medical tourism-term paper

7/31/2019 Medical Tourism-term Paper

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Medical TourismAs strange as this may sound, India receives hundreds of thousands of tourists that come in to the country to

undergo medical treatments, then leaving the country and going back home. It is called "Medical Tourism" and

it is a blooming global industry as India has become a main medical tourism hub.Medical tourism (also called medical travel, health tourism or global healthcare) is a term initially coined by

travel agencies and the mass media to describe the rapidly-growing practice of travelling across international

borders to obtain health care. It also refers pejoratively to the practice of healthcare providers travelling

internationally to deliver healthcare.

Services typically sought by travelers include elective procedures as well as complex specialized surgeries such

as joint replacement (knee/hip), cardiac surgery, dental surgery, and cosmetic surgeries. Individuals with rare

genetic disorders may travel to another country where treatment of these conditions is better understood.

However, virtually every type of health care, including psychiatry, alternative treatments, convalescent care

and even burial services are available.

Over 50 countries have identified medical tourism as a national industry. However, accreditation and other

measures of quality vary widely across the globe, and some destinations may become hazardous or even

dangerous for medical tourists.

In the context of global health, the term "medical tourism" is pejorative because during such trips health care

providers often practice outside of their areas of expertise or hold different (i.e. lower) standards of care.

Greater numbers than ever before of student volunteers, health professions trainees, and researchers from

resource-rich countries are working temporarily and anticipating future work in resource-starved areas. This

emphasizes the importance of understanding this other definition

According to an article by the University of Delaware publication, UDaily:

The cost of surgery in India, Thailand or South Africa can be one-tenth of what it is 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, a metal-free dental bridge worth $5,500 in the US costs $500 in India, a knee replacement

in Thailand with six days of physical therapy costs about one-fifth of what it would in the States, and Lasik eye

surgery worth $3,700 in the US is available in many other countries for only $730. Cosmetic surgery savings

are even greater: A full facelift that would cost $20,000 in the US runs about $1,250 in South Africa.

Popular medical travel worldwide destinations include: Argentina, Brunei, Cuba, Colombia, Costa Rica, Hong

Kong, Hungary, India, Jordan, Lithuania, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, andrecently, Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Korea, Tunisia, Ukraine, and New Zealand.


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Benefits of Medical TourismFor Governments:

Promotion of the country

Stimulation of the economy flow on effect on local markets

Development of world class facilities

Encouragement of reversal of brain drain

For Hospital Operators:

Increased revenue from high net worth patients

Ability to invest in infrastructure with better returns

Take up unused capacity and convert to new market

Ability to create niche markets

For Doctors:

Develop an international profile

Increased personal income


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Ability to further develop surgical skills

Acquire new equipment for local markets

For Entrepreneurs:

Seize upon new opportunities

Create medical tourism as an industry

Develop medical record technology

For Patients:

Access to good services

Affordability and or self-insured

Quick access and reduced wait times

Medical Tourism in IndiaIndia was one of the first countries to recognize the potential of medical tourism and today is the leading

destination for global medical tourists. Already in 2005, India had received 150,000 medical tourists and this

number has grown by a whopping 33% by 2009 to 200,000 inbound medical tourists. It is estimated that by

the year 2015, India will receive over half a million annual medical tourists annually.

This is no coincidence; Indias private medical sector offers the most advance medical treatments and

technology available in the world today. Patients can come in and enjoy deluxe accommodations and be

treated by the finest doctors that have western medical training, all for the lowest prices. In addition to this,

patients are not expected to face any language barriers as a most of the population in India speaks English.

The government in the country is supporting this industry as well, assisting hospitals in acquiring the JCI

accreditations and awarding funds for renovations and add-ons, everything they can do to improve both the

private and public medical sectors in the country.

And if all this isnt enough, after receiving medical treatment and recovering, patients are free to keeptraveling and enjoy a vacation in India and the countries surrounding it as India is located in the heart of East

Asia.


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Medical Tourism Services in India

A patient can travel to India for just about any medical procedure he or she needs to have done. The most common

major surgeries patients fly in for is open heart surgery and orthopedic joint replacement surgery as these are very

expensive types of necessary surgery if you do not have proper medical insurance. Indian hospitals today excel inthese kinds of treatments and there are many hospitals specialize in both medicine fields.

Cosmetic procedures are also a very popular type of procedure to have done in India since medical insurance does

not usually cover this kind of operation and the costs can be fairly high. Patients will travel for any plastic surgery,

starting from breast augmentation and enlargements to complete facelifts and tummy tucks.

There are many private hospitals in India as some stand out with world renowned names. "Apollo Hospitals" is a

main Indian chain that runs 53 different hospitals with over 8,500 beds. "Max Healthcare" is another known private

hospital chain that runs eight medical centers in the national capital region in India.

Medical/Health Tourism Service SectorNetwork


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Important Links in Medical/Health Tourism

The important links of the Medical/Health tourism service sector are:

The traveler Foreign tour operator Indian hospitals Insurance companies Indian Travel Agents Tourist destination/place Local tour operator Local guide Local hotels Local market

Independent medical referral companies Government & Policy Makers

These actors interact with each other, directly or indirectly, to form a network.

7-Ps of service

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medical tourism-term paper

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