Medical Tourism - Sun And Sand And Scalpels
State-of-the-art hospitals + alluring post-op locales
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What is medical tourism or health tourism? Medical tourism or health tourism offers both a business and a value proposition. Where the cost saved could pay for a return ticket and expenses, medical tourism is bound to boom.
In countries like India the medical tourism opportunity is unique as it offers holistic medicinal service. With yoga, meditation, ayurveda, allopathy, and other medical facilities, the medical tourist is offered a unique blend of services that will be difficult to match in other countries. They have the best medical talent with ample practice abroad. Latest equipment in India will be identical to latest equipment in the U.S. or U.K. and Indian Hospitals like IMCL are receiving accredition from Joint Commission International of the US
Medical Tourism In Hong Kong
Hong Kong has a reputation for high standards, but the fees are relatively high. Though Hong Kong has long been a destination of choice, lower costs are making increasing numbers opt to travel to other countries like India, Thailand and Malaysia.
Medical Tourism In Philippines
Health Tourism in Saudi Arabia
What is the USP that a country needs to offer itself as a destination for medical tourism or health tourism?
Medical tourism has to offer a business and a value proposition. Many developing countries are in a position to offer medical services at one-tenth the cost compared to that in many countries in the West, matching the quality at par with developed countries. Thus creating an opportunity in cost-effective treatment and medical tourism.
Certain countries like India or China the opportunity is unique as it offers holistic medicinal service. With yoga, meditation, ayurveda, allopathy, and other medical facilities, they offer a unique blend of services to an individual that will be difficult to match in other countries.
A Mexican Hospital, an American Surgeon, and a $5,000 Check. By PHIL GALEWITZ, shows medical tourism helps avoid the high cost of U.S. health care, saves an employer money, and even earns the patient a bonus.
How big is the market for medical tourism?
Can a big inflow of foreign tourists for medical benefits have an adverse impact
on local medical services?
In medical tourism, we find there are five-star hotels that cater to high-end customers
while there are those that are targeted at budget medical tourists who are looking for
affordable cost-effective treatment. Similarly, under health tourism or medical tourism
there would be hospitals that will target tourists and patients from abroad. Medical
tourism can help to subsidise local medical services as they offer large volumes at better
margins.
So,
health tourism or medical tourism is a good business proposition by providing affordable
cost-effective treatment.
What are the challenges before the countries to develop as health tourism or
medical tourism destination?
The biggest challenge is to position themselves as a favourable health care
destination by setting high standards and work in association with the
government and the medical council to see to it that all hospitals keep up to
those standards. There is a huge market for health tourism in Africa.
How is the healthcare industry in respective countries promoting their country as
health tourism or medical tourism destination?
Thailand has world-class hospitals, and they are already hot on medical tourism
destination. Singapore too has seen this opportunity early and their public health system
is being accessed by medical tourists and health tourists from many countries. Australia has also set up a
huge health care infrastructure for health tourism or medical tourism. The Indian Health
Care Federation is now working along with different industry chambers to promote medical
tourism in the country.