1. Executive summery
Indian Tourism
Tourism is the largest service industry in India, with a contribution of 6.23% to the national
GDP and 8.78% of the total employment in India. India witnesses’ more than 5 million
annual foreign tourist arrivals and 562 million domestic tourism visits. The tourism industry
in India generated about US$100 billion in 2008 and that is expected to increase to US$275.5
billion by 2018 at a 9.4% annual growth rate. The Ministry of Tourism is the nodal agency
for the development and promotion of tourism in India and maintains the "Incredible India"
campaign.
Medical Tourism in India
Medical tourism in India has emerged as the fastest growing segment of tourism industry
despite the global economic downturn. High cost of treatments in the developed countries,
particularly the USA and UK, has been forcing patients from such regions to look for
alternative and cost-effective destinations to get their treatments done. The Indian medical
tourism industry is presently at a nascent stage, but has an enormous potential for future
growth and development.
Medical Tourism in Gujarat
During the last decade, the State of Gujarat has witnessed enormous growth of high quality
health care delivery facilities in the State. Gujarat’s Healthcare sector has made impressive
strides in recent years and is surging ahead with new facilities and technology. Gujarat has
the State-of -the- art technology and the skilled super specialists. This, coupled with excellent
infrastructure and professional management, nurses and paramedical staff, can take on
international competition for providing a range of services and treatments at a fraction of
prevailing costs in international markets with comparable success rates and services levels
directly in proportion to the high value system and natural caring that comes with its unique
cultural heritage. Exploiting the religious, cultural and wild life tourism potential of the State
and collaboration with the tourism industry can complement the growth of medical tourism.
Satisfaction Level of the Patients
The survey of the patients who came from outside the India are mostly from the United States
of America, Africa and United Kingdom. The major purpose to come in India are social
gathering, treatment and tourism. The findings suggest that patients are coming majorly for
the cardiac diseases, orthopedic diseases and for gastro intestinal diseases. Most of the
patients select the Hospital or Doctors on the bases of the advice of their relatives or friends
and from web sites. The major attraction for the patients are doctor’s specialization and low
treatment charges. Patients gave their first priority to the treatment, followed by financial
expenses, hospitality and accommodation. Most of the patients are satisfied with the
treatment and facilities available in the hospital. Majority of the patients show their eagerness
to visit the same hospital again in the future if there will be any need arise.
2. Research Design:
An explorative study will be carried out to meet the research objective.
Initially the study will be done on the different hospitals and services provided by
them.
Descriptive - To gauge the mind set and view points of the patients pertaining to their
preference.
The length of the questionnaire would be 11 and the sample size will be around 100
respondents.
3. Research Methodology
3.1 Research Objectives
Macro Objectives:
To find out the satisfaction level of the patients in the multi-specialty hospitals.
To find out the factors, why NRIs are attracted towards taking medical treatments in
India.
To find out which kind of medical treatment is mostly preferred by the NRIs to take
in India.
Micro Objectives:
To make aware the administration department of the particular hospitals regarding
acceptance of facilities and services provided by them to the patients.
3.2 Scope of the study
Collecting data from the existing multispecialty and super specialty hospitals, medical
centres and polyclinics in Vadodara and Ahmedabad city.
Study the satisfaction level of the NRI patients who already took and are taking
treatment in the hospitals.
3.3 Nature of Research
Research will be descriptive and explorative in nature. Research will be done mainly
to understand the satisfaction level of the patients and by this way can understands the
competition and also need gaps so that better services can be develop.
4. Sampling Design Process:
Sample Unit: Foreign Patients who have used health care facilities at Ahmedabad
and Vadodara.
Target Population: Non residents Indians who came India for treatments.
Sample Size: 100
Method: Convenient Judgement sampling
Data Collection: from various major multispecialty hospitals, super specialty
hospitals, medical centres and polyclinics of Ahmedabad and Vadodara.
5. Data Sources:
The data would be collected in the form of Primary data through a survey in Ahmedabad
and Vadodara with the help of Personal Interviews.
Field Work
The Research Project work is limited to Gujarat especially Ahmedabad and Vadodara.
Fieldwork would include the following work.
Taking the prior appointment from the respondents (The hospital Management)
Personnel interview of Administration department of particular hospital/Medical
Practitioner
Personal interview/telephonic interview/email interview of patients
Primary Data – Questionnaire
Secondary Data – Marketing Research Text books, Internet and News papers
6. Tourism in India
6.1 History and Development
Tourism development in India has passed through many phases. At Government level the
development of tourist facilities was taken up in a planned manner in 1956 coinciding with
the Second Five Year Plan. The approach has evolved from isolated planning of single unit
facilities in the Second and Third Five Year Plans. The Sixth Plan marked the beginning of a
new era when tourism began to be considered a major instrument for social integration and
economic development.
But it was only after the 80’s that tourism activity gained momentum. The Government took
several significant steps. A National Policy on tourism was announced in 1982. Later in
1988, the National Committee on Tourism formulated a comprehensive plan for achieving a
sustainable growth in tourism. In July 1991, tourism was also declared as a priority sector for
foreign investment. In 1992, a National Action Plan was prepared and in 1996 the National
Strategy for Promotion of Tourism was drafted.
The other major development that took place were the setting up of the India Tourism
Development Corporation in 1966 to promote India as a tourist destination and the Tourism
Finance Corporation in 1989 to finance tourism projects. Altogether, 21 Government-run
Hotel Management and Catering Technology Institutes and 14 Food Craft Institutes were also
established for imparting specialized training in hoteliering and catering.
6.2 Current Scenario in Indian Tourism
Tourism is the largest service industry in India, with a contribution of 6.23% to the national
GDP and 8.78% of the total employment in India. India witnesses more than 5 million annual
foreign tourist arrivals and 562 million domestic tourism visits. The tourism industry in India
generated about US$100 billion in 2008 and that is expected to increase to US$275.5 billion
by 2018 at a 9.4% annual growth rate. The Ministry of Tourism is the nodal agency for the
development and promotion of tourism in India and maintains the "Incredible India"
campaign.
According to World Travel and Tourism Council, India will be a tourism hotspot from 2009-
2018, having the highest 10-year growth potential. The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness
Report 2007 ranked tourism in India 6th in terms of price competitiveness and 39th in terms
of safety and security. Despite short- and medium-term setbacks, such as shortage of hotel
rooms, tourism revenues are expected to surge by 42% from 2007 to 2017.
India has a growing medical tourism sector. The 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi are
expected to significantly boost tourism in India.
Wild Life in India
India is home to several well known large mammals including the Asian Elephant, Bengal
Tiger, Asiatic Lion, Leopard and Indian Rhinoceros, often engrained culturally and
religiously often being associated with deities. Other well known large Indian mammals
include ungulates such as the domestic Asian Water buffalo, wild Asian Water buffalo,
Nilgai, Gaur and several species of deer and antelope. Some members of the dog family such
as the Indian Wolf, Bengal Fox, Golden Jackal and the Dhole or Wild Dogs are also widely
distributed. It is also home to the Striped Hyaena, Macaques, Langurs and Mongoose species.
India also has a large variety of protected wildlife. The country's protected wilderness
consists of 75 National parks of India and 421 Sanctuaries, of which 19 fall under the
purview of Project Tiger. Its climatic and geographic diversity makes it the home of over 350
mammals and 1200 bird species, many of which are unique to the subcontinent.
Some well known national wildlife sanctuaries include Bharatpur, Corbett, Kanha,
Kaziranga, Periyar, Ranthambore and Sariska. The world's largest mangrove forest
Sundarbans is located in southern West Bengal. The Sundarbans is UNESCO World Heritage
Site.
Hill Stations
Several hill stations served as summer capitals of Indian provinces, princely states, or, in
the case of Shimla, of British India itself. Since Indian Independence, the role of these hill
stations as summer capitals has largely ended, but many hill stations remain popular summer
resorts. Most famous hill stations are:
Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh - It is also known as The Queen of Satpura.
Araku, Andhra Pradesh
Gulmarg, Srinagar and Laddakh in Jammu and Kashmir
Darjeeling in West Bengal
Munnar in Kerala
Ooty and Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu
Shillong in Meghalaya
Shimla, Kullu in Himachal Pradesh
Nainital in Uttarakhand
Gangtok in Sikkim
Mussoorie in Uttarakhand
In addition to the bustling hill stations and summer capitals of yore, there are several serene
and peaceful nature retreats and places of interest to visit for a nature lover. These range from
the stunning moonscapes of Leh and Ladhak, to small, exclusive nature retreats such as
Dunagiri, Binsar, Mukteshwar in the Himalayas, to rolling vistas of Western Ghats to
numerous private retreats in the rolling hills of Kerala.
Beaches
Elephants and camels rides are common on Indian beaches. Shown here is Havelock Island,
part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
India offers a wide range of tropical beaches with silver/golden sand to coral beaches of
Lakshadweep. States like Kerala and Goa have exploited the potential of beaches to the
fullest. However, there are a lot many unexploited beaches in the states of Andhra Pradesh,
Gujarat, Maharastra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. These states have very high potential to be
develop them as future destinations for prospective tourists. Some of the famous tourist
beaches are:
Beaches of Vizag, Andhra Pradesh
Beaches of Puri, Orissa
Beaches of Digha, West Bengal
Beaches of Goa
Kovalam Beach, Kerala
Marina Beach, Chennai
Beaches of Mahabalipuram
Beaches in Mumbai
Beaches of Diu
Beaches of Midnapore, West Bengal
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Lakshadweep Islands
Adventure Tourism
Skiing in Manali, Himachal Pradesh
River rafting and kayaking in Himalayas
Mountain climbing in Himalayas
Rock climbing in Madhya Pradesh
Skiing in Gulmarg or Auli
Boat racing in Bhopal
Paragliding in Maharashtra
A Country Forever... A Story Forever
With Tourism being one of the foremost avenues to put India on the global map, it is
heartening to see that the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report of 2009 from the
World Economic Forum, has ranked India as 11th in the Asia Pacific region and 62nd overall,
moving up three places on the list of the world’s most attractive destinations. It also ranked
14th best tourist destination for its natural resources and 24 th for its cultural resources, owing
to many World Heritage sites, rich flora and fauna, and strong creative industry. The Indian
tourism industry ranked 5th in long-term growth and the report also expects it to become the
second largest employer in the world by the year 2019.
The Tourism Ministry has claimed that tourism in India has already started showing signs
of early recovery from the impact of global economic meltdown and in December 2009
tourists arrivals grew substantially by 21% registering a growth of over 8% over the arrivals
in December 2007 which was actually a year of high growth.
In spite of the global economic recession in 2008 and 2009, the Indian economy has
continued to have good growth. India’s GDP in 2008-09 grew by 6.7%.
During April-September, 2009 India’s GDP has seen a growth of 7%, whereas the global
economy is estimated to have a negative growth in 2009. The quantum jump in Foreign
Direct Investment (FDI) in the Hotel & Tourism sector in the year 2008 and 2009 is also
indicative of the positive scenario.
Indicating a turnaround, foreign tourist arrivals into the country grew by 21 percent in
December 2009, over the corresponding month in 2008. However, it had fallen by 3% for the
entire year of 2009 due to the meltdown, H1N1 scare and the Mumbai terror attacks.
Foreign Tourist Arrivals 2009
Estimates of foreign tourists arrivals (FTAs) and foreign exchange earnings (FEEs) are
important indicators of the tourism sectors. FEEs in USD terms during the month of
November 2009 were USD 1.2 billion as compared to USD 1 billion in November 2008.
FTAs during 2009 were 5.11 million with a growth rate of (-) 3.3% as compared to the
FTAs of 5.28 million and growth rate of 4% during 2008.
Though the growth rate for 2009 is (-) 3.3%, it is better than UNWTO’s projected
growth rate of (-) 6% to (-) 4% for the world.
FTAs during the Month of December 2009 were 6.46 lakh as compared to FTAs of 5.34
lakh in December 2008 and 5.97 lakh in December 2007.
Foreign Exchange Earnings 2009
FEEs in Rupee terms during 2009 were Rs. 54960 crore as compared to Rs. 50730 crore
in 2008.
The growth rate in FEEs in Rupee terms during 2009 was 8.3% as compared to 2008, and
14.4% during 2008 as compared to 2007.
In spite of the negative growth rate of 3.3% in FTAs, FEEs in rupee terms observed a
positive growth rate of about 8% during 2009.
FEEs during 2009 were USD 11.39 billion as compared to USD 11.75 billion during
2008.
The growth rate in FEEs in USD terms during 2009 was (-) 3% as compared to 2008, and
9.5% during 2008 as compared to 2007.
FTAs in January 2010
FTAs during the month of January 2010 were 4.91 lakh as compared to FTAs of 4.22
lakh during the month of January 2009 and 5.12 lakh in January 2008.
There has been a growth of 16.4% in January 2010 over January 2009 as compared to a
negative growth of 17.6% registered in January 2009 over January 2008.
FEEs in January 2010
FEEs during the month of January 2010 were Rs. 5593 crore as compared to Rs. 4598
crore in January 2009 and Rs. 5438 crore in January 2008.
The growth rate in FEEs in Rupee terms in January 2010 over January 2009 were
21.6% as compared to (-) 15.4% in January 2009 over January 2008.
Government Initiatives
Realising that the true potential of tourism lies in responsible practices on both the demand
and supply sides of the tourism chain, the Ministry of Tourism has adopted the ‘sustainable
tourism’ route and incorporated it into the innovative Rural Tourism Project.
Projects and Sanctioned Budgets
Development of tourism is primarily undertaken by the State Governments/Union Territory
Administrations and the Ministry of Tourism provides financial assistance for tourism
projects based on the proposals received from them subject to availability of funds and
priority.
The Tourism Ministry had sanctioned numerous projects across the nation for enhancing
the tourism infrastructure; many of them were sanctioned during the year 2009.
Future Potential
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) along with its strategic partner Oxford
Economics conducted the Tourism Satellite Accounting (TSA) research in March 2009. In
accordance with this latest released research, the future of Indian Tourism has some bright
prospects.
The demand for tourism in India is expected to grow by 8.2% between 2010 and 2019
which will place India at the third position in the world.
Indian tourism is expected to employ over 40 million people by 2019.
Capital investment in India’s travel and tourism sector is expected to grow at 8.8%
between 2010 and 2019.
The research report forecasts India to get capital investment worth USD 94.5 billion in
the travel and tourism sector by 2019.
6.3 The various segments (structures) within tourism are:
Medical Tourism
It is one of the fastest growing segments in India. India has been able to leverage on certain
advantages it has over other countries like highly skilled doctors, cost effective treatment,
improved quality of private healthcare etc. Some of the common treatments for which
overseas patients to come to India are heart surgery, knee transplant, cosmetic surgery and
dental care. India's traditional rejuvenation therapy like yoga and ayurvedic therapy are also
becoming popular.
Eco Tourism
It is relatively new segment in India. It involves visiting natural areas without disturbing the
fragile ecosystem. Eco tourism generates wealth for the local people, who in turn take
measures to conserve and protect the environment and natural resources. India with its natural
diversity is one of the pristine places in the world for eco tourism. The Himalayan region,
Kerala, Northeast, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep islands the Western and
Eastern Ghats are some of the hot spots for eco tourism in India. India has some of the best
wildlife reserves in the world, rich in flora and fauna.
Heritage Tourism
Heritage tourism is a very lucrative segment in India. It is widely believed it would emerge
as the most important segment within tourism in terms of revenue generation by 2010.India
has a rich cultural history and reflection of its glorious past is still visible in its numerous
forts, monuments, palaces, places of worship etc. Heritage tourism itself can be further
classified as colonial heritage, urban renewal, religious tourism, industrial heritage and
ethnicity. The Indian government must show keen interest in preserving the heritage sites
from a tourism perspective.
Adventure Tourism
India's varied geographical and climatic conditions offer excellent opportunity for
adventure sports. In recent times the popularity of adventure tourism has increased.
Adventure sports like river rafting, rock climbing, mountaineering, trekking, skiing, snow
climbing, scuba diving and angling can be undertaken in the country and the country offers
multiple locations to choose from. The trans Himalayan region, the Garhwal and Kumaon
mountains, the Western Ghats, deserts of Rajasthan, Andaman and Lakshadweep islands are
some of the most popular destination for adventure tourism.
7. Industry Players
7.1 Thomas Cook India Ltd.
Company Information
Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. is the largest integrated Travel and Travel related Financial
Services Company in the country offering a broad spectrum of services that include Foreign
Exchange, Corporate Travel, Leisure Travel, and Insurance. The Company launched its
Indian operations in 1881 and is celebrating its 127 years of world-class service in India.
Thomas Cook (India) operates in the following areas of business, namely: Leisure Travel,
Corporate Travel Management, MICE, Foreign Exchange, SWIFT Network, Travel
Insurance, Credit Cards, Pre-Paid Cards, Life Insurance and E-Business.
Post March 31st 2008, Thomas Cook (India) Limited (TCIL) is a part of Thomas Cook Group
plc UK (TCG). On March 7th 2008, TCG announced its decision to acquire TCIL from
Dubai Investment Group. Thomas Cook Group plc is one of the largest travel groups in the
world with a market capitalization of approximately US$6 Billion.
In June 2006, Thomas Cook (India) acquired LKP Forex Limited and Travel Corporation
(India) Pvt. Ltd. (TCI).
TCIL presently operates in over 72 cities across over 180 locations. The company has
overseas operations in Sri Lanka which is a branch of TCIL and Mauritius which is a
subsidiary of Thomas Cook (India). The Company employs over 2,200 resources and is listed
on both the Bombay Stock Exchange as well as the National Stock Exchange.
Thomas Cook (India), over the years has received several prestigious awards such as the
Golden Peacock Award for excellence in Corporate Governance and the Pacific Asia Travel
Association (PATA) Golden Award for Best Travel. Recently, the Company won the Best
Tour Operator at the CNBC Awaaz Travel Awards 2008 and was also accredited the P1
rating which is the highest financial rating given by Crisil.
Founded in 2007
Headquarters in Peterborough, England, UK
Key people are Thomas Middlehoff (Chairman), Michael Beckett (Deputy Chairman),
Manny Fontenla-Novoa (CEO)
IT is a travel industry
Its products are Package Holidays
Employees are 31000
7.2 SOTC - India's Leading Tour operator
SOTC is Kuoni India's key outbound travel brand. SOTC, India’s largest outbound tour
operator was acquired by Kuoni Travels - World's leading premium Tour Operator in the year
1996 and is a leader in all segments, namely Escorted Tours, Free Individual Travel, Special
Interest Tours and Domestic Holidays amongst others.
Till date, SOTC has escorted over 4 lakh passengers across the globe to various destinations
including Europe, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Far East, Africa and many more.
They have served travelers for years and won their smiles and hearts. SOTC’s vast array of
holiday services is taking holidaying to an entirely new level.
SOTC has been voted "Best Outbound Tour Operator" five times in a row by the Galileo
Express Travel & Tourism Awards Committee.
The company has not only fully utilized the existing market potential but has also created
new markets through innovative packages namely ‘BhramanMandal’ brand which is
dedicated for the Marathi speaking population and 'Gurjar Vishwadarshan' brand that is
dedicated for the Gujarati speaking population.
SOTC Corporate (MICE) tours offer the following services to customers:
Research and development of complete program
Identification and reservation of location
Venue and accommodation selection
Planning, organisation and equipping of location area
Contracting and negotiation of services
Organisation of pre and post tour programs, spouse programs, social programs and
arrangements for accompanying guests
Specialized exclusive theme dinners
Audiovisual recording of the event
Shows and special entertainments
Special evening venues
Transportation - meet and greet services during all arrivals
Security
Visa application services
SOTC Trade Fair Tours
SOTC Trade Fair Tours is a division that caters exclusively to the needs and requirements of
the keen businessman visiting or exhibiting in International trade fairs.
Increase in the number of Indian participants & visitors to various International exhibitions to
compete at a global level confirm huge potential for Group Outbound Travel. In the past few
years SOTC Trade Fair Tours has successfully organised delegations to various International
trade fairs, which has helped in creating awareness and earning a reputation in the market.
The efforts and strength in offering the best quality services have been recognized by the
'Indo German Chamber of Commerce', Industry Associations and International Exhibition
Organizers, etc by appointing SOTC Trade Fair Tours as their exclusive official agent in
India. SOTC Trade Fair Tours has given a new dimension to the trade fair visitors by
providing value added services such as confirmed accommodation during the fair period,
Indian meals, option to pay in easy monthly installments, factory visits etc - all this and more
at extremely attractive and competitive prices.
8. Medical Tourism as an Industry
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, at
Epidaurus. In Roman Britain, patients took the waters at a shrine at Bath, a practice that
continued for 2,000 years. From the 18th century wealthy Europeans travelled to spas from
Germany to the Nile. In the 21st century, relatively low-cost jet travel has taken the industry
beyond the wealthy and desperate.
The reasons patients travel for treatment vary. Many medical tourists from the United States
are seeking treatment at a quarter or sometimes even a 10th of the cost at home. From
Canada, it is often people who are frustrated by long waiting times. From Great Britain, the
patient can't wait for treatment by the National Health Service but also can't afford to see a
physician in private practice. For others, becoming a medical tourist is a chance to combine a
tropical vacation with elective or plastic surgery.
And more patients are coming from poorer countries such as Bangladesh where treatment
may not be available.
Countries that actively promote medical tourism include Cuba, Costa Rica, Hungary, India,
Israel, Jordan, Lithuania, Malaysia and Thailand. Belgium, Poland and Singapore are now
entering the field. South Africa specializes in medical safaris-visit the country for a safari,
with a stopover for plastic surgery, a nose job and a chance to see lions and elephants.
9. Medical Tourism in India
Medical Tourism (also known as Health Tourism, Medical Travel) is about travelling to a
foreign country for medical treatment. It involves the benefit of cost effective treatment,
private medical care in collaboration with the tourism industry. The concept of Medical
Tourism is fast catching-up in India where people from any part of the world travel to the
country for the purpose of medical treatment and get the dual benefit of travelling and
sightseeing to various parts of India.
Medical Tourism is a growing concept in India because of various reasons. Much of it
depends upon factors those are:
Low cost surgeries and medical treatments such as complex Bone Marrow transplant,
liver transplant, kidney transplant, specialized cardiac/heart surgery, surgeries for hip
joint replacement, knee joint replacement, dental surgery, and cosmetic surgeries, to
mention a few. All these surgical procedures are carried out by expert doctors.
India has various state-of-the-art medical institutes and hospitals of international
standards.
People all around the world are eager to see the diversity and unity of India. So, when
they get the advantage of medical treatment along with a dual advantage of getting to
travel India, they choose India over others.
Comparatively the cost of surgery in India is estimated to be one-tenth of that in the
United States or Western Europe, and sometimes even less. A heart-valve
replacement that would cost $200,000 or more in the US, for example, goes for
$10,000 in India--and that includes round-trip airfare and a brief vacation package.
Similarly there are other such surgical procedures that cost less in India.
Chennai (formerly known as Madras), the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil
Nadu, has been declared India's Health Capital, as it nets in 48% of health tourists
from abroad and 37-41% of domestic health tourists.
9.1 Booming Medical Tourism in India
Medical tourism in India has emerged as the fastest growing segment of tourism industry
despite the global economic downturn. High cost of treatments in the developed countries,
particularly the USA and UK, has been forcing patients from such regions to look for
alternative and cost-effective destinations to get their treatments done. The Indian medical
tourism industry is presently at a nascent stage, but has an enormous potential for future
growth and development.
We have also found that India represents the most potential medical tourism market in the
world. Factors such as low cost, scale and range of treatments provided by India differentiate
it from other medical tourism destinations. Moreover, the growth in India’s medical tourism
market will be a boon for several associated industries, including hospital industry, medical
equipments industry and pharmaceutical industry.
In addition to the existence of modern medicine, indigenous or traditional medical
practitioners are providing their services across the country. There are over 3,000 hospitals
and around 726,000 registered practitioners catering to the needs of traditional Indian
healthcare. Indian hotels are also entering the wellness services market by tying up with
professional organizations in a range of wellness fields and offering spas and Ayurvedic
massages.
Our comprehensive report also provides a deep insight into the Indian medical tourism
market and evaluates the past, present and future scenario of the medical tourism market. It
discusses the key factors which are making India an attractive medical tourism destination.
Both statistics and trends about market size, tourist arrivals, infrastructure, accreditations,
drivers and restraints have been thoroughly discussed in the report.
9.2 Emerging Trends of Medical Tourism in India
Medical tourism was a silver lining for those millions of Uninsured, underinsured and those
who were forced to postpone treatments due to long waiting lists. What seemed like a boon
to patients from Western countries like US, UK and Canada is now a twilight of hope for
those countries who are deemed as Medical Tourism hubs. In popular medical tourism
destinations like India, Singapore and Thailand, Medical Tourism is a fast growing industry
where millions of dollars are being pumped in rigorously.
In order to cope with the growing demand for medical care, hospitals, medical practitioners
and even governments have taken measures to promote health care in India.
When it comes to health care, safety is the foremost concern. The hospitals in India are
well equipped with the latest technology and houses highly qualified and experienced staff
who can provide timely and quality medical treatment to patients. As a move in promoting
medical tourism, many hospitals are deemed as “corporate hospitals” that specially cater to
the needs of medical tourists in India. Apart from offering world class treatments, they offer
various services that make medical tourists’ stay in India hassle free. Many hospitals in India
have international accreditations that certify the quality of health care service.
Indian Government has acknowledged the growth of medical tourism in India and is now
offering Medical Visas. The initial period for a medical visa may be up to a period of one
year or the period of treatment whichever less, which can be extended for a further period up
to one year be the State Government/ FRROs on the production of medical certificate/ advice
from the reputed/ recognized/ specialized hospitals in the country. Any further extension will
be granted by the Ministry of Home Affairs only on the recommendations of the State
Government/ FRROs supported by appropriate Medical documents. Such visa will be valid
for maximum three entries during one year.
India is a big player in the medical tourism industry. In fact, it has been ranked the most
popular medical tourism destination by many. Apart from the contribution of government
and hospitals in improving the health care service in India, what truly gives that edge to India
over other medical tourism destinations is the innumerable rejuvenation options it offers and
the easiness of stay in India.
India is the birth place of Yoga, which is one of the most popular forms of exercise and
rejuvenation today. There are almost an infinite number of Spa and rejuvenation centers in
India that could uplift the mood and enhance health of medical tourists. India is a tourist’s
paradise and when in India for medical treatment, tourism comes as a co-benefit of medical
tourism. Unlike other exotic destinations in the world, it is surprisingly easy to commute,
stay and converse in India. People in India are extremely warm and have a sound command
over English. All these factors make India the sought after destinations for medical tourism
and India is now equipped to cater to the fast growing demand for health care in India.
A new report, "Booming Medical Tourism in India”, provides an insight into the Indian
medical tourism market. It evaluates the past, present and future scenario of the Indian
medical tourism market and discusses the key factors that are making India a favorable
medical tourism destination. Both statistics and trends regarding market size, tourist arrivals,
infrastructure, accreditations, drivers and restraints have been thoroughly discussed in the
report.
The research suggests that India represents the most potential medical tourism market in the
world. Factors such as low cost, scale and range of treatments provided by India differentiate
it from other medical tourism destinations. The growth in India’s medical tourism market is
expected to serve as a boon for several associated industries including hotels, medical
equipment and pharmaceuticals.
9.3 Government Plans for Attracting Medical Tourism to India
To promote growth in the Indian medical travel industry, the Indian government has plans
to improve health infrastructure. The government is currently in the process of increasing the
number of hospitals, clinics, and clinical laboratories in urban as well as rural parts of the
country. Incentives and tax holidays are being offered to hospitals and dispensaries providing
health travel facilities. The Indian medical travel and health care sector offers plenty of
opportunities for businessmen, medical equipment manufacturers, healthcare service
providers, and tourist agencies, and the government is encouraging them to invest in
therapeutic and preventive health services so as to increase medical travel to India. The
government has published analytical reports on the available opportunities in the Indian
health care industry so corporate houses can make informed decisions regarding the Indian
medical tourism sector.
9.4 Expansion of Medical Tourism in India
There are several characteristics that make India an appealing destination for visitors
seeking health services. These include its well-trained health practitioners; a large populace
of good English speaking doctors, guides and medical staff; availability of super-specialty
centres that excel in cardiology and cardio-thoracic surgery, joint replacements, transplants,
cosmetic treatments, dental care, orthopaedic surgery and more; hospitals that provide the full
gamut of health services which include full body pathology, comprehensive physical and
gynaecological examinations, echo Doppler, high strength MRI etc. using latest,
technologically advanced diagnostic equipments; and finally, and more importantly the
availability of these premium services at prices that are extremely reasonable for the foreign
tourist.
In fact, the competitive cost of medical treatment in India has been the main catalyst for the
growth of medical tourism in the country. The costs of comparable treatment in India are on
average one eighth to one fifth of those in the West. For instance, a cardiac procedure costs
anywhere between US$ 40,000 - 60,000 in the United States, US$ 30,000 in Singapore, US$
12,000 - 15,000 in Thailand and only US$ 3,000 - 6,000 in India. Likewise, the associated
costs of surgery are also low.
India also has the potential to emerge as a hub for preventive health screening in view of the
availability of low-cost diagnostic tests. At a private clinic in London a health check-up for
men that includes blood tests, electro-cardiogram tests, chest X-Rays, lung tests and
abdominal ultrasound costs around £350. In comparison, a comparable check-up at a clinic
operated by Delhi-based healthcare company Max Healthcare costs US$ 84. A Magnetic
Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan costs US$ 60 at Escorts Hospital in Delhi, compared with
roughly US$ 700 in New York.
A study done by the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF) in 2004 showed that India is
more cost-competitive as compared to other leading medical tourism destination like
Thailand. Thailand has a cost advantage over India in only two categories: plastic surgery and
breast augmentation. India is cheaper than Thailand across a whole range of other—and more
serious — surgery categories as the following chart indicates.
Surgery Thailand India
Bone Marrow Transplant US$ 62500 US$ 30000
Liver Transplant US$ 75000 US$ 40000
Open Heart Surgery (CABG) US$ 14250 US$ 4400
Hip Replacement US$ 6900 US$ 4500
Knee Surgery US$ 7000 US$ 4500
Hysterectomy US$ 2012 US$ 511
Gall Bladder removal US$ 1755 US$ 555
* cost in US$
The health services in India have the additional advantage of providing a good mix of
allopathic and alternative systems of medicine. For instance, while New Delhi has emerged
as a prime destination for cardiac care; Chennai has established a niche for quality eye care;
Kerala and Karnataka have emerged as hubs for state-of-the-art ayurvedic healing.
The scope for profit in this sector has encouraged several large corporations, such as
pharmaceuticals and industrial companies, and several non-resident Indians (NRIs) to invest
money in setting up super-specialty hospitals such as Apollo, Medinova, CDR, Mediciti in
Hyderabad; Hindujas and Wockhardt in Mumbai; Max, Escorts, Apollo in Delhi etc.8 These
facilities now dominate the upper end of the private sector and cater predominantly to
medical tourists and affluent sections of the society. These establishments have created a
niche job market for health professionals predominantly trained in public sector institutes.
Even the Government of India has responded promptly to tap the potential of this sector. In
its effort to capitalize on this opportunity the Government has untaken measures to promote
India as a “global health destination”. The National Health Policy 2002 strongly encourages
medical facilities to provide services to users from overseas. It states that “providers of such
services to patients from overseas will be encouraged by extending to their foreign exchange,
all fiscal incentives, including the status of “deemed exports”, which are available to other
exporters of goods and services”.
The Indian Ministry of Tourism has started a new category of visas for the medical tourists.
These visas called the “M” or medical-visas are valid for one year but can be extended up to
three years and are issued for a patient along with a companion. Efforts have also been
undertaken to improve the airport infrastructure to ensure smooth arrival and departure of the
health tourists. A brochure of the ministry predicts a “phenomenal expansion” of the Indian
health-care industry in the coming years.
These factors have favored the recent spurt of growth of medical tourism in India. Official
figures indicate that medical tourists from 55 different countries come to India for treatment.
While most of these patients are from developed countries, India is also seeing a surge of
patients from countries in Africa and South and West Asia that lack adequate healthcare
infrastructure. Among others, foreign health travelers to India comprise of a large number of
non-resident Indians (NRIs). If the present trend continues trade in health and health-services
will become one of the biggest sectors in India. However, there are several challenges that
could impede the growth of medical tourism in India, more importantly the growth of this
sector poses a threat to the already crippled public health system in India.
Kerala Medical Tourism
Kerala is not only a beautiful destination in Southern India known for its scenic beaches and
serene backwaters. Of late Kerala has gained international attention for Medical Tourism and
is becoming a popular international medical tourism destination.
Kerala is famous for its alternative medical therapies such as Ayurveda, which help to
rejuvenate and revitalize the body. What many tourists have now discovered is that Kerala
has a pool of trained doctors and nurses and an excellent network of hospitals that offer
international standard treatments at very affordable prices. Previously Indians working
abroad, such as residents of Kerala working in the Persian Gulf countries, would return to
India for medical treatment. Now International patients too have realized the advantages of
traveling to Kerala and the medical tourism industry has begun to take off in a big way.
Faced with exorbitant fees for procedures such as cardiac surgery, dentistry and cosmetic
surgery in their home countries, patients from the West and the Middle East have begun
looking at India and Kerala in particular.
Indian doctors have established themselves as highly skilled and conscientious caregivers
worldwide. Many doctors who have trained or worked abroad have returned to India to work
here. Their reputation has led to the growth of the Medical Tourism industry in Kerala.
Kerala Travel Tourism offers tour packages that combine medical treatment with a restful
holiday in Kerala India. The world-class hospital facilities, pre and post-operative care and
pleasant climate make your medical treatment and recovery in Kerala a positive experience.
Some Medical Tourism options in Kerala are given below.
10. Medical Tourism Companies
HelloMD.com
Advent Medical Services group is a leading medical service provider based in India with
accomplished and distinguished physicians and surgeons with a vast experience in variety
of disciplines including cardiothoracic surgery cosmetic and plastic surgery, laparoscopic
surgery, endoscopic surgery, microsurgery, joint replacements and highly advanced form
of ophthalmic and ear surgery.
web site url : http://www.hellomd.com
Indicure
Indicure is a limited company in New Delhi, India founded by a group of medical and
management professionals with an objective to provide customised patient care
management services in India for medical tourism, health care tourism and home health
care services.
web site url : http://www.indicure.com/
JD Healthcare
Located in British Columbia on the west coast of Canada, JD Healthcare and its partners
have been providing healthcare to patients worldwide for over two years. With strong
ties to the global pharmaceutical industry, Company the pleasure of assisting countless
thousands around the world who can barely afford to put food on the table, let alone pay
hundreds of dollars in medical bills every month.
web site url : http://www.jdhealthcare.com
Medical Tourism in India - Erco Travels
Erco Travels provides Dental Care Packages, Eye ( Refractive ) Care Packages, Heart
Care Packages, Heart Surgery Packages, Cosmetic Treatment Packages, Orthopaedic
Surgery Packages and Health Check Up along with other tourism packages.
web site url : http://www.medicaltourismindia.com
Med In India
Med In India provides professional, caring and comprehensive services to Medical
Tourists looking for medical treatments (and tourist package) in India. Its services help
you choose a treatments which are scheduled at your convenience and that too at an
affordable cost. It includes surgery of heart, hips and joints and cosmetic surgery and
likewise many such other treatments.
web site url : http://www.medinindia.com
Mediscapes India
Mediescapes India offers several invasive to non-invasive medical treatments at our
partner super - specialty medical treatments facilities in India combined with recuperative
holiday package show-causing the real India. The surgeries and non - invasive medical
treatments offered by its partner hospitals and clinics in India are vast and varied, ranging
from Cardiac surgery options to Renal Transplant as well as BMT, Cosmetic surgery to
Dental, Refractive to Birmingham Hip Surgeries, Ayurveda, Naturopathy to Yoga and last
but not least mental to spiritual rehabilitation as well as complete diagnostic lab
procedures in several world-class Indian medical institutions of repute having
International accreditations.
web site url : http://www.mediescapes.com
Medi Tours
Meditours, based in Kelowna, British Columbia was started as a company to assist those
people in need of immediate health remedies specifically those requiring hip and knee
replacements. After visiting state of the art medical facilities in the resort area of
Trivandrum in the south of India, and realising the need for these services given the long
waiting lists and expensive hospital bills in most countries, they are now offering the same
level of medical services with accommodations in 5 star hotels for recuperation for about
about the same price as just the surgery in their own country.
web site url : http://www.meditours.org
Sahaj Dental Clinic
Offers a great opportunity to experience Mystic India with World Class Dental Treatment.
Here you can Save & Enjoy, both.
web site url : http://www.sahajdental.com
Serena Spa
Serena Spa, a haven of peace & tranquillity set against the ambience of natural beauty, for
those who wish to relax, restore and rejuvenate, body mind and spirit. A paradise filled
with exotic aromas, essential oils, spice and floral fragrances, designed to enhance and
optimise the total mind - body experience.
web site url : http://www.serenaspa.com
11. Gujarat: A Global Health Destination Promoting Medical
Tourism in Gujarat
As part of its Navratri Celebrations ”Vibrant Gujarat 2006”, the Government of Gujarat took
the opportunity to promote its world-class medical facilities and medical expertise making
Gujarat as a destination for medical tourism for Non Resident Indians.
Concept of “Medical Tourism” includes combining Healthcare with tourism potential and
offering the Best of the East and the West under one roof.
India’s emergence as the preferred Global Healthcare destination has attracted patients from
the globe to come to India particularly Gujarat for treatment which is estimated to contribute
25-31 % of the industry earnings of one hundred thousand crores. The Gujarati community
comprises of 32% of the total 20.1 million people of Indian origin worldwide.
According to a study by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), India has a competitive edge
especially its cost advantage. The Cost of Medical treatment in India is less than 1/3rd of that
in many European and US Hospitals.
Gujarat’s medical expertise and the strength of its facilities are better than those of some of
the south-east Asian nations and Gujarat hospitals are trying to do lot harder selling abroad.
They are seeking to achieve this by measures such as:
Creating centre of excellences in the respective fields
Quality stamp through accreditation from global certification agencies such as JCI
Developing a network
Customised Packaged are available
There was a one mega event organized during the nine days of Navratri; an exhibition on
medical tourism where leading hospitals of the state had an opportunity to show their
facilities and service packages.
The Exhibition:
The Governor, H/E Navalkishor Sharma, inaugurated the exhibition. The exhibition was from
23rd September to 1st October. The hospitals such as Apollo, Sterling Hospital, Bankers
Heart Hospital, J. S. Ayurvedic Hospital, G.E. Health Care, Fortis Hospital, Rajasthan
hospital, and the Cardiology, Kidney and Cancer institutes from the Civil Hospital campus
participated in the exhibition enthusiastically. The exhibition also promoted Indian Systems
of Medicine specifically, Ayurveda, Naturopathy and Yoga.
The focus areas for medical tourism have been derived from the fact that there are waiting
lists in various specialties for both inpatients and outpatients, anything between three weeks
to one year in hospitals in UK and USA. Many hospitals in Gujarat have experience in
providing services to the NRGs and according to them the potential areas for Gujarat would
be:
Cardiology
Renal transplantation
Carcinoma
Dental care
Cataract
Restructuring plastic surgery
Wellness and screening Programme
In Vitro Fertilization
Holistic care through Indian Systems of Medicine.
Planning for medical tourism ahead….
The Government of Gujarat sees this occasion as a beginning for making Gujarat a Global
Health Destination. The long-term plans include:-
Establishing a Medical tourism council
M.O.Us with private hospitals for provision of high quality health care.
Introduction of Nursing Home Act
Accreditation of service providers so that quality services are assured.
Medi City
Opportunities for private participation in public hospitals
Investments in Capacity Building Schools of Public Health and Hospital Management
12. Major Hospitals in Ahmedabad and Vadodara
12.1 Apollo Hospital
The Story of Apollo Hospitals is intrinsically tied to the story of Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, the
founding Chairman. His wondrous journey from rural Andhra Pradesh to architecting modern
healthcare in India is synonymous with Apollo’s sweeping achievements in making India a
global healthcare hub.
He had settled down to a flourishing practice in USA, when the pangs of an unfinished
dream started. These pangs continued to gain ground, strong and silent until that one day,
when Dr. Reddy realized that he was consumed by the overwhelming need to lay the
foundation for his vision. He moved back to India and started the uphill task of making
Apollo Hospitals a reality. Today, Apollo Hospitals group is the largest healthcare service
provider in Asia and the third largest in the world. As a group, Apollo has touched and
enriched over 20 million lives.
Apollo Hospitals started as a 150 bedded hospital in Chennai in 1983. India, in the early
80's, was not the easiest place for private enterprise. Moreover, private healthcare institutions
were unknown and they were not doing cutting edge work. 27 years later it is an amazing
story of success, achievement and most importantly, dreams realized.
As Apollo Hospitals has made colossal strides to reach where it is, more and more facets of
the founding vision have turned to reality. Today, Apollo group is not just one of the
country's premier healthcare providers but has also played a pioneering role in helping India
become the centre-of-excellence in global healthcare.
The Apollo Hospitals group today includes over 8065 beds across 46 hospitals in India and
overseas, neighborhood diagnostic clinics, an extensive chain of Apollo Pharmacies, medical
BPO, health insurance services and clinical research divisions that are working on the cutting
edge of medical science.
However, the largest achievement of the Apollo group has been to take quality healthcare to
across the length and breadth of India. Of touching 10 million lives and giving hope to an
entire segment of the Indian population who did not have an option beyond limited medical
infrastructure.
Apollo has succeeded in being more than just a quality healthcare provider. It has been a
major player in scripting the medical landscape of the nation. This is primarily because the
group has continuously been at the helm of several game-changing innovations in Indian
healthcare.
By the start of the new millennium, Apollo Hospitals group had become an integrated
healthcare organization with owned and managed hospitals, diagnostic clinics, dispensing
pharmacies and consultancy services. In addition, the group's service offerings include
healthcare at the patient's doorstep, clinical & diagnostic services, medical business process
outsourcing, third party administration services and heath insurance. To enhance performance
and service to customers, the company also makes available the services to support the
business of healthcare, telemedicine services, education & training programs, research
services and a host of non profit projects.
About Apollo Ahmedabad
Today Apollo Hospitals group is recognized as the "Architect of Healthcare" in India.
Apollo group has a long history of accomplishments with its unique ability of resource
management.
Apollo Hospitals, Ahmedabad opened in May 2003. A multi-specialty quaternary care
hospital further strengthens the healthcare infrastructure in Gujarat, setting new benchmarks
in quality standards in healthcare delivery. Keeping with the tradition of delivering healthcare
at par with the best in the world, Apollo relies a great deal on innovation, introspection and
improvement to render tender loving care to patients.
Apollo Hospitals, Ahmedabad provides holistic healthcare that includes prevention,
treatment, rehabilitation and health education for patients, their families and clients by
touching their lives.
International Patients
Apollo Hospitals, Ahmedabad, a 400 bedded quaternary care hospital, has an overall
success rate of 98%.
Located just 5 Kms from the Ahmedabad International Airport, the hospital not only offers
world class healthcare facilities but also has a wonderful serene nature surrounding it. Built
over 10 acres of land, the hospital has 65 ICU beds and is the largest corporate hospital in
Gujarat offering world class diagnostic, medical and surgical facilities.
Medical Tourism in India has witnessed an enormous growth and has opened a plenty of
opportunities in the private and voluntary sector. Leading the race in attracting medical
tourists to India is Apollo Hospitals, the healthcare powerhouse of India. Traveling from all
around the world, medical tourists seek essential healthcare services. Apollo Hospitals,
Ahmedabad offers superlative services in line with international patient care standards and
has therefore carved a niche in the health tourism sector.
Arrival at Airport
On arrival, patients will be received at the Apollo Medical Centre, a unit of Apollo
Hospitals, Ahmedabad, by their representative and taken to main Apollo Hospital as per the
admission plan.
They Specialised in:
1. Coronary Angiography & Angioplasty
2. Open Heart Surgery
3. Stem Cell Transplantation
4. Knee Replacement
5. Kidney Transplantation
6. Cosmetic Surgery
7. Paediatric Cardiology
8. Radiation & Surgical Oncology
9. Medical Health Checks
Special Facilities Available
Transport services including Airport pickup
Foreign exchange support
Accommodation for relatives and attendants
Communication Center
Locker facility
International conferencing facility
Postage & Couriers
Travel Desk
Cyber Café
Library
Places of Worship
Bank ATM
Telemedicine Facility:
Apollo’s vision is to provide a successful working model of Telemedicine which self-
propagates across India and abroad. It will provide a channel for continuous access to the
most sophisticated medical support systems at all times. Apollo aims at extending super-
speciality services to remote countries across the globe by proactively using technological
developments and imaging techniques to create benchmark standards in the field of medicine
and health.
They have a state of the art telemedicine centre, to cater for needs of all international
patients.
12.2 Shalby Hospital, Ahmedabad.
Shalby Hospitals is amongst the league of few hospitals to have received NABH (National
Accreditation Board of Hospitals) certificate in a short span of time. Shalby’s NABH journey
started in July 2009 as Shalby family organized itself into small teams of healthcare
professionals taking the daunting task to set systems and process documentations in place.
From infrastructure & facility management to services & medical management, all teams
were aligned with only one focus in mind – ensuring Better Patient Care & Improved Patient
Safety through improvement in quality services offered by the hospital.
Shalby Hospital: In pursuit of Quality Health Service
Shalby Hospitals provide world class facility and offer a holistic range of medical services to
patients from across the globe. Shalby’s compassionate approach to medical care is patient
centric, with multidisciplinary teams of highly skilled medical professionals working together
to improve the quality of life for patients. Although a multi specialty health care provider,
Shalby is particularly renowned for its high volumes in joint replacement surgeries with more
than 16000 Total Knee Replacement surgeries conducted till date ─ a world record of sorts.
At Shalby, they believe it is more important, in these days of patient choice, to listen
carefully to the views of their patients so that they are able to respond to their needs. They
strive to continually improve the quality of patient care, monitoring and measuring the
treatments their patients receive and evaluating performances against their own as well as
industry standards. Shalby is committed to providing highest quality healthcare through
innovative use of technology across the offered medical specialties, this not only ensures
minimizing infection rate but also ensures they offer the world’s best services to their
patients.
Shalby Hospitals is a modern, state of the art 230 bed quaternary care healthcare centre
centrally located in Ahmedabad. The hospital transcends the best of the service standards
practiced anywhere in the world and has to its credit the honor of being one of the
preferred destinations for Total Knee Replacement surgeries. Under the able guidance
and leadership of Dr. Vikram Shah who has successfully performed over 16000 Knee
Replacement surgeries (till March 2009). It’s world class infrastructure includes:
9 Operation Theatres
3 Class 100 Operation Theatres for Joint Replacement
2 Class 10000 Operation Theatres for Cardiac Surgery
3 General Operation Theatres
1 Dedicated Operation Theatre for Laproscopy and Endoscopy
Macquet Operative tables
All Operation Theatres have Laminar Airflow to minimize infections
Surgeons use space suits as a measure to isolate air-exhaust
A-Dec Dental Chairs
Root ZX & X Smart for painless Root Canal Therapy
Carl-Ziess Optio Surgical Microscope for neurosurgery
Dedicated level for International Patients
Choice of cuisines
Prayer room
In-house Travel Desk for air / rail bookings
Shalby Hospitals also offers world class services in the following medical disciplines:
Joint Replacement Surgeries
(Knee & Hip)
Endoscopic & Laproscopic Surgery
Dentistry & Dental Implantology Urology
Intervention Cardiology Nephrology
Neuro Sciences (Medical &
Surgical)
Oncoloy (Medical & Surgical)
Ophthalmology Endocinology (Medical & Surgical)
Bariatric Surgery Paediatrics (Medical & Surgical)
Reconstructive Surgery Trauma & Orthopedic Surgery
Burns & Plastic Surgery Intervention Radiology
Cosmetic & Aesthetic Surgery Pain Management
Shalby Hospitals treasures its skilled and efficient manpower in all walks of hospital
services from administration to paramedics to consultants. It is this very force which has
further advanced their growth as a prominent quaternary care hospital in the region
serving not only Indian patients but also extending its healing touch to patients from
UAE, Qatar, Oman, Syria, Yemen, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya etc.
12.3 Sterling Hospital
STERLING ADDLIFE INDIA LIMITED came into existence with effect from 29.12.2000
as a Limited Company registered with the office of the Registrar of Companies; Gujarat.
Sterling Addlife India Ltd. is a dominant player and premier healthcare service provider in
Gujarat. It has become one of the leading regional healthcare companies in India. The
philosophy of the company remains to be patient centric, follower of ethical medical
practices, and a provider of world class healthcare to global clientele.
Sterling Hospital, owned and managed by Sterling AddLife India Ltd., is the leading
hospital chain in Gujarat. It is engaged in providing high quality medical and surgical care in
a host of critical specialties such as Cardiology and CVTS surgeries, Neurology and Neuro-
surgeries, Nephrology and Kidney Transplant, GI Medicine and Surgeries, Hematology,
Oncology and Onco-surgery, Critical and Emergency Care, Trauma and Orthopedic,
Neonatology as well as General Medicine and Surgeries. Sterling has two multi-speciality
tertiary care hospitals, one each at Ahmedabad and Vadodara and three satellite centers, one
each at Kalol, Mehsana and Himmatnagar. The company has STERLING HOSPITAL, a
multi-super speciality hospital in Ahmedabad – with 310 beds, 7 major operation theatres and
84 ICU beds. The company has also taken over Sterling Hospital, Vadodara which is having
all multi-super-specialty facilities. Sterling's high quality services attract patients from
Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and even from outside the country.
Sterling proposes to cross the 1000-bed mark with additional state-of-the art hospitals
planned at Rajkot, Surat and Bhavnagar by 2010. Sterling is also focused on clinical research
and medical education through DNB programs. As a part of Sterling's ambitious growth
plans, Actis, the well-known Private Equity Firm, has recently acquired a significant equity
stake in Sterling AddLife India Ltd.
Sterling has taken up 2 green field projects at Rajkot and Bhavnagar. The estimated cost of
Rajkot project for setting up a 160 bed hospitals is kept at Rs. 75 Crores. The company has
acquired a piece of commercial land at Bhavnagar for setting up a medium sized 120 beds
capacity (expandable upto 130 beds) hospital with estimated cost of project of Rs. 46 Crores.
Corporate
At Sterling Hospitals they understand that healthy employees contribute to a healthy
business. Their healthcare delivery systems are specially designed to suit every employee
needs.
From wellness and preventive care, to the treatment of illness and rehabilitation, they have
been pioneers in every link of the healthcare chain. For their employees and their dependents,
this means easy access to the most sophisticated medical facilities.
Doctors
Sterling Hospitals has managed to create a world-class healthcare system by integrating
internationally benchmarked medical practices with cutting-edge technology and above all
'Patient Care'. The institute has brought the sharpest, the brightest and the most diligent
resources to work together and to deliver finest care to its patients.
All those health professionals who visualize a synergy with the institute's core values of
'Service to mankind, Compassion for fellow human beings and utmost Integrity in all actions',
are welcome to be a part of the -Team Sterling.
Patients
Sterling Hospital, has emerged as a preferred destination for quality medical treatment
attracting patients worldwide. Given this advantage, Sterling Hospitals has focused its efforts
towards being a world-class hospital that exceeds the expectations of its patients.
With highly advanced medical infrastructure, broad knowledge base, medical expertise and
extensive integration, Sterling Hospital makes an ideal partner for patients seeking a more
affordable treatment. The hospital offers globally benchmarked healthcare services
administered by surgeons and physicians trained in international medical practices. These
services include advanced cardiology and cardiovascular surgery, orthopaedics and joint
replacement surgery & Minimally Invasive Surgery, Cosmetology, Oncology and Neurology
amongst others.
International patients
Medical Tourism in India has witnessed strong growth in past few years. India is emerging
as a preferred destination for international patients due to availability of best in class
treatment at fraction of a cost compared to treatment cost in US or Europe. Sterling hospitals
has focussed its efforts towards being a world-class hospital that exceeds the expectations of
its international patients on all counts, be it quality of healthcare or other support services
such as travel and stay. Sterling hospitals renders superlative services in the lines of
International Patient Care, and has therefore carved a niche in the Medical Tourism sector.
Various medical specialties offered to International patients are:
Cardiology
Cardio Thoracic & Vascular Surgery
Internal medicine
Infectious disease management
Orthopaedics
Orthopaedic Surgery (Total Hip/Knee Replacements, Joint Replacements)
Plastic Surgery
Cosmetic Surgery
Bariatric Surgery (Gastric By Pass Surgery, Gastric Banding etc)
Gynaecology & Obstetrics
General Surgery
Minimal Invasive Surgery
Neurology & Neuro Surgery
Nephrology (Dialysis)
Paediatrics & Paediatric Surgery
Pulmonology
Renal Sciences (Renal Transplantation)
ENT
Centres
Sterling Hospital is 310 beds multi-superspecialty hospital, situated in the heart of
Ahmedabad and Sterling acquired a 110 bed tertiary care hospital in Baroda.
STERLING HOSPITALS are a part of an integrated world-class healthcare facility. They
endeavour to go beyond the expected and deliver the most positive experience to each of their
patients. In this endeavour of their, they are backed by cutting-edge technology and
internationally trained, highly qualified medical professionals, who administer the best-
available medical services across all major disciplines of medicine and surgery.
Highlights
1. The pathology department ranked 3rd in India and 10th in world (2006- 07)
2. Sterling Hospital has been ranked Best Hospital ( 2007) by IMRB an “The Week”
magazine
Core specialities include:
Cardiac Science
Gastroenterology
Neuro Science
Orthopaedics
Critical Care
Nephrology
Oncology.
Services
24 x 7 Emergency services
Specialized services like Pain clinic, Stroke clinic, Diabetes clinic, Wellness clinic,
etc.
Basic services like Health Check up & its packages that suit your requirements
12.4 Bhailal Amin General Hospital, Vadodara
Established in 1964, BAGH - an ISO 9001:2000 Institute is a 160 bedded premier Multi-
Specialty & Tertiary Care Hospital of Gujarat & has been at the forefront of ushering in a
revolution in health care. From a highly qualified team of doctors, state-of-the-art medical
facilities, to following internationally acclaimed practices, everything at BAGH is aimed at
offering the best in health-care. Our warm and sensitive staff, coupled with the green
environs, makes your stay at BAGH, a pleasant & comfortable one.
It is a Multi-Specialty & Tertiary Care hospital with 6 Operation Theatres & 4 Intensive Care
Units with 24 hours service in Accidents & Emergency, Heart Command Center, Radiology
including CT Scan, Pathology Lab with 'Home Collection Service', Blood Bank including
Component Separation facility, ICUs, Pharmacy, Mobile ICU, Ambulance, Mortuary service,
Medico-Legal cases & Partial Pathological Postmortem.
Bhailal Amin General Hospital is truly a "home away from home", where "Patient Care" is
"Beyond Compare"
BAGH has a tie up with International Health Care Service providers like:
INTERNATIONAL SOS
OCEANIC HEALTH PLUS
12.5 Centre for Knee & Hip Surgery, Vadodara
Centre for Knee & Hip Surgery (CKHS), at Baroda is probably the only unit in India, which
addresses the entire range of knee-related problems and offers patients need-based solutions.
It has the complete range of treatment facilities for knee & Hip problems starting from non-
operative solutions to the minimally invasive arthroscopic surgical technique extending up to
complex procedures like knee and hip replacement surgery and Revision knee & hip
replacement surgery.
This clinic is perhaps the only one of its kind in the entire country to focus just on the knee
and hip joint. The benefits of having such a clinic are plenty. Some of them are:-
Under a single roof, a comprehensive range of state-of-the-art infrastructure is available
for anything and everything to do with knee and hip related problems. The Centre is able
to invest in the best and the latest possible electronic instrumentation systems for knee &
hip surgery which are available in the world, as it just focuses on these joints . It would
otherwise be very difficult, if not impossible, to keep on pumping money for updating
every area of orthopaedics.
The Centre for Knee & Hip Surgery has established itself as a prime centre for medical
tourism in India. They have patients coming from U.K., U.S.A., Kenya, Tanzania,
Uganda, Zambia, Australia, New Zealand, Panama Canal, Mauritius, Fiji Islands & the
Middle East countries. These patients include foreigners and not just Non Resident
Indians.
Facilities Provided to International Patients:
Pick - up and drop-off at the airport.
Assisting them in planning their travel.
Regular and prompt responses to their queries on phone and e-mails.
Arranging for nearby hotel accommodation at special discounted rates for patients and
relatives in 3, 4 or 5 star hotels.
12.6 Baroda Heart Institute and Research Centre, Vadodara
Founded on the 11th of March, 2001 the institute is unique by the fact that it is poised to
become the best cardiac care centre in Gujarat and the neighbouring states. We were born
out of the dream concept of providing “Single Centre Management” of cardiac ailments.
BHIRC offers the highest standards of comprehensive cardiac care from basic facilities in
preventive cardiology to the most sophisticated curative technology, supported by thorough
professionals, clinicians and administrators.
The technological advances made in the 20th century have brought scientific marvels into
our hospitals, these in turn have made an unprecedented demand on hospitals' medical
services, particularly in areas such as Surgery, Clinical Laboratories and Radiological as
well as Cardiac rehabilitation services. Over and above, visibility of state-of-the-art
technology has been made by means of appropriate lighting, colour, furnishing, noise
level, aroma (absence of hospital smell), visitor accommodation and staff accommodation,
maintenance of high-tech. equipments and high-touch humanity.
Facilities
Interventional Cardiology
The Fully Digital Cardiac Catheterisation Lab from Philips is the heart of this
department and is manned by an expert team of DM qualified Interventional
Cardiologists.
The Integris H5000 is suspended from the ceiling to provide fro better manoeuvrability
and is equipped with digital subtraction angiography which helps in cardiac and
vascular interventions and uses digital.
technology to store and retrieve images, archives all the angiographic data, has a
dedicated work station with off line QCA facilities which automatically makes self
programmed CDs which can be reviewed later.
The combination of these technologies and expertise makes this one of the most
sophisticated and research oriented laboratory in the country.
Non Invasive Cardiology (NIC)
The Non Invasive Cardiology (NIC) department is equipped with the latest high
resolution ultra vision 5500 echo Colour Doppler machine from HP.
The facility includes Colour Doppler echo cardiology, multi plane trans-oesophageal
echocardiography, and dobutamine stress echocardiography.
We are also the first to have myocardial contrast echocardiography in India. Added to
that, acoustic quantification and colour kinesis help to overcome many limitations and
add to the accuracy of diagnosis. Bedside intra operative echo colour Doppler and TEE
are also available.
We also possess a computerized cardiac stress test machine from Space Labs with
advanced touch screen technology which is used to perform accurate and reproducible
exercises testing for patients with coronary artery disease.
In addition to this, the department is also equipped with the sophisticated Zymed Holter
monitoring system which is used for diagnosis of all kinds of cardiac arrhythmias.
Intensive Coronary Care Unit (I.C.C.U.)
Did you know that 30% of patients die following a Heart Attack? This can be avoided
by having life support systems and other facilities to prevent any emergency following a
heart attack.
BHIRC now has a 12-bedded Coronary Care Unit equipped with the latest monitoring
system networked on the Central Monitoring System and manned round the clock by
medical officers and fully trained and dedicated nursing staff.
The I.C.C.U. at BHIRC has established a reputation for excellence in cardiac care in the
region.
Cardiac Surgery
The surgeries performed here are not only restricted to conventional adult and paediatric
surgery. Some of the most advanced and pioneering procedures like “Beating Heart”
surgery, minimally invasive or key hole surgery and total arterial revascularisation are
undertaken here.
A high standard of care is maintained with the help of dedicated cardiac surgeons,
cardiac anaesthetists, per fusionists and of course high quality nursing care.
This is reflected in excellent surgical results obtained at this centre. The department also
has a top of the line cardiac surgery theatre equipped with the latest monitoring system,
ventilators, defibrillators, heart lung machine, cold lighting system and electronically
controlled operation table.
Paediatric Cardiac Care
A total of 150,000 children are born every year with congenital heart disease and yet
less than 2000 manage to be treated.
The Surgical department of Baroda Heart Institute & Research Centre aims to close
down the gap.
The paediatric cardiac care department at BHIRC is one of the few centers in the
country offering advanced diagnostic and treatment facilities for children with heart
diseases.
The department is fully geared to perform diagnostic procedures like paediatric echo-
colour Doppler studies, TEE, cardiac catheterizations and paediatric interventions like
balloon valvuloplasty, balloon angioplasty, closing defects in the heart using a variety
of devices and life saving procedures like atrial septostomies.
All this is backed by the specialized paediatric cardiac care surgical team who are
masters in various congenital heart diseases.
Cardiac Electrophysiology
Cardiac electrophysiology is a procedure which studies the electrical properties of the
heart and evaluates the cause of irregular cardiac rhythm. Curative procedures like
radiofrequency ablation and implantation of AICD are also available at this premier
institute.
Interventional Radiology
The department has high resolution ultrasonography and X-Ray machines, and
provides top of the line interventional radiology services starting from duplex vascular
Doppler studies, digital substraction angiography to various therapeutic vascular
interventions like angioplasty, stenting and implantation of IVC filters.
Clinical Pathology & Microbiology
To provide round the clock clinical pathology and microbiological services to out
patients and indoor patients of the hospital, there is a top class pathology lab with fully
automated bio-chemistry and haematology equipments.
The department keeps an eye to ensure that the hospital environment is infection free at
all times.
Pharmacy
A fully equipped round the clock pharmacy is situated at the hospital which is more
than adequate to cater to all the needs of the patients.
Cardiac Nursing
The nurses at the institute are well qualified and go through vigorous reviewal training
to handle cardiac patients, both adult and paediatric, in all aspects of pre & post
operative care, regardless of the whether the patient is stable or in a critical condition.
13.Analysis
of
The Primary Data
1. From which country you are coming from/ What is your Nationality?
o United States of America
o United Kingdom
o Africa
o Australia
o Others
As mention in the Chart, 45 patients came from United States of America, 17 patients from
United Kingdom, 20 patients from different parts of Africa, 8 from Australia and 10 patients
from different countries like New-Zealand, Canada, Mauritius, Fiji Islands & the Middle East
countries.
By doing survey of 100 patients, we find that maximum number of patients came from
United States of America. Another two leading countries are Africa and United Kingdom.
Here, we find that Americans are more attracted towards India because they find their
relatives and friends in India. We also find that number of Gujarati people who settled abroad
is more to come in India for the medical treatment.
US UK Africa Australia Others0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
5045
1720
810
No. of Patients
2. For what purpose you are coming to India?
o Treatment with Tourism
o Treatment with Shopping
o Treatment with Social Gathering
60%
6%
34%
Purpose
Treatment with TourismTreatment with ShoppingTreatment with Social Gather-ings
As mention in the above charts, the question is regarding purpose to come India, 60% of the
patients mention the purpose of treatment with tourism in India. By doing survey of 100
patients, 34% patients came for treatment along with social gatherings. There are only 6% of
the patients who came for the purpose of treatment with shopping.
3. For which treatment you have come?
o Orthopaedic
o Ophthalmic
o Cosmetic
o Cardiac
o Neurological
o Gastro intestinal
o Respiratory system related
o Urological
o Gynaecological/Obstetrical
o Dental
o Paediatric
o Psychiatric
Orthopae
dic
Ophthalmic
Cosmeti
c
Cardiac
Neuro
logical
Gastro
Intes
tinal
Respira
tory Sy
stem re
lated
Urologic
al
Gynae
cologic
al/Obste
trical
Dental
Paediat
ric
Psychiat
ric0
5
10
15
20
25
19
4 5
22
8
21
15
5
8
12
3 2
Type of Treatments
As mention in the chart, most of the patients came to India for the treatment of Cardiac
diseases. Another very common disease is of Gastro Intestinal and of Orthopaedic. The
diseases of Respiratory System and Dental diseases are also can be seen among the patients.
There were many patients who took treatment for diseases of multiple system. 19 patients
were taking orthopaedic treatments which include majorly knee and hip replacement surgery.
There were 22 Cardiac patients majorly came for Bypass surgery and Angioplasty. Gastro
intestinal diseases also can be seen in more number of patients. There were 21 patients who
were suffering from Gastro Intestinal disorders which majorly include Laparoscopic Surgery.
Respiratory diseases also can be seen in 15 patients. In India Dental surgery is also
appreciated by the NRIs. Here we can see there are 12 patients who came for the Dental
surgery. As mention above in the charts, we find very few patients of other system related
treatment.
4. What are the bases for selecting this Hospital/Doctor?
o Relatives/Friends
o Web sites
o Magazines
o News papers
o Television
75%
17%3% 4% 1%
Bases for selecting the Hospital/Doctor
Relatives/FriendsWeb SitesMagazinesNews PapersTelevision
As mention in the above charts, there are many bases to get information regarding particular
Hospital or Doctor. As mention in the charts 75% patients get information from their relatives
or friends. Patients who don’t have any relatives or friends in India could get information
from web sites. There are 17% of the patients who get information from the web sites. There
are very few patients got information from various magazines, News Papers and Television
which are 3%, 4% and 2% respectively.
Here we found that Positive Word of Mouth can grape more number of customers.
5. Which facilities have attracted you to come here?
o Doctor’s specialisation
o Treatment charges
o Infrastructures
o Accommodation
o Hospital administration
o Hospitality
Doctor's
Speci
alisati
on
Treatm
ent C
harges
Infrastr
ucture
Accommodati
on
Hospita
l Administ
ration
Hospita
lity05
101520253035404550 46
35
11
3 3 2
Attracted Facilities
As mention in the chart, most of the patients attracted towards the Doctor’s specialisation and
Treatment Charges. There are 46% of the patients who are attracted towards the
specialisation of the Doctors and 35% are attracted towards the low cost of treatment. 11%
are attracted towards the Infrastructure of the hospital and 3% are happy with the
Accommodation facilities of the hospital and 3% with Hospital Administration. There are
only 2% of the patients who attracted towards the Hospitality of the Hospital.
6. Give the ranks to following matters. 1 leads to most important for you.
o Treatment
o Financial expenses
o Hospitality
o accommodation
Treatment Financial Expenses Hospitality Accommodation0
20
40
60
80
100
120
68
23
3 6
22
52
17 9
3
11
54
32
714
26
53
1st Priority 2nd Priority 3rd Priority 4th Priority
Here as mention in the chart, 68% of the patients gave their first priority to Treatment, 52%
patients gave their second priority to Financial Expenses, 54% patients gave third priority to
Hospitality and 53% patients gave their last priority to Accommodation.
Treatment Financial Expenses Hospitality Accommodation
Avg mean 1.49 2.16 3.03 3.26
0.25
0.75
1.25
1.75
2.25
2.75
3.25
Avg mean
Here as mention in the above charts, we can see the majority of the patients gave first priority to Treatment followed by Financial Expenses, Hospitality and Accommodation.
7. Are you satisfied with the treatment given here?
o Highly Satisfied
o Satisfied
o Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
o Dissatisfied
o Highly dissatisfied
Highly Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Highly Dissatisfied0
10
20
30
40
50
60
25
56
117
1
Satisfaction with Treatment
We have given numbers to find out Mean.
Highly Satisfied-1, Satisfied-2, Neutral-3, Dissatisfied-4, Highly Dissatisfied-5
Calculation:
Mean = [25(1) + 56(2) + 11(3) + 7(4) + 1(5)] / 100
= 203/100
= 2.03
Here, Mean is 2.03, which indicates the most of the patients are satisfied.
As mention in the chart, 56 out of 100 patients are satisfied with the treatment taken in India.
25 patients are Highly Satisfied, 11 patients are not in stage of deciding their satisfaction
level. They are neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.
7 patients are not happy with the treatment given by the hospital. So they are dissatisfied and
there is only one patient who is highly dissatisfied with the treatment.
8. How much you are satisfied with the facilities available in this hospital?
o Highly Satisfied
o Satisfied
o Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
o Dissatisfied
o Highly dissatisfied
Highly Satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Highly Dissatisfied0
10
20
30
40
50
60
30
48
16
6
0
Satisfaction with Facilities
We have given the numbers to find out the Mean.
Highly Satisfied-1, Satisfied-2, Neutral-3, Dissatisfied-4, Highly Dissatisfied-5
Calculation:
Mean = [30(1) + 48(2) + 16(3) + 6(4) + 0(5)] / 100
= 198/100
= 1.98
Here, Mean is 1.98 which is towards 2 which indicates most of the patients are satisfied
with the Facilities given by the hospitals.
Here as mention in the above chart, 48 patients are satisfied with the facilities available in
the hospital. 30 patients are Highly Satisfied.
There are 16 patients who are not in the stage to decide their satisfaction level regarding
facilities available in the hospital. So they are neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.
There are 6 patients who are Dissatisfied with the facilities available in the hospital.
9. Would you come again here in future if you need any treatment?
o Yes
o No
o Can’t say
84%
10%6%
Would you come again?
YesNoCan't Say
Here as mention in the above chart, 84 patients show their eagerness to come again in the
same hospital in future if any need will arise.
10 patients replied negatively and 6 patients are in the dilemma whether they should visit
again the same hospital or not if need arise in the future.
14. Findings
The survey of the 100 patients who came from outside the India in different
Multispecialty and super specialty hospitals of Ahmedabad and Vadodara are mostly
from the United States of America, Africa and United Kingdom.
The major purpose to come in India are Treatment, Tourism and Social Gathering.
The findings suggest that patients are coming majorly for the cardiac diseases,
orthopedic diseases and for gastro intestinal diseases.
Patients are also attracted towards the alternative therapy like Ayurveda, Yunani and
Yoga.
Most of the patients select the Hospital or Doctors on the bases of the advice of their
relatives or friends and from the web sites.
The major attractions for the patients are doctor’s specialization and low treatment
charges.
Patients gave their first priority to the treatment, followed by financial expenses,
hospitality and accommodation.
Most of the patients are satisfied with the treatment and facilities available in the
hospital.
Majority of the patients show their eagerness to visit the same hospital again in the
future if there will be any need arise.
There are many suggestions from the patients’ side for the hospitals are, focusing on
advertisements as well as establish Yoga and Rehabilitation centers along with the
major clinical department.
15. Recommendations
1. Here majority of the patients are from US, UK and Africa. 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 and Gastro
Enterological diseases, 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 foreign tourists
9. visa-on-arrival facility for tourists from selected countries.
10. Improve and modernize airport infrastructure and services.
11. Make more and more advertisement by using different medias to capture more market
shares.
12. Create public awareness about economic and social benefits of tourism.
13.
16. Opportunities
1. India offers vast range of medical treatments from simple dental procedures to the
complex cardiac surgeries.
2. Patients can save 60%-95% of their treatment costs by undergoing treatment in India.
3. Wellness tourism, spa, yoga and Ayurveda, has a very bright future in India as
foreigners are increasingly flocking to India to seek physical and mental healing.
4. In 2007, around 272,000 medical tourists visited India for medical tourism and brought
US$ 656 Million in revenues.
5. Lack of proper hospital accreditation system and inefficient laws against malpractice
will be the biggest factor limiting the growth of India’s medical tourism Industry.
6. India enjoys a considerable superiority over both Singapore and Thailand as preferred
medical destination.
7. The Indian economy’s steady growth rate is also being reflected in the Indian healthcare
and medical travel industry. Healthcare and medical health travel are priority areas for
India, and the government has increased its budgetary outlay for medical travel and
foreign investment. Customs duties on the import of medical equipment have been
slashed, and special incentives are being offered for future private healthcare facilities.
17. Glossary
Orthopaedic – Orthopaedic surgery or orthopedics (also spelled orthopaedics) is the
branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system.
Orthopaedic surgeons use both surgical and non-surgical means to treat musculoskeletal
trauma, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumours, and congenital
disorders.
Ophthalmic – Ophthalmology is a branch of medicine which deals with the diseases
and surgery of the visual pathways, including the eye, hairs, and areas surrounding the
eye, such as the lacrimal system and eyelids. The term ophthalmologist is an eye
specialist for medical and surgical problems. Since ophthalmologists perform operations
on eyes, they are considered to be both a surgical and medical specialty.
Neurological – Neurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous
system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of
disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including
their coverings, blood vessels, and all effecter tissue, such as muscle. The corresponding
surgical specialty is neurosurgery. A neurologist is a physician who specializes in
neurology, and is trained to investigate, or diagnose and treat neurological disorders.
Paediatric neurologists treat neurological disease in children.
Gastro Intestinal – Gastroenterology is the branch of medicine whereby the digestive
system and its disorders are studied. Diseases affecting the gastrointestinal tract, which
includes the organs from mouth to anus, along the alimentary canal, are the focus of this
specialty. Physicians practicing in this field of medicine are called gastroenterologists.
Urological – Urology is the surgical specialty that focuses on the urinary tracts of males
and females, and on the reproductive system of males. Medical professionals
specializing in the field of urology are called urologists and are trained to diagnose,
treat, and manage patients with urological disorders. The organs covered by urology
include the kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, urethra, and the male reproductive organs.
Gynaecology/obstetrics - Gynaecology or gynecology is the medical practice dealing
with the health of the female reproductive system (uterus, vagina, and ovaries).
Literally, outside medicine, it means "the science of women". Almost all modern
gynaecologists are also obstetricians.
Paediatrics – Paediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of
infants, children, and adolescents. The upper age limit of such patients ranges from age
12 to 21. A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a paediatrician.
The word paediatrics and its cognates mean healer of children.
18. Bibliography
Naresh Malhotra. (2009):“Marketing Research an Applied Orientation, 5th Edition”,
prentice hall of India.
Phillip Kotler (2010):” Marketing Management, 13th edition” Pearson Education
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_India retrieved on 24th February, 2010
http://www.incredibleindia.org/index.html retrieved on 24th February, 2010
http://indiantourisminformation.com/ retrieved on 24th February, 2010
http://tourism.gov.in/ retrieved on 23rd February, 2010
http://www.medical-tourism-india.com/ retrieved on 23rd February, 2010
http://www.medicalindiatourism.com/apollo-hospitals-india/apollo-hospital-
ahmedabad.html retrieved on 23rd February, 2010
http://www.sterlinghospitals.com/content.php?SecID=2&CatID=10 retrieved on23rd
February, 2010
http://www.baghospital.com/ retrieved on 23rd February, 2010
http://www.centreforkneesurgery.com/ retrieved on 23rd February, 2010
http://www.thomascook.co.in/indus/px/indus/home.do retrieved on 23rd February,
2010
http://www.sotc.in/AboutUs.aspx retrieved on 23rd February, 2010
Best of India, A Country Forever…A Story Forever, The Express group, India
Development Series, 10th March, 2010 edition, page number 1 & 3
19. Annexure
19.1 Questionnaire
Dear Sir/Madam,
As a student of MBA, I am conducting a survey for our academic purpose which is
part of our curriculum. I am carrying out a survey for finding out satisfaction level of
the patients to find out reasons and parameters based on which patients are coming
from outside India to take treatment. I am intending to find and analyse the basic
reasons and factors which influence the people to take treatment in India. We assure
you that the information provided by you will be used only for genuine academic
purposes and remain confidential.
Your responses and efforts are strongly appreciated.
1. From which country you are coming from? / Nationality?
o United States
o United Kingdom
o Africa
o Australia
o Others
2. For what purpose you are coming to India?
o Treatment
o Tourism
o Shopping
o Social Gatherings
3. For which treatment you have come?
o Orthopaedic
o Ophthalmic
o Cosmetic
o Cardiac
o Neurological
o Gastro intestinal
o Respiratory system related
o Urological
o Gynaecological / obstetrical
o Dental
o Paediatric
o Psychiatric
4. What are the bases for selecting this hospital/Doctor?
o Relatives/friends
o Web sites
o Magazines
o News papers
o Television
5. Which facilities have attracted you to come here?
o Doctor’s specialisation
o Treatment charges
o Infrastructures
o Accommodation
o Hospital administration
o Hospitality
6. Give the ranks to following matters. 1 leads to most important for you.
o Treatment
o Financial expenses
o Hospitality
o Accommodation
7. Are you satisfied with the treatment given here?
o Highly satisfied
o Satisfied
o Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
o Dissatisfied
o Highly dissatisfied
8. How much you are satisfied with the facilities available in this hospital?
o Highly satisfied
o Satisfied
o Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
o Dissatisfied
o Highly dissatisfied
9. Would you come again here in future if you need any treatment?
o Yes
o No
o Can’t Say
10. Over and above satisfactory medical treatment what else you expect from the
hospital?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
11. What are your suggestions for the hospital?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
GENERAL INFORMATION:
Name: ____________________________________________________________
Gender: M / F
Age: _________Yrs.
Address:
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Educational Qualification: _____________________________________________
Type of employment: Self employed/Service/Business
Family size: _________
Number of earning members in the family: __________
Family income (Rs. per Month): (please tick mark the applicable one)
15,000-25,000 ______
26,000-35000 ______
36,000-45,000 ______
Above 45,000 ______