http://www.imtj.com/blog.rss Destination attractiveness in medical tourism is not about beauty. But is the look of a hospital important in attracting patients? Will a patient feel better about treatment in a more beautiful hospital? To what extent does the environment affect the patient experience? http://www.imtjonline.com/blog/2013/most-beautiful-hospitals-40183/ 418379 Fri, 03 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT 20130503000000 Fri, 03 May 2013 15:19:49 GMT 20130503151949 Fri, 03 May 2013 16:38:42 GMT 201305031643842 Site (admin) Administrator May Blog post 2013 More than 80 countries now consider themselves to be medical tourism destinations. Nigeria is the latest addition to the list. Are you serious? was the reaction from the audience at a recent medical tourism event. Can Nigeria be seriously considered as a medical tourism destination? http://www.imtjonline.com/blog/2013/nigeria-medical-tourism-destination-40182/ 417853 Fri, 26 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT 20130426000000 Fri, 26 Apr 2013 10:01:42 GMT 20130426100142 Fri, 26 Apr 2013 17:39:42 GMT 201304261753942 Lucy Turner April Blog post 2013 Have you ever sat through a presentation at a medical tourism conference and thought, Why did I bother? With several medical tourism conferences coming up, Keith Pollard suggests some ways to improve the standard of presentations at these events and identifies what works and what doesn't. http://www.imtjonline.com/blog/2013/making-medical-tourism-presentation-40181/ 412313 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT 20130228000000 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 14:41:15 GMT 20130228144115 Fri, 26 Apr 2013 10:20:20 GMT 2013042610102020 Lucy Turner February Blog post 2013 What were the top ten most popular medical tourism articles on IMTJ in 2012? If you missed them, here they are. It's your chance to find out what was hot in medical tourism in 2012 and the topics that attracted attention. http://www.imtjonline.com/blog/2013/medical-tourism-articles-2012-40180/ 405687 Wed, 02 Jan 2013 11:00:00 GMT 20130102110000 Wed, 02 Jan 2013 10:07:37 GMT 20130102100737 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 14:42:36 GMT 201302281424236 Lucy Turner January Blog post 2013 The plethora of awards, certificates and badges that are now available in the medical tourism sector set me thinking. What are all these awards about, what do they mean, who gets them and are they actually worth anything? http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2012/blog-awards-40179/ 401911 Tue, 20 Nov 2012 11:56:00 GMT 20121120115600 Tue, 20 Nov 2012 11:21:18 GMT 20121120112118 Mon, 21 Jan 2013 12:29:02 GMT 2013012112122902 Ben Reed October Blog post 2012 Harvard Professor Glenn Cohen hit the nail on the head this week when he commented that the medical tourism industry seems much more dominated by the business and marketing people rather than the healthcare people. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2012/blog-medical-tourism-marketing-40178/ 400326 Mon, 05 Nov 2012 11:11:31 GMT 20121105111131 Fri, 02 Nov 2012 15:11:49 GMT 20121102151149 Mon, 05 Nov 2012 11:11:30 GMT 2012110511111130 Site (admin) Administrator October Blog post 2012 Destination attractiveness is what determines patient choice in medical tourism. Choosing a destination for treatment is not about quality and cost. Choosing a destination is affected by a complex set of factors. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2012/blog-medical-tourism-destinations-40177/ 397238 Thu, 04 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT 20121004000000 Tue, 02 Oct 2012 10:50:18 GMT 20121002105018 Fri, 05 Oct 2012 12:43:38 GMT 2012100512124338 Site (admin) Administrator October Blog post 2012 Treatment Abroad operates the website Medical Tourism Reviews. The site enables patients to publish reviews and comments about their experience of travelling for treatment, and in theory this means telling others about both good and bad experiences. The problem arises when a patient says that they didn't have a great experience and the healthcare provider has to decide how to respond. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2012/blog-dealing-with-negative-reviews-40176/ 379713 Tue, 03 Jul 2012 00:00:00 GMT 20120703000000 Tue, 03 Jul 2012 10:25:06 GMT 20120703102506 Tue, 03 Jul 2012 14:14:12 GMT 201207031421412 Lucy Turner May Blog post 2012 This week another medical tourism news story hit the headlines. According to the New York Daily News, Medical tourism skyrockets...Turnover is expected to total $100 billion in 2012, compared with $79 billion in 2010 I picked up this news story this week from various sources; it's been re-published multiple times over through re-tweets, Linked In discussions and blog postings. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2012/blog-medical-tourism-skyrockets-40175/ 375901 Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT 20120524000000 Thu, 24 May 2012 12:18:27 GMT 20120524121827 Thu, 24 May 2012 15:24:07 GMT 201205241532407 Site (admin) Administrator May Blog post 2012 New research looking at cosmetic surgery tourism shows that different destinations are targeting potential customers in different ways with different messages. Whether this is intentional segmentation or is because the destination believes all of its customers come from a particular segment is up for discussion. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2012/blog-medical-tourism-price-40174/ 373670 Fri, 04 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT 20120504000000 Fri, 04 May 2012 14:01:50 GMT 20120504140150 Fri, 04 May 2012 14:31:50 GMT 201205041423150 Lucy Turner May Blog post 2012 New research looking at cosmetic surgery tourism shows that different destinations are targeting potential customers in different ways with different messages. Whether this is intentional segmentation or is because the destination believes all of its customers come from a particular segment is up for discussion. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2012/blog-cosmetic-surgery-tourism-40173/ 370260 Wed, 11 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT 20120411000000 Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:32:10 GMT 20120410143210 Wed, 11 Apr 2012 00:23:03 GMT 2012041100122303 Lucy Turner April Blog post 2012 In the 2012 Treatment Abroad Medical Tourism Survey, one of the clear conclusions is that cosmetic surgery patients are hard to please! The survey attracted over 1,000 participants and explores the experiences of patients who have gone abroad for some form of surgery or medical or dental treatment. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2012/blog-cosmetic-surgery-customers-40172/ 368005 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT 20120323000000 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 12:19:54 GMT 20120323121954 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 12:52:32 GMT 2012032312125232 Lucy Turner March Blog post 2012 The recent PIP implants controversy has raised more concerns about regulation, operation and standards within the cosmetic surgery industry. In the UK, the Guardian newspaper has recently highlighted private cosmetic clinics that employ surgeons to carry out breast enlargements, nose jobs and tummy tucks who do not hold qualifications as plastic surgeons within the NHS. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2012/blog-cosmetic-surgery-40171/ 355047 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT 20120209000000 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:20:54 GMT 20120209142054 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:43:17 GMT 201202091424317 Lucy Turner January Blog post 2012 The PIP breast implant controversy continues to grab the headlines across Europe. Concerns have been raised by women who have had their breast implants as cosmetic surgery tourists. What do they do if they have received a PIP (or a Rofil M) implant in a cosmetic surgery clinic in another country? Research by Treatment Abroad shows that UK patients may be less at risk than if they had gone for breast augmentation in the UK. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2012/blog-pip-implants-40170/ 333691 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT 20120119000000 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:45:07 GMT 20120119094507 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:55:24 GMT 2012011911115524 Lucy Turner January Blog post 2012 Whilst the medical tourism industry continues to sing its own praises and tell itself how great it is.... consumers are telling a different story. The 2011 Medical Tourism Survey being conducted by European Research Specialists on behalf of Treatment Abroad raises some concerns about the quality of treatment and customer service that the industry delivers to patients. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2011/blog-why-medical-tourism-industry-must-do-better-40169/ 328528 Fri, 09 Dec 2011 18:06:20 GMT 20111209180620 Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:44:42 GMT 20111209104442 Fri, 09 Dec 2011 18:06:20 GMT 201112091860620 Site (admin) Administrator November 2011 Blog post This week I have been prompted to consider what's going on the wider world of blogging and online content... what blogging is about and why I write this blog. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2011/blog-we-need-to-talk-about-kevin-40168/ 325507 Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT 20111118000000 Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:19:19 GMT 20111118141919 Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:41:34 GMT 201112091644134 Lucy Turner November 2011 Blog post The internet is a great place to market your medical tourism services but because it is difficult to police, it can be easy for a domain name speculator to hijack your brand. Businesses can find that having spent years developing and investing in a brand, one day along comes a domain name speculator or brandjacker who aims to profit from the brand value and customer loyalty that legitimate marketers have built. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2011/blog-protecting-your-brand-on-the-internet-40167/ 313926 Fri, 14 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT 20111014000000 Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:11:35 GMT 20111013141135 Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:42:37 GMT 201112091534237 Lucy Turner October 2011 Blog post A new survey of members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons highlights the concerns that American plastic surgeons have about cosmetic surgery abroad. It's a commonly recurring theme within the profession. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2011/blog-is-cosmetic-surgery-tourism-safe-40167/ 302818 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT 20110815000000 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 16:20:07 GMT 20110815162007 Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:38:26 GMT 201112091533826 Lucy Turner August 2011 Blog post Google has announced that it plans to retire Google Health in January 2012. It's a blow to those in the medical tourism world who had grand plans for the global patient record and who were using the Google health record as the model or template for this. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2011/blog-google-abandons-plans-for-personal-health-records-40166/ 295848 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT 20110701000000 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 17:03:25 GMT 20110701170325 Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:38:09 GMT 201112091533809 Lucy Turner July 2011 Blog post A recent article in Harvard Business Review, Four Simple Low Resolution Innovation Tests highlights the problem faced by anyone who is considering investment in the medical tourism business. How can you know whether people will actually buy your service i.e. whether patients will actually travel abroad to use your services? http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2011/blog-believe-what-your-customers-do-40166/ 293679 Fri, 17 Jun 2011 10:36:43 GMT 20110617103643 Thu, 16 Jun 2011 10:02:11 GMT 20110616100211 Fri, 17 Jun 2011 10:36:42 GMT 2011061710103642 Site (admin) Administrator June 2011 Blog post Last year, I blogged about Medical tourism...lessons from the California gold rush. It's taken me a while to write the postscript to this, but I finally got around to it last week when I spoke at the European Medical Travel Conference in Barcelona. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2011/blog-after-the-gold-rush-40165/ 287685 Fri, 06 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT 20110506000000 Fri, 06 May 2011 09:38:03 GMT 20110506093803 Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:43:15 GMT 201112091534315 Lucy Turner February 2011 Blog post How does a medical tourist make a valid comparison of a doctor, hospital or clinic in one country with a doctor, hospital or clinic in another? The simple answer is that he or she can't. And the truth is that it may never be the case (well not in my lifetime). http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2011/blog-comparing-quality-in-medical-tourism-40165/ 278430 Fri, 11 Mar 2011 09:53:19 GMT 20110311095319 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 16:26:44 GMT 20110310162644 Fri, 11 Mar 2011 09:53:19 GMT 201103110995319 Lucy Turner February 2011 Blog post Will European hospitals see a surge in patient numbers following the approval of the EU Directive on Cross-Border Healthcare by the European Parliament last week? I would like to say...Yes! But the reality may be a little different. So....let's take a look at how the EU Directive may (or may not) change the way that healthcare works in Europe and more importantly whether it will give a boost to the medical travel sector. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2011/blog-new-dawn-for-cross-border-healthcare-in-europe-40164/ 274355 Tue, 15 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT 20110215000000 Tue, 15 Feb 2011 14:59:21 GMT 20110215145921 Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:43:37 GMT 201112091534337 Lucy Turner February 2011 Blog post Back in May 2008, I blogged on McKinsey and the medical tourism numbers game... and commented on their strange way of counting (or not counting) medical tourism numbers. Given the latest study on medical tourism numbers, New study numbers US medical tourists in thousands not millions, reported in IMTJ, I thought it was time once again to address the thorny issue of....how many medical tourists are there? http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2011/blog-medical-tourism-numbers-game-part-two-40163/ 267712 Thu, 13 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT 20110113000000 Thu, 13 Jan 2011 11:03:03 GMT 20110113110303 Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:46:21 GMT 201112091534621 Lucy Turner January 2011 Blog post Hospital activity within the UK National Health Service provides a useful indicator of where future demand for medical tourism may lie. that an enormous amount of meaningful data can be captured about the state of the nation's health, about demand for health services and about how the health profile of the population is changing. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2010/blog-is-medical-tourism-safe-40162/ 261928 Fri, 10 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT 20101210000000 Fri, 10 Dec 2010 17:23:06 GMT 20101210172306 Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:56:07 GMT 201112091535607 Lucy Turner December 2010 Blog post Hospital activity within the UK National Health Service provides a useful indicator of where future demand for medical tourism may lie. that an enormous amount of meaningful data can be captured about the state of the nation's health, about demand for health services and about how the health profile of the population is changing. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2010/blog-future-demand-medical-tourism-40160/ 257846 Wed, 10 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT 20101110000000 Wed, 10 Nov 2010 22:54:58 GMT 20101110225458 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:46:57 GMT 201011241644657 Ben Reed October 2010 Blog post Whereas much of the attention in the medical travel sector is focused on medical tourism (i.e. where the primary reason for travel is some form of surgery or treatment), a more established and mature market sector is the provision of healthcare services for the tourist or business traveller who falls ill when abroad. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2010/blog-comparing-costs-accidental-medical-tourism-40125/ 257044 Wed, 06 Oct 2010 20:34:00 GMT 20101006203400 Fri, 05 Nov 2010 14:47:08 GMT 20101105144708 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:42:27 GMT 201011241644227 Ben Reed October 2010 Blog post Where do you think the international patients' centre shown above is? Singapore? Thailand? Malaysia? India? Korea? Read on to find out... This week's International Medical Travel Journal covers a recent announcement by the UK Department of Health (See: Liberated UK hospitals to attract medical tourists) that it plans to remove the cap on the proportion of income that NHS hospitals can earn from private surge http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2010/blog-medical-travel-40100/ 248571 Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:41:00 GMT 20100827174100 Mon, 13 Sep 2010 12:55:48 GMT 20100913125548 Wed, 23 May 2012 14:30:54 GMT 201205231423054 Site (admin) Administrator August 2010 Blog post One factor that can affect any aspect of medical travel and medical tourism is that the market sector can be a victim of its own success. Constantine Constantinides has highlighted this previously in his IMTJ article Medical Tourism and the West's Revenge, arguing that in effect the success of medical travel is self limiting. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2010/blog-change-uk-regulations-reduce-infertility-tourism-40126/ 257049 Tue, 24 Aug 2010 10:45:00 GMT 20100824104500 Fri, 05 Nov 2010 15:14:59 GMT 20101105151459 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:39:49 GMT 201011241643949 Ben Reed August 2010 Infertility treatment abroad Blog post In 1848, gold was discovered in California by John Sutter, a German immigrant. News of the find spread rapidly and thousands arrived in search of their fortune. Prospectors came from across the USA, from Hawaii, Mexico, Chile, Peru and China. The California gold rush had begun. California's output of gold rose from $5 million in 1848 to $40 million in 1849 and $55 million in 1851. But there wasn't enough gold to go around....only a minority of gold miners made much money from the Californian Gold Rush...the http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2010/blog-medical-tourism-lessons-from-california-gold-rush-40127/ 257051 Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:49:00 GMT 20100727154900 Fri, 05 Nov 2010 15:38:58 GMT 20101105153858 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:39:22 GMT 201011241643922 Ben Reed July 2010 Blog post The recent Medical Tourism Climate Survey conducted by IMTJ for the European Medical Travel Conference 2010 provided an interesting insight into the current state of the industry and how people in the industry are thinking about medical tourism. The survey analysed the views of over 250 people involved in medical tourism from 55 countries. One particular question that drew my attention was one that asked people in the industry about the factors that influence patient choice. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2010/blog-patient-choice-hear-the-patients-voice-40129/ 257060 Tue, 25 May 2010 15:14:00 GMT 20100525151400 Fri, 05 Nov 2010 16:22:01 GMT 20101105162201 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:38:37 GMT 201011241643837 Ben Reed May 2010 Blog post A recent news story on CNN attracted my interest when it featured a US patient who travelled to Wales (in the United Kingdom) for sinus surgery to save money. It was headlined 'I can't afford surgery in the U.S.,' says bargain shopper. It's an interesting story which shows how the media can sometimes put a slant on a story to create news, but it does highlight some real opportunities for medical tourism providers. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2010/blog-wales-latest-medical-tourism-destination-us-patients-40130/ 257069 Thu, 29 Apr 2010 13:26:00 GMT 20100429132600 Fri, 05 Nov 2010 17:18:20 GMT 20101105171820 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:36:44 GMT 201011241643644 Ben Reed April 2010 Blog post Caroline Ratner at IMTJ has just published a summary of US reaction to the Obama healthcare reforms from the medical tourism sector, so I suppose I had better throw my comments into the mix. First, let me stress that I am by no means the world expert on the US healthcare reforms! (Does one exist?) But I have been asked by the UK media recently to comment on the reforms and in particular to comparisons with the UK healthcare system. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2010/blog-us-healthcare-reforms-and-medical-tourism-40131/ 257119 Fri, 02 Apr 2010 12:46:00 GMT 20100402124600 Sat, 06 Nov 2010 10:47:48 GMT 20101106104748 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:36:07 GMT 201011241643607 Ben Reed April 2010 Blog post A recent paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Rome highlights the growth of infertility tourism at a time when many medical tourism businesses are feeling the pinch of the recession. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2010/blog-new-research-paper-insight-into-infertility-tourism-40128/ 257057 Thu, 01 Apr 2010 17:20:00 GMT 20100401172000 Fri, 05 Nov 2010 16:07:05 GMT 20101105160705 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:35:32 GMT 201011241643532 Ben Reed April 2010 Infertility treatment abroad Blog post At Treatment Abroad, we've recently completed some research into the medical tourism market for a third party. It's been an interesting exercise and has really made us question some of the statistics that are quoted (and that often become accepted truth) about the number of medical tourists and the value of the market. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2010/blog-medical-tourism-statistics-comparing-apples-with-apples-40132/ 257126 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 22:28:00 GMT 20100312222800 Sat, 06 Nov 2010 11:43:50 GMT 20101106114350 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:35:01 GMT 201011241643501 Ben Reed March 2010 Blog post Following my outpourings on the Outlook for Medical Tourism in 2010, I am pleased to say that I've received some positive feedback (always a good thing.... I'll keep on blogging!). And some reassurance that I am not alone in my view of the medical tourism world. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2010/blog-light-at-the-end-of-medical-tourism-tunnel-40133/ 257132 Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:47:00 GMT 20100202144700 Sat, 06 Nov 2010 12:54:39 GMT 20101106125439 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:34:21 GMT 201011241643421 Ben Reed February 2010 Blog post Before looking forward to 2010, let's look back and assess where medical tourism is now. So, was 2009 a good year for medical tourism? In 2009, we heard medical tourism experts across the world continue to talk up the potential for medical tourism without any sound basis in reality. It's in the interests of some within the industry to boost the profile of medical tourism and frankly to exaggerate its potential. But whereas some industry pundits talk in tens or hundreds of thousands of patients, others tal http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2010/blog-outlook-for-medical-tourism-in-2010-40134/ 257138 Thu, 14 Jan 2010 10:27:00 GMT 20100114102700 Sat, 06 Nov 2010 13:39:45 GMT 20101106133945 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:33:48 GMT 201011241643348 Ben Reed January 2010 Blog post South Korea is a country that has come late to the medical tourism game, but it may in the long term become one of the winners. Perhaps initially attracted by the inflated forecasts that are touted around the medical tourism industry by industry experts and commentators, Korea has however taken a more realistic view of where its success may lie. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2009/blog-opportunities-for-korea-in-medical-tourism-40135/ 257161 Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:34:00 GMT 20091214143400 Sat, 06 Nov 2010 17:40:44 GMT 20101106174044 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:29:23 GMT 201011241752923 Ben Reed December 2009 Blog post A recent visit to Budapest, the dental capital of Europe made me consider the perception of medical travel. Many people think that if you're travelling abroad for treatment because it is far cheaper, then the standard of services can in no way match what you would expect in your home market. Hungary's dental treatment providers provide a strong contradiction to this perception. I was speaking at the Business Travel Show in Budapest at a dedicated session on dental tourism, organised by the Association of http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2009/blog-budapest-dental-capital-of-europe-40136/ 257199 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:15:00 GMT 20091019171500 Sun, 07 Nov 2010 10:35:12 GMT 20101107103512 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:28:58 GMT 201011241752858 Ben Reed October 2009 Dentistry abroad Blog post In the largest ever study of hospital mortality rates published in the UK,"death rates for emergency patients jump 6 per cent when newly qualified doctors start work. The Health Services Journal reports that "the traditional first day for NHS doctors is the first Wednesday in August. Researchers found that patients brought into hospital the week before were more likely to survive.....Researchers could not find a definite reason for the higher mortality rate, but said early August was known as an unsafe per http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2009/blog-practice-makes-perfectmessage-for-providers-patients-40137/ 257206 Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:33:00 GMT 20090929153300 Sun, 07 Nov 2010 11:24:20 GMT 20101107112420 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:18:50 GMT 201011241751850 Ben Reed September 2009 Blog post One of the criticisms of buying services via the web is that you cannot always be sure with whom you are actually dealing. This is especially true in the field of health and medical tourism. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2009/blog-transparency-and-fraud-in-health-tourism-40138/ 257210 Tue, 22 Sep 2009 23:04:00 GMT 20090922230400 Sun, 07 Nov 2010 12:03:13 GMT 20101107120313 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:17:32 GMT 201011241751732 Ben Reed September 2009 Blog post The Irish Dental Association is the most recent medical professionals body to publish a "survey" raising doubts about medical tourism. In a recent press release from the Irish Dental Association, they state that "3 out of every 4 Irish dentists are treating patients for problems arising from treatment abroad. Let's take a look at the background to the survey, and examine some of the real concerns that are raised. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2009/blog-dental-tourismlets-work-together-40139/ 257217 Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:29:00 GMT 20090917162900 Sun, 07 Nov 2010 12:45:00 GMT 20101107124500 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:17:03 GMT 201011241751703 Ben Reed September 2009 Dentistry abroad Blog post At Treatment Abroad, we've seen increasing interest from IVF clinics abroad that are experiencing significant growth in patient numbers from the UK and other European countries.The latest report from the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology confirms an increase in IVF treatment abroad, The report surveys infertility clinics in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland and is based on a sample of 1,230 patients visiting these infertlity clinics. See details of th http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2009/blog-increase-in-ivf-tourism-in-europe-40140/ 257220 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:39:00 GMT 20090701133900 Sun, 07 Nov 2010 13:19:09 GMT 20101107131909 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:16:26 GMT 201011241751626 Ben Reed July 2009 Infertility treatment abroad Blog post Back in the mid 1990's, before someone, somewhere coined the term medical tourism, I was a UK Marketing Director with an American owned hospital company. We were big in medical tourism.... but in those days, it was known as the international patient business. One day, I got a call from a head-hunter, promising big money for an opportunity that surely I wouldn't want to miss.... http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2009/blog-medical-tourism-and-city-lesson-from-history-40141/ 257224 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:24:00 GMT 20090611152400 Sun, 07 Nov 2010 13:54:08 GMT 20101107135408 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:15:47 GMT 201011241751547 Ben Reed June 2009 Blog post In the UK, "patient choice" is one of the driving forces in healthcare. Since April 2008, patient choice has been extended in the UK. Patients can choose which hospital they are treated in....anywhere in the country. Patients can choose the time of their hospital appointment. In some cases, patients can choose the individual consultant they see. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2009/blog-nhs-patient-choice-lessons-for-medical-tourism-40142/ 257229 Thu, 28 May 2009 08:35:00 GMT 20090528083500 Sun, 07 Nov 2010 14:14:30 GMT 20101107141430 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:14:32 GMT 201011241751432 Ben Reed May 2009 Blog post A woman from Wales who underwent cosmetic surgery in Belgium is bringing a test case against the Belgian clinic in the UK courts.The patient is suing the clinic after undergoing a face-lift and upper and lower eye surgery in 2005. She claims that she has been left with scarring around the eyes and the ears and has experienced numbness of the face. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2009/blog-word-of-warning-for-medical-tourism-companies-40143/ 257232 Tue, 21 Apr 2009 16:32:00 GMT 20090421163200 Sun, 07 Nov 2010 14:38:41 GMT 20101107143841 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:13:19 GMT 201011241751319 Ben Reed April 2009 Blog post I just read Constantine Constantinides informative and latest missive on medical tourism. Constantine runs Healthcare Cybernetics and is one of the "wise heads" of medical tourism. Constantine says: "I am getting fed up with industry newcomers (the Johnny-come-latelys), industry outsiders and the self-important upstarts who take issue with the word Tourism claiming it is not grand enough for them to be associated with.They propose replacing it with the word Travel. Some even suggest we dump everyth http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2009/blog-war-of-words-medical-tourism-or-medical-travel-40144/ 257239 Wed, 15 Apr 2009 10:27:00 GMT 20090415102700 Sun, 07 Nov 2010 15:12:21 GMT 20101107151221 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:12:27 GMT 201011241751227 Ben Reed April 2009 Blog post The recent European Congress on Health Tourism in Budapest reflected some of the current issues and challenges facing the medical tourism industry, particularly those presented by a world recession. Budapest is Europe's dental tourism hub, attracting patients from countries such as the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Scandinavia. If the recession is hitting medical tourism, then Budapest is going to feel it more than most. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2009/blog-challenge-facing-medical-tourism-industry-40145/ 257242 Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:12:00 GMT 20090414141200 Sun, 07 Nov 2010 15:36:03 GMT 20101107153603 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:12:03 GMT 201011241751203 Ben Reed April 2009 Blog post The UK Department of Health today released it's latest update on NHS staff numbers. It reflects the investment that the UK has been putting into the NHS in recent years, and also has an impact on outbound medical tourism from the UK. NHS shortcomings and waiting times are a significant driver of people seeking elective surgery abroad. In the last couple of years NHS waiting times have come down and there is now an 18 week target which most NHS trusts are meeting. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2009/blog-nhs-staff-numbers-reach-all-time-high-40146/ 257245 Wed, 25 Mar 2009 10:59:00 GMT 20090325105900 Sun, 07 Nov 2010 15:56:26 GMT 20101107155626 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:11:37 GMT 201011241751137 Ben Reed March 2009 Blog post As reported in International Medical Travel Journal this week, President Obama has pledged to cure Americans from "the crushing cost of health costs." His proposed reforms include lower prices from hospitals, salary cuts for doctors, and payment to hospitals by government insurance schemes linked to quality of care not quantity of care. He also wants to give Americans the option of a public health insurance plan. His plans follow a social insurance model which is found in some European countries. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2009/blog-will-obama-end-american-medical-tourism-dream-40147/ 257248 Thu, 12 Mar 2009 15:07:00 GMT 20090312150700 Sun, 07 Nov 2010 16:06:10 GMT 20101107160610 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:11:12 GMT 201011241751112 Ben Reed March 2009 Blog post Members of the European Union's various committees vote this week on whether to make changes to the EU Directive on cross border healthcare. The Directive aims to provide a framework for patient mobility, whereby patients in one member state will have the right to treatment in another state. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2009/blog-eu-votes-on-medical-tourism-directive-40148/ 257249 Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:41:00 GMT 20090310194100 Sun, 07 Nov 2010 16:19:24 GMT 20101107161924 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:10:57 GMT 201011241751057 Ben Reed March 2009 Blog post The EU Directive on Cross Border Healthcare is making it's way through the labyrinth of British government. Slow progress, but it's progress towards a European market in healthcare. The House of Lords EU Committee have welcomed the proposal from the European Commission for a Directive on patients' rights to cross-border healthcare. The Committee has called for improvements and has warned that, due to the unpredictable impact of the provisions in the Directive, it must be carefully monitored upon implementat http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2009/blog-eu-medical-travel-directive-gets-nod-from-lords-40149/ 257250 Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:50:00 GMT 20090225165000 Sun, 07 Nov 2010 16:28:59 GMT 20101107162859 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:02:52 GMT 201011241750252 Ben Reed February 2009 Blog post When is a medical tourism facilitator a medical travel agent? According to our Medical Tourism Survey in 2008, around a third of UK medical tourists make their arrangements through a medical tourism facilitator. In some countries, such facilitators account for an even greater share of the market, and their influence is growing. The concern of many is the uncontrolled growth of the sector and the lack of regulation within it. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2009/blog-smoke-and-mirrors-of-medical-tourism-40150/ 257258 Wed, 18 Feb 2009 10:03:00 GMT 20090218100300 Sun, 07 Nov 2010 16:56:29 GMT 20101107165629 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:58:34 GMT 201011241645834 Ben Reed February 2009 Blog post How will the medical tourism sector fare in a global recession that's affecting everything from house prices to car sales to polar bears and dog ownership! If unemployment in the Western world climbs to record levels in the coming year, is this good news or bad news for the healthcare sector? http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2009/blog-what-medical-tourism-learn-from-previous-recessions-40151/ 257267 Thu, 15 Jan 2009 19:53:00 GMT 20090115195300 Sun, 07 Nov 2010 17:43:05 GMT 20101107174305 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:57:03 GMT 201011241645703 Ben Reed January 2009 Blog post For many medical travellers, the first point of contact with a hospital or clinic is usually a web site (see the Treatment Abroad Medical Tourism Survey 2008). And since many patients are seeking healthcare providers where communication in the English language is important, the web site is an important factor in patient choice. A site written in poor English reflects badly on the service offered and discourages potential patients. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2009/blog-how-well-written-medical-tourism-web-sites-40152/ 257271 Mon, 12 Jan 2009 10:00:00 GMT 20090112100000 Sun, 07 Nov 2010 18:01:31 GMT 20101107180131 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:55:22 GMT 201011241645522 Ben Reed January 2009 Blog post Who knows what's going on in healthcare? Who knows what conditions and disorders are causing people problems? Who knows what's happening in medical tourism? Google! Google is a treasure chest of information about how people are behaving and what issues are concerning them. Google logs the online activity and search behaviour of hundreds of millions of users. It knows what you and I do on the web everyday. It knows where we are, most of the time. And from the data that Google collects, it can draw conclusio http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2008/blog-what-google-tell-us-about-medical-tourism-40153/ 257455 Mon, 12 Jan 2009 10:00:00 GMT 20090112100000 Mon, 08 Nov 2010 17:12:52 GMT 20101108171252 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 10:22:30 GMT 2010112510102230 Ben Reed 2008 December Blog post There are conflicting views on how the global financial crisis is affecting medical tourism. The view expressed by organisations such as the Medical Tourism Association is that the "...with the economy and the credit crisis, more people are waking up and paying attention (to medical tourism)." http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2009/blog-marketing-in-medical-tourism-downturn-40104/ 255596 Thu, 08 Jan 2009 15:49:00 GMT 20090108154900 Wed, 27 Oct 2010 16:38:03 GMT 20101027163803 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:54:00 GMT 201011241645400 Ben Reed January 2009 Blog post No industry is immune from global recession, and that has to be the case for the growing medical tourism industry. In past recessions, businesses in the healthcare sector have perhaps suffered less than others; in a recession, people still get ill, and it's often difficult to delay expenditure on healthcare. But there are some indicators that medical tourism is begining to feel the pinch. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2008/blog-medical-tourism-survival-of-fittest-40154/ 257474 Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:34:00 GMT 20081201103400 Mon, 08 Nov 2010 17:48:00 GMT 20101108174800 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 10:22:12 GMT 2010112510102212 Ben Reed 2008 December Blog post Autumn is conference season, and it seems that medical tourism is becoming the most talked about subject on the conference platform. Three years ago, there was little interest in this area, but in 2008 it seems that every events company and association has jumped on the conference bandwagon. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2008/blog-how-to-run-medical-tourism-conference-40155/ 257480 Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:44:00 GMT 20081113174400 Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:26:16 GMT 20101108182616 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 10:18:40 GMT 2010112510101840 Ben Reed 2008 November Blog post A recent article from McKinsey International highlights the magnitude of the challenge that leaders of governments in the developed countries are going to have to deal with sooner rather than later. The article looks at the increasing proportion of a country's wealth that is going to be dedicated to the health of its citizens in future years. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2008/blog-medical-tourism-answer-to-global-healthcare-problem-40156/ 257486 Thu, 13 Nov 2008 07:43:00 GMT 20081113074300 Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:45:18 GMT 20101108184518 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 10:18:16 GMT 2010112510101816 Ben Reed 2008 November Blog post It's been a couple of months since we launched medical tourism ratings and reviews. It's met with a variable response from the medical tourism industry, and from the patients themselves. Medical tourism ratings and reviews at Treatment Abroad enables patients to provide feedback on their experience of travelling for treatment abroad. The Ratings and Reviews system is integral to our business philosophy of helping patients to make the right choice. It's run through Bazaarvoice, the US based world leader in http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2008/blog-medical-tourism-ratings-reviews-40124/ 256927 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 17:22:00 GMT 20081022172200 Thu, 04 Nov 2010 17:57:50 GMT 20101104175750 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 10:17:58 GMT 2010112510101758 Ben Reed 2008 October Blog post What's a domain name worth? Especially in the growth business of medical tourism. The Medical Tourism Association (of which my Company is a member) has recently announced that it is handling the sale of the domain name medicaltourism.com, on a commission basis. A reserve price of around $100,000 has been put on the sale. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2008/blog-medicaltourismcom-going-going-gone-40123/ 256923 Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:10:00 GMT 20080828171000 Thu, 04 Nov 2010 17:30:06 GMT 20101104173006 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 10:17:37 GMT 2010112510101737 Ben Reed 2008 August Blog post After a six month delay, the EU Proposal for a Directive on patient's rights in cross border healthcare has finally been released. It provides an added stimulus to the already growing number of medical tourists who seek hospital treatment elsewhere in the European Union. Its aim is to create a formal framework for cross border healthcare and remove the obstacles that patients face if they wish to travel for treatment in other EU countries. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2008/blog-eu-directive-cross-border-healthcare-boosts-tourism-40122/ 256917 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:00:00 GMT 20080702190000 Thu, 04 Nov 2010 16:37:10 GMT 20101104163710 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 10:17:02 GMT 2010112510101702 Ben Reed 2008 July Blog post More and more people are using online reviews to make decisions about the products and service that they buy. Consumers worldwide want to hear from people like me before they make a decision about which product or service to buy. TripAdvisor has become the first place that many people visit when they are planning a holiday or booking a hotel. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2008/blog-helping-patients-make-right-choice-medical-tourism-40121/ 256889 Sun, 25 May 2008 14:04:00 GMT 20080525140400 Thu, 04 Nov 2010 13:56:55 GMT 20101104135655 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 10:16:33 GMT 2010112510101633 Ben Reed 2008 May Blog post According to a new report on medical tourism from McKinsey (login required): "Between 60,000 and 85,000 people annually travel abroad for inpatient hospital care, a number.....far lower than commonly assumed". http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2008/blog-mckinsey-and-medical-tourism-numbers-game-40120/ 256883 Tue, 13 May 2008 16:43:00 GMT 20080513164300 Thu, 04 Nov 2010 13:25:09 GMT 20101104132509 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:34:41 GMT 201011241753441 Ben Reed 2008 May Blog post At Treatment Abroad, we have introduced the first medical tourism code of practice for healthcare providers. The "Code of Practice for Medical Tourism" aims to encourage best practice in medical tourism through a commitment by healthcare providers overseas to a voluntary code of practice. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2008/blog-code-of-practice-for-medical-tourism-40119/ 256877 Tue, 11 Mar 2008 10:29:00 GMT 20080311102900 Thu, 04 Nov 2010 12:59:59 GMT 20101104125959 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:34:18 GMT 201011241753418 Ben Reed 2008 March Blog post Medical tourists who travel abroad for treatment, don't just do it to save money. In our soon to be published "Medical Tourism Survey", 56% of the respondents who went for elective surgery abroad said that worries about the risk of MRSA/hospital infection in NHS hospitals were a "Very Important" or "Quite Important" factor. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2008/blog-do-mrsa-and-hospital-infection-drive-abroad-40118/ 256854 Thu, 31 Jan 2008 13:50:00 GMT 20080131135000 Thu, 04 Nov 2010 11:24:27 GMT 20101104112427 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:33:52 GMT 201011241753352 Ben Reed 2008 January Blog post According to EurActiv, an independent media portal dedicated to EU affairs, the EU Cross-border Healthcare Directive which intends to lift restrictions on patients travelling for treatment in other EU countries could be either redrafted, withdrawn or downgraded. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2008/blog-eu-cross-border-healthcare-directive-delayed-40117/ 256849 Tue, 29 Jan 2008 09:36:00 GMT 20080129093600 Thu, 04 Nov 2010 10:55:06 GMT 20101104105506 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:31:37 GMT 201011241753137 Ben Reed 2008 January Blog post A new study has been published which compares the cost of providing dental treatment in nine European countries. The UK has the highest costs of dental treatment. (Note: the study compared the cost of providing dental treatment, not the prices that are charged to patients). http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2008/blog-high-uk-dental-costs-driving-patients-abroad-40103/ 255268 Thu, 10 Jan 2008 13:34:00 GMT 20080110133400 Mon, 25 Oct 2010 16:54:47 GMT 20101025165447 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:31:09 GMT 201011241753109 Ben Reed dentistry abroad 2008 January Blog post The new EU Cross-border Healthcare Directive which is to be announced today intends to lift restrictions on patients travelling for treatment in other EU countries. Patients wishing to travel to other EU countries for medical treatment will be able to reclaim the cost of treatment from the NHS and will only have to pay their travel and accommodation costs, plus any top-up fees if charges in the foreign hospitals are higher than the NHS cost. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2007/blog-eu-cross-border-healthcare-directive-boosts-tourism-40116/ 256842 Wed, 19 Dec 2007 11:22:00 GMT 20071219112200 Thu, 04 Nov 2010 10:34:34 GMT 20101104103434 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 10:43:11 GMT 2010112510104311 Ben Reed 2007 December Blog post This week sees news that two buy-to-let-property development millionaires plan to open a series of drive-in dental centres close to motorway junctions around the UK. Having seen the growth of dental tourism in the UK, they have decided to bring overseas dentists to the British patient, offering prices for dental treatment which will be competitive with those in countries such as Poland and Hungary. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2007/blog-dental-tourism-without-going-abroad-40115/ 256808 Fri, 14 Dec 2007 20:25:00 GMT 20071214202500 Wed, 03 Nov 2010 23:10:16 GMT 20101103231016 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 10:42:49 GMT 2010112510104249 Ben Reed 2007 December Blog post Another British patient has succeeded in recouping the cost of treatment abroad from the NHS. Ann Belshaw of Suffolk took the Suffolk Primary Care Trust to court to pay for a scan at a private clinic in Germany. The NHS originally told her that she would have to wait a year for a scan on her back at the Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2007/blog-british-patient-wins-nhs-payment-treatment-abroad-40114/ 256806 Tue, 04 Dec 2007 16:57:00 GMT 20071204165700 Wed, 03 Nov 2010 22:41:52 GMT 20101103224152 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 10:42:14 GMT 2010112510104214 Ben Reed 2007 December Blog post European Commission proposals to be released next week will increase patient mobility within the EU and give NHS patients access to hospitals across the Continent; patients in other EU countries will will also have access to NHS hospitals. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2007/blog-eu-proposals-promise-boost-medical-tourism-40113/ 256804 Mon, 26 Nov 2007 08:58:00 GMT 20071126085800 Wed, 03 Nov 2010 22:26:23 GMT 20101103222623 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 10:41:47 GMT 2010112510104147 Ben Reed 2007 November Blog post The growth of medical tourism is attracting more and more attention to issues such as quality of treatment, accreditation of surgeons and dentists, hospitals and clinics. The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons this week launched an attack on botched cosmetic work carried out by surgeons overseas, based on a study of 36 UK plastic surgeons who reported having to correct surgery carried out abroad. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2007/blog-cosmetic-surgery-abroad-under-fire-in-uk-40112/ 256773 Tue, 20 Nov 2007 08:37:00 GMT 20071120083700 Wed, 03 Nov 2010 18:19:40 GMT 20101103181940 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 10:40:57 GMT 2010112510104057 Ben Reed 2007 November Cosmetic surgery abroad Blog post The recently published Euro Health Consumer Index provides some interesting insights into the state of the UK health services and some encouragement for those who see the UK as a developing market for outbound medical tourists. The Index rates the public healthcare systems in 29 European countries on many factors such as clinical outcomes, quality of care, access to health services and patient information. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2007/blog-new-health-index-good-news-medical-tourism-40111/ 256764 Wed, 14 Nov 2007 14:44:00 GMT 20071114144400 Wed, 03 Nov 2010 17:36:15 GMT 20101103173615 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 10:39:42 GMT 2010112510103942 Ben Reed 2007 November Blog post The UK press continues to provide plenty of coverage for medical tourism, the vast majority of which is incredibly positive. Whereas the media are usually quick to find the "bad news" story, this has certainly not been the case with medical tourism. The recent exception was this story "How my smile was ruined by a dodgy dentist" in the Daily Mail. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2007/blog-uk-media-gives-medical-tourism-favourable-press-40110/ 256749 Sun, 11 Nov 2007 21:28:00 GMT 20071111212800 Wed, 03 Nov 2010 17:02:28 GMT 20101103170228 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 10:39:22 GMT 2010112510103922 Ben Reed 2007 November Blog post There has always been speculation about the true number of medical tourists travelling from the UK for treatment abroad. We've just completed the first ever survey of medical tourism providers, and have come up with some interesting data on the medical tourism market. The Treatment Abroad Medical Tourism Survey 2007 (www.treatmentabroad.net), reveals that over 50,000 people travelled abroad for treatment last year, and spent £161 million on medical tourism. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2007/blog-how-many-medical-tourists-40109/ 256631 Wed, 18 Apr 2007 13:14:00 GMT 20070418131400 Tue, 02 Nov 2010 21:16:19 GMT 20101102211619 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 10:36:36 GMT 2010112510103636 Ben Reed 2007 April Blog post At the recent World Health Tourism Congress in Cyprus, the launch of the International Medical Travel Association (IMTA) was announced. The IMTA seeks to represent the interests of medical travellers and the medical travel industry including healthcare providers and medical travel facilitators. The association currently has 26 registered members from across the world. Dr Steven Tucker, Medical Director of the West Clinic Excellence Cancer Centre in Singapor, is the President of the IMTA. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2007/blog-new-association-formed-for-medical-tourism-40102/ 255249 Wed, 18 Apr 2007 13:02:00 GMT 20070418130200 Mon, 25 Oct 2010 15:34:36 GMT 20101025153436 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 10:36:01 GMT 2010112510103601 Ben Reed 2007 April Blog post Cosmetic surgery is becoming "acceptable" in the UK. The plethora of personal makeover and cosmetic surgery programmes on UK television has helped to fuel a boom in cosmetic surgery. Whereas, five years ago, major UK healthcare providers such as BUPA and BMI Healthcare only dabbled in the cosmetic surgery market, they are now taking the business very seriously and have seen year on year growth of around 25% to 30%. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2006/blog-boom-in-cosmetic-surgery-abroad-40108/ 256619 Fri, 01 Dec 2006 10:38:00 GMT 20061201103800 Tue, 02 Nov 2010 20:27:40 GMT 20101102202740 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 10:52:17 GMT 2010112510105217 Ben Reed 2006 December Cosmetic surgery abroad Blog post We have just published the first independent survey of medical tourism prices - Treatment Abroad PriceWatch 2006.Comparing prices to the cost of private treatment in the UK, the biggest savings in elective surgery to be made are on prostate removal in Bulgaria with an 82% cost reduction and gall bladder removal, saving 79%. Turkey also offers major package savings in six procedures from cataract removal and eye surgery to coronary angioplasty and partial knee replacement. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2006/blog-where-is-cheapest-place-for-treatment-abroad-40107/ 256607 Tue, 03 Oct 2006 11:07:00 GMT 20061003110700 Tue, 02 Nov 2010 18:59:20 GMT 20101102185920 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 10:51:56 GMT 2010112510105156 Ben Reed 2006 October Blog post With the advent of Choose and Book, NHS patients are now offered a choice of at least four providers once their GP has decided that a referral is required. These providers can be NHS trusts, foundation trusts, treatment centres, or private hospitals. Will, at some stage, this choice be extended to include hospitals in Europe and further afield?. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2006/blog-should-nhs-extend-patient-choice-overseas-40106/ 256591 Mon, 02 Oct 2006 21:17:00 GMT 20061002211700 Tue, 02 Nov 2010 18:08:27 GMT 20101102180827 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 10:51:36 GMT 2010112510105136 Ben Reed 2006 October Blog post India is the top global destination for medical tourism, according to a new market research report. A study on the Indian Healthcare sector, conducted by RNCOS, has revealed the country's medical tourism market to be worth over $310 million, expected to rise to $2 billion by 2012. Medical infrastructure and technology in India are accepted to be on a par with the UK and the US and the efficient services and affordable hospital expenses make it an attractive choice for patients seeking treatment abroad. http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2006/blog-india-destination-for-medical-tourism-40105/ 255678 Mon, 02 Oct 2006 12:02:00 GMT 20061002120200 Thu, 28 Oct 2010 10:31:45 GMT 20101028103145 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 10:51:08 GMT 2010112510105108 Ben Reed 2006 October Blog post Health and medical tourism is a growth business. More and more UK patients are choosing to go as far afield as Brazil, South Africa and Malaysia for cosmetic surgery. But the growth isn't restricted to the nip 'n tuck holiday. According to Norwich Union Healthcare's annual survey, the Health of the Nation Index, almost half of patients who travel to another country for treatment are doing so for major operations such as heart surgery and hip replacement. It is estimated that around 50,000 Britons travel http://www.imtjonline.com/articles/2006/blog-health-and-medical-tourism-growth-40101/ 255208 Sun, 01 Oct 2006 21:58:00 GMT 20061001215800 Mon, 25 Oct 2010 12:41:13 GMT 20101025124113 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 10:50:49 GMT 2010112510105049 Ben Reed Cosmetic Surgery 2006 October Elective surgery Blog post