we have the qualified doctors and consultants,
we have already developed the trust of people the world over in the past decades and we also
have the exotic environment meant for tourism. All that we do need is to make the transition
from being a potential destination to a fully rewarding and sound medical tourism destination
which is equivalent to or better than any service offered world over.
The question that India will have to handle in the coming years is how to justify giving world
class medical care to visitors where as it spends just 1.4 % of its GDP on medical care of its own
people. Health of its own people will reflect on the robustness of the general state of the country.
So unless this is balanced off the issue of biasness will keep on cropping up.
Time and again we see that the root of all our national issues and problems arise from having an
inherently weak infrastructure with poorly executed law and order and political red tape.
Compounded with the problem of over population, dwindling natural resources and reckless
disregard for the environment we stand at a junction where things can go haywire or they might
become extremely successful if we only start resolving them. Currently it is like moving 1 step
ahead and then going 3 steps backwards. Medical tourism is based on having a well oiled
network of tour operators, medical facilities, hotels, conventional tour packages and
infrastructure tools such as electronic connectivity, air network and good sanitation. Only then
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we can compete with already established markets such as in Thailand , south American states
such as Mexico and Costa Rica etc.
Although the situation appears to be grim there is still hope. One step at a time is all that is
needed. First and foremost is to have the basic infrastructure in place such as having proper road
and rail connectivity, having a good network of airports to all the major states and cities and with
the countries from where the potential tourists will arrive such as the US the middle east and
western Europe and also the major African and Islamic countries in Asia. Secondly but more
importantly there is a need to put forward the information required by the tourists. Aggressive
marketing is the only way to go as seen in the case of Thailand, Singapore , malyasia etc. Not
only that there should be government authorized websites where people can get all the
information regarding surgeries, hotels, cost comparison etc . They have to be developed
exclusively for the medical tourism purpose. Twenty four hours helpline, television
advertisements, getting information and advertisements published in medical journals and
popular magazines etc is a worthwhile investment. We have already seen how successful the
Incredible India campaign is. Based on similar line but exclusively for medical tourism other
such campaigns must be developed.
Since India already has the advantage of having highly qualified, English speaking doctors and
medical staff it seems just a matter of time when medical tourism will take off in a big way. We
have the cost advantage, we have the skills advantage we even have world class facilities and so
all we need is a better image, a functional infrastructure and some clever promotional campaign.
This is a golden opportunity which we cannot pass up. Not only that the overseas currency that
we earn is going to give our own people various benefits. It just seems like a circle in which all
the bodies who participate have a win win situation on hand.
The idea of doing this project was to bring to light how medical tourism is the 21 st century‘s
golden goose for India. Bringing out all the true facts, the weak points and in general trying to
understand the phenomenon itself of medical tourism has been insightful. This project has been
laborious since finding out relevant information is difficult and there are very few sources to find
it out from. It has been worthwhile doing this project on medical tourism since it is an upcoming
industry with lots of potential and also facing various difficulties. The main idea
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behind doing this project was to highlight all the important features and data and give atleast a
birds eye view over the concept of tourism for medical purpose.
In conclusion We can easily say that medical tourism for India is a once in a life time
opportunity and we certainly need to take up on our strong points in order to become the leading
nation in this area. We hope we have done justice to my project and based on the data collected
we might easily say that India is the place where people come to heal themselves since god‘s
grace seeps and flows through all the pores of India.
We are a nation of people who feel honor in helping out and healing the mind and the spirit. I
therefore dedicate this project to all the worthy doctors and medical professionals and to India
my mother and may gods will guide us to to a better and prosperous era.
“Atithi Devo Bhava
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Chapter 8 :-Bibliography
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