http://www.imtj.com/rss Christina deMoraes founded the International Medical Tourism Chamber of Commerce (IMTCC) in 2012. It is based in California in the USA. It is still small with only six listed members, all in the USA; plus MedNetBrazil, a company owned by deMoraes. The IMTCC was founded so that medical tourism consumers, healthcare providers and medical tourism service providers have an unbiased source to guide them on matters of competence and trust in this growing industry. The logic is that global healthcare should be based on patient centred care, with transparent pricing, plus aftercare and support- all in an ethical way. Christine deMoraes comments, “I am the founder and we are gathering members. I started more than ten years ago while I was living in Brazil. I was a patient myself and then started helping others like myself. I handheld 300 patients through their medical tourism experience in the first few years. What was essential for me was to provide my patients with advocacy, aftercare and accountability. I am inclined to trust that the majority of medical tourism agencies would prefer to do an excellent job if they were given the tools, workflows, protocols and mentoring they need. I also believe that patients would be more trusting and recognize the value we add, the savings we assure and the stress we relieve if they had a source to go to for credible information and education. Aftercare is an essential part of the puzzle that is often missing. Without adequate aftercare, patients suffer, doctors' results are less than optimal and our industry's reputation is negatively affected.” The IMTCC is about connecting people; building relationships in integrity and providing standards of performance as solutions to the issues of the medical tourism healthcare experience. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=419026 Tue, 14 May 2013 10:20:28 GMT 20130514102028 Tue, 14 May 2013 09:37:27 GMT 20130514093727 Tue, 14 May 2013 10:20:28 GMT 2013051410102028 With significant government backing, Turkey is rapidly expanding in medical tourism and has set itself some ambitious goals. The Ministry of Health aims to make $7 billion in revenue from 500,000 foreign patients in 2015, while it has set its sights on reaching $20 billion in 2023 from 2 million foreign patients. Within the health ministry is the Department of Health Tourism, which aims to promote medical tourism and co-ordinate other government and private sector activity. It is also responsible for providing emergency health services to Turkey's 34 million tourists. By health tourism, Turkey means medical tourism, thermal/spa tourism, elderly tourism and disabled tourism. The department operates a free 24/7 helpline plus free interpretation service in English, Arabic, Russian and German; getting 700 calls a month. In 2013 it will handle 2,000 calls a month and will expand the service to include Persian and French. It has a website in four languages. Foreign patients treated in public or private or university hospitals have to be registered with the health ministry. In 2012 Turkey had 210,000 medical tourists compared to 156,176 in 2011, 109,678 in 2010, 91,961 in 2009 and 74,093 in 2008. The Department of Health Tourism analyzes these figures by province, hospital, and county of origin. It expects 2013 to produce at least 250,000 medical tourists. Medical tourists mainly seek eye treatment, hair transplants, dentistry, and cosmetic surgery; plus orthopedic treatment, cervical herniated discs and slipped disk treatment, gynecological and urological operations, plus treatment at ear, nose and throat clinics. 91 % use private hospitals and the remaining 9 % use public hospitals. Germany, Russia, Azerbaijan, the Netherlands, Iraq and France top the list of the countries whose citizens visit Turkey for health tourism. In addition, a significant number of visitors come from Ukraine, Belgium, Kazakhstan, Romania, Libya, Georgia and the UK. Turkey attracts the largest health tourists from Germany, the Netherlands and France, as the population of people with Turkish roots is high. The health ministry plans new medical tourism regulation this year; including regulation of medical tourism agencies, medical spa rules, rehabilitation service laws, plus general health tourism regulation. The ministry also expects that the share of public hospitals in attracting foreign patients will increase to 10 % in the years to come. The top five destinations for foreign patients are Istanbul, Kocaeli, Ankara, Antalya and Muğla. During 2013 the health ministry and other government departments plan new laws on health free-zones that could contain- hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centres, thermal tourism, elderly living resorts, and wider tourism offerings. 85% of customers are expected to be from overseas, as are 60% of doctors. There will be tax, investment and planning advantages. The government plans a host of other promotional activities and legal reforms to make Turkey an attractive and safe place for medical tourists. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=418990 Tue, 14 May 2013 10:19:39 GMT 20130514101939 Mon, 13 May 2013 17:15:49 GMT 20130513171549 Tue, 14 May 2013 10:19:39 GMT 2013051410101939 The Health Consumer Powerhouse (HCP) monitors and compares healthcare systems among 35 countries, including all EU member states as well as Canada. Using more than 20 different health consumer indexes this Swedish organisation provides guidance to patients and information to governments. In 2005 HCP launched its first Euro Health Consumer Index. Johan Hjertqvist, founder of HCP offers an outsider's view of medical tourism: “Medical travelling, health tourism, cross-border care – when there is hype the labels tend to grow in numbers. Every week I get invitations to medical tourism fairs and exhibitions, activities perhaps more frequent and economically important than the travelling and treatments as such. Not least Europe east of the EU seems to catch up, with numerous conferences and exhibitions in Russia, Belorussia and Ukraine.” “Today probably not too many people would think of going to Kiev or Minsk to have a hip replacement but things might change. Belarus even claims to have a "medical tourism city". In Russia the target group seems to be wealthy residents interested to go abroad to avoid the many downsides of Russian healthcare. Going West is expensive for Russians but the steady flow of medical tourists already flying from Moscow to London, Zurich or the US suggests that they can afford it.” “As the inter-EU exchange of cross-border patients becomes more organised, with the cross-border directive implemented into national law, you can expect two major routes of patients to emerge: one for publicly funded treatments, according to the directive, and one for out of pocket paid services. The private one is already rich of cosmetic and life-style surgery but probably as well, complicated, resource demanding and sometimes acute specialist procedures not available in the country of the patient. The public version will deal with treatments suffering from long waiting lists, lack of quality or unavailability at home.” “The public road may not prove broader than the private one as many governments want to restrict travelling for care. In the private lane there is a tradition of simplifying access, picking up the visitor at the airport and providing a smooth procedure.” “As decided by the European parliament in 2011, by October 2013 every citizen of the EU will have the opportunity to go abroad to have a medical treatment. The patient will have the right to the same public funding that otherwise would be available for a treatment in their own member state.” “Governments will be obliged to provide foreign visitors with information about their legal rights, what to do in case of poor treatment and also about treatment options, access, quality of care, patient safety etcetera.” “But while a few EU member states will allow citizens to make their own judgment to travel to another country, the vast majority of member states will be using roadblocks with many conditions before allowing treatment abroad, or not.” “You can expect some governments to be at the front, welcoming mobility and transparency, while many others will lag behind, offering a minimum of information and with little co-ordination work.” Recent HCP reports include ' Impatient for change', an overview of European health systems and the political context within which they exist; and 'Social media – nothing for Swedish healthcare', an intriguing analysis of why with a very high IT-penetration and many users of social media, Swedish healthcare is reluctant to open up for such communication with patients. But there are a few limited efforts, mainly in the big cities, including Stockholm that has put a healthcare guide system on Facebook. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=418992 Tue, 14 May 2013 09:57:57 GMT 20130514095757 Mon, 13 May 2013 17:23:12 GMT 20130513172312 Tue, 14 May 2013 09:57:57 GMT 201305140995757 A travel agent specialist course on medical and wellness travel is under development by The Travel Institute and Well-Being Travel. Well-Being Travel, an agent for medical and wellness tourism, is providing guidance and resources for the course, including creating key learning objectives. It arranges medical tourism trips at medical destinations organized by medical partner Companion Global Healthcare. The Travel Institute is a nonprofit organization that educates and certifies travel professionals, is responsible for writing and administering the course, creating an online test and certifying successful candidates. The online course will be offered in a series of modules, some of them focused on travel for medical procedures, including the legalities and risks. Modules will also cover the wellness/health vacation market, including resort, spa and cruise wellness vacations. Travel to medical spas or for holistic health reasons will also be addressed. The course will include interactive exercises, images, audio, graphics and testing. The time is right for a course that enables travel sellers to take an advantage of a lucrative niche, says Anne Marie Moebes of Well-Being Travel, “Health and wellness tourism is a multibillion-dollar industry that continues to grow.” The partnership between Well-Being Travel and The Travel Institute brings together the required elements for furthering US travel agent education on wellness travel. Well-Being Travel provides the necessary resources for travel agents to be successful in this market; The Travel Institute has the expertise to launch an educational programme. The Travel Institute makes its money from educational courses, while Well-Being Travel partners with travel agents to promote domestic and international medical and health tourism; the travel agent arranges the airline and hotel, while Well-Being Travel arranges the medical and health aspects via Companion Global Healthcare. While travel agents actively promote spa, health and wellness tourism-many are worried that they do not have the medical knowledge to arrange medical tourism trips and could be held liable if something goes wrong with the operation. So far, globally, attempts by travel agents to sell medical tourism have not been very successful, with some travel groups setting up medical tourism subsidiaries and soon closing them as costs exceeded income. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=419025 Tue, 14 May 2013 09:37:27 GMT 20130514093727 Tue, 14 May 2013 09:33:12 GMT 20130514093312 Tue, 14 May 2013 09:37:27 GMT 201305140993727 Despite local doctors mounting an aggressive 'medical tourism is dangerous'; campaign to protect their income, an increasing number of Australians are going to Asia for lower priced cosmetic surgery and cosmetic dentistry. Australians are travelling to countries including Thailand, India, South Korea, Turkey and Malaysia, for a range of medical and dental work. Meredith Jones from Sydney's University of Technology is researching one aspect of medical tourism - cosmetic surgery - and says price is no longer the only motivator. “Now more people say things to me like I would prefer to have it overseas because I can recover away from family and friends, or they say I think I will get better care overseas. So there is also this perception that you do actually get better care for far less money." Meredith Jones estimates that cosmetic surgery tourism by Australians is a 300 million dollar a year industry. She says about 15,000 Australians travel overseas each year to undergo cosmetic procedures. And her research shows a growing number of people are going in groups, “Most of those people are women in their late teens or early 20s. They travel in groups and they mostly have breast augmentation surgeries. And there are also people who say my friends were doing it so I decided to do it as well.” Dr Jones says costs vary a lot overseas but cosmetic surgery is generally half price or less than in Australia. Geoff Dobb of the Australian Medical Association says Australians should avoid undergoing medical procedures overseas as medical tourists run the risk of a less-skilled surgeon, less sterilised conditions and a higher risk of infection from multi-resistant bugs, “If they come back to Australia with complications, these can be extremely difficult to retrieve. And of course there can be, in many occasions, very little redress against the places where the surgery has been performed. People come back and can be seriously disfigured by the surgery that they have been subjected to elsewhere. People need to be aware that the standards of medical facilities are often significantly less than they would be in Australia and without carefully inspecting all of the procedures they have in those hospitals they may not be aware of the risks that they are exposing themselves to." There is no evidence to support Dobb's claim that Asian cosmetic surgery is of a lower standard than in Australia. Dr Jones says according to her research, the Australians who get cosmetic surgery done overseas are generally happy with the result, and that there is no more risk of complications or bad practices overseas than in Australia. The most popular procedures overseas are cosmetic surgery: breast augmentations, facelifts, and tummy-tucks. But local medical tourism agencies report that there is an increasing interest spinal surgery, neck surgery, hip replacement, knee replacement, shoulder reconstruction, and fertility treatment. The AMA has been a long-time critic of medical tourism, and suggestions from customers and medical travel agencies that an increasing number of Asian cosmetic surgeons and dentists are using more up to date techniques than their Australian rivals fuels the flames. The AMA is quite measured in its criticism. In contrast, some Australian surgeons are strongly opposed to it, believing that overseas cosmetic surgery has serious shortcomings. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=419024 Tue, 14 May 2013 09:33:12 GMT 20130514093312 Tue, 14 May 2013 09:29:59 GMT 20130514092959 Tue, 14 May 2013 09:33:12 GMT 201305140993312 Rwanda wants to become a medical tourism destination to boost foreign earnings. But it has few world-class medical facilities, and those are provided by overseas investment. Rwanda is revamping its creaking health sector in the hope of attracting African patients from across its borders to galvanize its tourism industry. The tourism sector is slowly growing and the government sees medical tourism as a niche product that could help expand it. In 2012, Rwanda hosted 1,075,829 visitors compared to 908,001 in 2011, which represents an increase of 22%. “The government is courting investors to set up advanced medical facilities in the country; to help make our country a regional medical tourism hub,” says Rica Rwigamba of the Rwanda Development Board. She is optimistic that tapping into medical tourism would improve foreign currency earnings that are badly needed to bridge the country's trade deficit, which currently stands at over $1.2 billion. The Ministry of Health admits it does not know how many Rwandans go abroad for treatment and how much the government loses in foreign exchange as a result. It is not just the medical costs, but also the travel and hotel costs of the patient and any companions. Rwigamba adds “Medical tourism requires a different approach to attract world class health investors. It is also about wooing people to provide quality medical services at affordable rates. Rwanda is in a good location in terms of climate, security and a quiet environment, which patients need when going through the process of healing.” Dr Agarwal's Eye Hospital recently opened its doors in Kigali, making it the first foreign-owned specialist establishment in the country, which is likely to become a regional eye referral centre. The Asian firm has so far invested $6 million and plans to invest more in the next few years. “We have spent time with the ministry of health and Rwanda Development Board to see how we can expand this sector,” explains Farooq Siddiqui of Dr Argarwal Eye Hospital. The new specialist hospital handles many complicated eye cases that were once referred abroad. The aim of this hospital is to stop any referrals for eye treatment outside Rwanda. Before Rwanda can promote medical tourism it needs better hospitals, better-trained medical personnel and specialist skills. Above all it needs foreign investors prepared to build and run those new hospitals. It also needs to build confidence in local patients that local healthcare is better than going abroad. There is a shortage of doctors, while waiting time for non-urgent treatment is often long. A substantial number of women leave the country just to give birth. The country has little medical training and no pharmaceutical industry; so it has to import high priced drugs that attract heavy tax duties. State-of-the-art medical equipment is expensive and requires trained staff to operate it, and there are few of either in the country. For medical tourism to succeed it will need more than a few overseas investors with new hospitals. There needs to be synergy between government, healthcare and insurance providers, industry and academia create a decent local healthcare system before trying to sell the concept to visitors. Rwanda is never going to attract huge numbers of medical tourists but there has to be an improvement in the local health infrastructure boosted by the public and private investments in specialised hospitals and state of the art medical equipment. King Faisal Hospital, Rwanda's leading state-owned healthcare provider, wants to become a regional referral hospital in East Africa and attract patients from Burundi, Congo, Uganda and Kenya. In 2012 the hospital received 3755 foreign patients from across the region and Congo sent the biggest number of 1850. There is an increased flow of patients to Rwanda. Uganda and Kenya. While the elite may still prefer to travel to Europe for treatment, the rising importance of local culture means that more Africans prefer to seek treatment within Africa rather than go to Asia. Outsiders may dismiss inter-African medical tourism as little more than a fantasy- and although it may take 20 or 30 years to happen- the regional African market will eventually be important. Tourism was once dismissed as a fantasy, but most African countries now do rather well out of a fast expanding tourism market. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=418993 Mon, 13 May 2013 17:30:13 GMT 20130513173013 Mon, 13 May 2013 17:24:51 GMT 20130513172451 Mon, 13 May 2013 17:30:13 GMT 201305131753013 The Greek government is finally looking at developing medical tourism, but is it too late? A bill for the development of medical tourism in Greece is currently being prepared by the Greek Ministries of Health and Tourism and will soon be released for public consultation, says health minister Andreas Lykourentzos. The bill will aim to establish an institutional framework for the development of the necessary infrastructure and provision of advanced services in the health tourism sector. Lykourentzos notes that public and private sector collaboration is essential and state hospitals could also be included in the planning once they were certified. Health units could provide high quality health services. According to the study “Development of Medical Tourism in Greece,” conducted by the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine on behalf of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, a very high and perhaps overambitious target for Greece is the annual arrival of 100,000 medical tourists that would each spend an average of 4,000 euros (3,000 euros for medical expenses and 1000 euros for accommodation and other expenses) in the country. The Hellenic Chamber of Hotels suggests that pilot programmes should be launched in Lasithi, Rhodes, Santorini, Athens, Thessaloniki and Thessaly for the development and promotion of an integrated network of medical services for foreign visitors at a local level. The pilots would include travel packages and a marketing strategy. They would be implemented through local hospital units with the participation of primary clinics, hoteliers, travel agents, local government and transport services. The aim is to evaluate the feasibility of the research project based on the capabilities of local providers and agencies. The study suggests that Greece could provide rehabilitation travel packages (through the collaboration of rehabilitation centres with hotels); fertility treatments-in vitro fertilization and assisted reproduction (through the collaboration of medical centres with hotels); facilities for dialysis patients (hotels and rooms-to-let associated with dialysis centers); spas and rehabilitation centers (equipped with necessary infrastructure for individuals with musculoskeletal disorders, neurological disorders, the elderly); plus packages for ophthalmology and cosmetic surgery. Greece's desperate economic plight means that the government is looking at finding ways to help the economic mainstay of tourism, and helping the struggling healthcare system. In the past government and hospitals were both dismissive of promoting medical tourism and even if the concept gets the go-ahead, getting instant results with high numbers is rather unlikely. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=417850 Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:51:06 GMT 20130426095106 Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:32:28 GMT 20130426093228 Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:51:06 GMT 201304260995106 The NHS for England is consulting on the UK government's suggestions for implementing a directive that concerns patients' rights to cross-border healthcare in other member states of the European Economic Area. It applies to England only as Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland operate the NHS each in their own way. 'Cross border healthcare and patient mobility: consultation on the UK implementation of Directive 2011/24 EU (on the application of patients' rights in cross-border healthcare)' is seeking views and the consultation closes on 24th May 2013. The EU Cross Border Healthcare Team of the NHS in England is seeking views on:• Centralising cross-border administration at the NHS Commissioning Board in England from 1 April 2013• Setting up a cross-border healthcare National Contact Point for England (within the NHS Commissioning Board) by October 2013• Improving information on patients' rights and entitlements.• Provisions for dealing with patients from other countries who want to use NHS facilities under the terms of the directive.• How the processes of prior authorisation and patient reimbursement should work. The centralization is a done deal as the various local trusts have been replaced by the national NHS Commissioning Board. From April 2013, the NHS commissioning system – of primary care trusts and specialised commissioning groups changed substantially so that most of the NHS commissioning budget is now managed by 211 clinical commissioning groups. These are groups of general practices that come together over a defined geography to take on responsibility for commissioning the best services for their patients and population. Nationally, the NHS Commissioning Board commissions specialised services and primary care. The Department for Health and Social Services of the Welsh Government has issued an almost identical protocol for cross-border healthcare services. The situation between England and Scotland also needs to be resolved but the possibility that Scotland will become independent in the future complicates predictions. Health boards in Scotland can at present arrange travel to specialist transplant centres such as Freeman Hospital in Newcastle or Papworth Hospital in Cambridge and there are few, if any, costs for patients. However, if Scotland votes to leave the UK in the 2014 referendum, patients seeking treatment in England, Wales or Northern Ireland would have to use one of two complex routes agreed between EU member states. Margaret Watt of the Scotland Patients Association says, “Whatever the outcome of the referendum, there is already pressure on patients when it comes to travelling for medical treatment and the system for treatment south of the border is complicated enough. We do not want to see patients placed with any additional burdens.” http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=417848 Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:46:31 GMT 20130426094631 Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:24:42 GMT 20130426092442 Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:46:31 GMT 201304260994631 The Taiwan government wants to open up more of its health care sector to foreigners and encourage overseas medical investment. The government set up special economic zones to attract big foreign companies, including three major industrial parks in Hsinchu, Taichung and Kaohsiung where local and foreign companies can enjoy logistical, economic and tax advantages that create jobs for the local population. The island's Council for Economic Planning and Development proposes to give foreign tourists full access to medical facilities located in these zones. Taiwan's tourism industry relies heavily on the huge influx of tourists from China. The quality of medical treatment in Taiwan is the main reason for the arrival of tourists from the mainland. Now tourists from Mainland China can travel on their own. Until a year ago, they had to be part of organised groups. Between the start of 2011 and the end of 2012, medical tourist spending rose fourfold to US$ 135 million. Not surprisingly, the Taiwanese government wants to increase the number of patients receiving health care treatment in Taiwan. Most come to the country for medical check-ups and cosmetic surgery; and the latest official plan is to offer them access to the whole range of medical and hospital services. In addition, the new plan seeks to attract medical organisations from other countries into the special economic zones to serve foreign and Taiwanese patients, and further improving the island's high quality health care system. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=417847 Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:43:17 GMT 20130426094317 Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:21:16 GMT 20130426092116 Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:43:17 GMT 201304260994317 Manouchehr Jahanian of the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization has stated that Iran hosted 200,000 health tourists in 2012, earning $1.5 billion, a figure more than double 2011. Last year, more than 4.5 million foreign tourists spent $9 billion in Iran and created jobs for 2.5 million people directly or indirectly. Tourism is up by a million people on 2011; people being attracted by diversified climates as well as numerous tourist and historical attractions. Most health tourists were from Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Iraq, Turkey, Kuwait, Oman, India and Pakistan. These include medical tourists as well as health and spa tourists. The number of Omani nationals visiting Iran for medical tourism is on the rise with around 5,000 Omanis seeking treatment in the country every year, according to the Iranian Embassy. Medical tourists from neighbouring states mostly come for transplants, ophthalmology, orthopedics and dentistry. Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO), has conducted studies that suggest the best targets are Iraq, Afghanistan, Persian Gulf states, Central Asian nations and Iranians residing abroad. In 2012 Iran launched new plans to expand medical tourism in the region. The Health Tourism Committee has been formed in collaboration with representatives of Foreign Ministry, Iran Medical Organization, Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, and the Commercial Chamber of Health Ministry. The government is planning a new health tourism law that will regulate who can offer medical tourism-60 hospitals have indicated interest. Pressure continues to mount on Iran over its nuclear programme; and the presence of US and EU warships off the coast, is hardly conducive to attracting American or European medical tourists. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=417849 Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:32:28 GMT 20130426093228 Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:30:05 GMT 20130426093005 Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:32:28 GMT 201304260993228 Americans going overseas for medical treatment will find it long and difficult, if not impossible, to sue for medical negligence either in the US or the country they were treated in, said Nathan Cortez, Associate Professor of Law, Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, in a recent presentation at North Carolina Journal of International Law and Commercial Regulation Symposium. Professor Cortez says that American patients opting to leave the United States to have procedures done overseas may not realize that they may be forgoing the legal protections of American courts. Patients are bearing the brunt of legal risks because it can be very difficult to successfully sue in the US or overseas. In the USA, jurisdictional issues and deciding under which theory of liability to sue are difficult obstacles to overcome when dealing with a foreign doctor and foreign hospital. Professor Cortez focused on the legal system in India to showcase the challenges patients face even if they are willing to sue overseas. Typical delays in India's civil courts can go on for fifteen to twenty years, and while patients can elect to pursue claims through consumer forums known as Consumer Dispute Redressal Agencies, there can still be delays averaging two to three years as well as difficulties with securing expert testimony and accessing medical records. And, overly complex cases may even be transferred back to the civil courts, and in the end, a successful patient can expect only very limited compensation. As Professor Cortez points out in his article, Recalibrating the Legal Risks of Cross-Border Health Care, medical tourism raises questions about whether patients fully understand the tradeoff they are making when they seek medical care abroad. With such limited remedies available to patients, are these risks potentially exacerbated by a lower quality of care and a higher likelihood of medical mistakes? http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=417846 Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:21:15 GMT 20130426092115 Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:13:43 GMT 20130426091343 Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:21:15 GMT 201304260992115 Hopes that the EU cross-border healthcare directive would increase patient flows across borders are fading as reports show cash strapped hospitals denying legitimate treatment to travellers and migrants. Despite the increasingly anti EU rhetoric of many British politicians, the UK has a strong track record of complying with EU directives on time, and usually adding to the bare minimums required for compliance. Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands have similar track records, while France tends to pass the laws on time and enforce those areas that are beneficial to the French. Some countries such as Spain have a dismal record, on average being two years past any deadline, passing laws reluctantly and not enforcing them. Hospitals in Spain, Italy and Portugal are reluctant to honour existing EU agreements on free treatment for travellers. Their logic is “We cannot properly treat our own residents, so why should we treat foreigners for free? “The European Commission is far from happy but there is little in practice that can be done as doctors, hospitals and local politicians are effectively saying “You forced our government to make huge austerity cuts that hurt our people badly and have done nothing to repair the economy, so you must now live with the consequences.” The chances of cross border directive laws being passed this year - or at all - in Spain, Italy, Portugal and Greece look increasingly slim. And after the recent problems in Cyprus, any law may be irrelevant. The European Commission has warned Spain that it could take formal legal action, known as an "infringement procedure", after receiving complaints from various EU nationals about the refusal of EHIC cards. Spain is not alone in blocking EHIC usage. Travellers in Greece and Portugal have also experienced problems. Both countries' health systems are under pressure following the crisis in public finances. The Spanish health system is complex. It has state hospitals and private hospitals, and a third hybrid sector, which is run by private management but provides state-funded treatment. The EHIC card may not be accepted in private hospitals but should be valid in the other two categories. Problems of refusal have largely arisen in this third hybrid sector, where the card should be accepted. Worse still, the private managers are increasingly employing debt collectors to pursue outstanding bills after travellers have returned home. Austerity measures have a devastating impact on healthcare services, resulting in rising xenophobia in Greece and Spain, reports the humanitarian group Doctors of the World.' Access to healthcare in Europe in times of crisis and rising xenophobia' covers data collected in 14 cities across seven countries. Dr Nikitas Kanakis from Doctors of the World Greece said xenophobia and healthcare always go together. In Greece, the entire public health system is under enormous pressure due to austerity measures. In Spain, the government has legally restricted access to care for undocumented migrants. Dr Alvaro Gonzales from Doctors of the World in Spain said that cuts have led to a dismantling and a destruction of the welfare state and the public healthcare system. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=417805 Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:20:08 GMT 20130425172008 Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:09:47 GMT 20130425170947 Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:20:08 GMT 201304251752008 Mexico may offer nearby care at lower prices to Americans, but it is struggling with perceptions of drug wars, violence, and poor quality care. This matters a lot, as apart from a few Canadians, nearly all Mexican medical tourists are Americans. Mexico has long attracted a large number of tourists from all over the world, and medical tourism is rapidly becoming a growing source of new visitors. The country's doctors and dentists are well-trained and qualified, with many having studied in the US; and Mexico's proximity to the USA makes it a highly popular destination for Americans seeking a variety of medical treatments at low cost. Dental work is one of the most common procedures, but knee and hip surgeries and cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries are popular as well. Costs can be as low as half of those in the US. Hospitals and clinics in many parts of Mexico are modern and feature up-to-date diagnostic equipment. Many foreigners have reported that their Mexican dentists and doctors tend to relate to them on a more personal level than health professionals in their home countries. Tourism in Mexico has suffered from the weakness in demand from the USA and Europe. And no matter how often the authorities stress the fact that the narcotics war has not affected most Mexican tourist areas, the violence has seriously damaged the country's reputation as a destination. The North American Free Trade Agreement opened the border to trade in merchandise and services, including medical care. But many restrictions remain; preventing Americans from getting quality care that could be as much as 40 % cheaper. A report by the U.N. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean claims that despite its proximity to the USA, Mexico is behind other countries in attracting American patients. Mexico needs to do more both to improve security and to certify hospitals to treat international patients, it says. Only 19 Mexican hospitals are certified by the Joint Commission. Christopher Wilson from the Woodrow Wilson Center's Mexico Institute comments, "Mexico needs to get more hospitals certified by the Joint Commission, address violence and the perception of it, and needs to significantly increase advertising in the United States. USA states need to see if changes are needed in insurance regulation to allow policies to cover care in Mexico." In California, some insurance companies are selling policies to cover care in Mexico, but other states such as Texas ban cross-border schemes. Getting Medicare to cover treatment out of the USA is what local medical tourism advocates seek, but they struggle with Democrats and Republicans arguing that if the government pays for treatment, it wants that money to help revenue and jobs in US hospitals. The Mexican government set up an office to promote medical tourism in 2012 to tap the American market, but if it still exists it is invisible. Christus Muguerza, owned by Dallas-based Christus Health, is the largest Catholic health care system in Mexico. But both hospitals in Monterrey, just two hours from the Texas border, have suffered badly by American fear of the drug violence that has become the scourge of Northern Mexico. Many people think twice about crossing the border. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=416502 Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:58:30 GMT 20130412095830 Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:40:23 GMT 20130412094023 Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:58:30 GMT 201304120995830 The number of foreign tourists visiting South Korea for medical treatment is increasing but held back by government regulations on local hospitals, claims the Hyundai Research Institute (HRI). HRI says the country's weak performance on medical tourism sector is mainly attributable to excessive regulations on local hospitals. South Korean hospitals are not allowed to have foreign patients exceeding 5% of their capacity, and medical specialists with foreign licenses have limited leeway in working for local institutions. HRI wants government to ease regulations on hospitals by allowing non-medical firms to invest in medical institutions and abolish ceilings on the percentage of foreign inpatients. Although the Korea National Tourism Organization, says that the number of foreign health tourists to South Korea was 150,000 in 2012, compared to 122,297 in 2011, the figures have problems. The 2012 figures are estimates rather than national figures and are actually of international patients rather than just medical tourists. They include all foreigners who are non-Koreans who receive no benefits from local medical insurance. This includes American soldiers and diplomats based in the country, plus holiday and business travellers and expatriates treated in the country. In the past the ministry has had to admit that it assumed all non-nationals who had treatment locally and were not covered by Korean insurance, visited Korea for medical purposes, so it did not reduce for other categories such as general tourists, who fall ill. As the country gets nearly 10 million tourists a year, this spinning of the figures could be quite important. The country accepts that it is unlikely to get many American or European medical tourists and that there is now fierce competition for those from Russia, China, Mongolia and Japan. So it is targeting nearby poor countries. A dozen Cambodian visitors including journalists, travel agents, and a public health official recently went to Korea to look around major hospitals in southern Seoul. The four-day visit was on the invitation of Gangnam District Office. Other countries being targeted include Vietnam, Ukraine, Myanmar and Kazakhstan. Central government and regional governments as small as districts are promoting medical services in Korea South Korea has a problem as most Cambodians go to Singapore or Thailand for medical treatment because of proximity and easier entry to these countries. They can go to Thailand or Singapore at any time without a visa. Busan, Korea's second largest city, hosted medical professionals, travel agents, and journalists from Almaty, Kazakhstan. Other cities and provinces such as Daegu, Daejeon, and Jeju have been promoting themselves as medical tourism destinations. KTO is trying to promote Korea as a medical tourism destination to the Middle East, but that is a very competitive market With the most developed medical infrastructure in the country, Seoul is by far the main destination for foreign medical tourists. The capital city took in 77,858 patients in 2011 and Gyeonggi-do attracted 17,092. Next is Busan (6,704), followed by Daegu (5,494), Incheon (4,004) and Jeollabuk-do (North Jeolla Province, 2,104). The fields of medicine sought by overseas visitors in 2011 are internal medicine (15.3%), dermatology and cosmetic surgery (12.7%), family medicine (8.7%), physical examinations (8.3%), gynaecology (7.7%), and Oriental medicine (5.9%). The proportion of physical examinations, dermatology, and cosmetic surgery is on the decline while internal medicine and oriental medicine have been increasing. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=416500 Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:55:03 GMT 20130412095503 Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:34:47 GMT 20130412093447 Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:55:03 GMT 201304120995503 The Polish Medical Tourism Consortium is an initiative of the Ministry of Economy backed by the private sector. It is targeting potential patients, insurance companies, government health departments, medical tourism providers, business organizations and trade associations, interested in sending patients from Russia, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, UK and USA to Poland. The government is supporting Polish medical tourism with a promotional campaign funded by the EU. The Ministry of Economy has identified medical tourism as one of fifteen high export potential sectors. Medical tourism has become the one of the priorities of the Polish export policy from now until 2015. The main advantages being promoted are easy access to high quality services at lower costs than in Western Europe. The costs of medical treatment in Poland can be up to 40% lower than Germany or the UK, and even more compared to US prices. The activities are organized by a consortium of PAIiIZ (Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency), EuCP (European Center for Enterprise) and AMEDS Centrum. PAIiIZ is responsible for organization of international conferences, exhibitions and media study visits to Poland. AMEDS recruits candidates to participate in international events and training as well as for the publication of informational and promotional materials; EuCP is responsible for contacts with the ministry and paying for the project. The campaign sees sponsored participation of Polish hospitals and clinics at medical tourism conferences and exhibitions in Russia, UK, Germany, Denmark and the USA.There are co-branded information and promotional materials for the medical tourism sector plus films, videos, brochures, catalogues and an on-line portal. There are trade missions and study tours for foreign journalists and foreign companies to Poland; organized training for representatives of medical tourism companies; plus business meetings and match-making sessions with companies, associations, and institutions. The consortium has developed medical tourism packages http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=416497 Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:52:09 GMT 20130412095209 Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:23:37 GMT 20130412092337 Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:52:09 GMT 201304120995209 Taiwan is doing rather well at attracting health and medical tourists, with a constant supply of new ideas. In the eastern county of Hualien, traditionally known better for its coastal scenery than medical services, 67 local medical institutions and travel operators have got together to offering high-end medical packages aimed at Chinese tourists. And the local government has set up a Hualien county medical tourism association. A seven-day package features a combination of Western-style physical checkups and clinical cosmetology, as well as Chinese preventive medicine. A 14-day package features an even higher-end health promotion and anti-aging treatment for double the price, according to a county international medical tourism association established by the local government. Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital in Hualien is famous for making people's legs slimmer through a calf muscle-trimming procedure, which has been drawing tourists from as far as Brazil. Since 2001, the hospital has conducted procedures on 500 pairs of legs. 20% of medical tourists coming to the Hualien hospital are from China, Hong Kong, Macau, the United States, Canada and Japan. What is happening in Hualien is mirrored both nationally and locally, with an increased number of local governments, tourist boards, hotels, hospitals and clinics in Taiwan attaching more importance to medical tourism as a new niche market and a way to boost the country's economy. According to the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), Taiwan recorded the arrival of 81,462 medical tourists as of the end of the third quarter of 2012, more than double the 39,428 visitors in 2011. Among those treated in 2012, 60% went to Taiwan to get treatment for their illnesses, 27% for health check-ups, while 13 % for cosmetic surgery, according to TAITRA. The government plans to set up a service industry experimental zone next to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, the country's main international gateway. It will offer services to international visitors including help to arrange travel, shopping, clinical cosmetology and financial services. The zone is part of the efforts to boost Taiwan's employment by cultivating the service industry, with high paying service jobs. The government's Council for Economic Planning and Development is considering the idea of regional free economic zones to foster the development of Taiwan by providing medical care, medical tourism, industrial innovation, international logistics, training and product sales. Taiwan's main target market is China, due to the two countries' linguistic and cultural similarities. Taiwan launched a 15-day medical tourism visa to cater to Chinese tourists and an e-visa service that will help make things easier for Chinese tourists visiting Taiwan for physical checkups, cosmetic surgery or anti-aging treatments. Taiwan drew a total of 50,376 medical tourists from China in 2012, says TAITRA, more than half the total; but these are still estimates and final 2013 figures are awaited. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=416496 Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:49:17 GMT 20130412094917 Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:19:00 GMT 20130412091900 Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:49:17 GMT 201304120994917 Hungarian Tourism plc is now actively promoting medical tourism globally, but targeted mostly at Western Europe. Hungary is one of the flagship countries of European medical tourism. A quarter of all medical students at Hungarian universities come from abroad, and many Hungarian specialists teach and practice internationally. The main reasons for Hungary's leading role in European medical tourism are long experience and practice in the international market. The success story began in the eighties, when Hungary was a popular destination for German and Austrian patients seeking top-quality dentistry and dental prosthetic services of Swiss standards. Since Hungary joined the European Union, medical tourism has become more varied and more international. The cost of treatment is between 40% and 70% of the cost in the UK, USA and Scandinavian countries. The most popular treatments and procedures for international patients are dentistry, cosmetic surgery, orthopaedic surgery, cardiac rehabilitation, fertility treatment, dermatology, anti-aging treatment, obesity treatment, addiction programmes and eye surgery. Hungary is easily accessed by low-cost flights from all over Europe. It has the lowest MRSA rates on the continent. Hungary has a number of accreditation and license schemes applying to its institutions, such as the domestic accreditation schemes from the Hungarian Ministry of Health, and the National Health Commission and Medical Service. Several clinics run medical tourism programmes and packages, organising the entire trip including flights, accommodation, transfers and treatments. There is no age limit by Hungarian law, so even single women can have fertility treatment, and all sperm donors are anonymous. There is no waiting list for IVF. Most of the patients have the first initial consultation with the fertility specialist within a month of first contact. The country is trying to get away from its image as purely a dental treatment country, so is heavily promoting cosmetic surgery, eye treatment, fertility treatment, anti-aging treatment, and more. It is not forgetting the important and historic spa, wellness and health tourism angle too. Linking with medical tourism, it is promoting medical spas. Hungary has more medical spas than anywhere in Europe, A medical spa uses water rich in minerals that medical tests clearly show has health benefits. Thermal water is any naturally occurring spring that emerges at a temperature exceeding 30°C. Balneotherapy is the treatment of a medical condition with water from a medicinal spring – particularly water with high concentrations of dissolved minerals and sediment. Balneotherapy is combined with physiotherapy, electrotherapy and therapeutic massage. This is complemented by related treatments, including drinking cures and inhalation. Budapest is a spa capital, and there are many type of spas from historic Turkish and Roman to medical and party spas. The country sits on one of the richest geothermal and medicinal water resources in the world. Hungarian springs have supported a bathing culture dating back to Roman times. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=416494 Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:46:39 GMT 20130412094639 Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:15:21 GMT 20130412091521 Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:46:39 GMT 201304120994639 The Asia Medical Travel Council (AMTRAC) and the Thai Medical Tourism Association (TMTA) have signed a deal that makes the national medical association for Thailand the first pioneer official member of the Asia Medical Travel Council. TMTA will make up one of five of the AMTRAC regional bloc members, the first bloc of its kind in the world, which should soon include four other prominent Asian countries that are promoting their local inbound medical travel industry. AMTRAC's vision is to ultimately show the world that member countries are able to offer safe and affordable medical treatment comparable to the best in the world, and collectively raise the visibility of Asian medical travel destinations in an increasingly crowded medical travel market. The logic is that they will all benefit by working with each other rather than aggressively competing with each other. Ultimately, this collaborative network can only spell good news for the patient as the medical travel bloc will collectively look to allay patient concerns by discussing and addressing important and pertinent issues such as patient safety, continuity of care, standardisation of medical records, and accreditation. Founder of AMTRAC, Wilson Tan says, “This deal marks an exciting time for Asia in medical travel. TMTA will be a valuable member of AMTRAC as will be the other AMTRAC members. They can learn how it has succeeded in achieving the right balance of medical skills and expertise blended with Thai hospitality to succeed in promoting Thailand as a premiere medical travel destination to the rest of the world. Our two organisations have a great deal in common in our values, work ethics and vision to see Asia grow as a medical travel destination.” The objectives of this alliance are:• To aid AMTRAC members to become recognized as top medical travel destinations.• To help raise professional standard of medical specialists and healthcare providers.• To provide a single platform for medical tourism agencies to learn, update and network with other member service providers.• To develop a higher degree of patient confidence and awareness in medical practitioners and facilities in the Asian region.• To exchange views on topical issues facing the medical travel industry in Asia. AMTRAC is working to include India, Malaysia, South Korea and Singapore as the remaining four founding members. When all five founders are signed up later this year, there will be an official launch. The Thai Medical Tourism Association took over from the Thailand Medical Tourism Cluster in 2012, and aims to spearhead the promotion of medical tourism to Thailand. The Indian Medical Travel Association (IMTA) consists of Indian hospitals, healthcare providers (both modern medicine and traditional Indian medicine), travel and medical tourism industry providers who aim to make India a leading global healthcare destination. Formed in 2010. The Malaysian Health Ministry set up the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) in January 2010 to promote and develop the health tourism industry for the country and position the country as a healthcare hub in the region. It serves as the primary agency to promote and develop the health tourism industry. The council is a department in the Ministry of Health. Singapore no longer has a stand alone medical tourism promotion body so it is unclear who will be the Singapore member; and for this reason it may not become a founder. Korea International Medical Association (KIMA) is a government-private joint initiative. It is the official organization for Korea medical tourism and supported by the Korean government. The primary purposes of KIMA include promoting Korea healthcare to the international communities and fostering safe and reliable infrastructures to secure transparency of quality of care and patients' safety. Although often claiming much higher figures, the five countries combined have 2 million medical tourists between them. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=416420 Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:49:06 GMT 20130411174906 Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:42:49 GMT 20130411174249 Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:49:06 GMT 201304111754906 Countries that are attractive to tourists are often very attractive to health and medical tourists, while the problems that affect some countries can also hold back medical tourism. The fifth Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report ranks 140 countries according to their attractiveness and ability to develop their travel and tourism industries. The World Economic Forum produced the report in collaboration with Booz & Company, Deloitte, the International Air Transport Association, the World Tourism Organization and the World Travel & Tourism Council. The 517-page report uses a combination of data from publicly available sources, international travel and tourism institutions and experts. The report's cross-country analysis of the drivers of competitiveness in travel and tourism provides comparative information that is useful in business decision-making for business. It does not include specific information on medical tourism but does offer vital information on visas, government attititudes to tourism, customer safety and transport infrastructure. The report also contains detailed country profiles for the 140 economies featured in the study, including a guide to the most prominent travel and tourism competitive advantages and disadvantages of each. Switzerland, Germany and Austria lead the world in terms of their travel and tourism industry competitiveness with Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Canada, Sweden and Singapore making up the top ten. France fell four places from third in 2011 to seventh, while Spain climbed to fourth from eighth. Also showing strong improvement were the United Kingdom - up two places to fifth - and Canada, up one place to eighth. Alongside Switzerland and Germany, the United States and Singapore maintained their positions, in sixth and 10th places, respectively. Sweden, the only other country in the top 10 to fall, dropped from fifth to ninth. New Zealand and Japan improved strongly. Emerging market economies reported mixed levels of progress, with Brazil and India being the only BRIC nations to move up in the rankings. Rising stars include Panama and the Philippines. With travel and tourism accounting for one in 11 jobs globally, the report highlights that the industry can be a key factor in paving the way for developing and emerging markets to diversify into higher value economic activities. The lesson for medical tourism is that the most successful countries are not those that offer cheap holidays. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=415465 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:49:45 GMT 20130402114945 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:23:48 GMT 20130402112348 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:49:45 GMT 2013040211114945 The first edition of SafeCare standards for clinics and health centres in resource restricted settings has been accredited by the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua). ISQua's international accreditation programme provides worldwide recognition for accredited organizations that meet approved international standards. SafeCare offers a unique set of standards that are realistic for resource-restricted settings while not compromising on quality levels. This has now been acknowledged by this official accreditation of the standards. The accreditation of SafeCare's standards provides assurance to ministries of health, donors, funders, clients and health facilities that the organizations using SafeCare's standards meet the highest international requirements and are focused on continuous improvement. To date the standards have already helped about 300 clinics in five sub-Saharan countries to improve the safety and quality of care provided to an estimated 500,000 patients per month. The accreditation by ISQua marks a watershed moment in the progress of SafeCare - a formal collaboration of three organizations, Joint Commission International (JCI) based in the U.S.A., PharmAccess Foundation of the Netherlands and the Council for Health Service Accreditation of Southern Africa (COHSASA), to address issues of poor and limited health care delivered in developing countries. SafeCare standards focus on 'bottom of the pyramid' public and private healthcare facilities such as dispensaries and health centers that make up the main healthcare distribution channel for low-income settings. This type of facility tends to struggle with patient safety and quality demands. The SafeCare standards are structured to offer a stepwise improvement path. The achieved improvement steps are rewarded through formal certification that could eventually lead to full accreditation. Thus, an improvement path is created that offers positive incentives for healthcare providers to enhance quality. This clear pathway boosts client, investor and regulator confidence in capacity of healthcare providers to steadily enhance their performance. The methodology is supported by real-time data collection tools. In this first edition of the SafeCare standards there are 824 criteria in 13 areas of service delivery including: management and leadership; human resource management; patient rights and access; risk management; primary healthcare services; laboratory service, medication management; and support services. Since its inception in 2011, SafeCare has rapidly developed from serving clients of the Health Insurance Fund and Medical Credit Fund, two organizations founded by PharmAccess, and for which it was originally developed, to nearly 300 clinics and hospitals in Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana and Namibia, supporting social franchises and clinics of the police and armed forces. Agreements are being drafted with the Tanzanian, Kenyan and Nigerian governments to apply the SafeCare standards and external evaluation methods to their national healthcare system and insurance schemes. Multinational corporations such as Shell and Heineken have also signed up to SafeCare. SafeCare receives backing from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, USAID, and the African Health Market for Equity (AHME) programme. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=415462 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:38:00 GMT 20130402113800 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:13:57 GMT 20130402111357 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:38:00 GMT 2013040211113800 Kenya and especially its capital, Nairobi, is now considered the hub for business and development in Eastern Africa. The country expects one and a half million visitors this year. Some people argue that it can become a local medical tourism hub. While under funded government hospitals in Kenya, generally offer poor quality care, poorly staffed facilities with overcrowding and limited service provision, private healthcare is an improvement, with small but modern health facilities and better-trained medical staff. However, for any serious operations, many locals and expatriates look outside the country for help; South Africa being the most popular, while some go to India and the ruling elite prefer the UK, USA or Germany. To develop local hospitals capable of developing medical tourism, a significant investment in state of the art health care technology would be required. Many Kenyans are travelling abroad because of lack of high-tech facilities and some perceive hospitals in countries like USA and South Africa as a sure bet to receiving quality healthcare. With over a thousand Kenyan medical travellers going to India each year, many use the services of local medical tourism agents who handle patient logistics, bookings and medical billing. One such agent is Simon Karo who says the country should have a similar programme where organisations link patients from poorer African countries to Kenyan hospitals to boost medical tourism. Kenya has some of the best private hospitals in East and Central Africa. The government is spending money to promote tourism and has produced effective destination marketing campaigns. It has also made it easier for visitors to get visas. But official red tape makes it hard to start any new local business. The infrastructure remains undeveloped, health and hygiene need great improvement and the skills of the local labour force are poor. The biggest threat to medical tourism is the security situation, with problems of kidnapping, crime and terrorist attacks even in major cities. What may drive the longer-term growth in medical tourism on a local African basis, rather than people going to India or South Africa, is political stability. Kenya recently held a peaceful election. There have been calm transfers of power in Uganda, Ghana, Senegal, Zambia and Tanznia.Africa includes seven of the ten fastest growing countries in the world and there is a population of over a billion. There is a mood that Kenya is among those governments serious about improving the infrastructure, creating private-public partnerships and welcoming foreign investment. With problems in the US and Europe, many local African companies are cutting back on doing business with those regions and concentrating on African countries. Banks are lending as insurance guarantees can protect overseas investors from any political instability. The public image of Africa tends to be warped by the news headlines, and although for several years Kenya will be an outbound medical tourism destination, there is a potential future scenario where African countries encourage overseas investors to build hospitals that can treat locals and stimulate a regional market in medical tourism. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=415469 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:36:34 GMT 20130402113634 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:31:45 GMT 20130402113145 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:36:34 GMT 2013040211113634 A research study of US consumers has identified different reasons why various socio-demographic groups would consider medical tourism. The aim of the study is to help medical tourism agents refine their marketing strategies on medical tourism. 'A Survey of Consumers' Perceptions Toward Medical Tourism' is a recently published 2011 study by Lydia Gan and James Frederick of the Medical Tourism Research Center at the University of North Carolina. The research identified demographic groups likely to participate in medical tourism and identified three components (risk-related, social-related, vacation-related) that explain their motivation to travel abroad for treatment. Street sampling was conducted in six locations in North Carolina between June and December of 2010. 522 consumers provided socio-economic data and data about their perceptions toward medical tourism. The research tested several hypotheses about Americans' motivation to use medical tourism Among the major findings are: • The uninsured, low-income, and black consumers are more sensitive to risk-related factors than the well-insured, middle- to high-income groups, and white consumers.• The older and the married consumers are more motivated by social-related factors than the young adults aged 18-21 and single. • The more proficient a person is in a foreign language, the less they are motivated by social-related factors. It has to be borne in mind that this is a “what if ' study of a relatively small and very localized study of consumers in general, rather than of people who have considered or actually been medical tourists. This means the results are based on often imperfect consumer information that may be statistically correct, but as with most ' what if ' surveys, may have little relation to actual consumer purchasing decisions. But, real consumer research in this area is still very rare, so every little helps. The finding that the uninsured are less likely than the well insured to be motivated by risk factors to travel abroad for treatment argues that if something goes wrong, the uninsured have to pick up the bill for putting things right on their own; so are more concerned with international accreditation, hospital affiliation with US hospitals, high standards of accommodation and their own doctors recommendation. Also they were more concerned about privacy, confidentiality, good infrastructure, political stability and a sound legal system when choosing where to travel for care. Those on a higher income are more concerned than others with high standards of accommodation, high quality of care, post-care, a safe trip and cost savings. People over 65 are the most concerned with political stability and a sound legal system, while those aged 51 to 64 were most concerned about good infrastructure. Those aged 41 to 50 and the married, were the most concerned about a similar culture. Even the authors admit that the study has many limitations. But what it clearly shows is that consumers are not alike, and that differences in income, socio-economic status, culture, and other variants mean that what concerns one person about medical tourism is not the same as the next person and that the 'save lots of money' basic marketing approach to Americans is far off beam. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=415468 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:31:45 GMT 20130402113145 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:25:43 GMT 20130402112543 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:31:45 GMT 2013040211113145 As part of a long term plan to be a medical tourism destination rather than just a source of patients, China's southernmost island of Hainan Province will set up a special zone where overseas medical institutions will enjoy preferential business policies for encouraging medical tourism. The Boao Lecheng International Medical Travel Zone is on the east coast of the island and near the town of Boao. Hainan governor Jiang Dingzhi argues that the rising standard of living in China could encourage medical tourism, so it is clear that Hainan is mainly targeting Chinese from other regions. The idea of using the expertise of foreign hospitals and clinics to promote medical tourism stems from the success of foreign owned private hospitals in major Chinese cities in changing the habits of overseas expatriates, so that they now get private treatment in China rather than going to Hong Kong. The zone, already approved by the state council, will enjoy preferential policies that are seen nowhere else in China. Foreign medical institutions will be allowed to set up business within the zone, while medical joint ventures will not be forced to have a majority or substantial minority local partner. Even if foreign hospital groups are allowed to have full control, it is sensible to have Chinese partners who understand local politics and business problems. Lower taxes will be granted to imported medical instruments and medicines in the zone, and untested unapproved medical care such as stem cell treatment will be allowed. Jiang Dingzhi explains, "It is the only travel zone of its kind in the country and I am confident that it will be a success." The tropical island province is also striving to build itself into an international travel destination. According to official local statistics, in 2012 the island had 33 million visitors, with travel revenues of $6 billion. The zone will be a large one with infrastructure investment from the local government. Timing is unclear, and it is rather ambitious to hope the zone will be operational within two or three years, although construction has already started. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=415464 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:23:48 GMT 20130402112348 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:22:11 GMT 20130402112211 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:23:48 GMT 2013040211112348 While the overall level of health across the WHO European Region has improved, European health statistics show inequities within and between countries, according to “The European Health Report 2012”. Medical tourism is partly driven by such inequalities. The report covers 53 countries and 900 million people, revealing that people are living longer and healthier lives. Life expectancy has risen by 5 years since 1980 to 76. People over 65 will account for more than 25% of the total population in the region by 2050. Diseases of the circulatory system (ischemic heart disease, stroke) account for 50% of all deaths, followed by cancer causing 20% of deaths. Migrants living in Europe are estimated to number 73 million (52% of whom are women) and account for nearly 8% of the total population. Migrants are usually younger, less affluent and more likely to become ill, and have less access to health services than the general population. Although it does vary by what universal healthcare or compulsory health insurance is offered in each country, evidence suggests that migrants have a greater tendency to go back to their country of origin for treatment than people born in the country; the downside being that this group can least afford to be medical tourists. The European Health Report 2012 focuses on well-being, which forms an integral part of the new European health strategy, Health 2020, adopted by the 53 European member states. Health and wellness tourism in Europe is much bigger than medical tourism, and an increased awareness of health and wellness as prevention, as opposed to medical treatment as a cure, is important for medical tourism. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=415459 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:13:57 GMT 20130402111357 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:05:43 GMT 20130402110543 Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:13:57 GMT 2013040211111357 The Wineg-Institute of the Techniker health insurance (TK) has published the fourth annual survey of the TK members about their planned treatments abroad. Most of those getting planned overseas treatment are retirees between 70 and 79 treated in a German-speaking spa resort. The top four destinations are Italy, Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary. The three reasons for deciding where to go are: good experience with previous treatment, the combination of treatment and relaxation, plus cost savings. The results of the survey, concerning the satisfaction with the quality of the facilities and the treating doctors, are very positive. For TK members, access to quality is the main reason for future planned EU treatments abroad Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) with more than 7 million customers is the largest statutory health insurance fund in Germany. Less than one percent of TK members have ever gone to other European countries for insurer paid treatment; customers are very loyal and rarely if ever switch from one insurer to another. Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) was a pioneer in enabling its members to seek treatment abroad, and is still one of the very few EU health insurers that allows it. For spas and dentistry, the German customer has to pay a high proportion of the cost out of pocket. For those getting dental treatment abroad, the insurer pays out the same amount, so the balance paid by the customer when the cost is lower, is much less. As the overall cost of treatment is much lower, their own share of the costs is much lower. But unless the insured customer wants to cover all the costs themselves, they do not have a free choice of country or location. TK and the customer share the costs of treatment only at an accredited health spa, including room and board as well as travel to and from the health spa. TK members can choose a health resort outside Germany, but only one in TK's network of 26 partners in Italy, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary that TK pay on a direct basis. All facilities are inspected on site by TK for their compliance with quality standards. The customer can only get treatment within the EU in a facility within TK's network For planned treatment abroad, to get reimbursement after treatment and after they have paid the hospital/clinic themselves; the customer has to supply detailed bills/medical prescriptions-including detailed invoices with names of doctors, treatments and costs listed. TK reimburses those costs that would have resulted from that treatment in Germany, limited to the amount of the bill, minus the additional contribution/co-payments stipulated by German law, and with other approved deductions. To comply with cross-border insurance law, TK does allow customers to select and pay for any type of treatment that is covered under the insurance and under German healthcare rules. Effectively this means they can go to any EU or EEC country, but the insurer has to pre-approve the treatment and destination, while there are several other pre-approval rules that if not followed means that TK will not repay the bills that the customer pays. The spa treatment is a TK extra so only applies in a TK approved spa. For any customer that travels to a foreign country for treatment and pays the costs, then they are the direct contractual partner of the foreign care provider. TK rebates the costs but cannot influence the quality or price of the benefits received. Health insurance is a part of the German social insurance system. All employees are either compulsorily insured or a voluntary member of a statutory health insurance fund. This depends on income level and has no impact on the contribution amount or the benefits they receive. So every German and every foreigner working or living in Germany must have health insurance. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=413894 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:19:46 GMT 20130315151946 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:04:57 GMT 20130315150457 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:19:46 GMT 201303151531946 Singapore is again seeing more medical tourists. Figures for 2011 show an increase in medical tourists, while reports from hospitals suggest 2012 and 2013 will be even better. Two key reasons for the increase are that the city state is promoting quality and service rather than price, and that it sees the growth market as Asia and Eastern Europe, rather than Western Europe or the USA. Private hospitals have seen substantial growth in the number of foreign patients in Singapore in the last year, driven mainly by Singapore's expertise in high-end specialist care and surgery. Parkway Pantai is drawing patients from Eastern Europe and North Asia. Raffles Medical Group has seen a 26% increase in 2012 in the number of foreign patients, with Indonesians making up the majority. Patients from neighbouring Asian countries now make up the top five nationalities of medical tourists in Singapore as local demand exceeds supply in their home countries. According to Singapore's Ministry of Health and the Singapore Tourism Board, in 2011 Indonesians accounted for 47.2%, with Malaysians second at 11.5%, followed by Bangladeshis (5%), Vietnamese (4.1%) and Myanmar (2.7%). The majority of medical tourists are treated at private hospitals, and the key reason is surgery. As prices have risen in Singapore, it has lost US and Western European business to cheaper countries such as Thailand, Malaysia and India. The government set out to attract 1 million medical tourists, and Singapore Tourism Board claims 850,000 foreign patients and annual growth of 15% for 2012.The 2012 figures are not medical tourism numbers as they are for international patients that include holiday and business travellers and expats. An official 2008 figure of 'medical tourists' was also actually international patients and significantly had been massaged by using an unusual definition of 'patient; the 2008 figure was 646,000 medical travellers, but the Singapore Tourism Board acknowledges that the 646,000 includes 370,000 people who had medical treatment; the other 230,000 were family members of the patients who accompanied them and had no treatment. Singapore admits that 2010 saw a dramatic decline in numbers, although the figures for 2010 have disappeared. Using the same logic as for 2008, the 2012 figures have to be cut by just under 40% to take out family members – reducing it to 520,000. 40% of Singapore's population consists of foreign nationals, while the figure also includes business travellers and holidaymakers, where Singapore is a very popular definition for both. How many of the 'international ' patients are true medical tourists is a question, and various bank studies suggest that in places with a high expatriate population that are also popular tourism destinations, as many as two out of three are not medical tourists; so this could take the figure down to 170,000. The authorities accept that business only really started to pick up in late 2011 and has risen in 2012. It seems likely that the real number of medical tourists for 2012 is nearer to 200,000 rather than 850,000. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=413890 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:19:04 GMT 20130315151904 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:52:02 GMT 20130315145202 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:19:04 GMT 201303151531904 How do you turn a state run state supported spa that people had to go to, into a modern welcoming health tourism destination? Mangalia is a national and international interest balneo-climatic resort, on the coast of the Black Sea, at the same latitude with Monaco, San Remo and Nice. It is mainly used for therapy and recovery as it has sulphurous waters, seawater with minerals, therapeutic mud, and other natural advantages. In a paper in the International Journal for Responsible Tourism, Laura Maria Condur considers how this rather old-fashioned resort and sanitorium can be developed as a modern health resort. The paper considers whether the management of the Mangalia Balneary Sanatorium can promote the concept of health, medical and relaxation tourism, and change from a state owned and run institution where the state paid for services, to a privately run health tourism location seeking privately paying health tourists from within Romania and overseas. It has a great location, much expertise and a long history. Over the last 2 years it has become a modern wellness spa offering acupuncture, hydrotherapy, massage, a range of therapies, sauna, seawater pool and more. The problem is how to turn it from a place where doctors sent patients who had to put up with whatever they were told to do, to one where people choose to pay to go there and select from a range of treatments. It needs to get more patients, and appeal to younger and fitter people. The customer base is now mostly 45 to 64 year old workers, plus pensioners, from cities. One area it now promotes is for the elderly over 65s, called “A time for beautiful oldness” that helps to deal with the problems of old age. The paper says that to promote health tourism, it is vital to identify the needs, expectations and wants of potential customers. However, it goes on to define this as evaluating the physical and mental condition of the patient and relatives. The research concentrates heavily on the micro management of what to do with the patient once there. The paper concludes that• Balneology can be developed for health tourism.• It can be combined with complementary therapies and spa-wellness offerings. • It can attract health tourists all year round.• A mix of prevention, treatment and recovery could appeal to health tourists.• It can generate extra income within existing resources. What the paper omits to mention is how much the terms 'sanitorium', ' elderly' and 'old' - plus heavy reliance on detailed medical terminology - will put off the modern European health traveller. The lack of understanding of marketing/advertising/promotion and how such places need to attract people rather than relying on people to find them is a good illustration of a problem common to many places in former Communist bloc Eastern European countries; changing the product is not enough. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=413893 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:04:57 GMT 20130315150457 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:02:26 GMT 20130315150226 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:04:57 GMT 201303151530457 International tourist arrivals grew by 4% in 2012 to reach 1.035 billion, according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. The reasons for travel are:• 51% leisure/recreation/holiday• 27% visit family and friends/health/other• 15% business/professional• 7% not specified Emerging economies regained the lead over advanced economies, with Asia and the Pacific showing the strongest results. Growth is expected to continue in 2013 only slightly below the 2012 level. With an additional 39 million international tourists, up from 996 million in 2011, international tourist arrivals surpassed 1 billion (1.035 billion) for the first time in history in 2012. By region, Asia and the Pacific (+7%) was the best performer, while by sub-region, South-East Asia, North Africa (both at +9%) and Central and Eastern Europe (+8%) topped the ranking. Taleb Rifai of UNWTO comments, “The sector has shown its capacity to adjust to the changing market conditions and, although at a slightly more modest rate, is expected to continue expanding in 2013. Tourism is one of the pillars that should be supported by governments around the world as part of the solution to stimulating economic growth.” UNWTO forecasts international tourist arrivals to increase by 3% to 4% in 2013.By region, prospects for 2013 are stronger for Asia and the Pacific (+5% to +6%), followed by Africa (+4% to +6%), the Americas (+3% to +4%), Europe (+2% to +3%) and the Middle East (0% to +5%). International tourist arrivals to Europe, the most visited region in the world, were up by 3%.Total arrivals reached 535 million, 17 million more than in 2011. By sub-region, Central and Eastern Europe destinations (+8%) experienced the best results, followed by Western Europe (+3%). Destinations in Southern Mediterranean Europe (+2%) consolidated their excellent performance of 2011 and returned in 2012 to their normal growth rates. Asia and the Pacific (+7%) was up by 15 million arrivals in 2012, reaching a total 233 million international tourists. South-East Asia (+9%) was the best performing sub-region. Growth was also strong in North-East Asia (+6%), as Japanese inbound and outbound tourism recovered, while it was comparatively weaker in South Asia (+4%) and in Oceania (+4%). The Americas (+4%) saw an increase of 6 million arrivals, reaching 162 million in total. Leading the growth were destinations in Central America (+6%), while South America, up by 4%, showed some slowdown as compared to the double-digit growth of 2010 and 2011. The Caribbean (+4%), on the other hand, is performing above the previous two years, while North America (+3%) consolidated its 2011 growth. Africa (+6%) recovered well from its setback in 2011 when arrivals declined by 1% due largely to the negative results of North Africa. Arrivals reached a new record (52 million) due to the rebound in North Africa (+9% as compared to a 9% decline in 2011) and to the continued growth of Sub-Saharan destinations (+5%). Results in the Middle East (-5%) improved after a 7% decline in 2011, yet the region recorded an estimated 3 million international tourist arrivals less in 2012 in spite of the clear recovery in Egypt. Among the top ten tourist destinations, receipts were up significantly in Hong Kong, USA, UK and Germany. At the same time, a significant number of destinations around the world saw receipts from international tourism increase by 15% or more – Japan (+37%), India and South Africa (both +22%), Sweden and the Republic of Korea (both +19%), Thailand (+18%) and Poland (+16%). Although the highest growth rates in expenditure abroad among the ten top markets came from emerging economies – China (+42%) and Russia (+31%) –expenditure on international tourism by Germany held well at +3%, while the UK (+5%) returned to growth after two flat years. In the Americas, both the USA and Canada grew at 7%. On the other hand, France (-7%) and Italy (-2%) registered declines in travel expenditure. Smaller markets with significant growth were Venezuela (+31%), Poland (+19%), Philippines (+17%), Malaysia (+15%), Saudi Arabia (+14%), Belgium (+13%), Norway and Argentina (both +12%), Switzerland and Indonesia (both +10%). Any organization in medical tourism has to understand where people are going from and to, and the trends in all tourism sectors. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=413892 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:02:26 GMT 20130315150226 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:59:18 GMT 20130315145918 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:02:26 GMT 201303151530226 The tourism industry has outperformed the global economy in 2012 - growing faster than manufacturing, retail, financial services and communications- says the 'Economic Impact of Travel & Tourism 2013' report from WTCC. Tourism has grown its total contribution to GDP by 3% cent and increased the number of jobs by 5 million to 260 million. It means that, for the first time, one in 11 of all jobs in the world are now supported by tourism. More than 10% of all new jobs created in 2012 were from the industry. Medical tourism is still a very small niche sector within this global industry and it is easy to forget how relatively unimportant it is compared to rivals such as religious tourism, wellness tourism, environmental tourism and holiday tourism. According to research from the World Travel & Tourism Council, in 2012, tourism's total economic contribution - taking account of its direct, indirect and induced impacts - was US$6.6 trillion in GDP. This is a rise of US$500 billion year-on-year. Tourism supports US$765 billion in investment and US$1.2 trillion in exports. This represents 9% of total GDP, 5% of total investment and 5% of world exports. Among the 20 largest global economies, South Korea, China, South Africa and Indonesia performed best. Growth of less than 1% in Europe and 2% in the USA was counter-balanced by 10% growth in South Korea, 7% in China, 7% in South Africa and 6% in Indonesia. These countries are all expected to grow during 2013, along with Japan, Brazil, and India. Africa and Latin American will also grow quicker than Europe or North America. Successful destination countries will be those that have an infrastructure, facilities and attitude to welcome overseas travellers-particularly the middle class Asian ones who want a good standard of travel, accommodation and destination. WTTC forecasts that China will overtake the USA to be the world's biggest travel and tourism economy by 2023. For more than 20 years, with research partner Oxford Economics, WTTC has produced comprehensive economic reports on an annual basis, with updates and special reports to quantify, compare and forecast the economic impact of travel and tourism on 184 economies and 24 regions around the world. WTTC predicts the tourism industry will expand its total contribution to GDP by 3.2 % in 2013, faster than the 2.4 % predicted for global economic growth. The industry is expected to support nearly 266 million jobs in 2013 and again outperform many other industries. David Scowsill of WTCC says, “2012 demonstrated again just how resilient the tourism industry is. Despite many economic difficulties, last year, for the first time, we saw more than one billion international travellers pass through the world's ports, airports, roads and railway stations for the first time. This industry is an important driver for countries' economic development and growth strategies. Our industry is responsible for creating jobs, lifting people out of poverty, and broadening horizons. But we need international institutions and governments to recognise its strength, to remove restrictive visa and tax regimes and to work with the private sector to stimulate that growth.” Medical tourism has to take notice of where tourism is growing, and accept that as part of a growing industry it must learn from other sectors of the travel business. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=413891 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:59:18 GMT 20130315145918 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:57:00 GMT 20130315145700 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:59:18 GMT 201303151425918 Thailand has become a well-known medical tourism destination, and to remain competitive has relaxed its immigration law to promote medical tourism. The new regulations allow nationals from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, to stay in Thailand for medical treatment up to 90 days without a visa. A medical tourist may be accompanied by up to three individuals who are also Gulf state nationals-such as parents, children, spouse or maid- who also have a 90 days visa exemption. Nationals from South Korea, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Peru are also eligible for the 90 day visa exception. Those seeking a 90 days visa exemption must present a document to prove they have a medical appointment issued by certified health institutions in Thailand. And they have to show financial support documents, such as health insurance, issued by authorities in their respective countries. For individuals accompanying patients, they have to show documents proving their relationship with the patient and the accompanying individuals, which can include a birth certificate, marriage certificate, house registration, or I.D. card for a family member. Employees and maids also have to show employment contracts and an affidavit of support form as prepared by hospitals in Thailand. It is claimed that 60,000 Omanis visited Thailand for medical care in 2012, and with the relaxed regulations, numbers for 2013 are predicted at 75,000.To encourage medical tourism, some of Thailand's hospitals have established offices in Muscat so they can target Omanis seeking care. Oman Air is adding more weekly flights on the Muscat-Bangkok route. Thailand is also promoting spa and wellness tourism. The government has set standards and criteria for Thai masseurs and masseuses and for businesses offering Thai spa and/or wellness within the country and abroad. Thai herbal medicine as well as massage and spa services can be offered. The country's medical council wants the government to do more to promote medical tourism by offering a cosmetic surgery and tourism package to include airfare, cosmetic surgical services, luxury accommodation and shopping trips. Rhinoplasty, double eyelid and sex change operations are popular with visitors from Asian countries and Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. According to Thai newspaper The Nation, local private hospitals, hotels and associations of dentists and doctors have formed 'The Medical Tourism Association' to promote medical services to foreign patients in Thailand. Thailand plans to develop its logistics and transport routes to link with neighbouring countries Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam; and is seeking European investors. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=413889 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:52:02 GMT 20130315145202 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:49:22 GMT 20130315144922 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:52:02 GMT 201303151425202 Often forgotten among noisier and larger competitors, several small European countries are making progress on medical tourism. The Algarve in Portugal seeks to promote itself as a destination of excellence in the field of health and welfare. The Algarve has been losing ground in the health and wellness tourism sector to Tunisia and Croatia, where both are winning business that locals think should go to Portugal. Problems in Africa could make people look again at alternatives such as Portugal João Viegas Fernandes, of the Escola de Hotelaria e Turismo da Universidade do Algarve explains, “Tunisia, due to political decisions made 15 years ago, now has some of the best thalassotherapists in the world” (Thalassotherapy is the therapeutic use of ocean and marine products to restore and remineralize the body). Croatia, Turkey and Morocco are also going all-out to attract tourists interested in non-conventional medicinal treatments and therapies. But, in the Algarve, all we have done to jump on the health bandwagon is offer foreigners and tourists a few private hospitals.” Belarusian doctors are promoting medical tourism. A few hundred patients come to the tiny state of Belarus each year, and signs suggest it could soon be thousands. While Poland seems low price to Germans, Belarus seems a bargain to Poles. Price is the main thing that Polish medical tourists are interested in and several Polish travel agencies are promoting Belarus as a destination. Belarus is seeking ways of promoting the country's sanatorium and spa treatment, as well as medical procedures- calling destinations health resorts rather than sanatoriums may be a vital first step. In Belarusian clinics international patients, in particular the Poles, are primarily interested in cardiology, cancer treatment and recovery, plus fertility treatment. The Czech Republic is a major European tourist destination and increasingly attracts health and medical tourists. As well as the more traditional spa and wellness tourism, an increasing number of Europeans are going to the Czech Republic for fertility treatment, cosmetic surgery, dental care, laser eye surgery, anti-obesity surgery and simple surgery such as hip replacement. Spa towns have been a tourist magnet for both people inside and outside of the country for over a century. But medical tourism is much newer. Finally accepting the potential of the market, Czech Tourism is investing heavily in promoting the country as a medical tourism, wellness and medical spa destination. The advertising and marketing promotions are targeting Russia, Germany, UK, Switzerland, Gulf States and even Kazakhstan. The Czech Republic is trading on its health tourism expertise and reputation for excellence in service and treatment at very reasonable prices; so is attracting customers from Germany, Norway, Ireland and the UK. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=412341 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:22:49 GMT 20130228172249 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 16:45:39 GMT 20130228164539 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:22:49 GMT 201302281752249 A recent news story in the British Medical Journal has caused controversy. Not for what it says, but for how it has been reported. From national newspapers to online blogs; from radio to local papers, and from national television to websites, the story has been reported in two different ways. What they say shows how easy it is for medical tourism information to fall prey to the views of the original writer and the political prejudices of the media organization. Using exactly the same released information, one group says "This proves that there are more people leaving Britain to go overseas for treatment than coming here." and the other group says, "Britain welcomes more paying medical tourists than there are people leaving our shores for treatment." So who is correct? The actual study seems to suggest that there are more people coming in than going out, but that may vary by type of treatment and type of surgery. The study itself has some obvious limitations:• It is a very small sample based on difficult to analyse basic information; • It only covers private treatment of international patients in a few public NHS hospitals.• It ignores the international patient business generated through London's major private hospitals and clinics. Depending on the procedure undertaken, patients who travel abroad may also save the UK resources, suggests Johanna of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and colleagues at the University of York. The research, funded by the NHS's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), analyses the effects of UK medical tourism on the NHS, using freedom of information requests to NHS foundation trust hospitals. They found that, despite small numbers of international private patients being treated (6% of the total across a sample of 28 hospitals) these patients were responsible for 35% of total private income in these NHS trusts. They suggest that private foreign patients may be more lucrative than UK patients treated privately within the NHS. Overseas residents made 31.1 million visits to the UK in 2012, 1% more than in 2011. They spent £18.7 billion on these visits, an increase of 4%. The rise in visits occurred primarily at the start and end of the year, whereas visit numbers during the summer were lower than in 2011. UK residents made 56.6 million visits abroad in 2012, unchanged from 2011. They spent £32.6 billion on these visits, an increase of 3%. The number of visits to Europe was unchanged in 2012 whereas those to longer haul destinations of North America and 'other countries' fell by 5% and 2% respectively. These official figures do not include any information to suggest how many outbound or inbound visitors were medical tourists. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=412339 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:19:55 GMT 20130228171955 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 16:41:47 GMT 20130228164147 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:19:55 GMT 201302281751955 The Philippines government is studying opportunities in niche services that will allow the Philippines to grow medical tourism. Dental, cancer care and retirement services are among the sectors with high demand, says tourism secretary Ramon Jimenez, “The Philippines must be careful in choosing which sectors to focus on. We should ensure that the best facilities are put in place in the chosen sectors and that the best people are running them. Medical tourism is an area where one develops a reputation quickly. It is something we cannot get wrong. We have to get it right the first time.” Over the last seven years, the country has had a plethora of medical tourism campaigns and promotional bodies. The campaigns mostly failed, and the promotional bodies got bogged down in internal disagreement, endless discussion within massive committees, and sidetracks concentrating on accreditation. Although a few medical tourists were attracted, the majority are still people who lived or have family in the country. The marketing campaigns were very general and of the basic and now outdated 'Come to us as we are cheap, good doctors, friendly people, nice beaches' type. While medical tourism in the Philippines has not taken off either as much or as quickly as the healthcare industry has hoped, there is still a lot of optimism. The Philippine healthcare sector's biggest players continue to invest in technology, equipment, and buildings, believing in the country's potential as a medical tourism destination. While the Philippines' growth as a medical tourism destination has been slow, it remains steady, consistent, and encouraging for investors as there is a pent-up demand for local healthcare too. The upgraded The Medical City and Makati Medical Center have both recently established advanced stem cell facilities in the Philippines: The Medical City's Institute for Personalized Molecular Medicine (IPMM) and the Makati Medical Center's Cellular Therapeutics Laboratory. These stem cell facilities process the stem cells used in their aesthetic and anti-aging treatments. Makati Medical Center also offers a range of treatment, and now has the first TomoTherapy radiation treatment in the country. One area that the country has expertise in is cosmetic surgery, but it seems unable or unwilling to promote this niche. As well as specialist clinics, three major hospitals, Makati Medical Center; The Medical City; and St. Luke's Medical Center are all offering a range of cosmetic treatments. There are also specialist clinics including Medicard Lifestyle Center and the Belo Medical Group - with a network of clinics around the country. Back in 1993, Dr. Vicki Belo's Dermatology and Laser Clinic was already catering to foreign patients, particularly to Filipino-American communities. She produced a TV show 'Belo Beauty 101' featuring various procedures. It continues to air on The Filipino Channel (TFC) and is shown in the U.S., Europe, Japan, the Middle East, and Australia. Despite high levels of promotion to the US, Asia and the Middle East, the numbers of medical tourists to Belo has fallen from a high of 30% of all patients, to 20% in 2012. According to Dr. Belo, the government, along with Filipino medical and healthcare facilities, need to enhance the country's image and increase accessibility for foreigners as many foreigners still have mistaken notions about the security situation in the Philippines and about how to get there. If the country concentrates on the niches of cosmetic surgery and dentistry it competes head to head with many countries in America. If it promotes cancer and stem cell tourism, this can backfire as it uses procedures not accepted in the USA. Is retirement tourism even a part of medical tourism, or a separate beast entirely? How to get beyond medical tourism for Filipino communities overseas is a puzzle that nobody yet has the answer to. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=412336 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:10:28 GMT 20130228171028 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 16:31:41 GMT 20130228163141 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:10:28 GMT 201302281751028 With the help and agreement of investment promotions agency, Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), American Global MD (AGMD) has agreed to build the country's first luxury medical tourism destination clinic. The deal is the first result of Jamaica's new health and wellness tourism policy that seeks to lay out the framework for positioning Jamaica as the newest destination for medical and wellness tourism. The policy came about after a Jampro study of the industry's potential was completed in 2011, with the assistance of the Commonwealth Secretariat. The Jamaican government has just agreed to help develop the local medical tourism industry and will be establishing a steering committee with major industry stakeholders to guide the finalization of the policy and regulatory framework. AGMD is a consortium of American trained doctors and investors, all who have Jamaican links as a result of having previously studied or practiced in the country. AGMD will build a 200-bed hospital and medical clinic that will target the North American and Caribbean markets; delivering services including elective surgery, rehabilitation and naturopathy. It will be 12 to 18 months before the US$170 million project breaks ground. It has yet to get construction approvals or have the design completed. Under the first phase of the project, a 50 to 75-bed clinic will be built to offer cosmetic surgery, bariatric services and dentistry. It will be in the St James area, but the site is yet to be selected. Local company Implementation is the project manager and they advise that they still have to do the design development process and submission for building permission; In Jamaica that can take anywhere up to 18 months. Investment minister Anthony Hylton comments. “This investment is in keeping with the government's commitment to the development of the medical tourism industry as a major area of growth for Jamaica.” http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=412335 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:00:13 GMT 20130228170013 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 16:27:21 GMT 20130228162721 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:00:13 GMT 201302281750013 A high unemployment rate coupled with an influx of refugees from Iraq and Syria has resulted in challenges for the Jordanian government to provide healthcare for all, states a new report by healthcare experts GlobalData. The new report “Healthcare, Regulatory and Reimbursement Landscape - Jordan” states that while Jordan's economy is developing, and the country's medical care and welfare programs are expected to grow considerably in the future, political instability is hindering this development. Jordan's healthcare expenditure is higher than anywhere else in the Arab world in terms of GDP and the government provides its citizens easy access to healthcare facilities either free-of-cost or at subsidized prices. A growing elderly population and various supportive government initiatives are driving Jordan's healthcare system to develop even further. Treating war victims and refugees from several nearby countries, has already turned Jordan's medical tourism business into a medical war tourism one. The pressure on limited healthcare resources may increase, as problems worsen in Syria and Iraq, while the other two neighbours, Israel and Saudi Arabia, also have their own internal and external troubles. Other countries that are sources of patients for Jordan include Sudan, Yemen, Palestine and Chad; all with varying degrees of political and war problems. Persuading other medical tourists to go to Jordan, even if it has the spare capacity, may prove difficult if they end up in hospitals full of refugees and war victims. Enacting a medical accountability law is essential for Jordan's medical tourism industry as it would attract more patients from abroad for treatment, argues health minister Abdul Latif Wreikat. The government and the Jordan Medical Association have been arguing over the new legislation since 2007, and last year the doctors rejected the latest version of the draft law because it did not clarify the party responsible for paying damages to patients or their families found to have been the victims of medical error. It is very doubtful that any new law will increase medical tourism numbers, as checking medical liability law is far from the minds of most medical tourists. Abdul Latif Wreikat confirms that in the last three years Jordan has treated tens of thousands of wounded and sick Arabs and provided them with specialized medical services, and that places a significant burden on the private hospital sector in Jordan. Jordan plays a key role in the Middle East, especially about the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and the ongoing Syrian crisis. Syria and the influx of refugees to Jordan is the most pressing issue, which could affect the country's stability. The United States has helped through the sending of USD 52 million in aid, as Jordan has never been as essential for US foreign policy in the Middle East as now. For medical tourism this is a double-edged sword as some African and Arab countries become more anti-American. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=412328 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 16:56:11 GMT 20130228165611 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 15:59:03 GMT 20130228155903 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 16:56:11 GMT 201302281645611 Despite major investment in facilities, marketing and government support, Dubai expects a modest single figure growth in medical tourism in each of the next three years. Dubai Health Authority and the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing are working together to promote medical tourism. Marketing spend at medical tourism conferences and exhibitions as far away as Moscow and Monaco is substantial. In 2012, Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai told many of the organizations that he controls to do everything possible to finally deliver on the medical tourism investment that has been made for the last five years. The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and the General Directorate for Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) have agreed to simplify and speed up the medical tourism visa process, so that overseas patients who wish to have treatment in Dubai can take advantage of a three-month medical tourist visa, extendible twice, up to nine consecutive months. Part of the initiative is encouraging global healthcare providers to set up businesses and increasing both government and private investment in healthcare. The Dubai Health Authority has completed a comprehensive capacity survey of public and private healthcare facilities in Dubai under the Dubai Clinical Services Capacity Plan (DCSCP) 2020. Eisa Al Maidour of the DHA explains,” This information will provide investors with the necessary data for investment. The DCSCP will point out the specialities and sub-specialities where investment is needed. The data will definitely make Dubai's healthcare environment attractive for investors.” Marwan Abedin of Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) estimates that 15% of its patients are medical tourists, and that the number of inbound medical tourists in Dubai was up 10% to15% in 2012; this is an estimate only. But growth for 2013 to 2015 is expected to be lower at 7.2 % a year. DHCC states that it attracted 410,000 patients in 2010, and 502,000 in 2011. Latest estimates for 2012 are at around 550,000. At various times DHCC claims 15% or 20% of patients as medical travellers; but this is actually all international travellers, including business people and holidaymakers. Exactly how many are real medical tourists is a question that remains to be answered; it is likely to be around 50,000 and 80,000 and thus in line with other significant destinations. Most medical tourists to Dubai are from the GCC and the wider region; as well as people from countries including Libya, Iraq, Iran, Nigeria, Tunisia, India, Pakistan, and Russia. The original idea that Dubai would appeal to Americans and Western Europeans has been abandoned. Part of the initiative is to persuade UAE residents to stay home to get treated, rather than go overseas, and that is beginning to work as the number of UAE based patients were up 12% in 2012. Although the majority of patients living in the UAE prefer to be close to home, many others still prefer to be treated outside the Mena region— in Europe or North America. Some patients do so because the country lacks the specialisations they require, which can be found in other countries; while others do not trust the public hospitals, and the cost of treatment in Dubai is high compared to Asian competitors. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=412337 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 16:41:42 GMT 20130228164142 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 16:35:55 GMT 20130228163555 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 16:41:42 GMT 201302281644142 Patients from all over the world are travelling to Latvia to seek cancer treatment, and a recently set up health tourism organization aims to make this country better known. The tiny country of Latvia is at the forefront of one of the latest cancer treatments that is attracting patients from all over the world. Latvian scientist Aina Muceniece developed the medicine Rigvir.Over the years several clinical trials were conducted that proved the safety and effectiveness of Rigvir in stage four cancer patients. Following the collapse of the former Soviet Union the testing and use in treatment of Rigvir stopped for a few years, but its effectiveness in the treatment of several kinds of cancer, from prostate to bladder, colon, melanoma and lung cancer, had been proven. In 2002 the work began again and since 2005 Rigvir has been used in treatment in hospitals and available in pharmacies all over Latvia. Rigvir activates and normalises the immune system of the patient and is well tolerated and safe. Aina Muceniece's daughter now heads Latvian Virotherapy Centre that aims to promote virotherapy and the training of doctors to use the medication. Rigvir has been accepted as treatment for melanoma patients by insurance companies since 2011. As Rigvir proved to be more and more successful and interest from patients all over the world grew, the Latvian Virotherapy Centre was established to provide treatment and support for those patients. The Virotherapy Centre has developed a programme to ensure treatment is as comfortable as possible. When a new patient seeks the help of the centre the first consultation is done by phone or email and a complete assessment of the medical records and tests is conducted when the patient is still in their home country. The clinic then takes care of all the travel, accommodation and medical arrangements for the patient and makes sure that any additional screening and tests are organised to take place in the Latvian hospital. A full treatment plan and follow up is created by the doctors of the clinic after which the treatment starts. The first round of treatment takes place when the patient is in Latvia, but the follow-up treatments can normally take place when the patient is back at home in their own country. The arrangements to deliver Rigvir to the patients are handled by the clinic as well. A Latvian health tourism group has been formed with the aim of developing health tourism to Latvia and attracting foreign customers to Latvian health tourism service providers. The yet to be named group includes a wide spectrum of health tourism entrepreneurs, ranging from surgical, medical rehabilitation, resort rehabilitation, health restoration, spa and wellness, to the organic cosmetic industry and higher medical education institutions. Work has begun on the single united Latvian health tourism website. During 2012 group members started to promote the country at marketing events and health tourism conferences and seminars in Russia, Israel and Northern Europe. Jurmala City Council in collaboration with the Latvian Resorts Association has developed a health tourism strategy for up to 2020 and helped to establish the Latvian health tourism group. Jurmala is the largest resort city in the Baltic States, home to mud bathing and mineral waters. It will work in six key areas:• Implementation of joint health tourism marketing activities.• Promoting the expansion of export markets.• Developing new and innovative health tourism export products.• Promoting cooperation between group members in the provision of services.• Developing health tourism packages.• Working on industry friendly regulation. The aim is to increase the number of medical, wellness and spa tourists to Latvia and develop the local health tourism industry. Latvia is already seeing an increase in the number of medical and wellness tourists due to competitive prices and high service quality. The group includes- Latvian Resorts Association, Jūrmala City Council, Jūrmala Hospital,P.Stradiņa Clinical University Hospital, Northern Kurzeme Regional Hospital, Liepāja Regional Hospital, Ludza Hospital, Clinic Zinta, Sanare - KRC Jaunķemeri, Tērvete, National Rehabilitation Center Vaivari, Rehabilitation center of Latgale, Dr. Mauriņa vein Clinic, Belarus, Social Integration State Agency, The Baltic Physiotherapy, Hotel Jurmala Spa,BBH Investments,Baltic Beach Hotel, Liepāja Olympic Centre, Usma Spa, Nordmed Tour,Kandagar Tour, Organic Life Laboratory, Kiwicosmetics, Latvian Hotels and Restaurants Association, Kurzeme Tourism Association, Saulkrasti County Council, Carnikava County Council, Ventspils Tourism Information Centre, Liepāja Region Tourist Information Office, State Tourism Development Agency, European Resorts Association, Lithuanian Resorts Association and Estonian Spa Association. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=410192 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:46:06 GMT 20130218154606 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:37:09 GMT 20130218143709 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:46:06 GMT 201302181534606 Wellness Tourism Worldwide has made its 2013 forecast of wellness travel trends. Each trend bears relevance to consumers, focusing upon new wellness designs, programmes and service levels in air transit, hotel accommodation and destinations. Camille Hoheb of Wellness Tourism Worldwide explains, "Health opens the door to a whole new world. We are looking at wellness domains that contribute to better traveler experiences. We think this forecast will encourage individuals and organisations to expand their perceptions on wellness and improve quality.” The forecast is based on an analysis of factors including consumer and business-to-business surveys, site visits, feedback from travel suppliers, destinations and sellers as well as other research. • Wellness takes flightTo draw more passengers and increase revenue, airports renovations are featuring sleek ultramodern designs incorporating natural light, art installations, high-end dining and shopping venues as well as a plethora of health and fitness offerings. A wide range of offerings from spas to swimming pools, gardens, walking paths, private napping cabins and cultural centre are all designed to create a kind an atmosphere of terminal bliss. • Health focused hotelsHotels have realized there is an unmet need for guests to maintain health during travel that goes beyond gyms, pools and spas. Now hotel rooms are designed to alleviate altitude sickness, reduce jet lag, induce better sleep, eliminate bacteria, waterborne chemicals and allergens and purify and humidify the air. Vitamin C-infused showers, dawn simulating alarm clocks and melatonin-producing lighting are other notable features. Guest can access in-room fitness equipment and healthy lifestyle education as well as take-home tips, programmes and wellness apps. • Digital detoxConsumers are addicted to smart phones, laptops and tablets. So hotels are offering digital detox holidays where people must surrender laptops, tablets and smart phones at check-in. Some destinations are also creating technology free vacation campaigns as a way to market their rural settings. Some spas reward customers who leave their technology alone, extra free services. • Reconnecting through natureNatural assets are the most critical component to wellness tourism product development. Destinations are beginning to fully leverage their landscape in response for the human need to explore and relax outdoors. There is a growing trend where stressed out workers choose outdoor boot camps to improve fitness and induce weight loss by pushing to the extreme. • Improving sleepLack of sleep impacts immune, brain and metabolic systems. With spas, hotels, airplanes and airports, sleep has risen from the ignored to the significant. Micro naps in urban spas create a respite from the frantic pace of cities. Private napping cabins offer respite for weary inter continental travellers. Hotel designs have evolved to combat jet lag and to help both business and leisure travellers sleep well and prepare for the day ahead. Airlines are catching on, with redesigned planes for peaceful sleep providing well-appointed linens on a full size bed and turn down service in first class private cabins. • Spiritual seekersThe interest in non-religious spiritual practices is growing. There is a growing interest in spiritual pilgrimages, retreats, temple stays and workshops. Asia, as the place of origin for mind/body lifestyles, practices and treatments is the home of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, various forms of meditation, yoga and other approaches to healing and wellness. • Indigenous healingExporting a region's traditional healing practices gives consumers the opportunity to experience them first-hand at their place of origin. Travelers seeking health and healing traditions at their place of origin contributes to cultural conservation and sustainability, in some cases stimulating economic growth and breathing new life into long forgotten, ancient or undervalued rituals. • Rewarding wellness travelMore companies plan to increase incentives they offer employees to participate in health improvement programmes. • Celebrity instructor retreatsWellness travel has taken off. Yoga, Pilates, meditation and fitness gurus have been elevated to rock stars with their own following and are taking their expertise on the road at exotic locations and regional weekend workshops. Spa destinations and resorts offer specialized, themed getaways with famous instructors. • Intergenerational family travelGrandparents are connecting with grandchildren by travelling. Grandparents are more active and fit, and have sympathy for their own grown children, who often are required to have two working adults to pay the bills. The travel industry has designed programmes to bring families together. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=410190 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:30:39 GMT 20130218153039 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:33:03 GMT 20130218143303 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:30:39 GMT 201302181533039 A research paper published on BMC Public Health, 'Australian news media framing of medical tourism in low- and middle-income countries: a content review', looks at Australian media attitudes to medical tourism, and concludes that coverage was narrow, limited and often biased. An abstract from the report from joint authors Michelle Imison (University of Sydney) and Stephen Schweinsberg (University of Technology, Sydney) explains: BackgroundMedical tourism - travel across international borders for health care - appears to be growing globally, with patients from high-income nations increasingly visiting low and middle-income countries to access such services. This paper analyses Australian television and newspaper news and current affairs coverage to examine how medical tourism and these destinations for the practice are represented to media audiences. MethodsElectronic copies of Australian television (n = 66) and newspaper (n = 65) items from 2005--2011 about medical care overseas were coded for patterns of reporting (year, format and type) and story characteristics (geographic and medical foci in the coverage, news actors featured and appeals, credibility and risks of the practice mentioned). ResultsAustralian media coverage of medical tourism was largely focused on Asia, featuring cosmetic surgery procedures and therapies unavailable domestically. Experts were the most frequently appearing news actors, followed by patients. Common among the types of appeals mentioned were access to services and low cost. Factors lending credibility included personal testimony, while uncertainty and ethical dilemmas featured strongly among potential risks mentioned from medical tourism. ConclusionsThe Australian media coverage of medical tourism was characterised by a narrow range of medical, geographic and ethical concerns, a focus on individual Australian patients and on content presented as being personally relevant for domestic audiences. Medical tourism was portrayed as an exercise of economically rational consumer choice, but with no attention given to its consequences for the commodification of health or broader political, medical and ethical implications. In this picture, low and middle-income countries were no longer passive recipients of aid but providers of a beneficial service to Australian patients. The patient experience and medical outcomes are presented by the Australian media as being of equal importance, with broader concerns of social justice and health equality pushed aside. As medical tourism is increasingly perceived as a viable option for Australians, understanding its appeal to audiences will be increasingly important. BMC Public Health 2013, 13:109 doi:10.1186/1471-2458-13-109Published: 5 February 2013 http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=410188 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:29:59 GMT 20130218152959 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:28:49 GMT 20130218142849 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:29:59 GMT 201302181532959 A new medical tourism hotel in Nicaragua will help it compete with Costa Rica, Mexico and Panama. In San Juan del Sur, there are plans for a hotel with 61 rooms, foreign chefs, ocean-view rooms, a four-star rating, and a whole floor dedicated to medical treatment for its guests. The owner of the proposed medical resort, Nelson Estrada, claims that his development will be the first of its kind in Nicaragua, “No one else is offering this. If I can get the necessary investment, work will begin on Solest MedResort, Hotel and Spa by August and the project will open in 2015. Once completed, the medical resort will offer clients a boutique hotel and an extensive range of medical procedures all under one roof. The medical resort will specialize in elective cosmetic surgery, but I hope to expand available treatments in the future.” Hospital Metropolitano Vivian Pellas in Managua is the only JCI hospital in the country. It is a private hospital treating both international and national patients, including some from the USA and Canada. Arlen Perez of Hospital Metropolitano Vivian Pellas says, “There are few hospitals equipped for medical tourism here. Nicaragua has the same elements as Costa Rica to make medical tourism a success: safety, quality of doctors, easy access and experience. But Nicaragua has the added benefit of being less expensive than Costa Rica.” While Nicaragua has no statistics for medical tourism revenue, Perez says that most of Hospital Metropolitano's foreign clientele are US expatriates who reside in either Managua or Granada. The hotel is close to reaching its target of 50 medical tourists a month, although it seems that they are meaning international customers who already live in the country, rather than people who travel there just for medical treatment. The most common treatments are dental work, orthopaedic and cosmetic surgery. In the capital, only Hospital Metropolitano and Hospital Central are actively promoting themselves as medical-tourism options for foreign travellers. Farmstay El Portón Verde has teamed up with nearby Hospital Metropolitano Vivian Pellas to provide top-flight hospital transport, translation services, after care, recuperation and relaxation in the small bed and breakfast hotel in the hills of Managua. While neighbours Mexico, Costa Rica Panama, and Guatemala are all attracting medical tourists, in Nicaragua it is still at the very early stages. Promotion so far has been patchy and uncoordinated, with an outdated concentration on the tourism aspects. Nicaragua is striving to overcome the after effects of dictatorship, civil war and natural calamities, which have made it the second poorest country in America. It has little or no infrastructure. Former Marxist guerrilla leader Daniel Ortega is president. The USA has been vocal in its opposition to Ortega, who is seen as one of the main players in an increasingly assertive anti- US bloc in Latin America; which makes it harder to attract American medical tourists. 60% of all visitors to Nicaragua come from Central and South America, with most of the rest originating from the USA, Canada and Europe. If Nicaragua is to compete on medical tourism it needs a coordinated promotional campaign. The government has indicated support, but has yet to offer any actual financial or marketing assistance. The Nicaraguan Tourism Board (INTUR) is helping Nicaraguan hospitals to create a national association for the promotion of medical tourism, but still refuses to commit any money to the project. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=410185 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:27:06 GMT 20130218152706 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 13:52:48 GMT 20130218135248 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:27:06 GMT 201302181532706 Oman wants to take over from Jordan, and see off the threat from Dubai and other UAE states, as the leading centre of medical tourism in the Gulf and Middle East, but not until after 2016. The Sultanate of Oman plans to spend $1.5 billion on the construction of The International Medical City. The three-phase project is led by Saudi based Apex Medical in partnership with the Ministries of Tourism and Health in Oman. Completion is expected by 2016 and aims to offer the latest healthcare to locals and medical tourists. There will be a healthcare resort with a luxury hotel and wellness centre. It will include the region's first purpose-built transplantation and rehabilitation centre, and Oman's first advanced tertiary care hospital and diagnostics centre. The 5 million square metre project will also include residential space, shopping malls and teaching hospitals. The development will be vital for the Gulf state's health care system, which built its last major hospital 20 years ago. The healthcare system of Oman is coming under increasing pressure. Apex Medical has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Methodist International, the global subsidiary of The Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas, USA for the development and operations of the International Medical City in Salalah. Methodist International will coordinate development and set up the management and operation system of the hospital, including the recruitment and training of staff. A clinical and administrative team of consultants from Houston will focus on the development and establishment of clinical, operational and quality standards. Following the opening of the hospital, Methodist International will be involved in a 10-year affiliation focused on quality, training and knowledge transfer management. Dr Naeema Aziz of Apex Medical says, “International Medical City will open a new chapter in Oman's healthcare development. It will establish the Sultanate as a regional hub for transplant based medical tourism, encompassing kidney, liver and pancreas transplantation and rehabilitation services.” Like other Arab states, Oman is heavily reliant on income earned through oil exports. The economy has enjoyed a boom due to high international oil prices. The government intends to spend heavily on its infrastructure. The hospital is on the waterfront overlooking the Arabian Sea. The first phase will centre on the construction of a 530-bed hospital supported by three proposed centres of excellence in transplantation services, rehabilitative care, and diagnostic services. Phase 2 is a healthcare resort complete with 4-star medical hotel; residential quarters for staff; serviced apartments for customers; and commercial space. The third phase will focus on the development of a medical education complex with medical and nursing colleges, plus a research centre. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=410164 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:20:35 GMT 20130218152035 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 11:43:46 GMT 20130218114346 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:20:35 GMT 201302181532035 Healthcare UK is a new joint initiative between the Department of Health, NHS and UK Trade & Investment to help international customers from both the public and private sectors access the UK's healthcare expertise. It spans both the National Health Service (NHS) and the commercial sector. Health minister Lord Howe says, “The UK is a world leader in healthcare, with unrivalled experience and expertise in meeting the health needs of a diverse population. We aim to help our healthcare industries trade more across the globe. It also means more money for the NHS across the UK.” Healthcare UK will use UK Trade & Investment's network of professional advisers in nearly 100 countries to:• Provide a single gateway to the UK's capabilities in healthcare to help international customers access the UK's healthcare expertise.• Run campaigns to boost the profile of the UK's health sector overseas in target markets.• Help to produce culturally appropriate propositions.• Enable the formation of consortia of UK organisations to provide complete solutions to major healthcare challenges Many NHS institutions have an international reputation for excellence, including:• Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children• Guys and St Thomas's• Imperial College Healthcare• King's College Hospital• Moorfield's Eye Hospital• The Royal Marsden Hospital• University Hospitals Birmingham King's Health Partners is establishing a day case outpatient based clinic at Shining Towers in Abu Dhabi, and setting up a foetal medicine Clinic in Burjeel Hospital based on the existing world renowned model at King's College Hospital. Howard Lyons of Healthcare UK says, “Healthcare UK is intended to help governments to access British know-how and expertise. Emerging nations like China, India, Brazil and some Middle East countries need effective systems to meet the needs of their growing and increasingly impatient populations and are looking to the UK for assistance.” BMI Healthcare hospitals are continuing to attract international patients to the UK. In the past year BMI Healthcare has seen a 372 % rise in international self-pay patients within its hospitals, while embassy patients have grown by 22 % in the same period. Alaana Woods of BMI Healthcare comments, "The UK is an attractive option for people looking for healthcare. The international market has shown massive growth as patients travel here for procedures that are unavailable, too expensive or too difficult to access in their home countries. In the next year we expect these figures to continue rising." BMI Healthcare's international market is split into three groups; government-sponsored patients, insured patients living in or travelling to the UK or self-paying patients. The majority of international patients treated within BMI Healthcare facilities are government sponsored patients from the Gulf regions of the Middle East. BMI Healthcare has invested in facilities such as multi-faith prayer rooms, transport for patients' families, appropriate food, media and entertainment as well as an onsite Arabic speaking liaison representative. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=410158 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 11:08:47 GMT 20130218110847 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 10:37:10 GMT 20130218103710 Mon, 18 Feb 2013 11:08:47 GMT 2013021811110847 Indian cardiologist Dr. Devi Shetty and his local partners Gene Thompson and Harry Chandi say that the planned Health City Cayman Islands, under way in East End in Grand Cayman, will not now open for heart surgery until 2014. The first phase of the health city, which includes a 140-bed hospital, is now scheduled to begin operation in early 2014. The developers had hoped to have the hospital in operation by November 2013, but due to delays in the passing of regulations associated with overseas medical practitioners working in the Cayman Islands, that date has been pushed back. Dr. Shetty says that with an estimated 40 million people in the Caribbean, some 23,000 need to undergo heart surgery every year, but less than 1,000 actually undergo the necessary operation. The Health City Cayman Islands plans call for a 150-bed cardiac and orthopaedic hospital to be built from 2012 to 2013; a 360-bed facility for other specialties, as well as medical and nursing schools for 2000 and 1000 students, and a 300-room hotel to be built from 2014 to 2016; a transplant facility with 500 beds to be built from 2017 to 2019; and a further expansion of 1,000 beds from 2020 to 2030. The Health City Development plans call for 150,000 square feet to be built from 2014 to 2016 (residential, office, retail, restaurant, shopping centre and saltwater air-conditioning plant); 300,000 square feet to be built from 2016 to 2018 (retail, office, assisted living, residential, park); 380,000 square feet to be built from 2018 to 2021 (residential, offices, retail, apartments); and 500,000 square feet to be built from 2021 to 2023 (retail, residential, homes, hotel, condominium). The Health City Development group is a joint venture, owned 70% by Ascension Health Alliance of St. Louis, Missouri, and 30% by Dr. Shetty's interests including local partners Gene Thompson and Harry Chandi. The Shetty group has options to purchase more land at the 600-acre site at High Rock. Eventually, the facility could grow to be a $2 billion, 2,000-bed hospital over the next 15 years. Although the Cayman Islands government has agreed to give a variety of concessions to the project, these do not include concessions at the construction stage. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=408270 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 14:02:11 GMT 20130201140211 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:46:18 GMT 20130131174618 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 14:02:11 GMT 201302011420211 The latest academic research into medical tourism is an analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of medical tourism to India and South Korea. Lydia L. Gan of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke; Medical Tourism Research Center and Hongwei Song of the University of Arkansas produced the paper. Abstract: “Medical tourism is a fast growing trend in Asia, and both India and South Korea have been among the front runners in this industry. Several factors come into play when a country is contemplating engaging in medical tourism as part of its strategy for economic growth. Government support and other areas such as infrastructure, competence of medical staff, the entrepreneurial drive of the middlemen facilitating the process, and the general reputation and political stability of the host country are among key influencing factors. This paper conducts a comparative SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat) analysis in India and South Korea with the objective of understanding the various factors that can help or impede the growth of the medical tourism in both nations.” • International accreditation is a vital factor when evaluating the quality of care in medical facilities for medical tourists.• Affiliation with respected hospitals in Europe or the US makes medical tourists more comfortable with the quality of care in affiliated hospitals.• In Asia there is little or no medical accountability for negligence.• Hospitals benefit from strategic partnerships with hotels and airlines. • Growing prosperity within Asian countries mean that Asian countries can benefit more by targeting these countries, than American or European trade. • Should medical tourism and related foreign exchange revenues be used to benefit under-resourced local health systems, and if not, why not?• Medical tourism can help stop doctors going overseas, but may also move them from public to private hospitals, so damaging the public sector. South Korea • There is strong government support with many initiatives to promote medical tourism.• The government is planning legal changes to deal with some problems below.• South Korea benefits from established trade links with Japan and China.• English language skills have helped drive medical tourism.• Being one of 4 Asian Tiger industrialized countries helps attract people. • Medical law falls short in failing to protect foreign customers.• There is discriminatory pricing against foreign customers.• A common problem is the inconsistency of cost charging during procedures, which can be higher than quoted prices.• Cosmetic surgery is expensive compared to other procedures.• Success is due to targeting prosperous Chinese and Japanese customers.• The future development of Jeju Island as a medical tourism destination will make it easier and quicker for Chinese and Japanese customers to fly for treatment. India• The government does little to promote and encourage medical tourists to go to India.• The government has lower import duties, subsidised land, and favourable tax laws to promote local investment in medical tourism.• It is too early to say if the medical visa system encourages medical tourism.• Historic links mean English language skills exist.• Has no medical malpractice laws.• Proving doctor negligence is difficult due to legal red tape, corruption, and hospitals having no complaints procedures.• Poor infrastructure is a problem-in some places patients may have to change flights 3 or 4 times to reach a hospital.• The public transport system and roads are far below Western standards.• Judging the quality of hospitals just from online pictures is impossible.• Most competition is centered on price and this can compromise quality, particularly in the cheaper hospitals.• Many Indian medical tourism agents overplay the quality of care, facilities and treatment.• Many advertising and marketing claims are misleading. • The scarcity of local medical care and cost creates divisions between locals limited to poor public hospitals, and private hospitals that concentrate on medical tourists.• The shortage of doctors and nurses is made worse by most of them working in the private sector.• Expensive healthcare caters to the elites and ignores the local poor.• Is losing out to competitors including Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea. The paper looks at risk areas that are often overlooked -• The lack of follow up care is critical to the continued health of a medical tourist.• Follow up care must be arranged in home countries.• Travel risk includes infection and exposure to diseases.• International flights can expose patients to new germs and bacteria that may increase the risk of infection during operations.• Local epidemics such as swine flu and SARS must not be ignored, as these risks could bring medical tourism to a halt in affected countries. The paper concludes that as competition increases, the lack of investment and marketing by governments and poor product or service differentiation by government and business, may mean countries that are successful medical tourism destinations now, will be overtaken by those with supportive government policies, a better infrastructure, plus differentiated service and care, with a co-coordinated marketing strategy. The market is not big enough or expanding fast enough for all those countries wanting to grow or develop medical tourism to succeed. Only those with improved infrastructure, solid long-term strategies, and innovative offerings will maintain sustained growth. Some countries will fail, and although the paper avoids naming which ones are most vulnerable, their analysis suggests India is already struggling. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=408269 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:23:16 GMT 20130201092316 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:43:08 GMT 20130131174308 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:23:16 GMT 201302010992316 Nigeria is seen as a source of medical tourists, mostly gong to India but some travelling to the UK. In Gorleston, orthopaedic surgeon Emeka Nnene has begun offering discounted surgery to Nigerians visiting the UK at up to 50% off London prices in an attempt to provide alternatives in the growing medical tourism market. A consultant surgeon at James Paget Hospital, Gorleston in Norfolk, East Anglia with over 15 years experience, Dr Nnene is offering a special service for Nigerians who visit the UK for treatment. Also a clinical orthopaedic tutor at the hospital, Dr Nnene currently takes private consultations at the facility and is seeking to expand this service. He performs a wide range of operations including joint replacements, keyhole surgery and fracture fixation. He also has admitting privileges at James Paget hospital's private rooms for post-operative recovery and in-patient stay. The hospital is an NHS trust, and as most trusts, also accepts private patients. Dr Nnene says, “The charges for surgery and in-patient stay are very competitive compared with those in London and in many cases could cost up to 50% less. During 2013 I will be proceeding further in my bid to advance high quality orthopaedic care and making it available and accessible in Nigeria too. I am also involved in partner relationships with hospitals in Nigeria where I can offer the benefit of consultations in Nigeria and also perform some surgical procedures. The first of these centres is the Alba Clinic along Constitution Road in Kaduna and I am co-coordinating with other centres in Abuja and other parts of Nigeria.” Many wealthy Nigerians, especially political leaders fly to London for treatment on all sorts of ailments, ranging from surgery to routine check-ups. Some London private clinics charge as much as £1000 a day and Dr Nnene hopes to reduce these hefty amounts Nigerians pay for treatment. He also wants to help train Nigerian doctors so that some of these surgical operations can be offered within Nigeria. The Nigerian Medical Association has added its voice to many politicians expressing concern about the growing trend of medical tourism where affluent Nigerians go abroad for medical treatment that is widely available locally. Dr Nnene adds: “I am also keen to extend my orthopaedic tutor role to Nigeria by providing an up-to date and evidence based approach in lecturing orthopaedics at some Nigerian universities.” Nigeria is one of the strongest critics of outbound medical tourism, not for religious or ideological reasons. The main problem is government officials and private individuals who go overseas are alleged to spend over N80billion on foreign medical treatment; in a country where imports exceed exports, this is a loss of foreign currency that the country can ill afford. Nigeria is Africa's leading oil producer; but more than half of its people live in poverty. Nigeria is keen to attract foreign investment, including hospitals, but is hindered by security concerns and an infrastructure troubled by power cuts. All figures on numbers of outbound medical tourists from Nigeria have to be used with great care; local politicians want to exaggerate the problem, certain countries like to exaggerate how many people they get from Nigeria, some medical tourism agencies want to show a much bigger potential than there is, and some government officials like to underplay how much state money they, their extended families, and assorted friends – are using to go overseas for treatment. And everywhere in Nigeria, the three problems of corruption, tribal rivalries, and poor healthcare provision for other than the select few, all have to be thrown into the mix. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=408267 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:21:14 GMT 20130201092114 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:40:44 GMT 20130131174044 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 09:21:14 GMT 201302010992114 While most African countries are seen as suppliers of medical tourists, several are looking at becoming regional hubs of inbound medical tourism. Zambia, in south-central Africa, is the continent's biggest copper producer. The country has been peaceful and generally trouble-free, compared to most of the eight neighbours with which it shares a border. There are private hospitals in Zambia's larger cities that cater to foreigners and also to affluent Zambians. Health tourism will attract local and international tourists in areas such as Mambwe and Mfuwe, says local politician Emmanuel Mwamba, “Government is working on health sector reforms that will incorporate health tourism to attract more local and international tourists. In Mambwe and Mfuwe, which receive thousands of both domestic and international tourists in a year, this could boost domestic tourism. We need to add value by putting in place a sound infrastructure, creating unique products and quality service.” In an effort to boost the budding tourism sector that brought in much needed foreign exchange in 2012, Rwanda is considering medical tourism, mainly in the region, as another option to increase foreign exchange earnings in a country with a $1,2 billion trade deficit. The country is striving to rebuild its economy, with coffee and tea production being among its main sources of foreign exchange. Nearly two thirds of the population lives below the poverty line. Rica Rwigamba of the Rwanda Development Board says, "The government is courting investors to set up advanced medical facilities to make our country a regional tourism hub. Medical tourism is something that requires a different approach to attract health investment like Dr. Agarwal's Eye Hospital. It is also about attracting people with quality medical services at affordable rates. Rwanda is in a good location in terms of climate, the security and quiet environment, which patients need when going through the process of healing." Rwanda's problem is that many patients with complications that local doctors cannot handle are referred for medical attention abroad, mostly to India or South Africa. This is especially for people suffering from heart defects and health complications like blood cancer, brain tumour and plastic surgery for deformities or acid attack victims. The government accepts that to develop medical tourism it would need world-class medical facilities, and a pool of specialists, an expensive venture that the government to cannot afford. So it needs overseas investors to build hospitals. The Ministry of Health admits that it does not know statistics on the number of people who fly in or out of the country for treatment or the amount of money the state loses in terms of foreign exchange – as individuals do not have to say why they are flying in or out of the country. Recently, Dr. Agarwal's Eye Hospital opened in Kigali, making it the first foreign specialist establishment, which is most likely to become a regional eye referral centre. This could mean that Rwanda will earn more foreign exchange from patients. The specialist hospital handles all complicated eye cases that were once referred abroad. This will help the country save its hard currency that would have been used abroad. Rwanda is a poor rural country with 90% of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture so is never going to be a targeted market for other countries, or become a major medical tourism destination. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=408265 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:40:44 GMT 20130131174044 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:34:10 GMT 20130131173410 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:40:44 GMT 201301311754044 Spain has long been a favorite tourist destination for Europeans, but has not really promoted the country's attraction for medical and health tourists. That is about to change with a concerted advertising and marketing campaign, plus a new project. British and Russian health and medical tourists will be the main target of the 'Tourism & Health Spain' campaign on the Costa del Sol. 30 private health clinics and hotel resorts in the area have joined forces to attract potential foreign tourists who would like to go to Malaga for health or medical reasons. The project was officially launched during the Fitur international tourism trade show, held in Madrid from January 30 to February 3. Tourism & Health Spain is headed by the president of the Malaga Association of Private Clinics and owner of Malaga's Chip Hospital, Jesus Burgos. The target profile is a middle-to-upper or upper class patient that may spend around €10,000 per year on health services alone. Malaga province's private clinics estimate they could receive an annual overall turnover of €250-300 million from health and medical care alone. Added to that, there is the additional amount spent on leisure, food and accommodation by the patients and their families. Both the individual spend, and the total revenue, appear very optimistic in the current European economy; and finding many British people who spend €10,000 per year on health is a tough if not impossible task. Malaga province's private health offer includes 4,500 beds in hospitals and clinics, says the Malaga Association of Private Clinics. With drastic cuts in Spanish healthcare spend, and a huge drop in money available to spend on healthcare of the average Spaniard, this sudden enthusiasm for health tourism may include a hint of desperation for some private clinics who may see their very future at risk. Project Illum is a concept to take over an abandoned hotel and spa development in Jafre, Spain and turn it into a wellness centre. Launched on Indiegogo, a popular crowd funding platform, the project seeks individual investors to save a 1500-acre site. The project aims to attract resources, skills and engage with potential contributors and partners through the Indiegogo campaign. It is supporting the small community of the 452 inhabitants of Jafre to secure the land and ancient spring to redevelop it in harmony with the local people and nature. The project intends to raise $650,000 primarily via public contributions on Indiegogo, to secure the land and current development (already 60% complete), assets and structures. Illum will be a wellness and healing centre with thermal baths utilising the water from the ancient natural healing spring will a meditation pavilion and surrounding gardens. The project will complete the construction of a 97 suite residential facility with gym, spa and other related health and wellness facilities in 2015. Stan Colders, founder of Project Illum says, ''It is a big project, but the reward of putting Jafre back on the map as a healing centre and what that would do for the villagers. Colders lives in the UK and sees the project as mainly targeting British visitors. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=408264 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:34:10 GMT 20130131173410 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:30:13 GMT 20130131173013 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:34:10 GMT 201301311753410 It is estimated that 15% and 20% of medical tourists to India come from neighboring Pakistan, but increased political tension between the two could restrict or even curtail this business. Indian hospitals worry that visa hurdles might restrict the movement of patients from Pakistan to India for medical treatment. Numbers have already slowed down. When the British left India in 1947, the partition of the sub-continent - into present-day India and Pakistan - sowed the seeds for future conflict. There have been three wars between India and its Pakistan since 1947, two of them over the disputed territory of Kashmir. The border between India and Pakistan has been a dangerous area for decades, and incidents in recent weeks leave both India and Pakistan claiming the other was responsible for deaths and injuries to their soldiers. Since 2003 there has been an official ceasefire, but an ill-defined border means that each side claims disputed territory as its own. Tensions within Pakistan, plus border area problems with terrorists, bandits and drug runners make it a permanent tinderbox. Hospital chains Apollo, Medanta, Max and Sir Ganga Ram all attract patients from Pakistan - primarily for organ transplants (liver and kidney), oncology-related treatment and cardiac and orthopedic surgeries. Ganga Ram Hospital, normally gets 4 or 5 patients a day from Pakistan, and the number has already fallen to 1 or 2 patients a day. Apollo gets 50 to 60 patients a month from Pakistan, 90% for liver transplants. Raj Raina of Apollo Hospital says, “There could be trouble. It can take 10 days or more for visa processes, so the effect of any problem takes a while to work through.” Pakistan only accounts for 3% of Apollo's revenue. Medanta gets 8 to 10 patients a month from Pakistan. The Indian government claims it does not treat Pakistan any differently when it comes to issuing medical or other visas. But hospital officials say that practice and theory often differ, with Pakistanis made to work a lot harder to get visas than other nationalities. Also, patients from Pakistan might avoid India if they have to cross a troubled border. Hospitals want business from Pakistan as they can charge a premium of 20% to 25% more than fees from local patients. But as recent events show, it is very vulnerable to political tensions between the two countries that may co-exist but do not like either each other or what the other country stands for. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=408262 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:30:13 GMT 20130131173013 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:25:57 GMT 20130131172557 Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:30:13 GMT 201301311753013 Romania is one of the up and coming destinations for dental tourism. Overseas customers represent a growing percentage of revenue for local dental clinics. Dragos Popescu, co founder of the Dental Med dental clinic in Bucharest is one of the local pioneers of dental tourism, “Foreigners make up 30% of the clients of the DentalMed clinic in Bucharest; 20% are expatriates living in Romania, and 10% come from abroad specifically for dental treatment in Romania, Of the 5,000 patients treated annually in the clinic, around 1,500 are foreigners. But only 500 are dental tourists. The average percentage of foreign patients in other Bucharest clinics is between 5% and 10%.” Popescu estimates the local dental services market is worth some EUR 250 to EUR 350 million a year, with foreigners' share at EUR 25 to EUR 35 million. But only a handful of dental clinics in Romania, most of them located in Bucharest, have the logistics capacity to treat foreigners. But local dentists are now gearing up to treat patients from Western Europe, as standard services in Romania are 20% to 40% lower than in Western Europe. Popescu worries that if dental tourism takes off that larger firms from Romania or overseas would buy up local clinics or set up their own cut-price chains; but it could be five to ten years before this happens. The market is fragmented, with over 2,500 private dental clinics in Bucharest alone. This private system developed independently from the public health system. What is also happening is that dentists from other countries are setting up clinics in Romania, as the dental markets in their home countries are already saturated. Dentists are coming from Israel, Italy, Spain, and Greece; which will in turn attract patients from those countries. Dragos Popescu and his business partner Razvan Popescu recently extended DentalMed with an investment of EUR 1.5 million. The plan is to see turnover advancing to EUR 5 million within five years, from EUR 2 million turnover in 2012. The Romanian investors chose to focus on a single location for their clinic, and plan to expand it with a childrens clinic on the second floor of the existing unit later this year. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=406981 Fri, 18 Jan 2013 09:38:48 GMT 20130118093848 Thu, 17 Jan 2013 17:25:06 GMT 20130117172506 Fri, 18 Jan 2013 09:38:48 GMT 201301180993848 South Korea will take away the medical tourism licences of any hospital or clinic that continues to get business via unregistered medical tourism agents. It is also bringing in a state qualification test system for hospital medical co-coordinators. A state-run qualification test system will be adopted for medical tour coordinators who provide foreign patients with general information on treatment and hospital systems. The ministry will also allow more Korean-speaking foreigners to work as coordinators by easing regulations, but they will also have to take the qualification test. Hospitals that attract people through unregistered medical tourism agencies will be banned from accepting foreign patients for two years, says the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The ministry is revising medical regulations to toughen punishments on hospitals that have deals with unregistered agencies in medical services for foreigners. The measure follows a growing number of complaints from medical tourists, especially Chinese, who go to Korea to receive medical treatment through unregistered middlemen. Under current regulations, only registered medical tourism agencies can attract foreign clients. A ministry official explains, “In many such cases, middlemen overcharge patients, luring them with exaggerated ads. They also tell hospitals that they will attract foreign patients and demand 30 to 70% of the medical fees as commission. Some hospitals in financial difficulties or newly opened clinics accept such offers, and the quality of the treatment is not guaranteed. We are taking countermeasures because treatment through illegal brokerages may make foreigners lose trust in Korea's medical services, consequently dealing a serious blow to Korea's medical tourism.” For offending hospitals, the government will cancel their license to attract foreign patients even through registered agencies. They will also be banned from obtaining the license for two years afterwards. Hospitals are required to obtain a license if they want to attract foreign patients through agencies. They do not need one if they do not have business with such agencies. The ministry will also encourage associations of hospitals or medical tourism agencies to set up their own guidelines against illegal acts in order to boost the credibility of the nation's medical tourism sector. The ministry will also encourage hospitals to charge patients medical fees, not the agencies, to stop agents adding a high premium. The government plans to have 10,000 “global healthcare experts” by 2020 including nurses and interpreters specializing in medical treatment interpretation. The ministry is also considering adopting another license for interpreters specializing in medical treatment. It will also help hospitals and colleges make agreements on hiring graduates majoring in specific languages, such as Arabic and Russian, as interpreters. The government also seeks to link medical tourism with regular tourism programmes. Medical visas can now be issued to patients and also people who attend on them, such as family members. The ministry is also developing a debit card with which the patients and the family can get discount on transportation, shopping, tour and medical fees. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=406977 Fri, 18 Jan 2013 09:35:45 GMT 20130118093545 Thu, 17 Jan 2013 17:13:54 GMT 20130117171354 Fri, 18 Jan 2013 09:35:45 GMT 201301180993545 Iran expects final medical tourism figures for 2012 to be 200,000. 85,670 medical tourists arrived in Iran during the first half of the Iranian year (started March 20), showing an increase of 135% compared with the corresponding figure of last year. Manouchehr Jahanian, of Iran Cultural Heritage, Handcrafts and Tourism Organization for tourism, says the figure is expected to exceed 200,000 by the year end in March 2013, and that the country earned $600 million in revenue through medical tourism during the period. This represents a revenue per head of only $300. According to Jahanian, the majority of medical tourists arrived in the country from Azerbaijan, Iraq, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Kuwait, “Tehran, Khorasan Razavi, Gilan, East Azarbaijan and Ardebil provinces hosted the largest number of medical tourists during the period. 50,000 medical tourists arrived in Iran during the previous year, generating $150 million for the country. Iranian achievements are due to the capabilities of its doctors, high level of medical knowledge, modern medical equipment and low cost of treatment. Thanks to the efforts made by Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, ICHHTO and health and foreign ministries, a half price visa is offered to medical tourists. T-Visa is only for those who travel to Iran for treatment. The period of the visa's validity depends on the diagnosis of the doctor, type of surgery and the time required for treatment. 10 hospitals in Iran, including Razavi Hospital of Mashhad, accept such visas. Razavi Hospital is one of the medical institutions supervised by Astan Quds Razavi. It was established by Imam Reza University in 2003, and now has 320 beds. It is considered to be one of the most advanced hospitals in the region. Medical tourists can travel to Iran with tours designed for the purpose or through hospitals approved by the Foreign Ministry. Planned changes include special privileges for tour and travel agencies that attract medical tourists to the country. In the past many Iranian patients went to foreign countries for treatment, but with improvements to local medical services, outbound numbers have fallen drastically. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=406976 Fri, 18 Jan 2013 09:34:01 GMT 20130118093401 Thu, 17 Jan 2013 17:10:15 GMT 20130117171015 Fri, 18 Jan 2013 09:34:01 GMT 201301180993401 Taiwan is attracting record numbers of Chinese medical tourists and has taken steps to increase numbers further. Taiwan's National Immigration Agency (NIA) has eased the regulations for Chinese visitors going to Taiwan for medical treatment in order to boost the economy. Chinese nationals who are over 20 years old and have either savings of at least NT$200,000, or an annual income over NT$500,000 can visit Taiwan for health inspections or medical treatment, including cosmetic surgery. These health tourists can bring family members with them. Taiwan claims to have attracted 100,000 medical tourists in 2012, exceeding the goal set at 60,000 and surging 156% from 39,000 in 2011, according to Walter Yeh of Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), “The quality of Taiwan's medical care is very good, but needs to be promoted to international tourists. The Department of Health approves some 40 hospitals and clinics on the island to treat Chinese tourists, while the Taiwan Joint Commission on Hospital Accreditation, a non-profit and non-governmental hospital accreditation agency, certifies 19 cosmetic surgery clinics for quality of treatment.” TAITRA says that revenue generated by medical tourism is estimated at NT$70 billion (US$2.33 billion), of which at least 40% is from Mainland Chinese. The value is expected to rise by 20% in 2013. Walter Yeh of TAITRA adds, “Taiwan's medical tourism can surpass that of South Korea in five years. The key target markets are Mainland Chinese tourists, and overseas Chinese in North America and Southeast Asia looking for quality, cheaper medical care in Taiwan.” TAITRA is now promoting Taiwan's medical tourism in metropolitan Beijing and Shanghai. The relaxation of the visa rules is crucial. Hsieh Li-kung of the National Immigration Agency (NIA) explains, “The regulations for Chinese coming to Taiwan for medical services have been eased to increase economic growth. With this revised regulation, Taiwanese health inspection and medical cosmetology industries will be able to compete internationally. This can also attract more Chinese tourists to visit Taiwan. Allowing Chinese to come to Taiwan to enjoy great medical cosmetology services also demonstrates Taiwan's ability and development in the industry.” According to the NIA, medical organizations can request that travel agencies apply to the NIA for business registration so they can use the new rules for tour groups of Chinese going to Taiwan for medical services. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=406975 Fri, 18 Jan 2013 09:22:29 GMT 20130118092229 Thu, 17 Jan 2013 17:05:13 GMT 20130117170513 Fri, 18 Jan 2013 09:22:29 GMT 201301180992229 In a recent presentation on marketing Cyprus as a medical tourism destination, Nikos Anastassiades of the local AIMIS Spine hospital concluded: Strengths • Strategic location at crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa.• English is widely spoken.• Educated workforce.• Excellent healthcare at good value for money.• Existing tourism infrastructure. Weaknesses• Not regarded internationally as a medical tourism destination.• Lack of year round regular flights other than from UK or Greece.• Limited medical tourism infrastructure.• Lack of strong marketing of doctors, hospitals, clinics and medical services.• No active government support. Threats• Turkey is very active competitor on medical and wellness tourism.• Turkey has many JCI hospitals.• Israel, Jordan and Dubai are established medical tourism competitors.• No hospitals in Cyprus have international accreditation.• No active financial backing from government.• Private sector cannot do it alone.• Economic problems. Opportunities• Excellent tourism infrastructure can support medical tourism.• European medical standards can be promoted.• Clinics and hospitals have spare capacity for medical tourism.• Political instability may stop patients going to some competitors. Key markets• USA• Middle East• Russia• Ukraine• Other Eastern European countries.• Europe for selected treatment. Problems • Not seen as a medical tourism destination.• Poor flight connections.• Lack of accredited hospitals.• Adding medical, travel and accommodation costs; total is high compared to competitors.• Online marketing is not enough. Challenge• For medical tourism to flourish the government must make heavy financial investment.• Accreditation must be achieved.• Hospitals wanting medical tourists must set up marketing departments.• Perseverance ad official support are vital. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=406982 Thu, 17 Jan 2013 17:31:34 GMT 20130117173134 Thu, 17 Jan 2013 17:26:31 GMT 20130117172631 Thu, 17 Jan 2013 17:31:34 GMT 201301171753134 Dubai Health Authority has agreed new visa rules that allow medical tourists to stay longer. But in return for this, every hospital and clinic has had to agree the maximum number of medical tourists they can treat. New visa regulations designed to allow foreign visitors undergoing medical treatment to stay for up to nine months are expected to reinforce Dubai's appeal as a health tourism destination. Dubai hopes to take business from Jordan, the regional leader in health tourism, which is being affected by the conflicts and unrest in neighbouring countries such as Syria, Israel and Egypt. Under the new visa system, foreigners wishing to receive treatment in Dubai will be able to obtain a three-month visa, with their hospital processing and submitting the request and all required documents. Once approved, the initial three-month visa can be extended twice if necessary. The new system also clarifies the process for hospitals applying for visas on behalf of their overseas customers and sets out a quota for hospitals and clinics registered to provide treatment to overseas patients, limiting the number of visas they may have for medical tourists at any one time. The Dubai Health Authority has allocated a certain visa quota to all hospitals; aiming to safeguard the interest of tourists and will also ensure that hospitals maintain international standards of services. The quota can be increased only if hospitals can prove that the quality of service to locals, expatriates and medical tourists will not be affected. It is illegal for hospitals to take in more medical tourists than they are allowed, and miscreants risk losing their medical tourism licence. Essa Al Haj Al Maidour of the Dubai Health Authority says that the new visa regime will make it easier for overseas patients to access the emirate's health services and reduce bureaucracy. Dubai's main competition is from Jordan, Turkey and Abu Dhabi with Turkey far more successful in attracting patients from Europe than the three Arab states. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=406979 Thu, 17 Jan 2013 17:25:03 GMT 20130117172503 Thu, 17 Jan 2013 17:21:30 GMT 20130117172130 Thu, 17 Jan 2013 17:25:03 GMT 201301171752503 A tourism minister in Indonesia has stated that Indonesia has the potential to become a health tourism destination. Yet in 2012, a record number of 600,000 Indonesians travelled overseas for medical treatment. Two out of three go to Malaysian hospitals and clinics. This makes Indonesia the biggest outbound global medical tourism country source. The number of Indonesians seeking medical treatment abroad in 2012 saw a significant increase from 2006 when nearly 350,000 people went overseas and spent $500 million. In 2012, it is estimated that 600,000 Indonesians spent $1.4 billion on medical treatment overseas. The increase suggests that they go overseas for quality and availability of care as much as for cost reasons. This is why the key destinations are Malaysia and the now high priced Singapore, with very few going to low priced India. While Singapore is still a favourite medical destination for the well-heeled Indonesian, the majority of Indonesians, especially from Sumatra favour Malaysia. Indonesians from Sumatra form the majority of overseas patients at Mahkota Medical Centre in Malacca and Penang Adventis Hospital. The Malaysia Health Travel Council (MHTC) website is available in Bahasa Indonesian, and Malaysia targets the country. Tourism minister Mari Elka Pangestu claims that Indonesia can become an international health destination because of its abundant natural beauty, with a huge potential to attract tourists looking for low-cost health and medical care, “Indonesia's potential to become a health tourism destination is big because Indonesia has many attractive places. Indonesia has geographical proximity to many wealthy countries, such as Australia and China. There is much local and traditional wisdom on healing all measure of ailments. Indonesia has been named as the best spa destination in the world. A well-established health tourism industry can bring in revenue not only from foreign health tourists but also from our people who travel abroad to seek medical treatment.” The response of health minister Nafsiah Mboi to the record number going overseas for medical treatment was, “We will start with action. We will immediately set up working groups and an action plan. The government has identified four hot spots in which to begin developing health tourism: Bali, Jakarta, Makassar and Manado.The four areas were chosen not only because the health facilities there are already advanced but also because there are many things to see. As well as spas, Indonesia also has potential in the medical sector. The country boasts many specialist doctors with good international reputations, but many people are not aware of that due to a lack of promotion. To attract patients from overseas, the government will have to collaborate with travel agents and increase cooperation between hospitals, clinics and spas. More Indonesian hospitals need international accreditation from the Joint Committee International.” If medical tourism potential is large, why are 600,000 Indonesians going overseas? Nafsiah Mboi's answer is: “Attitudes need to change so that those Indonesians seeking medical treatment will make the effort to find that treatment at home. I often wonder why Indonesian people like to get check-ups in Singapore. What is it that we don't have? It turns out the answer is because of the service and the mental attitude. We don't have any pride to serve. In Singapore, doctors are willing to spend time to listen to patients' complaints and discuss the various medical procedures that are available.” The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Tourism have signed an agreement for the development of health tourism. The government will work with public and private stakeholders, including hospital representatives, spa providers, and health associations, to create the Indonesia Wellness and Healthcare Tourism (IWHT) working team, which will jointly design a work plan to follow up the agreement. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=405903 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 11:04:04 GMT 20130104110404 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 09:46:00 GMT 20130104094600 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 11:04:04 GMT 2013010411110404 The number of Russians going to Finland for medical care or a wellness holiday is expected to increase substantially in the next few years. Finpro has launched Finland Care to promote health tourism from Russia to Finland. It also seeks opportunities for Finnish companies to offer healthcare services in Russia. Finland Care is implemented by Finpro's office in St. Petersburg. Finpro is a public-private organization, part of the ministry of employment, seeking to promote the internationalization of Finnish companies and foreign investment in Finland. Recent interest in Finnish health care and its export potential has brought new players in the sector. New companies have been set up specifically to provide travel arrangements. One of them is a health broker Nordic Clinic, established to develop a health-oriented tourism to Finland. It owns a healthcare hotel in Helsinki. The number of patients from Russia is set to increase greatly within a few years and health tourism in Finland will be a booming business, according to Tero Silvola of Nordic Clinic. "It is now predicted that over the next ten years the Russian healthcare market will grow. Private markets can grow up to three-fold from the current level. In the market in question there is not a great deal of trust in the quality of health services, and a large part of that demand will turn to the Nordic countries." Every year, thousands of Russians seek treatment abroad and the number is expected to grow. A recent Finpro survey showed that at least 100,000 Russians went abroad in 2011 to seek treatment; but only 1,000 sought treatment from Finland. The key problem highlighted by Finpro was language and unless advertising, marketing and all contact are all in Russian, then the Russians will not go to that country. Eero Toiviainen of Finland Care explains, "One big obstacle has been language. The problem has largely been remedied, as more health care providers add Russian language skills to their repertoire.” The Russian language website of Finland Care aims to attract Russians to Finland for treatment. The website acts as a platform for any Finnish company seeking to offer Finnish private treatment, care or welfare to Russians. Partner companies already signed up to Finland Care include; Docrates Hospital, Orton Orthopaedic Hospital, Hospital Neo, Heart Center Tampere, Ovumia, Coxa Hospital, Nordic Clinic, Clinic Helena, Hyksin, Arte-Doctors, and Med Group. Specialist cancer treatment is offered at Docrates Hospital in Helsinki. Orton Orthopaedic Hospital in Helsinki and Hospital Neo in Turku offer orthopedic treatment. The Heart Center Tampere University Hospital specialises in heart disease. Ovumia is a private fertility clinic in Tampere. Coxa Hospital in Tampere specialises in joint replacements. Clinic Helena is a specialist breast cancer clinic in Savonlinna. Hyksin is a new company that is offering a wide range of private treatment from 2013 at the University Hospital of Helsinki for patients from Russia, Sweden and the UK. Arte-Doctors runs clinics in Lahti and Heinola.Med Group has five dental clinics. Hospital Orton has brought foreign patients to Finland since the 1990s. The overwhelming majority come from Russia. The number of overseas patients has risen steeply in the last few years. Juha Aarvala of Orton comments, "In the last three years the number has grown 60 to 70 % each year. The impact is around 5 to10 % of our turnover. The need and potential is noticeably bigger than what we have at this moment realised." http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=405904 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 11:02:26 GMT 20130104110226 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 09:51:09 GMT 20130104095109 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 11:02:26 GMT 2013010411110226 Switzerland is becoming more popular as a destination for wellness and medical tourism. More private hospitals, spas, wellness centres and clinics are targeting the sector. Differentiating the country from the common misconception of medical tourism being about saving money, Switzerland has an emphasis on quality in an environment that lends itself to general wellbeing. Key destinations include Geneva, Lausanne and Lucerne. For over a century, Switzerland has been known to Europeans as a destination for top quality healthcare and health relaxation. The reason why numbers have been and are expected to continue to grow is that the country has been targeting travellers from several Middle East countries, and has now turned to attracting Chinese and Russian health and medical tourists. Switzerland and Germany are the market leaders in targeting the higher paying, and often longer staying, quality end of the medical and health tourism sector; both countries being far more organized than competitors Singapore, UK and USA. Swiss Health has been a very active organiation promoting medical and wellness tourism. Gregor Frei of Swiss Health comments, “5 to 10% of the business now comes from the Middle East. In the last three years we have seen an annual increase from the Gulf of between 20% and 50%. The Middle East is now very important for Switzerland.” Last year, Swiss Health launched a spin-off organization, Lucerne Health, to promote wellness and medical offerings in Lucerne. The number of visitors booked via Lucerne Health increased by 45 % between 2011 and 2012. Wanqiu Frey of Lucerne Health comments, “We are looking for distributors in different countries in the Middle East and we also plan to share market events with our partners such as Lucerne Tourism, Swiss Health and the Swiss Tourism Board. We are expecting to have one agency in each key country in order to drive more awareness.” The organization produces marketing information in Chinese, Russian, Arabic, English and German. Geneva's leading teaching hospital, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève (HUG) attracts VIP patients from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. Alain Fong of HUG comments, “ We attract overseas customers, not for economic reasons, but for the quality. With 65 different medical services available, coupled with arrangement of transfers (including the option of private planes), Arabic speaking staff and translators, and connecting rooms, our private clinic is 60 % full all year round.” Clinique Générale-Beaulieu in Geneva is a private hospital where Middle Eastern patients are between 5 and 10% of the patient total. Hirslanden has 14 medical clinics across Switzerland and offers personal service to international patients, with private rooms and private nursing, translators, interpreters and a limousine service. The clinics do not need to advertise as most business comes from word-of-mouth referrals. Clinic Lémanic in Lausanne is a cosmetic surgery clinic with a website in Chinese and Russian, and becoming more popular with Middle Eastern patients too, For 2013, Lausanne Tourism Board's strategy for the Middle East region is to focus on PR, having appointed an Abu Dhabi based agency. Tamja Dubas of Lausanne Tourism Board says, “Media visits to Lausanne and the region help us in promoting the wellness and medical market in our city.” Swiss Health has a target of increasing medical and wellness numbers by 50% by the end of 2014, and there is every sign that this target is achievable. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=405901 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 10:44:36 GMT 20130104104436 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 09:27:18 GMT 20130104092718 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 10:44:36 GMT 2013010410104436 Malaysian singer-composer Michael Wong's Mandarin hit song Wo Men De Gu Shi has been made the official music video to promote the country as a destination for Chinese health and medical tourists. In 2005, Wong's hit Mandarin song Tong Hua (Fairy Tale) became a hit with its theme of tragic love for someone dying. The new hit from the singer is Wo Men De Gu Shi (Our Story), which is about treasuring your health in pursuit of your dreams. The music video of this song has been made the official music video of the country by the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) in its bid to promote Malaysia as a top destination for Chinese visitors to seek healthcare. It is believed to be the first time any country has had an official music video to promote medical tourism. It was launched in Beijing. Wong has been made a travel ambassador for Malaysian healthcare, and claims that the music video is a soft sell way of telling visitors from other countries what services Malaysia has to offer, but also promotes the importance of taking good care of your health, “During the filming at Prince Court Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur, the crew experienced an incident that stirred our emotions. The doctor who was involved in the shoot was suddenly called on to treat a patient with a critical heart failure condition. We had to clear the set for the medical team to save the patient's life. We later heard that the patient survived.” Wong adds, “MHTC watched it and hopes it will send a message on the philosophy of health. Unlike “Tong Hua” where the female lead died, this new song has a happy ending as the girl is treated successfully.” Two weeks after the launch, 'Wo Men De Gu Shi' was being played by several radio stations, and then released on popular Chinese video portals including Youku, Tudou, Sina and 56.com. Dr Mary Wong of MHTC comments, “A lot of Chinese like to visit Malaysia. Many travel for cosmetic surgery, dental and cardiac treatment. We will work with travel agencies, insurance companies and big corporations in China. More Chinese corporations are giving benefits to their employees such as trips abroad that include healthcare screening.” The number of Chinese nationals visiting Malaysia for healthcare services increased by 50% from 7,357 in 2010 to 11,029 in 2011, with a projection of 15,000 in 2012. While Indonesia provides the largest number of medical tourists to Malaysia, MHTC has been successful in expanding the market to include visitors from Bangladesh, China, Korea, Nepal and Myanmar. These countries have been identified as having the most potential for growth, so are being targeted. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=405909 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 10:37:01 GMT 20130104103701 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 10:30:31 GMT 20130104103031 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 10:37:01 GMT 2013010410103701 Reproductive tourism, people crossing international borders to purchase assisted reproductive technologies is a multi-million dollar industry. But there are legal and ethical problems when citizens of wealthy countries travel to poorer countries to purchase the services of a surrogate mother. The fastest growth country for ART, and certainly the largest market for providing surrogate mothers is India. Some reports value the Indian ART industry between $500 million and $3 billion. In an academic paper, "Ethical concerns for maternal surrogacy and reproductive tourism" in the Journal of Medical Ethics, Professor Raywat Deonandan of the Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa, with students Samantha Green and Amanda van Beinum, identify specific ethical challenges posed by this emerging new industry. The authors identify the tension between business ethics and medical ethics as being at the heart of the industry's ethical problem, along with an insufficiently broad definition of “informed consent.” When desperately poor, illiterate and vulnerable village women are entering into complicated contracts to sell their reproductive health to wealthy foreigners, some physical and social risks are not fully communicated to them, such as their risk of estrangement from their communities, or the risk of domestic unease with their spouses and existing children. The research points out that there is no ethical framework for establishing rights and responsibilities; In a business deal each party is only concerned about their own best interests only; but in a a medical deal, the clinic is morally responsible for everyone's interests, including both the surrogate's and the client's. The extent to which Indian ART clinics cater to the needs of non-Indians has always been difficult to determine, as is any sort of measurement of how many foreigners travel to India specifically to seek out ART services, especially maternal surrogacy services. In another recent paper, “Measuring reproductive tourism through an analysis of Indian ART clinic websites” in International Journal of General Medicine, Professor Deonandan and students Mirhad Loncar, Prinon Rahman and Sabrina Omar analyzed the official websites of 159 Indian ART clinics to determine how many were actively seeking a foreign clientele. 86% of the clinics made some mention of reproductive tourism services, with 47% offering surrogates to clients. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=405907 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 10:30:31 GMT 20130104103031 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 10:03:37 GMT 20130104100337 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 10:30:31 GMT 2013010410103031 Medical tourism has an increased profile, and is attracting serious academic study. Much academic research has been hidden away in obscure journals, so a collection of new and republished essays and studies from many serious researchers into the subject is welcome. April 2013 will see the publication of a book by leading international publishers Palgrave Macmillan; “Medical Tourism and Transnational Health Care” (ISBN 9780230362369) is edited by David Botterill, Guido Pennings and Tomas Mainil. The 272 page hardback costs £55. David Botterill is a research fellow at the Centre for Tourism at the University of Westminster. Guido Pennings is Professor of Ethics and Bioethics at Ghent University, Belgium. Tomas Mainil is a lecturer at Breda University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands. All have researched tourism and medical tourism while being extensively published. The three editors contribute the introduction and explain the reason for the book, “Medicine and tourism have become separated in contemporary popular consciousness. The former implies anything but a pleasurable experience and the latter presumes a healthy disposition for participation. We argue that this popular conception of the separation of tourism and medicine ignores an historical continuity of lineage from the 18th century pursuit of a cure at resorts and spas, through to global patient mobility in the quest for cutting-edge medical interventions in untreatable conditions. Under the influence of transnational health care consumption, two very contrasting traditions of tourism and medicine are now confronting one another. This book provides diverse research attempts to capture implications for medicine, medical ethics, health policy and management, and tourism studies.” Contents1. Sickness, health, tourism and the ever present threat of death: nineteenth century spa and seasonal travel; David M. Bruce2. A way through the maze: exploring differences and overlaps between wellness and medical tourism providers; Cornelia Voigt and Jennifer H. Laing3. Caring for non-residents in Barbados: examining the implications of inbound transnational medical care for public and private health care; Jeremy Snyder, Valorie A. Crooks, Leigh Turner, Rory Johnston, Henry Fraser, Laura Kadowaki, Mary Choi and Krystyna Adams4. Tourists with severe disability; Angie Luther5. Beauty and the beach: mapping cosmetic surgery tourism; Ruth Holliday, Kate Hardy, David Bell, Emily Hunter, Meredith Jones, Elpseth Probyn and Jacqueline Sanchez Taylor6. Cross-border reproductive care around the world: recent controversies; Wannes Van Hoof and Guido Pennings7. Transplant tourism; Thomas D. Schiano and Rosamond Rhodes8. The European cross-border patient as both citizen and consumer: public health and health system implications; Tomas Mainil, Matt Commers and Kai Michelsen9. Canadian medical travel companies and the globalization of healthcare; Leigh Turne10. The ethical management of medical tourism; Guido Pennings11. Transnational health care and cross-culturalism; Tomas Mainil, Vincent Platenkamp and Herman Meulemans12. The impact of medical tourism in low- and middle-income countries; Melisa Martínez Álvarez, Richard D. Smith and Rupa Chanda13. The Impact of the Internet on medical tourism; Daniel Horsfall, Neil Lunt, Hannah King, Johanna Hanefeld and Richard D. Smith14. Towards a model of sustainable health destination management based on health regions; Tomas Mainil, Keith Dinnie, David Botterill, Vincent Platenkamp, Francis van Loon and Herman Meulemans http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=405906 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 10:03:37 GMT 20130104100337 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 09:57:59 GMT 20130104095759 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 10:03:37 GMT 2013010410100337 There are many things wrong with China's health service and as yet it attracts few medical tourists, while many more Chinese look overseas for treatment. But in five or ten years time the situation may be completely different and China could be competing as a top destination. Liu Zhongmin of Shanghai East Hospital told a medical forum in Shanghai, "Language, international insurance and quality service are the biggest concerns of international patients. But they are gaining increasing confidence in the skills of Chinese doctors." A 1995 city government survey of expatriates and investors found that 70 % wanted medical care to be available within 20 minutes and wanted health services to be of high quality. Then, most expats went home or to Hong Kong for treatment. Now, most choose to stay in Shanghai. Expatriates and medical tourists have similar fears. Will they get the quality of care they are used to back home? Will they be able to communicate with doctors treating them? In Shanghai, home to about 300,000 expatriates, such anxieties are eased by the burgeoning number of internationally operated clinics and hospitals, and by the creation of VIP wards in public hospitals. 30 hospitals have set up special wards catering to foreigners. There are also 20 international hospitals and clinics financed by overseas investment and employing some foreign medical personnel. Public hospitals can be crowded and noisy, with doctors too busy to give any individual patient much attention. Compared with Western hospitals, the process of seeing a doctor and finding services focused on patients lags far behind in China. Patients have to go to different floors for different tests and to pay bills. Doctors who have too many patients have no time to explain diagnoses and treatments carefully. Western-style services are not cheap. Charges in an international hospital may be ten times the price of those in a local one, depending on the facilities and the treatment given. For the extra money, patients get medical staff that are less harried. Bilingual help is usually available. The wards are quieter. The interior decor is soothing. Public hospitals have been trying to emulate the Western health-care system by setting up VIP wards. Local hospitals are learning from the Western service concept, but it will take a long time. It is one thing to set up a special area with better decor, but quite another to adopt patient-focused services and assemble highly qualified professional staff. Among local hospitals in the city, Shanghai East Hospital sees the largest number of expatriates, treating 20,000 a year. Shanghai East, located in the Lujiazui financial district of Pudong New Area, was the first publicly owned medical facility in the city to open a joint venture international hospital, financed with US investment. The same picture can be seen in 20 cities across China, and while for now they may be happy to concentrate on providing care for increasingly well-off locals and the expatriates working there; sooner or later China is going to look seriously at attracting medical tourists. When it does, Asian countries charging too high a price for their services, will be under threat. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=404727 Fri, 14 Dec 2012 18:01:30 GMT 20121214180130 Fri, 14 Dec 2012 12:01:54 GMT 20121214120154 Fri, 14 Dec 2012 18:01:30 GMT 201212141860130 2011 figures from International Promotion for Costa Rican Medicine (Promed) suggest that the number of medical tourists to Costa Rica was 48,000, compared to 36,000 in 2010. Seven out of 10 private clinics in San Jose provide services to medical tourists, and in Guanacaste, 4 out of 10 clinics do, says Promed. San Jose has registered 1,223 businesses connected with the medical tourism industry, with an average of 38 procedures annually per centre. In Guanacaste, the total amount of clinics providing services to medical tourists was registered at 109, each attending to an average of 16.3 medical tourists annually. Promed says that Costa Rica received 48,253 medical tourists in 2011 and that the average amount spent per medical tourist was $7,000; this suggests a revenue value of $338 million. Yet in other recent press interviews Promed claims for 2011 are $196 million on health, with patients spending an additional $84 million in hotels, meals, travel and shopping, and numbers of 40,000. That San Jose has 1,223 businesses involved in medical tourism may seem hard to believe. But these are not just hospitals and clinics; they include hotels and restaurants. So if a medical tourist uses a medical travel agent, stays at a hotel, eats in a restaurant and goes to a clinic for cosmetic surgery, then each of those four will count the same person. Timothy Morales of Costa Rican Medical Care comments, “Our business is growing every year, but these numbers are way out of line. This says that 132 arrive every day for treatment. Of course no one works on weekends so that number is 185 people based on a 5-day week. That is 78 new dental patients a day? Each dental patient needs at least one to two hours with 3 to 5 days, so where is the time for all the new people. There is too much over counting. The hotel, the clinic, the agency and the restaurants each count the same patient, which is very misleading.” Promed defends the methodology of multiple types of businesses counting the same patient, “It is necessary in order to tabulate the total revenue generated by the industry. The dentist and the hotel must both be counted. If the average revenue per medical tourist is $7,000, obviously the same patient is being counted by multiple businesses as that figure is more than the medical cost; but the point of the figures is more to see what the economic impact of medical tourism is as a whole; which that methodology accomplishes, though it could appear misleading.” This multiple counting system has been used for several years, and finally offers a reason why claimed figures and actual patient volume have been so far apart. Massimo Manzi of Promed says that 42% of the procedures are related to dental work, whereas 22% are surgery-related (orthopedics, general surgery and gynecology), 16% is preventive medicine, 10% cosmetic surgery and the remaining 10% is other specialities. Through various interviews carried out with medical tourists who received care at Clinica Biblica, Colina Dental Clinic and Las Cumbres Inn Recovery Center, Promed says that the majority of medical tourists came to Costa Rica as a result of information found on the Internet. In 2010, Promed reported 36,000 medical tourists, (a 20% increase over 2009), which generated approximately $252 million dollars. But those figures also multiple counted each medical tourist. Promed needs to revise figures to actual numbers of medical figures, with no double counting; which could cut the 2011 figure down to around 20,000. Despite reservations on the confusing figures, it is clear that Costa Rica is becoming more popular as a destination, and nearly all medical tourists come from the USA, with a few from Canada. The country will have to take more care in maintaining the quality of hospitals and clinics. It only had 3 hospitals, all in San Jose, with JCI status and now it is down to 2. One of Costa Rica's private hospitals is no longer considered a hospital that is up to the international standards required for international accreditation. La Católica lost international accreditation granted by the Joint Commission International, after it failed an inspection in October. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=404725 Fri, 14 Dec 2012 18:00:34 GMT 20121214180034 Fri, 14 Dec 2012 11:30:27 GMT 20121214113027 Fri, 14 Dec 2012 18:00:34 GMT 201212141860034 Turkey will establish free health zones to attract patients from overseas, says health minister Recep Akdağ, “With the free health zones, we will make Turkey more attractive as a country offering high quality and affordable health services. 200,000 people visited Turkey in 2011 as health or medical tourists, and just under half are medical tourists. Political and economic stability have made Turkey attractive.” New regulations from the Ministry of Finance give a 50% tax exemption for private sector health tourism revenue. Dursun Aydın of the Ministry of Health says that in the last three years, Turkey's health tourism industry has seen annual growth of 30%, "In 2011 200,000 patients came to Turkey within one of the three subcategories of health tourism; medical, thermal/wellness and senior tourism. We are expecting the number of tourists in this category to increase by 30% a year and a 100% increase in revenue. Our estimate for 2012 is near two billion dollars.” Aydın believes that the biggest potential in health tourism lies in thermal and senior tourism, "In terms of thermal tourism, Turkey has seen a number of developments and investments. We are working on additional legislative regulations on thermal tourism. We have also worked on legislative arrangements regarding the health standards of accommodation facilities. Thermal tourism is progressing with speed and will grow in Turkey.” While many countries are attractive to retired people who want to live in warm inexpensive countries, there are few places targeting senior tourism. These people go to Turkey in the dead season, the winter and spring months, and fill accommodation that otherwise would be empty. There is a problem in including senior tourism within health tourism figures as if Turkey includes them it could be argued that Spain could add millions of winter retirees to its health tourism figures, and some senior tourists are not seasonal, but all year round. A report by the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce states that Turkey must evaluate the important opportunity of health tourism among alternative tourism categories in order to take full advantage of its tourism potential. Turkey is located at the crossroads of continents and is one of the most visited places in the world. The report says:” Research conducted regarding private hospitals active in health tourism suggests that at present it is not sufficiently systemized. The data reflects that either the statistics of private hospitals are missing or that it is not known how much the activity of a hospital impacts the sector as a whole, or even if these hospitals are willing to play an active role in the development of health tourism. Many hospitals follow a pricing policy based on short-term profits and lack a general pricing structure. Advertising and commercial activities are unprofessional.” The report says that if $700 average spending for each patient is taken into account, health tourism provides significant advantages. For example; if a patient undergoing cancer treatment stays in a Turkish hospital for an average of 30 nights, estimated earnings are 10,000 euros. Other benefits of health tourism are listed in the report, including: • Providing a solution to low occupancy rates at hotels.• Diversifying the customer base.• Contributing to the formation of a positive image of the country worldwide• Creation of job opportunities.• Diffusing the regional concentration of tourism locations. The report says that Turkey is doing well but needs to identify target markets and determine strategies for advertising in these markets and the services to be provided, as well as the right pricing policies and collaboration with other sectors and subsectors. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=404715 Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:59:00 GMT 20121214175900 Fri, 14 Dec 2012 09:30:36 GMT 20121214093036 Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:59:00 GMT 201212141755900 The medical tourism research group at Simon Fraser University in Canada will continue its series of studies into global medical tourism, and has published studies on Barbados and Mongolia. Lead researcher Valorie Crooks, a health geographer, recently received a $635,000 award from the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research for an eight-year period to further her research. Her qualitative study focuses on Canadian medical tourism in Barbados, Guatemala, Mexico and India. Crooks hopes to gain a better understanding of the impacts of medical tourism for both Canada and the destination country. By next year, she and her team of researchers hope to have a guide for Canadians who are considering medical tourism to help them carefully consider their options. The latest research project for 2012 to 2015 compares the impact on a developing country's own health care system. The aim is to find out what effect medical tourists from developed nations have on developing nations that they go to. The focus is on the long running argument as to whether medical tourists have a positive or negative impact on the local health system across: health human resources, domestic government involvement, investment, private health care, and public health care. This project looks at case studies: Barbados; Guatemala City, Guatemala; Monterrey & Mexico City, Mexico; Bangalore & Chennai, India. A new report,' An Overview of Medical Tourism in Barbados' concludes that the local medical tourism industry is very small .The main activity is from Barbados Fertility Centre although other clinics are starting to get involved .The creation of a health and wellness tourism task force and the building of American World Clinics could slowly change that in the future. A research team travelled to Mongolia in April 2012 to develop a better understanding of the effects of outbound medical tourism in that country. This research was funded through a grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. A short report has just been published: ”Outbound medical tourism from Mongolia”. It does not offer numbers, but says that the main reason Mongolians go elsewhere for treatment is dissatisfaction with and distrust of the public healthcare system, and absence of private healthcare. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=404734 Fri, 14 Dec 2012 13:00:53 GMT 20121214130053 Fri, 14 Dec 2012 12:35:46 GMT 20121214123546 Fri, 14 Dec 2012 13:00:53 GMT 201212141310053 After a recent conference of the European Spas Association on the future of health resorts and health tourism companies in the EU, held at Usedom in Germany, a jointly agreed declaration for submission to the European Congress was made. Known as the Usedom Declaration the 'Future Prospects of European health resorts, spas and health tourism providers' states; • They are an essential part of the healthcare and tourism sectors in both their native countries and Europe. • The variety of providers and the wide range of local spa resources and other services they offer is a major asset attracting guests and patients from Europe and elsewhere.• They offer preventive medicine, restore health, and provide optimum, long-lasting physical and mental relaxation.• They need to be recognized by means of transparent, comparable structures as well as quality standards on the basis of state and legal foundations concerning local spa resources which allow the use of different nationally and regionally recognized forms of treatment.• They ought to be subject to comparable criteria and standards of quality regarding services in preventive medicine and medical rehabilitation that address the proper use of local spa resources, including national characteristics.• They have developed complex holistic treatment programmes for preventive medicine and medical rehabilitation. • The harmonization of European law must allow for national legal differences and practices regarding the use of local spa resources.• They are increasingly providing wellness services which are designed to improve guests' health and which need to be of extremely high quality in order to clearly set them apart from the offerings of other providers and to safeguard and preserve the outstanding reputation of recognized health resorts and health tourism providers in Europe.• They are distinguished by their natural location, appearance and facilities. This contributes to the variety of health resorts and spas in Europe. Maintaining this variety must be regarded as part of quality policy.• They are service providers whose structures, procedures and standards of service must all be of high quality in order to ensure the high quality of the results.• In addition to meeting specific standards of quality in terms of healthcare, they should also meet guests' expectations in full by means of high-quality offerings in the areas of sport, culture and the arts. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=404733 Fri, 14 Dec 2012 12:35:46 GMT 20121214123546 Fri, 14 Dec 2012 12:20:37 GMT 20121214122037 Fri, 14 Dec 2012 12:35:46 GMT 2012121412123546 There are more signs that domestic internal US medical tourism is taking off for employers and individuals. Cleveland Clinic and Boeing have entered into a healthcare deal for the company's 83,000 non-union employees, dependents and retirees in which doctors perform heart surgeries on employees for a bundled payment, with other types of surgery to follow if this works out. Newspaper publisher Stephens Media sends employees and their families needing hip and knee replacements to a handful of hospitals across the country, that have agreed to a low fixed rate for surgery and score well on quality of care. One problem that employers have to solve is finding local doctors to provide follow-up care for patients who travelled elsewhere. Cindy Meyers of Stephens Media comments, “ It benefits us on costs, and our employees feel comfort in knowing the hospital specializes in just what they need." Grocery retailer Kroger has flown nearly two dozen workers to Hoag Orthopedic Institute in Irvine and several other hospitals across the U.S. for hip, knee or spinal fusion surgeries to save money and improve care. At Kroger, employees may pay 10% out of pocket if they choose one of the company's 19 select hospitals, compared to 25% to 50% out of pocket for other ones. 21 patients have travelled for surgery in 2012, and none have experienced complications or been readmitted to the hospital. Theresa Monti of Kroger says, “It costs us $30,000 on average for those knee and hip replacement surgeries, 15% less than what we pay at other hospitals. Some people have a hard time getting their heads around the idea of traveling for surgery. But to us it is an opportunity to encourage the use of the highest-quality healthcare while holding the line on costs." Starting in January, Wal-Mart Stores will offer employees and dependents heart, spine and transplant surgeries at no cost at six major hospital systems across the nation, with free travel and lodging. Employers can see no logic in hospitals quoting wildly different price tags for routine operations. So businesses are giving workers generous incentives - including waiving deductibles or handing out $2,500 bonuses to steer them to top-performing hospitals offering bargain package prices. When sourcing anything else, employers need fixed prices for their budgets, so more are getting fed up with having to cope with healthcare where what they pay is a lottery. Bundled deals are common for phone service, cable TV and travel. But an all-in-one price marks a radical departure for the conventional fee for service medical industry in which doctors, hospitals, labs and other providers typically bill separately for each part of a procedure. Then they tack on more charges, if complications and unexpected costs arise. By bringing a steady stream of new patients, the arrangement can also be a good deal for the doctors and hospitals involved. And by limiting treatment to certain hospitals, employers are getting guarantees of better quality care and personal attention. BridgeHealth Medical in Denver tried and failed to persuade employers to send patients to India and other overseas destinations for cheaper care, so now concentrates on US domestic medical tourism by negotiating fixed rates with 45 U.S. hospitals. It argues that employers still come out ahead financially, even after footing thousands of dollars in travel expenses. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=404729 Fri, 14 Dec 2012 12:20:36 GMT 20121214122036 Fri, 14 Dec 2012 12:04:12 GMT 20121214120412 Fri, 14 Dec 2012 12:20:36 GMT 2012121412122036 Vietnam has seen an increase in the number of medical tourists over the last five years. But the country has no plan to develop health and medical tourism in a professional way. The Central Institute of Acupuncture, headed by Professor Nguyen Tai Thu, has been a pioneer in receiving foreign tourists for healthcare services. Since 2006, in partnership with the Acupuncture Medical Tourism International Group and local travel agencies, it has attracted groups of foreign travelers to Vietnam for acupuncture and oriental medicine. They can also approach a new way of disease treatment – Qi Gong. Most of the clients of the institute are from Europe and America. Professor Nguyen Tai Thu is frustrated that he has to go it alone with no official support or help. One organization is restricted in what it can offer and has limited money to advertise medical tourism. Ho Chi Minh City has 100 government owned hospitals and medical centres, plus dozens of privately owned clinics. Patients come from nearby provinces and from Cambodia. Cho Ray Hospital has been attracting Cambodians and reports that the number of Cambodian patients treated at the hospital has increased by 90 % over the four years 2008 to 2011. Those attracting medical travellers are annoyed that not only is there no government support, but hospitals and travel firms have not cooperated with each other to develop services and increase the revenue. Some local authorities have realized the benefits that can be brought by medical tourism products. Quang Ninh province offers a tour where travelers can visit the Yen Tu sacred temple and have medical treatment with herbs. Khanh Hoa province has become well known as the place for tourists to visit hot mineral springs, mud baths and herbal spa services. But health and medical tourism is often no more than an add on to a tour package, not a separate medical or health travel package. Vietnam has one of Southeast Asia's fastest-growing economies and has set its sights on becoming a developed nation by 2020. Tourism has increased at a steadily impressive rate over the last ten years. In 2010, Vietnam welcomed nearly 4 million international tourists. Most visitors come from China, with around 10% coming from the USA, Japan and South Korea. Building on this success, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism is looking to develop and diversify the tourism industry. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=402948 Tue, 04 Dec 2012 12:28:08 GMT 20121204122808 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:11:15 GMT 20121130151115 Tue, 04 Dec 2012 12:28:08 GMT 2012120412122808 A UK insurance broker has launched a critical illness cover where treatment is in the USA, and a health intermediary has launched a health cash plan that will reimburse customers for treatment outside the UK. Insurance Tailors, an independent London insurance broker, has launched XN GlobalPreferred Care, a critical illness treatment product. Traditionally, UK critical illness insurance policies have provided a one-off, tax-free, lump sum monetary payment upon diagnosis of a prescribed illness. This payment is designed to help ease any financial pressures that may arise from contracting the illness. This product takes a new approach by replacing money with treatment. The aim is to maximise the chance of survival, which is the key to recovery from life threatening illness. Upon diagnosis of a covered critical illness, a policyholder is given a diagnosis verification treatment plan by experts at Harvard Medical School in the USA, reducing the risk of preventable medical errors, and an optimum treatment plan is created. Cover is then provided for travel to, and accommodation in the US for treatment and recovery in a top 1% rated US hospital. Andrew Boldt of Insurance Tailors explains, "In the UK, our ability to treat critical illness is too often constrained by local thinking and financial constraints. It is widely acknowledged that the US is a global leader in research and treatment of critical illness and this offers UK residents access to these world leading treatments and specialist diagnostics." Versions of this cover have been available in a few other countries for five years. It has been successfully operating in Asia, the Middle East and Europe, but this is the first time it is available to UK individuals and companies. The diagnosis, travel and treatment are arranged by global patient organization PGH. The insurance is underwritten at Lloyd's of London. Andrew Boldt of Insurance Tailors adds, "The launch of this product is in line with our mission to change the way that the insurance industry is perceived; in this case, by bringing to market a product that I believe gives people what they want. As the first buyer of the product in the UK for my own family I can evidence this myself. This product is different to other products in the UK private medical and health insurance markets in that it has been designed with a very specific goal; to optimise the chances of survival and recovery from critical illnesses, including all forms of cancer (other than non-invasive skin cancer and cancer in the presence of HIV). This outcome is made possible by not limiting patients to local treatment, but rather making use of global best practice, research, expertise, technology and innovation.” Customers benefit from:• The experience and knowledge of the leading experts in any covered condition at Harvard Medical School to review the diagnosis of their condition and create a treatment plan that they believe will provide the best chance of recovery from the condition• A dedicated local care manager is appointed who will be the point of contact throughout the process, overseeing everything from logistics to explanations of medical treatment• Travel to and accommodation in the US is arranged and paid for by the policy• Treatment and recuperation within a hospital rated in the top 1% of US hospitals for the specific condition is paid for directly by the policy. Perfect Health Cash Plans has a new insurance plan for families, the self-employed and businesses. Surgical Cash is a health cash plan that pays a fixed sum of money should customers need an operation. They can choose the treatment privately in the UK or abroad. Alternatively, they can keep the money and have treatment on the NHS.The customer has to make all arrangements for treatment and travel, whether in the UK or Europe, and gets cash back from the insurers after treatment. Perfect Health Cash Plans is a specialist health insurance intermediary. Cover is underwritten by Compass Underwriting. Surgical Cash plan is insurance for when people are really ill and require a surgical procedure, but is much cheaper than traditional private medical insurance. Several dental and cash plans in the UK now allow customers to choose whether they get treated at home or go to Europe, but all work on a reimbursement basis where the customer pays out, arranges travel and treatment, then gets some money back from insurers. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=402950 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 16:53:17 GMT 20121130165317 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:13:51 GMT 20121130151351 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 16:53:17 GMT 201211301645317 Local doctors on Belize were originally opposed to plans to make the tiny island a medical tourism destination, but now support the proposals. Concerned that their income would suffer if American doctors were flown in to undertake treatment, and piqued at not being consulted before the original plans were made public, members of the Belize Medical and Dental Association (BDMA) were vociferously opposed at first. Now that they have been included in the planning process, they are behind the initiative. Dr. Joel Cervantes of BDMA says medical tourism will up the standard of healthcare provided in Belize: “As medical and dental experts, our wish is to be involved. Belizean doctors and dentists cannot do all the work as we lack specialist expertise. By having medical tourism come to Belize the standard of medicine practice here both for locals and for our foreign guests is going to be better.” BMDA has been working with the Ministry of Health on a medical bill that will regulate the medical tourism sector. That bill is expected to go to Cabinet soon. The consultations on medical tourism have been going on for several months. Massimo Manzie, a consultant hired to draft a strategy has delivered a draft of a medical tourism policy, "Belize has a lot to offer to medical tourist. This is a renowned retirement destination for Americans and an English speaking country; so has advantages that customers will not face the same communication problems as in many Latin America countries." Dr. Peter Allen, Ministry of Health, adds, "We see ourselves playing the role of catalyst and making sure that we can try to create the proper environment through which this industry can prosper - driven by the private sector. We have an important role in creating the appropriate regularity framework to make sure that it is done in a safe way." Dr. Joel Cervantes, BMDA comments, "We want a proper model to be put into place. Much needed funds will come from foreign investors, and there might be local investors involved." Mike Singh of the Ministry of Trade concludes, “The vision of the government is to develop an industry that will create employment and also improve healthcare for Belizeans. Many Belizeans actually travel to Merida, Guatemala and Miami for medical attention, as our local services do not satisfy our market. We can bring that business back to Belize and also bring additional international medical patients to Belize.” http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=402946 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 16:43:37 GMT 20121130164337 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:03:26 GMT 20121130150326 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 16:43:37 GMT 201211301644337 Nearly one in two people, surveyed around the world by independent market research group Ipsos, are open to the idea of medical tourism. The Ipsos Public Affairs poll, on behalf of Reuters News, was of 18,731 adults in 24 countries. It found that 18% would definitely consider it, 36% probably would consider it, 30% probably would not consider it, and 16% definitely would not. This is interesting for medical tourism as it shows that there are two types of customer to target – those who are in favour, and those who may consider it; while time should not be wasted on the half of the population who are against it. One warning on the figures is that the poll assumed that medical services overseas are cheaper, and did not take into account those who will pay as much or more overseas due to quality or availability. There is also a danger in such surveys that what people say they might do is very different from what people actually do in the real world. So, the absolute percentages may be misleading in terms of the real likelihood of medical travel. It does however provide some insight into how medical travel is viewed in one country compared to another. According to Ipsos, those from India (35%), Indonesia (32%), Russia (32%), Mexico (31%) and Poland (31%) are most likely to say they definitely would go abroad for medical services. On the other hand, those from Japan (3%), South Korea (5%), Spain (7%), France (8%), Belgium (9%) and Sweden (9%) are least likely to go overseas. Demographically, younger adults appear more open to going abroad to for medical or dental work. On the global aggregate level, those under the age of 35 (19%) and those aged 35-49 (19%) and more likely than those aged 50-64 (15%) to say they definitely would go. These findings were part of a monthly poll on a variety of subjects in August 2012. The survey is conducted in 24 countries via the Ipsos Online Panel system. The countries reporting are Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United States of America. An international sample of 18,713 adults aged 18-64 in the US and Canada, and age 16-64 in all other countries, were interviewed. 1000+ individuals participated on a country by country basis with the exception of Argentina, Indonesia, Mexico, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Russia and Turkey, where each have a sample 500+. Nicolas Boyon of Ipsos told Reuters, “The concept of medical tourism is well accepted in many countries. With the exception of Japan there are at least one third of consumers in every country we covered that are open to the idea. Indians, Indonesians, Russians, Mexicans and Poles are the most open to the idea of being medically mobile. People in Japan, South Korea, Spain and Sweden are least likely to be medical tourists. I am intrigued by the percentage of people in developed nations such as Italy, where 66 % said they would definitely or probably consider medical tourism, along with Germany (48%), Canada (41%) and the United States, where 38% of people were open to the idea. Italy and Germany are near Hungary, a popular destination for health. It is a reflection that the medical profession is no longer protected from globalization.” Boyon added, “The medical tourist industry is dynamic and volatile and a range of factors including the economic climate, domestic policy changes, political instability, travel restrictions, advertising practices, geo-political shifts, and innovative and pioneering forms of treatment may all contribute towards shifts in patterns of consumption and production of domestic and overseas health services." In India, 86% of young adults said they would consider medical tourism, along with 77% in China, and 71% in Italy. The results are simplistic so have to be treated with caution in that what people say they may consider buying is rarely followed up by actual purchase. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=402944 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 16:41:39 GMT 20121130164139 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:56:43 GMT 20121130145643 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 16:41:39 GMT 201211301644139 South Korea has been busy with teaching hospital executives about medical tourism, targeting Japan, and working out what it has to do better. Medical tourism training is usually targeted at agents and employees, but the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) takes a different view. The latest course in Seoul was only for 21 chief executives and directors from top local hospitals. The “First Global Healthcare CEO Course” at the Palace Hotel in Seoul's Gangnam area was directed at promoting the nation's medical tourism industry through a special medical course for bosses of the nation's key medical institutions including hospitals. The course programme included-• The needs and prospects for international cooperation in medical tourism.• Trends of global healthcare.• Strategy for overseas medical market.• Success cases of medical tourism.• Medical tourism policy of overseas institutions. The government backed course sought to help hospitals to work out their strategy for promoting medical tourism. Japan is the biggest tourism source market for South Korea while over 70% of tourists to Korea are from Japan, Hong Kong, China and Taiwan. Most medical tourists are Japanese seeking cosmetic surgery. In Korea, there are over 100 such cosmetic and dental surgery clinics competing for business. The number of foreign medical tourists to Korea was 60,201 in 2009 and doubled to 122,297 in 2011. It is expected to reach 250,000 by 2014 and by 2020 it will grow to 1 million. At a recent Korean conference on medical tourism, delegates spent time discussing what needs to improve-• Medical tourism needs a high level of expertise. Travel agents are not qualified for that. A lot of trust is required for medical treatment because you invest your health and life into it. So with medical tourism you need specialist medical tourism agencies working with patients and hospitals.• The best medical agencies are run by doctors. Korea needs agents with a medical background who can give consultation and connect patients to healthcare centres in Korea.• A good example is Russia, which has a huge agency in Vladivostok. Doctors do not get paid very well so they become agents. Such professional agents enhance the quality of the tour agents. John Linton of Yonsei University Severance Hospital adds, “Korean hospitals have many good points but weaknesses as well. The reception areas are crowded, hospitalization lacks privacy, and there is limited time for doctors to examine or speak to patients. For medical tourism to grow and for Korea to attract more foreign patients, Korean hospitals need to do more to meet their needs. We need to separate space and staff for international patients, and doctors and administrators fluent in English must be on call all-day. We need designated professionals for international patients as well as professionally trained nurses.” Builders have broken ground at Jeju Healthcare Town in Seogwipo City on the island of Jeju.Jeju Healthcare Town will become a destination for medical tourism, including wellness and recreational tourism. The development plan includes a wellness mall, well-being food zone, and healing garden in the second phase; and anti-aging centres in the third phase. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=402951 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:54:08 GMT 20121130155408 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:43:09 GMT 20121130154309 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:54:08 GMT 201211301535408 New research suggests that migrants to EU countries may prefer to go home for healthcare, not just for a short time, but for their lifetime after a permanent move to a new country. The research is based on 2007 figures and is only on one EU country and one country source of migrants within that country. But no similar studies have been done. The question that should fascinate medical tourism, and not within the scope of this research, is whether or not the next generation, and those who were migrants as young children, still have a need or desire to travel to their parents' home country for medical treatment? “Use of cross-border healthcare services among ethnic Danes, Turkish immigrants and Turkish descendants in Denmark: a combined survey and registry study” for BMC Health Services Research, is an abstract published in Biomed in advance of the full report. The authors are Signe Smith Nielsen, Suzan Yazici, Signe Gronwald Petersen, Anne Leonora Blaakilde and Allan Krasnik Abstract (provisional) from BioMed: Background Healthcare obtained abroad may conflict with care received in the country of residence. A special concern for immigrants has been raised as they may have stronger links to healthcare services abroad. Our objective was to investigate use of healthcare in a foreign country in Turkish immigrants, their descendants, and ethnic Danes. Methods The study was based on a nationwide survey in 2007 with 372 Turkish immigrants, 496 descendants, and 1,131 ethnic Danes aged 18--66. Data were linked to registry data on socioeconomic factors. Using logistic regression models, use of doctor, specialist doctor, hospital, dentist in a foreign country as well as medicine from abroad were estimated. Analyses were adjusted for socioeconomic factors and health symptoms. Results Overall, 26.6% among Turkish immigrants made use of cross-border healthcare, followed by 19.4% among their descendants to 6.7% among ethnic Danes. With ethnic Danes as the reference group, Turkish immigrants were seen to have made increased use of general practitioners, specialist doctors, hospitals, and dentists in a foreign country, while Turkish descendants had made increased use of specialist doctors and borderline statistically significant increased use of hospitals and dentists, but not general practitioners. For medicine, we found no differences among the men, but women with an immigrant background made considerably greater use, compared with ethnic Danish women. Socioeconomic position and health symptoms had a fairly explanatory effect on the use in the different groups. Conclusions Use of cross-border healthcare may have consequences for the continuity of care, including conflicts in the medical treatment, for the patient. Nonetheless, it may be aligned with the patient's preferences and thereby beneficial for the patient. We need more information about reasons for obtaining cross-border healthcare among immigrants residing in European countries, and the consequences for the patient and the healthcare systems, including the quality of care. The Danish healthcare system needs to be aware of the significant healthcare consumption by immigrants, especially medicine among women, outside Denmark's borders.” The complete article is available as a provisional PDF. The fully formatted PDF and HTML versions are in production. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=402945 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:01:58 GMT 20121130150158 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:58:33 GMT 20121130145833 Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:01:58 GMT 201211301530158 Iran has become a destination for Omani nationals needing medical treatment. The number of Omanis visiting Iran for medical tourism is on the rise with 5,000 Omanis seeking treatment in the country every year, according to the Iranian Embassy in Muscat. A third of Iranian visas issued in Muscat are for medical tourism. Abdul Majid al Borzi of the Iranian Embassy in Oman explains, “We offer care at a fraction of the cost when compared to other destinations. GCC nationals who were previously seeking treatment in Europe, South Asia and South East Asia are being drawn to Iran. With daily flights from Muscat to Tehran, an express service at the embassy which issues visas to Omani nationals in a day or two at the most, increased interest from travel agents who specialise in medical packages and an abundance of top level medical specialists in Iran, the statistics from our visa section show a sharp increase in applications for medical reasons.” Iran has seen a noticeable increase in Omani patients in Iran. In the past, the majority of GCC patients went to Shiraz for eye surgery as it is closer to the GCC than Tehran, but by promoting Iran's medical capabilities in different fields and facilities for Omani patients, there has been an increase of patients in Tehran and Mashhad. Iranian hospitals that hold a medical tourism license from the Ministry of Health arrange airport transfers as well as accommodation. In addition, a nurse can be assigned to each patient. Shookoofeh Dehkordi for the private Moheb Hospital in Tehran adds, “ In addition to the GCC, many patients come from Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iraq and India. Iranian ophthalmologists are renowned throughout the region, we also have speciality services in cardiology, kidney transplants, urology and general surgery.” Moheb Hospital is an Iranian pioneer in treating foreign patients as a planned service. Since 2004, there have been patients from overseas for kidney transplantation and urology non-invasive surgeries. After a while, Moheb increased the range of services. In Iran, private kidney transplants are legal. Iran accepts that is pointless trying to attract Americans or Western Europeans. Pressure continues to mount on Iran over its nuclear programme; and the presence of US and EU warships off the coast, is hardly conducive to attracting American or European medical tourists. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=401602 Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:50:45 GMT 20121116095045 Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:46:15 GMT 20121116094615 Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:50:45 GMT 201211160995045 Glenn Cohen of Harvard Law School has written a new book called, “Patients with Passports: Medical Tourism, Law, and Ethics.” He is lecturing and publishing extracts, but the book will not be published until late 2013. The focus of his year as a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, the book examines three categories of medical tourism:• Services that are legal in the home and destination countries (hip replacement, cardiac bypass); • Services that are illegal in the home country but legal in the destination country (abortion, assisted suicide, reproductive technologies, stem cell treatment); • Services that are illegal in both places (organ sale). He describes the myriad of problems associated with each category, including quality of care, adequate documentation, doctor-patient relationship, and proper patient information. The concept of the book is that medical tourism has benefits, but also raises ethical and legal questions. Glenn Cohen comments, “There is a concern that a foreign country's poor population is being treated at the expense of the host country's poor residents. When I go to medical tourism conferences, I am always surprised at how many people are in marketing. It seems like an industry much more dominated by the business and the marketing people rather than the healthcare people.” Part of Cohen's book focuses on medical practices that are illegal worldwide, such as the sale of human organs. Organized crime often plays an important role in the illicit trade that involves a seller, transportation of the organ from one country to another and a doctor willing to perform the transplant surgery. There can also be serious medical complications. Patients may contract an antibiotic-resistant infection, and many donors report getting sicker and requiring additional treatment after surgery, producing an ever-greater drain on the home nation's health care system. In researching the illegal organ donor market, Cohen was most shocked by the blurring of deep cultural divides. “Ethnic rivalries get crossed here. You have Israelis buying Palestinian kidneys.” Then there are the patients who are willing to travel for medical services that are illegal in their home countries but legal elsewhere. Some terminally ill Europeans travel to Switzerland, where there is no residency requirement and where assisted suicide is permitted. Some Americans and Europeans travel abroad because parental surrogacy is either illegal at home or is cheaper elsewhere. Such practices raise complicated ethical questions on surrogacy clinics in India, where young women of childbearing age sign contracts and are paid a fee to be artificially inseminated. They are housed in a dormlike facility for the duration of their pregnancies. While there, the women are carefully monitored and must adhere to strict rules. Some people go to another country, as the treatment is not available at home. This can be simple unavailability or that the home country is not satisfied with the outcome or safety of the procedure. Cohen comments, “I was shocked at the number of parents taking their children abroad for stem cell therapy to treat conditions such as neurodegenerative and other diseases without strong evidence that it works.” Cohen says that medical tourism has noticeably increased in the past 12 years due to the ease and diminishing costs of travel, increasing healthcare costs, and globalization. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=401601 Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:46:15 GMT 20121116094615 Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:39:54 GMT 20121116093954 Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:46:15 GMT 201211160994615 A leading cardiologist is to build a stem cell lab in the Bahamas. Dr. Conville Brown will build the $2.5 million lab at his Bahamas Heart Center clinic. The plan follows the first cardiac stem cell treatment on the island. In conjunction with the Orlando-based stem cell company Advanced Innovative Medicine, Dr. Brown successfully performed the treatment on a 62-year-old American man who was experiencing heart problems after suffering a heart attack in 1989.The man had advance cardiac disease with blockage of blood going to his heart. A team of 15 people took one year to prepare for the procedure. Dr Brown says, “For medical tourism, it presents a niche because it provides a service for people outside the country which they not get where they came from.” The procedure is an expensive one. A lot of technology is involved in stem cell therapy. The generation of the development of the expansion of the stem cells is a procedure that generally attracts a price of $20,000 to $30,000 just for the cells. The total price is in the $40,000 to $50,000 range globally. The cost in the Bahamas was significantly reduced. The Bahamas government is planning to establish guidelines for doctors wanting to practice stem cell research or treatments. Dr. Brown explains why he is building the new facility that should be ready within 6 months, “We want to set up our own stem cell manufacturing facility. It is all about giving the patient the convenience of a one-stop shop. The patient could come to The Bahamas, have their blood drawn, their cells processed and administered all under one roof and then fly back home; all done at one place at one time with one price and one package.” The technique, using the body's own cells, does not have regulatory approval in the USA. Doctors Hospital is also planning to set up a stem cell lab by early 2013. It has launched an international patient programme at The Bahamas Medical Centre, which is part of Doctors Hospital Health System .The new centre has operating rooms, private patient rooms, an athletic centre and swimming pool facilities. Barry Rassin of Doctors Hospital explains, “ Medical tourism has taken off in parts of Central and South America. We see great potential for the Bahamas. We cannot compete on price with India, Thailand, Mexico or Costa Rica. But we can be 25% to 35% cheaper than average US prices. There are direct flights to here from major US cities.” http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=401599 Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:39:54 GMT 20121116093954 Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:31:10 GMT 20121116093110 Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:39:54 GMT 201211160993954 The Tourism Authority of Thailand says medical tourism is a key magnet that will draw more tourists to Thailand and help to generate higher tourism spending. The government has set a lofty tourism revenue target of 2 trillion baht by the year 2015 and that has prompted the TAT to identify segments that could lift revenue. Last year according to the Ministry of Tourism, Thailand earned Bt776, 217 million from international tourism. Spending per head on medical tourism is high at Bt130,000 per trip with an average stay of one week. Most of the spending goes on medical treatment and 30% for hotel and food expenses. The spending average does not include airline tickets. Vilaiwan Twichasi of TAT says medical tourism enjoys a strong growth rate, “It will play an important role in tourism revenue by 2015.” TAT views Russia, China and the Middle East as the main sources of medical tourism. Russian visitors are interested in traditional Thai medicine, while cosmetic surgery is the top treatment for Chinese visitors. The Middle East market, the biggest in revenue and numbers, is mainly concentrated on hospitals in the Ploenchit-Sukumvit road area. Travellers from Singapore and Hong Kong seek cosmetic surgery. TAT suggests numbers of 1.4 million for 2010, but that includes all health and spa tourism. China and Russia offer the best growth potential. Medical tourism is a rising star as Thailand seeks to boost tourism revenue to 2 trillion baht by 2015. The pressure to hit the 2-trillion-baht target has caused TAT to increase promotion of cosmetic surgery, stem-cell treatment, spas and traditional and alternative medicine. Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam also hold future potential if the Asean Economic Community (AEC) becomes a reality in 2015. Thailand sees Singapore as the key competitor for complex surgery, South Korea for cosmetic surgery, and Malaysia as a destination for Muslims. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=401598 Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:28:41 GMT 20121116092841 Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:17:58 GMT 20121116091758 Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:28:41 GMT 201211160992841 A new website for people seeking dental implant advice has been launched by the European Association for Osseointegration (EAO). This is the first European wide initiative of this kind. The website offers 56 answers to the most frequent questions dental implant patients have. The questions are divided under 8 chapters, ranging from the general definition of a dental implant to the specifics of implants and smoking, complications and materials use. The aim is to help people make an informed decision on dental implants Alberto Sicilia, of the EAO explains, “As dentists, when we meet a patient to discuss treatment options, we try to be as thorough as possible. But patients were lacking a supporting tool for making an informed decision. The website covers most questions they have.” The EAO is a Brussels based organisation of leading dentists who undertake implant treatment. Professor Søren Schou of the EAO comments, “ The patient is at the heart of everything we do. We are proud to share our knowledge with patients.” The website and guidebook were funded entirely by the EAO with no external sponsorship, ensuring that it is free of commercial influence. Both website and guidebook are available in English, French, Spanish, German and Italian. Other European languages will follow. Clever cartoon design has been used on this project for a user-friendly finish. The website also features a practical search tool to find the nearest EAO member, and ten 3D practical educational videos. The European Association for Osseointegration (EAO) is a non-profit organisation founded in Munich in 1991. It is an international, interdisciplinary and independent science based forum for all professionals interested in implant treatment. EAO aims to improve the quality of patient care by bridging the gap between science and clinical practice as the leading association within the field of implant dentistry in Europe. It promotes the international exchange of information through networking of dentists and scientists within implant dentistry. It initiates, publishes and promotes research. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=401596 Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:17:58 GMT 20121116091758 Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:07:13 GMT 20121116090713 Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:17:58 GMT 201211160991758 The Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency (PAIiIZ) is organizing a 3 day study tour to Poland for insurance companies, government health departments, tour agents, and businesses who are responsible for sending patients abroad for treatment. The study tour is part of a three year project to promote Polish medical tourism services. The promotional campaign focuses on Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Russia, UK and USA. Two representatives will be invited from each country. The tour will take place in November/December 2012. Accommodation for 3 nights, meals during the stay, airline tickets, and transport will be funded by PAIiIZ. To apply for inclusion in the study tour, contact Karolina Dresler, Project Manager, Polish Medical Tourism Promotion, Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency, tel. +48 22 334 99 62. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=400512 Mon, 05 Nov 2012 11:14:34 GMT 20121105111434 Mon, 05 Nov 2012 10:59:59 GMT 20121105105959 Mon, 05 Nov 2012 11:14:34 GMT 2012110511111434 A workshop tour of several Gulf countries that highlighted the benefits of going to German hospitals and clinics by the German National Tourist Office (GNTO), and the German National Tourist Board (GNTB), recently ended in Abu Dhabi. Petra Hedorfer of GNTB comments, ”After the success of the previous years, medical tourism to Germany was once again the marketing focus of this road show. The workshops aimed at showcasing to the local travel industry, media, and medical experts the development of initiatives specifically tailored to meet the needs of visitors arriving from the GCC countries." Germany has been targeting Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE and this will continue in 2013 as the two organizations expect that there will be an increase in medical tourists going to Germany for the next few years, and one of the biggest suppliers will be Gulf countries, despite the massive hospital building programme in the region. Antje Roeding-Boudier of GNTO explains,” The unparalleled level of collaboration between science, research, industry and hospitals has transformed Germany in a primary destination for medical tourism. Arab patients go to Germany not only for the high level medical infrastructures, staff and technologies, but also for several specialised services. We will continue targeting international patients and supporting the outstanding global reputation of the German medical sector." Health and medical tourism are a key focus for the sales and marketing activities for GNTB. Since 2010, it has been raising the profile of Germany's medical facilities through the 'medical travel' theme and a global cross-media campaign on medical tourism. A brochure promoting medical travel is available in Arabic. In response to positive feedback, the print brochure is being redesigned and the online content is being updated on the 26-language GNTB website. Over 900 Qatari nationals travelled to Germany for treatment from January to September this year, choosing the country mainly for advanced medical care and rehabilitation. In 2011, 12,600 visas for Qataris were issued for travel to Germany, 5% of which were medical visas. The number this year has gone up, with 18,400 visas issued till September, 5% of which were for medical reasons. The German healthcare system is working hard to patients from Arabic speaking countries by offering translators, as well as assistance on location, transport and accommodation. An Armenian newspaper reports an unnamed source of international research, that shows Germany and Israel are the primary choice for those traveling to foreign countries with treatment purposes from Russia and CIS states. Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) unites: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine. According to the newspaper, so far in 2012 more than 26,000 people from CIS countries have undergone treatment in German hospitals. The reasons for choosing German hospitals go beyond the medical ones. Germany is seen as having a higher level of security than many competitors (fewest terrorist attacks), excellent climatic conditions (CIS residents have fewer problems of acclimatization in Germany compared to hotter countries). The hospitals of Munich are considered the best in the world. Germany is much dearer than the other most popular destination for CIS countries, Israel. It too has an excellent medical reputation but is less well geared up for medical tourists, while the political tensions and climate are factors against going there. On the other hand Israel offers more affordable treatment and most hospitals have Russian speaking doctors and nurses. The survey suggests that CIS countries are now the vast majority of medical tourists going to Israel; 48% of patients come from Ukraine and Russia, 37% from Turkey, Cyprus, Palestine, and 14% from other CIS countries, particularly Armenia. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=400191 Fri, 02 Nov 2012 15:40:21 GMT 20121102154021 Thu, 01 Nov 2012 10:21:24 GMT 20121101102124 Fri, 02 Nov 2012 15:40:21 GMT 201211021534021 Up to 500 Scottish NHS patients may be sent to Europe for surgery as a health board struggles to meet treatment targets. NHS Lothian said patients would be offered alternative measures at clinics in countries such as Norway, Spain or Belgium because they cannot provide the legal guarantee of treatment within 12 weeks. Those due to receive surgery in December may have to travel abroad for their operations. Between 400 and 500 patients are set to miss the December deadline. Tim Davidson of NHS Lothian says, " Any patient listed for inpatient or day case treatment from 1 October has a legal right to be treated within 12 weeks. We cannot break the new law. If we keep going the way we are, we could have 400 to 500 patients who require complex procedures who may not be seen. Our job is to try and treat them locally and we will do all we can to ensure that happens. If we cannot do that we will try to do it in Scotland, if we cannot do it in Scotland we will try in England, and after that it is Europe, but we expect the numbers who are offered treatment outside Scotland to be low." Patients who stay in hospitals outside Scotland may have to stay there for more than a week, but flight and accommodation costs for a family member would also be paid. NHS Lothian has a poor track record as a recent official report confirmed allegations of bullying in the hospital, financial problems, and that it had provided fraudulent waiting list figures to hit Scottish government targets. NHS Lothian provides a range of primary, community-based and acute hospital services for the populations of Edinburgh, Midlothian, East Lothian and West Lothian. It provides services for the second largest residential population in Scotland - 800,000 people. Scotland's ruling political party, the SNP, argues that NHS budgets in Scotland will only be protected through independence. £100,000 is lost from the Scottish block grant for health for every £1 million that is cut from the UK health budget, figures from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre show. The SNP said the Scottish Government has a "cast-iron commitment" to protect the principles of the NHS.A new Audit Scotland report showed health boards broke even last year but face more pressure to balance their books in 2012-13, with savings of over £270 million required. Bob Doris of the SNP says, "Ultimately, the only way for Scotland's NHS to be protected in the long term is for all of the economic and policy decisions to be made here in Scotland, and for Scotland to be in charge of our own resources with an independent Parliament." Whether or not Scotland votes to become independent in 2013, as Scotland and England are separate countries with differing rules on the NHS in each, then it can be argued that a Scottish health trust that sends patients to England, is engaging in medical tourism in exactly the same way if those patients were sent to Norway. In Scotland, NHS patients requiring planned inpatient or day case treatment are now covered by a treatment time guarantee enshrined in law. The new guarantee was introduced at the start of October. The guarantee means that patients have a legal right to receive treatment within a maximum of 12 weeks from when they are diagnosed and agreed to the treatment. The guarantee is one of the rights in the Charter of Patient Rights and Responsibilities that brings together, in one place, a summary of the rights and responsibilities that patients have when using NHS services in Scotland. The treatment guarantee does not apply to NHS patients in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=400201 Thu, 01 Nov 2012 11:01:26 GMT 20121101110126 Thu, 01 Nov 2012 10:55:09 GMT 20121101105509 Thu, 01 Nov 2012 11:01:26 GMT 2012110111110126 A growing number of people in Greece are putting off having dental care locally as a result of cost, while dental tourism is becoming more popular, with an increasing number of Greek dental patients visiting Balkan states to save money on treatment. Economic problems in the country have forced many to cut back on spending on general living costs and dental care has become an unaffordable luxury for many. The situation is so bad that some dentists have also decided to move abroad for job security and increased income. Athanasios Devliotis of the Thessalonika Dental Association says that there have been significant reductions in the amount of work for dentists in both urban and rural areas of up to 50%; dentists offering prosthetic services have seen the biggest decline, with some carrying out 80 % less work. Young dentists have also suffered and this is part of the reason so many dentists are choosing to leave Greece to practice abroad. The number of dentists choosing to move abroad to offer their services is ever growing, with at least 500 having left the country. In 2010 alone, 95 dentists in Attica had certificates issued to supply dental services abroad. In 2011 this climbed to 185 dentists and in the first few months of this year there have been 140 such licenses issued. Another 230 such certificates have been issued to Thessalonikan dentists. Their most popular destination is Britain, followed by Germany and Italy, while there is also a good deal of interest in the Middle East and North Africa Many social security funds have stopped covering dental care following their incorporation into the National Organization for Healthcare Services. Doctors and pharmacists have terminated all services to this organization as they are owed huge sums of money and every promise of payment has been broken. The average price for a crown stands at 300 euros; a three-tooth bridge costs 1,000 euros, while an implant sets patients back by 1,200 to 1,500 euros. Foreign patients, many from the UK, consider Greece relatively cheap for dental care, and dental tourism packages have been created. The latest Greek austerity package will hit the Greek health sector with further cuts to the health system. Savings of €2 billion will mean one in ten doctors and other medical staff losing their jobs in public hospitals. There are already daily protests by doctors, nurses and patients all over the country as they have all suffered from cuts in wages, cuts to pensions and higher taxes. According to the aid organization Doctors Without Borders, the funding of public hospitals in Greece has plummeted by 40 % since 2008, while demand for treatment has increased significantly. Serious shortages have developed because health service suppliers are not being paid on time. In some cases, vital operations cannot be carried out because suppliers refuse to provide the necessary medicines and/or equipment. Doctors and pharmacists are already owed €230 million by the country's biggest health insurance company, EOPYY. As a result, patients must pay in advance at pharmacies and also for some doctors' services and submit the bills later to their health insurer. Such upfront payments are often impossible for the old, the poor and the chronically ill, meaning they have to do without medicines and treatment. EOPYY has a €1.5 billion hole in its current budget due to the decline in contributions to the company as a result of the recession and rapidly growing unemployment, as well as the partial insolvency of the Greek government. In a developed country, millions of people are now being denied health care. Many private clinics and hospitals have closed, and others are struggling. Many Greek doctors are expected to move abroad, while those decreasingly few Greeks with money are either leaving the country or increasingly seeking healthcare overseas. Journalists publishing lists of Greek residents who hide money overseas have been arrested, while there are daily violent clashes on the streets; it is a country in political and economic meltdown. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=400199 Thu, 01 Nov 2012 10:55:08 GMT 20121101105508 Thu, 01 Nov 2012 10:45:20 GMT 20121101104520 Thu, 01 Nov 2012 10:55:08 GMT 2012110110105508 Walmart, the largest employer in the USA, will from the start of 2013, offer insured employees heart, spine and transplant surgery for no out-of-pocket cost, and will pay for their travel at eight hospitals around the nation. An increasing number of national employers are copying the trend. This is not the company's first entry into domestic medical tourism as since 1996, Wal-Mart Stores has urged employees and their dependents to use the Mayo Clinic's three hospitals for organ transplants. It has been an open secret that the company was planning to extend its use of domestic medical tourism as part of its efforts to control healthcare costs. It had looked at and decided firmly against sending employees to other countries for treatment; for reasons of cost, control, quality and employee concerns. Wal-Mart's employee insurance policies have high deductibles and out-of-pocket requirements. By using a hospital in the new network, patients could save as much as $5000. There are 1.1 million people, including workers' family members, covered by Wal-Mart healthcare plans in the USA; but not all employees sign up for its healthcare plans, and part-time employees are not eligible until they work for the chain for one year, so there are as many workers not insured as are insured. Wal-Mart is adding Aetna and UnitedHealth Group as administrators for its medical plans. It already has Blue Cross Blue Shield administer its programmes, and now one of the three companies will handle the process, depending on the location of a particular worker. Walmart has signed with six of the leading hospital and health systems in the USA; Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland; Geisinger Medical Center in Danville; Mayo Clinic sites in Rochester, Scottsdale/Phoenix, and Jacksonville; Mercy Hospital Springfield in Springfield; Scott & White Memorial Hospital in Texas; and Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle. Sally Welborn of Walmart says, “We have identified health care systems that meet the highest quality standards for heart, spine and transplant surgery. Through these hospital systems, our associates will have no out-of-pocket expenses and a greater peace of mind knowing they are receiving exceptional care from a facility that specializes in the procedure they require. This is the first time a retailer has offered a comprehensive, nationwide program for heart, spine and transplant surgery.” Walmart's associates and their dependents who are enrolled in the company's medical plans will receive consultations and care covered at 100 % without deductible or coinsurance, plus travel, lodging and food for the patient and a caregiver. Patients must be healthy enough to travel for the surgeries. Four of the designated health care systems -- Cleveland Clinic, Geisinger Medical Center, Scott & White Memorial Hospital and Virginia Mason Medical Center, will offer specific procedures for cardiac surgery that include open heart surgery for coronary artery bypass grafting, heart valve replacement/repair, closures of heart defects, thoracic and aortic aneurysm repair and other complex cardiac surgeries. Three of the health care systems -- Mercy Hospital Springfield, Scott & White Memorial Hospital and Virginia Mason Medical Center will perform spine procedures that will include cervical and lumbar spinal fusion, total disk arthroplasty, spine surgery revisions and other complex spine surgeries. Transplants will continue to be provided by the Mayo Clinic. Lowe's started offering fully covered cardiac surgery at Cleveland Clinic in 2010 for its 234,000 employees on its insurance plan. The programme expanded to chronic pain management and spinal surgery in September 2012. The number of Lowe's employees taking advantage of the service has significantly exceeded expectations, with patients from 23 states. Boeing now has a similar arrangement for heart surgery at Cleveland Clinic for the company's 83,000 nonunion employees, dependents and retirees. For 2013 250,000 PepsiCo employees can travel to Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore for heart surgery and joint replacements with no out-of-pocket costs. HCR ManorCare, with 60,000 employees, has begun offering fully covered cardiac surgery at Cleveland Clinics. Dallas-based Energy Future Holdings has hired local health care consultants ACAP Health to guide its employees toward local doctors and hospitals with higher-quality outcomes and lower costs. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=400195 Thu, 01 Nov 2012 10:45:19 GMT 20121101104519 Thu, 01 Nov 2012 10:32:15 GMT 20121101103215 Thu, 01 Nov 2012 10:45:19 GMT 2012110110104519 Malaga has ambitious plans to become a healthcare destination. Malaga Health, set up by a group of local surgeons, will aim to attract patients to clinics, hospitals and treatment centres on the Costa del Sol. According to the group, the initiative could help boost Malaga's tourism industry by €250 million annually in three years, as health tourism becomes increasingly popular. Co-founder Miguel Such explains,” We are sitting on an untapped goldmine and we do not even realise it. None of us are motivated by money. We are embarking on this project to help Malaga. Health tourism is not being fully taken advantage of in Malaga considering the resources we have. The average incoming patient will spend around €10,000.” Costa del Sol has many private clinics and hospitals. The Malaga Health project is also backed by the University of Malaga, Agencia Idea and Turismo Andalucia. Over 30 hospitals, clinics and other providers have already signed up including Xanit International hospital in Benalmadena, Hospital Parque San Antonio in Malaga, Marbella's Clinica Ochoa, the Santa Elena Clinic in Torremolinos and several specialist hospitals in Malaga. Participating luxury hotels include the Villa Padierna (Benahavís and Carratraca), Vincci (Marbella) and the El Fuerte chain. To get the project off the ground the sum of €700,000 has already been raised. Consultants Deloitte have been hired to put together a business plan. As part of its tourism faculty, Malaga University is to create a new department of tourism, health and wellbeing. Whether it will be called Malaga Health, Costa de Sol Health, the current rather clumsy title of Tourism & Health Spain, or something a bit catchier, is yet to be decided. At launch it expects as many as 20,000 local health and tourism professionals to be involved in the campaign, which is likely to focus on European countries as that is where Spain gets almost all its tourists from. The region is already well known for health tourism as it has many spas, health centres, Arabic baths and spa hotels. Xanit International Hospital offers many services and has specialist units for cardiology and oncology. Hospital Parque San Antonio is a general hospital. Clinica Ochoa is a general clinic. Santa Elena Clinic specializes in helping tourists. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=400188 Thu, 01 Nov 2012 10:21:23 GMT 20121101102123 Thu, 01 Nov 2012 10:06:44 GMT 20121101100644 Thu, 01 Nov 2012 10:21:23 GMT 2012110110102123 90% of medical tourists to Costa Rica come from the USA and Canada, and the figure is very similar for Colombia and Mexico. New figures from the Council for the International Promotion of Costa Rica Medicine (PROMED) indicate that 2012 will close with a figure of 45,000 medical tourists who chose the country for some type of medical procedure. This compares to 40,000 in 2011 and 36,000 in 2010. On average, medical tourists pay $7,000 for an average stay of 15 days, which represents an income of $300 million annually for the country. These tourists usually travel accompanied by at least one person, which increases travel expenses. Regular tourists on average spend $1,200 per visit. PROMED says that 90 % of medical tourists come from the United States and Canada, attracted mainly by lower rates on dentistry, cosmetic surgery and orthopedics. 90% of medical tourists to Colombia come from the USA, and all but a handful are Colombian expatriates or their descendants. Mexico is almost completely dependent on US medical tourists. Government agency ProExport Colombia has selected Stackpole & Associates in collaboration with The Center for Medical Tourism Research to conduct its national medical travel market analysis. Andres Castellanos of ProExport Colombia says, "Their sophisticated market analysis capabilities combined with practical marketing results will have significant impact on the medical travel sector for Colombia". The country has invested substantial sums in improving and expanding its health care infrastructure, creating the environment to provide healthcare services to increasing numbers of international patients. The marketing project is the next step in raising Colombia's profile in medical travel. Irving Stackpole of Stackpole & Associates comments, "At one hospital alone, doctors perform 40 heart transplants per month. This is the type of skill and expertise that Colombia has to offer the world". Over the next several months, the team including Elizabeth Ziemba of Medical Tourism Training and Margaret Ball, of Health Links International, will be conducting original research to identify the best competitive marketing position for the country. Dr. David Vequist of the Center for Medical Tourism Research says, "We will capture and analyse primary data on the preferences of potential medical tourists for Colombian healthcare destinations. The results of this research will be vital in the development of the country's marketing plan.” MediExcel Health Plan has received regulatory approval to operate in California as a cross-border HMO plan. MediExcel, Mexican-based and doctor-controlled, sells group healthcare cover to US employers in California for workers and eligible dependents to receive healthcare benefits in Baja California. Recognizing the growing US consumer demand for affordable healthcare in Mexico, a new cross-border HMO Plan is selling group healthcare cover in California's San Diego and Imperial Counties in September 2012. California law allows Mexican-based health plans to sell group healthcare cover in California and provide benefits in Mexico. MediExcel mainly use Hospital Excel and PRO-MED Medical Group. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=399301 Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:40:06 GMT 20121022144006 Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:06:48 GMT 20121022140648 Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:40:06 GMT 201210221424006 CroMedicor, a Croatian web portal for medical tourism, has published an extensive survey of dental prices in EU countries and has compared them with prices in dental clinics in Croatia. Research shows dental prices in Croatia are among the lowest in Europe, while UK prices are among the highest. Treatment in Croatia is 50% cheaper than in Slovenia and 70% less than in the United Kingdom. Based on research of prices for several selected dental treatments (implants, crowns, veneers, dentures and teeth whitening) in the UK, Germany, Italy and Slovenia, the research says that Croatian dentists charge significantly less than their European colleagues. Among selected countries the UK was convincingly most expensive where prices of some treatments are even 73% higher than in Croatia. By highest dental prices, the UK is followed by Italy, Slovenia and Germany. It was a surprise to find out that prices in neighbouring Slovenia are often double than those of dentists in Zagreb. For a single tooth implant you could pay 1,800 EUR in the UK, 1,300 EUR in Italian and Slovenian dental clinics, about 1,000 EUR in Germany, while the standard price for a dental implant in Croatia is no more than 800 EUR. Although other price comparisons for dental work have been done, pricing of dental work and other factors have seen much recent change. CroMedicor surveyed up to 10 dental clinics in the UK, Germany, Italy and Slovenia and noted their prices of individual treatments; so the small sample size means the comparisons are more a guide than statistically accurate. German dental prices are assumed to be high, but the survey found that Germany's average dental prices are amongst the lowest in the EU, but still considerably more than in Croatia. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=399308 Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:34:48 GMT 20121022143448 Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:31:46 GMT 20121022143146 Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:34:48 GMT 201210221423448 New research that reveals why many locals and expatriates in the UAE still prefer to go abroad for medical treatment, is a potentially devastating blow to Dubai's attempts to become a major medical tourism destination. Ineffective communication, a lack of specialist services and the length of time it takes to consult with a doctor are among the reasons residents are seeking medical treatment abroad. Emiratis and expatriates who had gone overseas for health care were questioned for Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and results analysed by the Dubai Statistics Centre The knowledge, attitude and perception survey on medical treatment abroad among the population of Dubai is the first such survey to be done examining the knowledge, attitude and perception of the patients who traveled abroad for medical treatment between 2009 and 2012. Laila Al Jassmi of DHA says, "The survey aims at identifying the reasons that lead to patients travelling abroad for medical treatment, and understanding the obstacles patients face and the reasons that hinder their possibility of obtaining health services in the UAE. The survey results will also help understand patient preferences in terms of: price, waiting time and the treating doctor. The analysis of this survey will help us set up evidence-based strategies and policies related to medical treatment abroad; and it will help us in reinforcing Dubai's status as a destination for medical tourism." Juma Abdulla Al Hosani of Dubai Statistics Centre comments, “The survey highlighted that the two main reasons for travel abroad are treatment of joint pains, back problems and for oncology services. The survey pointed out that in many cases people are unaware of the facilities available here. It also highlighted the need for better doctor-patient communication, and enhanced customer satisfaction to ensure people are satisfied with their services." The key findings of the survey include: The main symptoms/ health issues patients complained of before travelling abroad for treatment-• Joint problems 18.2%• Back pain 9.1% Before travelling abroad for treatment, patients usually search for the following information:• Treating doctor experience 23.4%• Reputation of the hospital 21.0%• Past patients successful experience 16.6%• Qualifications of the treating doctor 12.0%• Availability of advanced therapeutic technology 6.5% • Availability of treatment 5.6%*• Treatment costs 3.5%• Period of the trip 2.0%• Opinion of family and friends 1.4%• Travel costs 1.2%)• Treatment side effects and complications 0.7% 8% of the people who travelled abroad for treatment do not seek medical advice in the UAE for the following reasons: • Unavailability of medical skills and equipment 56%• Long waiting time 19%• Not knowing where to go 19%• Cost is too high 4% The top six travel destinations:• Germany 43.1%• Thailand 21.4%• UK 10.6%• India 8.6%• USA 3.9%• Singapore 3.6% 91% showed an overall satisfaction of the services provided abroad:• Singapore 100%• Thailand 96.1%• UK 94.6%• USA 92.9%• India 90.3%• Germany 87.1% 90% would recommend others to seek treatment in the following destinations:• Singapore 100.0%• Germany 90.3%• India 90.3%• Thailand 89.6%• UK 89.2%• USA 85.7% When asked why they went where they did:• Advised by someone 66%• Welcoming environment (language, food, safe) 36%• Been to this country before 30%• Cost of treatment is less than in the UAE 26%• Easy to get to 15% The main reasons for needing treatment:• Cancer 19.7%• Bones and joints diseases 14.1%• Cardiovascular diseases 12.5%• Ophthalmology 6.6%• Neurology and neurosurgery 5.8%• General surgery 5.0%• Nephrology 3.9% During medical consultation, 75% of the patients had questions directed to the treatment doctor and related to:• Qualifications and experience 31.3%• Time needed to recover 23.1%• How long before I can return to UAE 7.3% The main factors for seeking treatment abroad: • Too long waiting time to get an appointment for consultation in UAE 32.4%• Issues related to privacy 27.6%• Unwanted outcomes re treatment of others 24.8%• Unwanted outcomes re treatment of self 22.9%• Anticipating unwanted outcome from treatment in the UAE 21.0%• Negative and improper behavior of the service providers in UAE 21.0% 70% were inpatients and 30% outpatients. 56% said that treatment for their medical condition is not available in the UAE.19% of people who had treatment abroad had treatment side effects. Patients who traveled abroad for treatment were impressed by the following factors related to medical services and wish if they were available in the health services in the UAE:• Easy to book appointment when needed 55.8%• Treating doctor listened 94.4%• Polite and kind medical staff 94.9%• Treating doctor talked clearly about condition 48.9%• Reasonable waiting time 42.8%• Treating doctor explained what might happen in the future35.0%• Consultation and diagnostic tests available in one building 32.5%• Treating doctor explained how to live with medical condition 30.3%• Medical staff able to answer all questions 28.9% The report makes recommendations for Dubai: • Expansion of health services for cancer, orthopedics and spinal surgery • Comprehensive diagnostic, therapeutic and rehabilitative services • Reduce waiting time.• Provide information on service quality including the experience of the treating doctor, reputation of the hospital, previous successful experiences of other patients.• Provide better information on health services, medical staff and medical equipment available • Improve patient privacy • Doctors and other medical staff must focus on the need and requirements of patients. The conclusion is that although Dubai may have many new hospitals and clinics, the way patients are dealt with; cost and waiting times are still problem areas. The study surveyed more than 2,000 people - about one quarter of them expatriates - who travelled abroad for treatment from 2009 until the end of 2011. They were asked about their knowledge of, attitude towards and perception of overseas treatment. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=399307 Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:31:45 GMT 20121022143145 Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:27:27 GMT 20121022142727 Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:31:45 GMT 201210221423145 Austerity measures are harming EU economies and seriously damaging public health, says influential European health group European Health Forum Gastein. This is important for medical tourism as it confirms other evidence that millions of Europeans are struggling financially so are delaying medical treatment, dental treatment and even buying medicines. As the public supply of health care decreases, the private health industry can step in to fill the gaps. There is evidence that those who can afford private healthcare are increasingly doing so across Europe. Professor Martin McKee of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine told the forum “Europe's politicians have to realise that stringent austerity policies are harming their economies as well as the health of their populations.” There is growing evidence of the direct negative effects the crisis and austerity policies are having on people's health and healthcare systems, said McKee, who is finalising research on the impact of the economic crisis for publication later this year.” Professor Helmut Brand added “The subject of health is given much too little attention in the discussion of the financial and economic crisis. But it could offer a window of opportunity at European and at national level to implement reforms that would otherwise not be possible without the crisis, including a reform of the EU health mandate.” In many European countries, austerity measures are having a dramatic effect on health budgets. The current OECD Health Data 2012 report shows that, in 2010, after years of increases in health expenditures, deep cuts were made in a number of European countries: minus 7.6% in Ireland, minus 7.3% in Estonia, minus 6.5% in Greece. Other studies show a 25% reduction in the health budget in Latvia between 2008 and 2010, and a cut of 30% for the Czech Republic. The cuts on 2011, 2012 and beyond are much more severe than in 2010, with some counties looking to cut health expenditure by 20%. It also effects who is entitled to local healthcare. Spain has used a royal decree to change entitlement to health care from residence to employment. Thus young people who have never been employed - as is the case with almost half of all youth - and undocumented migrants risk being excluded from healthcare. In Portugal increases in the rate of co-payment for many services has meant the cost of attendance at an emergency department in a major hospital has doubled to 20 Euros. Initial reports indicate that the death rate began to rise at the beginning of 2012 as a result of this measure. In Italy a reduction in the number hospital beds from 4.5 to 4 per 1,000 population has been introduced, while co-payments are now required for visits to a specialist or an emergency department. Professor McKee concludes, "Some of the measures that have been taken to reduce health expenditures in response to the crisis can be justified, where they have streamlined a previously inefficient system. However, in many cases, such as the introduction of co-payments, where there has been a failure to discriminate between medically necessary and unnecessary utilisation, reforms are not supported by evidence. The full consequences of the various cuts in health care systems can still not be properly foreseen. But it is clear that people with chronic illnesses, such as hypertension, diabetes or cancer are being particularly affected. A breakdown in the supply of essential medicines could be fatal. The silence from health ministers on the human consequences of austerity is shocking.” Health services in Europe need to have greater private sector involvement said Antonio Durán of Técnicas de Salud, "It is unlikely that European States will be able to fund healthcare systems - including new required capital investment - as they have in recent decades. The limits to the direct state provision of health care are marked by the limited investment capacity of governments, in particular in situations of tight budgets and fiscal crises. The public sector needs to concentrate on what it does better: financing and regulation. A majority of funding should be public in order to promote equity. The future health system function may be substantially, but never only, private. Service provision finally may be privatized extensively if socially agreed and if adequate regulation is provided." Dr Thomas Czypionka, of the Vienna Institute for Advanced Studies, added, “Pressure to cut costs in times of recession can create opportunities to accelerate reforms in the health sector. Demand for health services does not depend on the economy. Crises can mean that change has to be implemented which might otherwise not happen till years later. But many European countries have reacted by simply making cuts, even abandoning reforms which had already been put in train, or increasing the burden on individuals for using basic services, either by imposing extra costs or lengthening waiting-lists. The consequences will be felt for many years to come.” Five trends will cause a complete revamping of hospitals in the near future: concentration on the patient as a whole instead of on individual organs, a multidisciplinary approach, continuous care and system integration, and the search for interventions that are highly effective despite involving minimal resources. Health care systems in many countries around the world are facing a sea change. Many changes will be evident in hospitals over the next five years. Dr de Roodenbeke explains: “Until now we have concentrated on treating individual organs or diseases. An approach focusing on the condition of the patient as a whole is more effective and more affordable in the long run. The emphasis in the future will also be on greater continuity in health care, on many areas of specialization collaborating together, on the integration of different systems and on services involving maximum effect and minimal costs. The hospitals that make progress with such measures will fare the best in the long run whereas those whose areas of specialization continue to work on parallel tracks without cooperating will suffer from the changes.” Understanding what is happening within Europe is vital for medical tourism agencies and hospitals to decide what they offer, to whom and where. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=399303 Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:27:27 GMT 20121022142727 Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:18:58 GMT 20121022141858 Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:27:27 GMT 201210221422727 Jordan's medical tourism sector expanded in 2011, says the Private Hospitals Association (PHA). PHA figures show that 240,000 visitors went to the country in 2011 either to receive treatment in private hospitals or to accompany a patient, compared to 220,000 in 2010.Previous PHA figures showed that the sector brought in 220,000 visitors in 2009, 200,000 in 2008, and 190,000 in 2007. Whether these figures include or exclude international travellers and local expatriates is debatable, but even if they do not, there are concerns for the future. The country no longer gets medical tourists from further away countries, and very few from Europe or the USA. The figure includes 58,000 Libyans who went to Jordan for medical care in 2011; most of these were war casualties. Libya's outstanding dues to the kingdom's hospitals are expected soon, but the outstanding debts stood at JD120 million as of August 31, which equates to $170 million. The PHA is also chasing the Palestine authorities for a $40 million debt. The figures include friends and family members of the patients who accompanied them and had no treatment. A comparable figure for Singapore in 2008 was that of 646,000 'medical tourists' only 370,000 visitors went there for medical treatment, the other 230,000 went with them and had no treatment. After subtracting 58,000 war casualties, this brings Jordan's figures down to 182,200.If you then take away a third as being non-patients, it brings it down further to 120,000. Most Libyan and many Palestinian patients are paid for by their governments and the victims of armed conflict. The PHA last year repeatedly warned that regional unrest was hurting medical tourism in Jordan, but turmoil in the Middle East has brought more business to the sector, not less. PHA director, Abdullah Hindawi, attributes the increase in the revised figures to the influx of injured patients from regional countries that witnessed civil conflict last year. PHA president Dr. Fawzi Hammouri advised, “Jordan's medical services played a significant role during the Arab Spring by providing medical treatment to injured people and saved lives of thousands, especially from Libya.” In 2011 the 58,000 Libyans who went to Jordan were the biggest group, while Palestinian, Iraqi, Sudanese and Yemeni patients made up the bulk of the remainder. There are also a few from Saudi Arabia. How many of these patients were medical tourists as opposed to war victims is another matter for debate. The PHA admits that Jordan's healthcare sector has become a hub for its ability to respond to regional crises, and in recent has treated many patients injured in conflicts and turmoil in regional countries, Jordan is almost landlocked. To the North is the at-war Syria. To the West is Israel, which because of historic rivalry and Israel's many good hospitals, is never going to be a source of medical tourists. Also to the West are two countries that are no stranger to war, Lebanon and Palestine. To the South is Saudi Arabia, which has a massive hospital building programme, so is not a long-term source of medical tourists. To the East is Iraq, another country troubled by war and political tension. Looking at another source of revenue, The Sudan, it is not only a country where there is armed conflict along the border between the Republics of Sudan and South Sudan, there are problems within the countries from political protestors and liberation groups. The situation in Yemen remains volatile with reports of continuing unrest and violent clashes, so that British and US governments are advising against all travel to Yemen, and advising their citizens to leave the country. So while Jordan is likely to benefit from war based medical travel in the next year or two, it has several challenges to overcome to achieve growth in patient numbers and revenues. Patients coming from some countries need up to three weeks to obtain a visa to enter. As a result, those who need more urgent treatment turn to other destinations such as Turkey, where they can receive high-quality care with less complex visa procedures. Turkey gives visas to patients upon arrival at the airport, even if those patients are from countries whose citizens usually need to wait to obtain visas. Turkey is Jordan's biggest competitor. The PHA is now promoting Jordan in new markets including Chad and Nigeria, while looking at other African countries. But even Chad is a hot bed of conflict and violence, while Nigerian politicians are attacking the concept of outbound medical tourism as damaging to the country's economy. Jordan has to focus on the Gulf and Africa, as with so many countries in the region either at war, on the brink of war, in armed conflict, or seeing violent demonstrations against Western European countries and the USA, medical tourists from those areas are not going to travel anywhere in the region for medical treatment. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=399299 Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:06:48 GMT 20121022140648 Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:02:08 GMT 20121022140208 Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:06:48 GMT 201210221420648 A research report for Israel's Ministry of Health concludes that nobody controls inbound medical tourism. So poor is the available information that the researchers could find no figures after 2009. The report also warns that medical treatment for foreign tourists could come at the expense of local patients due to already inadequate manpower and facilities. The conclusion of this short report by the Knesset Information and Research Center is that the Ministry of Health does not properly supervise its implementation and has not passed relevant legislation. The Ministry of Health sponsored report stated that as the ministry “does not have enough tools and resources to supervise medical tourism, setting down clear rules on what is permitted and forbidden,” supervision and monitoring are needed to prevent discrimination against economically disadvantaged Israeli residents who cannot afford private healthcare. The Ministry of Health, said the report, uses the same monitoring of medical tourism that it does of medical treatment for locals, no matter who pays for the services and from where the patient comes. The Ministry of Tourism agrees that there is no authority responsible for medical tourism and that the narrow medical aspect should be separated from the broader tourism aspect. The Ministry of Tourism has now started to make its own arrangements and appears in conflict with the Ministry of Health. According to the report, while the Ministry of Health does not have up to date and accurate figures on medical tourism in Israel, it estimates that in 2009 there were 23,000 medical travellers seeking cosmetic surgery, elective surgery, psychological treatment, dental care, fertility treatment; consultations; and urgent procedures such as organ transplants and cancer therapy and surgery. It suggests that 1% of foreign tourists came for medical care in 2009. In 2007, medical tourism brought in about $50 million, and the average medical tourist spent $4,777, compared to $1,083 by an ordinary tourist. But these are still guestimates rather than actual figures. The researchers were very frustrated that they could get no figures or estimates for 2010 or 2011 or 2012. Some people argue that it has been increasing each year, but others argue that Israel's war like stance over Iran is keeping people away, while local trade estimates for 2012 put numbers at around 25,000. The Knesset Information and Research Center says that most medical tourists come from Russia and other countries in the former Soviet Union; Eastern European countries such as Romania, Bulgaria and Poland; plus a few from Cyprus, Jordan, Turkey and the USA. There is no evidence that campaigns to attract Jewish Americans have worked. In Jerusalem's hospitals and clinics, medical tourists pay for private medical services, as in government and other public hospitals, where private care is not legal; they pay for care via the hospital's research funds. The report concluded that it is worthwhile to increase the income of doctors and hospitals by medical tourism, but not be at the expense of Israelis, who through the National Health Insurance system are entitled to equitable healthcare. It also warned that there are too few nurses and doctors in specialties such as anesthesiology, pathology and intensive care. Deputy Health Minister Ya'acov Litzman has come out publicly in favor of increasing medical tourism, but Professor Eran Leitersdorf of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem has voiced his opposition, “Israel cannot afford this luxury. I fear that tourists will get special treatment and pressure on local hospitals will increase without income being used to expand facilities for Israelis.” http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=399297 Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:02:07 GMT 20121022140207 Mon, 22 Oct 2012 13:54:26 GMT 20121022135426 Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:02:07 GMT 201210221420207 Treatment Abroad has launched the Treatment Abroad Guide to Cosmetic Surgery Abroad - a new, free and independent guide for people thinking of travelling overseas for cosmetic surgery. The guide is the first of its kind in the UK and aims to help people to make a more informed decision by explaining both the potential advantages (including savings) – and the risks of cosmetic surgery abroad. The guide sets out in easy to understand language everything patients need to consider before going overseas for cosmetic treatment, including helpful checklists of questions to consider or ask your prospective surgeon. The guide covers important topics such as: • Which are the top destinations for cosmetic surgery?• How do I compare countries, clinics and surgeons?• How do I compare the costs in different countries and currencies?• How is cosmetic surgery abroad regulated?• Do I need special travel insurance?• What happens with aftercare and if something goes wrong when I get home? The guide also considers topical issues such as the recent PIP implant scandal and the need to understand issues such as the provenance of any implant or medical device used. The guide has been written by the team at Treatment Abroad including the UK expert on medical tourism, Keith Pollard, who has worked in the sector for many years and regularly speaks at medical tourism conferences around the world. The guide, like the website behind it, is impartial and aims to give a fair assessment of the pros and cons involved in travelling to another country for treatment. The Guide to Cosmetic Surgery Abroad can be downloaded from http://www.treatmentabroad.com/cosmetic-abroad/cosmetic-surgery-abroad-guide/ and is completely free. A sister guide, The Guide to Dental Treatment Abroad, will be published shortly. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=397655 Fri, 05 Oct 2012 17:03:23 GMT 20121005170323 Fri, 05 Oct 2012 16:52:51 GMT 20121005165251 Fri, 05 Oct 2012 17:03:23 GMT 201210051750323 The Romanian health and tourism ministers see 2013 as the year that Romania must seize the opportunities offered by spa tourism, and look to develop tourism ethics, elderly care tourism and medical recovery tourism. The tourism ministry will promote health tourism as it sees great potential. Tourism and development minister Eduard Hellvig explains, “Spa tourism is a niche that Romania should not miss and one of the strategic priorities for 2013 will consist of investments in the specific infrastructure, to help the development of this area; because, at infrastructure level, things are not how we would like them to be, what we have to do is to correlate what there is as natural potential in Romania with investments in the specific infrastructure. The underused resources will not bring tourists without help. The development of the health tourism infrastructure and the promotion abroad and in the country can be stimulated.” Taleb Rifai of UNWTO comments on why health tourism may work, “Romania is qualified in all respects: it has a high level of knowledge and technique in the field, enjoys a strategic location, and among the representatives of the tourism industry there is a high level of expertise. At the same time, there is here a political determination. All these are guarantees for success. UNWTO is committed to support these efforts and I am convinced that, very soon, Romania will become an important health tourism destination.” Romania has more than a third of Europe's thermal springs as well as spas that offer physiotherapy, acupuncture, electrotherapy and other health services/products. Famous spas include Mangalia in the ancient city of the same name, Neptun, Eforie Nord, Covasna, Slanic Moldova, and Vatra Dornei. There are several around the salt lakes of Ocna Sibiului, offering therapeutic benefits, and others in the Carpathians Mountains. Health minister Vasile Cepoi adds, “We have a big potential of internationally recognized specialists that we do not exploit. Romania can be a destination for dental services, as well as cardiac and cosmetic surgery. More and more people from abroad are interested in dental treatment in Romania, as well as showing an increasing interest in having cosmetic surgery and cardiac surgery here.” The Health Ministry will certify the level of quality of spa services and develop a quality management system. Vasile Cepoi explains, “We have over 80 health resorts, with more than half being of national and international interest, but the export of health services is extremely low, because the health component is not sufficiently well represented, and the marketing of these services does not provide elements inspiring confidence to the people who might benefit by these services. The health ministry must develop a quality management system inspiring confidence and safety to the people who might benefit by these services and being in line with the relevant standards. The ministry can create a high level of trust through this quality management system we plan to implement.” http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=397516 Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:21:06 GMT 20121004122106 Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:03:33 GMT 20121004120333 Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:21:06 GMT 2012100412122106 Malaysian healthcare is attracting medical travellers from neighbouring Asian countries and an increasing number from developed countries, including the USA, UK, Australia and Japan, combining high quality of services and reasonable prices. The number of medical tourists in 2011 showed an increase of 48% from 2010, with 583,000 arrivals recorded compared to 383,000 in 2010. Dr Mary Wong of Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) says, "The increase in arrivals is testament to the high quality and affordable medical care we provide. Some of the popular treatments and procedures sought include orthopedic procedures like knee and hip replacement, angioplasty, oncology, in-vitro fertilisation, cardiology, cosmetic surgery and health screening." The MHTC has set up a medical tourism website and a careline to answer enquiries from foreign patients on Malaysian healthcare services and travel packages in English, Bahasa Indonesia and Mandarin, and provides an e-mail service in Japanese and Arabic. The careline service assists foreign patients to connect with hospitals and clinics in Malaysia. Indonesian tourists comprise the highest number of those seeking Malaysian healthcare services followed by visitors from Arab nations. Efforts by the Melaka region to boost the number of Indonesian tourists seeking healthcare services in the state appear to be bearing fruit as more Indonesians are switching their attention from Singapore to Melaka for such services. In 2010, 60% of 280,000 Indonesians went to Melaka for medical treatment Kuala Lumpur is the destination of choice for Arab tourists. According to KPJ Healthcare (KPJ), Arab visitors made up 8% of medical tourists at the group's hospitals. Paduka Siti Sa'adiah Sheikh Bakir of KJP explains, "Many choose Malaysia for elective medical procedures particularly cancer, orthopaedic and cosmetic treatment. It is time for Malaysia to promote the medical tourism sector aggressively to the Arab world. KPJ has been actively promoting its services to the Arab community for more than 10 years." KJP offers a range of packaged prices for medical tourists on anything from health screening to surgery. KPJ is one of the leading private healthcare providers in the region with a network of 21 hospitals in Malaysia and 2 in Indonesia. With more than 2,600 licensed beds, KPJ hospitals treated more than 2.4 million outpatients and 240,000 inpatients in 2011. Efforts to grow KPJ's medical tourism segment include more aggressive marketing and promotions abroad. This plus greater participation in international exhibitions paid of with a 40% increase in the number of international patients in 2011. KPJ is targeting to raise the revenue contribution from medical tourism to as high as 25% by 2020. In 2011, this segment generated group revenue of RM45 million, with patients mainly from Indonesia as well as other countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Somalia, Singapore, India, UK and US and the Middle East. In view of the anticipated increase of patient numbers from both local and international markets, KPJ has drawn up plans to increase its capacity over the next five years, in line with its aim to add 1 to 2 new hospitals a year to its network via acquisitions or greenfield developments. KPJ will be investing RM867 million over the next 3-4 years to develop new hospitals in Malaysia - namely Sabah Specialist Hospital, Pasir Gudang Specialist Hospital, KPJ Pahang Specialist Hospital, KPJ Specialist Hospital Bandar Dato Onn, KPJ Perlis Specialist Hospital and KPJ Muar Specialist Hospital. Most private hospitals in Malaysia offer accommodation ranging from comfortable to luxurious, including private rooms and suites. Meals are included and rates vary depending on the level of service required as some establishment offer personal butlers or full-time private nurses. Sleep-in facilities can also be easily provided for traveling companions and given Malaysia's relative low costs yet high standards of living, long–term stays are an acceptable option. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=397513 Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:03:01 GMT 20121004120301 Thu, 04 Oct 2012 11:51:25 GMT 20121004115125 Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:03:01 GMT 2012100412120301 Switzerland is known for attracting high paying Europeans and Arabs for health and medical tourism. The Chinese look set to be the next big market. These Chinese medical tourists seek quality of care, not low prices. An increasing number of wealthy Chinese are flying overseas for medical treatment, cosmetic treatment and health checks. There are long waiting times in Chinese public hospitals and specialist services are not available in many areas of this huge country. With the rising affluence and mobility of the country's emerging middle class, there has been a significant increase in the numbers of Chinese traveling overseas as medical tourists in the past decade. Around 60,000 Chinese people travel abroad annually for healthcare services, especially for anti-aging therapy, cancer screening, to give birth and for treatment of chronic diseases, according to Yang Jian of the Shanghai Medical Tourism Products and Promotion Platform. Several Chinese medical tourism agencies have been set up to offer services to the lucrative high end market that can pay well for additional services such as interpreters, tour guides, a first-class air ticket, a private driver and even specially prepared Chinese or local cuisine. While local countries such as Taiwan and Singapore are favoured destinations, an increasing number are going further away such as for anti-aging treatment in Switzerland and cancer screening in Japan. Diabetes and chiropractic-treatment tourism to Germany, and cosmetic surgery trips to South Korea are both popular. Clinique Biotonus Bon Port in Geneva, Switzerland, mainly provides treatment for intense fatigue, burnout and problems linked with aging. The clinic began to get Chinese patients in 2006, and this has steadily increased from 50 a year in 2006 to 200 a year in 2012. The influx of Chinese patients has brought changes to the clinic. Most doctors and nurses can speak at least two or three sentences in Mandarin and the menu now includes Chinese favorites such as porridge and pickled cabbage. Those Chinese medical tourists choosing Europe tend to be successful entrepreneurs, and book via a handful of specialist Chinese agencies that tailor-make services for higher end well-off medical tourists that are prepared to pay top-dollar but expect top quality service on medical treatment and all the other aspects of the trip. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=397511 Thu, 04 Oct 2012 11:50:04 GMT 20121004115004 Thu, 04 Oct 2012 11:39:44 GMT 20121004113944 Thu, 04 Oct 2012 11:50:04 GMT 2012100411115004 The Philippines Department of Tourism expects to have a national medical tourism plan, highlighting the services offered by local clinics and hospitals, by 2013. One area that DOT secretary Ramon Jimenez wants to promote is stem cell therapy. "To get people to travel for medical tourism we have to offer greater value for money, superior service and specialities that are not available at home.” Jimenez is a strong supporter of stem cell therapy as his wife Abby has a rare but mild motor neurone disease, and uses stem cell therapy treatment herself. The Medical City is one of the few hospitals in the Philippines that offers this type of therapy and Jimenez hopes to promote this to other countries. Stem cell therapy entails taking stem cells from a patient, a compatible donor, or from other sources. These cells are then modified to fit the specifics of the patient's condition, and are injected into the patient's body. Stem cells can come from three sources: bone marrow, peripheral blood (referring to blood circulating the body), and blood from the umbilical cord. Apart from the Medical City, other hospitals in the country providing stem cell therapy are the Makati Medical Center, St. Luke's Medical Center in Taguig, and the Kidney and Transplant Institute. A six-month programme for stem cell therapy in the Medical City is about a third of what it would cost in the USA.The Medical City hospital has had 315 patients who have undergone stem cell therapy since 2005, of which 54 people are from abroad, including the USA, Norway, Singapore and Malaysia. Aside from promoting stem cell therapy, possible areas that could be part of the medical tourism plan are cancer treatment, orthopedics, and dentistry. The plan for promoting medical tourism in the country internationally will be through the form of road shows and direct selling of the concept. Having struggled for some time to attract more Americans, Europeans and Asians to the country, the general view is that the key target market should be the 10 to 12 million Filipinos who live overseas. It will be 3 to 6 months before the plan is ready. One reason for the delay is that the three partners - the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Health and the Department of Tourism, all have to agree how to proceed after so many failed campaigns in recent years. The plan is likely to promote cities such as Cebu which aim to offer high quality medical services and facilities to medical tourists. Two hospitals from Cebu, the Perpetual Succour Hospital (PSH) and Cebu Doctors University Hospital (CDUH), and the Cebu Health and Wellness Council want the province to become the preferred medical tourism destination in the country. Those involved all agree that to succeed, the country needs to improve its infrastructure and develop policies to improve the country's positioning as a medical tourism destination. The Philippines government has suggested a target of $3 billion revenue from medical tourism by 2015, but this seems little more than a figure plucked out of thin air, with no idea of how to achieve that. Metro Pacific Investments Corp (MPIC) is in talks with a number of Quezon City and Manila-based hospitals for possible acquisition or investments, as the country's biggest hospital group continues to expand its chain. MPIC, through its hospital group, is eyeing the acquisition or management of several other hospitals in Metro Manila as well as in other parts of the country. The MPIC group now has seven hospitals in its network. The group owns Makati Medical Center, and manages Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan and the Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Sta. Mesa. Manila. MPIC has also invested in Riverside Medical Center in Bacolod and Davao Doctors Hospital in Mindanao. It has recently bought Asian Hospital in Alabang, Muntinlupa MPIC once saw medical tourism as a key growth area but now president Augie Palisoc says, “Medical tourism will be a good medium to long-term for our hospitals but this is not the priority. The main objective is to improve the quality of our hospitals so that they can provide good care for our own countrymen.” http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=397488 Thu, 04 Oct 2012 11:39:44 GMT 20121004113944 Thu, 04 Oct 2012 11:01:59 GMT 20121004110159 Thu, 04 Oct 2012 11:39:44 GMT 2012100411113944 Prices of dental implants in the UK are falling but are still relatively high compared to elsewhere. Patients seek treatment around the UK or in European countries such as Hungary, Poland and Spain. The Dental Implant Cost Survey 2012 by Dental Implant Advisory shows that prices in the UK are falling, but due to a lack of consumer information many patients are still paying too much. The survey looks at price trends for dental implants and also examines the state of dental tourism. The average price of a dental implant in the UK has fallen to £1,868.The most striking finding was the range of prices being charged. Dental implants are now available in the UK for £995. The price reduction has been driven by two factors. More clinics are providing implants exclusively. These clinics are more likely to compete on the basis of price. Several foreign dentists, particularly from Hungary, have set up clinics in London and are willing to provide implants for a lower price. On average dental implants are cheapest in Scotland and London. The average price in Scotland was brought down by a number of low cost clinics operating in its main cities. Price competition amongst a growing number of clinics has driven the price down in London. Wales is the most expensive place for dental implants in the UK. Other expensive regions include the Midlands, Northern Ireland, the North East and Yorkshire. The average cost of a dental implant in Hungary is now £749. The availability of cheap dental implants in the UK means people are less inclined to travel abroad to have dental implants. Dental tourism has moved on to a second stage. As the cost savings are less, patients are less willing to travel. A number of Hungarian dentists have established clinics in London to make up for the shortfall. This has contributed to even lower prices in the UK. The study was conducted in August 2012. The sample consisted of 100 cosmetic dentists in the UK and Hungary. The dental implant market in the UK has changed much in recent years. Firstly, a number of cosmetic dentists have begun to specialize in dental implants only. They are willing to accept a lower margin on implants and benefit from a network effect. The second change has been a structural change to the dental tourism market. A number of dental Hungarian dental clinics have opened branches in the UK and are carrying out treatments from their London clinics. This is having a positive effect on the market for consumers and prices have been dropping as a result. Whilst some dentists are still expecting £3,500 per implant (including crown), there is an ever increasing number of clinics offering competitively priced implant services. Dental Implant Advisory helps dental implant patients to find affordable dental implant clinics and also assists with dental tourism arrangements. It is building a network of partner implant clinics in the UK and Europe. Partners are selected based on their credentials and value for money. The network can arrange consultations partner clinics in London, Reading and Edinburgh, with Manchester being added soon. It also offers partner clinics in Spain, Budapest, and Hungary The agency argues that travelling for dental work has both advantages and disadvantages and it is up to customers to decide which the best solution is for them. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=397485 Thu, 04 Oct 2012 11:18:49 GMT 20121004111849 Thu, 04 Oct 2012 10:54:54 GMT 20121004105454 Thu, 04 Oct 2012 11:18:49 GMT 2012100411111849 A series of recent research reports on Asian destination countries shows that while medical tourism is growing, actual numbers are lower than often claimed. Renub Research has individual reports on India, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. Each report covers- •Number of medical tourists 2008 to 2011 •Estimated numbers 2012 to 2015 •Medical tourism market •Major drivers and roadblocks India was one of the first countries to recognize the potential of medical tourism but at best only has a 20% market share of the Asian market. Between 2009 and 2011 the number of medical tourists in India has grown by 30% in total; not the annual growth of 30% assumed by some optimistic Indian organizations. It is estimated that by the year 2015, India will receive nearly half a million medical tourists annually. Malaysia has grown its reputation as a preferred destination for medical tourism and has seen impressive growth. Political and economic stability and the government's efforts to promote Malaysian healthcare abroad has paid off. The number of medical tourists has grown by an average of 23.6% annually for the period 2003 – 2011. The Malaysia medical tourism market has grown more than 8 fold in 2011 compared to its market in 2003. The Philippines achieved 100,000 medical tourists in 2010. The medical tourism market is expected to grow at 9% a year from 2012 to 2015. The government of Philippines has many initiatives to boost medical tourism. The report says that by 2015 the number could reach 2015, but if you use the 9% a year growth this only achieves 150,000 by 2015. Singapore is one of the leading medical tourism destinations in the world. Singapore medical facilities are considered to be the best in Asia but treatment costs are higher than Asian competitors. In 2011 Singapore had nearly 30% of the medical tourism market in Asia. Singapore medical tourist arrivals are expected to be more than 1 million by 2015. South Korea is a fast-growing medical tourism destination. South Korea had more than 6% of the Asia medical tourism market in 2011. It is predicted that South Korea will compete strongly with other Asian rivals. It is forecast that by 2015, South Korea will attract more than 300,000 medical tourists. Taiwan started to develop its medical tourism sector in earnest only four years ago. But its medical tourism has become one of the biggest attractions for mid to high-income Chinese tourists. Other countries such as India, Thailand and Singapore are all targeting the Chinese. Taiwan is emerging as the best choice for Chinese tourists due to no language barrier, reasonable cost and a sense of warmth and familiarity between Chinese and Taiwanese people. In 2011, the number of medical tourist arrivals in Taiwan was close to 20,000. The country's medical tourism market is expected to increase at 7% a year from 2012 to 2015. Thailand is the leader in medical tourist arrivals with more than 40% of the Asia medical tourist arrivals in 2011. It is expected to more than double numbers by 2015. Thailand is a favoured medical tourism destination due to state-of-the-art medical facilities, personalized hospitality and reasonable medical costs. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=397481 Thu, 04 Oct 2012 10:49:01 GMT 20121004104901 Thu, 04 Oct 2012 10:41:33 GMT 20121004104133 Thu, 04 Oct 2012 10:49:01 GMT 2012100410104901 A new report warns that inequality between and within European countries on health care is resulting in huge social and economic costs to the region, and progress towards reducing health inequalities should be one of the main criteria by which the effectiveness of health systems and governments are assessed. The Review was commissioned by The World Health Organisation and published in leading medical journal, The Lancet. It cautions that despite recent progress towards reducing health inequalities in many European countries, significant health disparities remain – both between countries and within them – and that urgent action must be taken if these inequalities are not to worsen. While several countries in Europe enjoy some of the best and most equitable health provision in the world, other countries in the region still have a long way to go before the health of their citizens reaches the level of those in nations with better developed health systems. All European countries experience some degree of health inequality within their population, and the Review provides a practical set of policy recommendations that, if implemented, would allow all European countries to improve their progress towards health equality, regardless of their current status or income. According to lead author Professor Sir Michael Marmot, of the Institute of Health Equity in London, “Taking action to reduce inequities in health would improve the prospects for health and bring wider social and political benefits that enable people to achieve their capabilities. Health inequality needs to be one of the main criteria by which we assess the effectiveness of countries' health systems, and the effectiveness of government as a whole.” Central to the report's policy recommendations is that health is largely determined by social factors such as employment, education and welfare systems. Health inequalities cannot be reduced by focusing exclusively on the provision of health care. Professor Sir Michael Marmot adds, “Action is needed on health inequalities across the whole of government, and while health ministers clearly have an important role in ensuring access to high-quality health services, they must also take a leadership role in advancing the case that health is an outcome of policies pursued in other areas.” The Review was commissioned by the World Health Organisation (WHO) European office to provide an evidence base for its Health 2020 strategy, which aims to provide a political, administrative and scientific framework to allow all 53 countries in the WHO European Region to take action on the social factors that determine health. Zsuzsanna Jakab of WHO states, “Persistent and widespread inequalities in health occur across the whole WHO European region. Health as a key and unique resource for human and societal development has undoubtedly improved overall, yet substantial health inequalities remain, which are worsening. These inequities are unnecessary and unjust, and tackling them should be a high priority at all levels of governance in the WHO European Region. What is needed now is leadership, new types of governance that support whole of government and whole of society approaches, and capacity for implementing solutions that can make a difference.” Professor David J Hunter of Durham University suggests, “It may seem the wrong moment to launch an ambitious European health policy framework and strategy and invite governments to adopt it. But WHO's argument is although the economic and fiscal crises facing Europe present major challenges, they also present opportunities to renew efforts to improve the health of European people. The argument that lies at the heart of Health 2020 is that good health is essential for economic and social development.” WHO issues its European health report every three years. The 2012 report explains why the Health 2020 strategy needs to be taken seriously. Although people across Europe are generally living longer, often in better health, these improvements are not being shared equally. With drastic cuts being made to health services in Greece, Spain, Portugal, and Ireland, cutbacks in the UK, and expected cuts in other countries including Italy, it may seem a spectacularly badly timed initiative. For medical tourism, it emphasizes that there is and will be potential in Europe for many years to come; the hard part will be working out where and for what services. If nothing else, it emphasizes that you cannot market to Europe, you have to tailor the message and product to each country. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=396084 Fri, 21 Sep 2012 16:00:16 GMT 20120921160016 Thu, 20 Sep 2012 09:28:44 GMT 20120920092844 Fri, 21 Sep 2012 16:00:16 GMT 201209211640016 Leading British hospital group BMI Healthcare is developing international services to attract more overseas patients. Although it has many hospitals around the UK, most international visitors go to the 12 hospitals and clinics in London, the centre of the UK medical travel trade. Over the last year and a half BMI Healthcare has focused attention on developing international business, with a goal of treating many more international patients. In the last 2 years it has seen an 82% growth in the number of international patient treated. Most of these are traveling for procedures unavailable, too expensive or difficult to access in their home country. The international market is split into three groups; government sponsored patients, insured patients living or traveling in the UK or self-paying patients from overseas. The majority of the patients at BMI are government sponsored patients from the Gulf regions of the Middle East. This has meant an investment in infrastructure, with multi faith prayer rooms, a car service, appropriate food and media as well as on site Arabic speaking liaison. It has recently produced a brochure in Arabic. BMI Healthcare treats international patients from embassies and international insurers as well as patients choosing to pay for their own treatment. International patients from around the world are supported by patient coordinators in an international patient centre. This helps international patients with accommodation, local travel arrangements, interpreting services, arranging medical appointments and hospital admission in all UK hospitals and treatment centres. The BMI Healthcare Embassy Appointment Line is an exclusive centralised appointment service for London based health offices that provides a direct outpatient booking service with any of its 7,000 consultants. It can also arrange admission to any hospital and ensure that consultant appointments, transport and translation services are coordinated for patients from London based embassies. The company has launched a range of hospital package prices for a range of routine procedures. These packages include all the normal investigations and procedures for a particular operation for a fixed length of stay. Prosthesis is usually excluded from the package as this can vary in price depending on the individual needs of the patient and the consultant recommendation. BMI Healthcare treats a large number of self-paying patients from overseas. Each year the group sees over 1 million outpatients and perform over a quarter of a million operations; although it is reluctant to reveal how many are from overseas. The group is Britain's leading provider of independent healthcare with a nationwide network of hospitals and clinics performing more complex surgery than any other private healthcare provider in the country. It also offers cosmetic surgery, fertility treatment, weight loss treatment and health assessments. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=396092 Fri, 21 Sep 2012 15:59:35 GMT 20120921155935 Thu, 20 Sep 2012 10:11:55 GMT 20120920101155 Fri, 21 Sep 2012 15:59:35 GMT 201209211535935 A new research project reports that while South Africa is often portrayed as a cosmetic surgery destination for Europeans, the reality is that by numbers and value, 85% to 90% of medical tourism to South Africa is from the same continent, and is not related to cosmetic surgery. The research does not use its own statistics but relies exclusively on official figures from a survey of samples of outgoing travellers at airports. These figures on purpose of visit are then statistically calculated using total tourism figures. This means that they are not 'real' figures on medical tourists but a projection based on a relatively small sample. To be fair to the source and the research, the conclusions on who goes to South Africa, why and from where are robust, but their numbers on those from European countries are highly dubious when compared to other figures. ' Patients Without Borders - medical tourism and medical migration in Southern Africa' is policy paper 57 from the Southern African Migration Programme; by Jonathan Crush, Abel Chikanda and Belinda Maswikwa. It takes the premise that South Africa is most often marketed by medical tourism agencies as a cosmetic surgery destination for Europeans, and shows that much travel for surgery takes place without agency intervention from local African countries; so the European cosmetic surgery business is just one small segment. The reality of medical tourism in South Africa by numbers and income is that it is dominated by medical travel from African countries - mostly middle-income Africans seeking specialist diagnosis and treatment. Total numbers grew from 327,000 in 2006 to 500,000 in 2009, but fell to 370,000 in 2010 and is now estimated at between 300,000 and 350,000 a year. According to the research, the main sources are neighbouring Lesotho (140,000), Swaziland (47,000), Mozambique (38,000), Botswana (55,000) and Zimbabwe (17,000); where public and private health provision is in crisis; so people are traveling for availability of and quality of treatment, not for price reasons. African countries account for at least 90% of the total spend of rand 1.5 billion. While much of this is privately arranged, the South African government does have formal deals with 18 African countries where many pay for treatment for their citizens. South Africa even helps out with special funding mechanisms, but these are plagued by corruption on both sides of the border. The average length of stay for Europeans is 8 nights as some do stay on as tourists. But the tourism element does not figure in medical travel from African countries; the average stay is 4 days, but only a day for Botswana and Lesotho. Most go to private hospitals and clinics, or for private treatment at public hospitals. Cosmetic surgery is targeted at American, Dutch, British and German medical tourists. The European and American tourism departure survey figures from Statistics South Africa and South Africa Tourism are highly suspect. According to the data, the annual average for medical tourists from 2003 to 2008 was 20,000 from the UK, 6,500 from the USA, 3,500 from the Netherlands, and 8,000 from Germany, with much smaller numbers from Australia, Canada, France, Italy and Sweden. Comparing the 20,000 figure for the UK with official outbound figures from the same period, shows that either these figures are hugely exaggerated or include holidaymakers, business travellers, expats, and people visiting family. For example, in the period 2003 to 2008, the total number of outbound UK medical travellers was between 40,000 and 70,000 (according to the UK's International Passenger Survey); many of these went for dental treatment in Europe. That South Africa accounts for between one in two and one in three British medical tourists is unsustainable in the face of other evidence. One of the problems on the European business is that there is a strong likelihood that after 2009, this cosmetic surgery tourism has fallen drastically due to the economy and price competition from nearer countries. This new research does a great service to the South African medical community as it shows clearly that the future of inbound medical tourism is about offering diagnostic and medical services to Africans. The report admits that few local hospitals take medical tourism seriously as it is a sideline when hospitals will be busier from the introduction of universal healthcare in South Africa. It suggests that the revenue potential of medical tourism means that it needs government support and purpose built health and medical facilities targeting the medical tourist. It also suggests that in the future there is huge potential to attract middle class medical tourists from further away in East and North Africa The project has plans for other research looking at what drives people to become medical travellers, and why they choose South Africa. The country has been involved in medical tourism since 1994. But has moved from mostly cosmetic surgery tourism to mostly medical travel for essential surgery. While rivals may shout louder, it is easy to forget that it is regularly the 5th or 6th biggest global medical tourism destination, despite very little official support. This Southern African Migration Project paper can be downloaded free from- http://www.queensu.ca/samp/forms/form.html http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=396086 Fri, 21 Sep 2012 15:59:17 GMT 20120921155917 Thu, 20 Sep 2012 09:37:07 GMT 20120920093707 Fri, 21 Sep 2012 15:59:17 GMT 201209211535917 AWC will open a hospital on Barbados for international medical tourists and locals. Winners Development, in partnership with American World Clinics (AWC) will jointly develop an international medical centre on Barbados. The $100 million project will be on a 21.5 acre site in St. Peters, Barbados and represents AWC's first site. American World Clinics is based in Glendale, Arizona, USA, and has created a unique business model designed around the exportation of US acute care medical expertise to desirable global locations. The surgical specialty hospital will serve both international medical travellers and local patients in the Caribbean region. It will have 60 inpatient beds, ICU capabilities, 12 operating rooms, an interventional lab, and state of the art facilities for diagnostics and therapeutics. Multidisciplinary clinic space, including dental and concierge medicine, will be located next to the hospital. Later on a health and wellness spa run by a major spa group will be added. Winners Development has created and collaborated on hospital and healthcare projects throughout the US. Winners will manage project funding, construction and campus development with AWC providing operational expertise, staffing, and marketing for AWC-Barbados. Much of the project is still subject to local planning regulation and other factors still to be discussed with the Barbados government, such as whether local doctors will be used or American ones flown in. AWC advertising to US doctors suggest that while some will be full time in Barbados, many will be able to fly in for short periods and keep running their US practice. Most doctors and dentists will come from the USA, but others will be considered. All doctors and dentists must obtain Barbados credentialing: The Barbadian government has assured timely review and licensing. All doctors and dentists will become a member of AWC-Barbados. Membership levels are: founding member, member, fee-for-service contract, or employee. An annual 30-day minimum practice period, either full- or part-time, is required at all membership levels. Winners Development is a privately held real estate development company with experience in the development and construction of large-scale healthcare projects. The original planned opening date was 2013, after AWC obtained in principle agreement from Barbados officials, but it has now been pushed back to 2014 or 2015. AWC-Barbados will be the first of a series of overseas hospitals primarily to attract and serve international medical travellers. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=396095 Thu, 20 Sep 2012 10:20:31 GMT 20120920102031 Thu, 20 Sep 2012 10:15:22 GMT 20120920101522 Thu, 20 Sep 2012 10:20:31 GMT 2012092010102031 A new academic study on Chinese medical tourists who go to Taiwan suggests that they are looking for value for money. This in turn is a mix of medical quality, service quality, price and 'enjoyment” of the whole process. Hsiu-Yuan Wang of Chung Hua University has produced a research paper 'Value as a medical tourism driver' for Emerald Group Publishing. Purpose The study contends that customers' perceived value can drive medical tourism. To demonstrate this, this article proposes and tests a research model capturing elements of perceived benefits and sacrifice that, by affecting the perceived value of medical tourism products, influence the buying intention of potential customers. Design/methodology/approach Potential medical tourists from China are researched due to their cultural similarity to Taiwan, and the absence of a language barrier. Data from 301 usable questionnaires were tested against the research model using the structural equation modeling approach. Findings The results indicated that perceived value was a key predictor of customer intentions. As for benefits, perceived medical quality, service quality and enjoyment were critical components that significantly influenced the perception of value. Regarding sacrifice, the effects of perceived risk on perceived value were significant. Research limitations/implications The study targeted potential medical tourists. Therefore, a validation using another large sample of actual medical tourists is required to generalize the findings. Practical implications The findings can assist governments in developing policies that promote medical destination and provide insights into research on how destination countries can make medical tourism a win/win option for themselves and international patients. Originality/value The author claims that the proposed model is original and “Unlike most prior papers which take a conceptual approach to medical tourism, this study contributes to an understanding of the factors that influence the travel intentions of medical tourists through its empirical investigation, and especially in its targeting of customers' value perception.” This is valuable research that shows how price-driven medical tourism marketing is now out of date. The study can be bought from http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=17053573 http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=396088 Thu, 20 Sep 2012 10:10:30 GMT 20120920101030 Thu, 20 Sep 2012 10:03:00 GMT 20120920100300 Thu, 20 Sep 2012 10:10:30 GMT 2012092010101030 The demand for Finnish health services from Russian visitors has grown rapidly in recent years and the market is expected to triple in numbers by the end of this decade. Marco Roth of FinnMedi Oy explains, “The demand for health services is growing together with an increasing number of tourists. In 2011, 12,000 visitors spent money on medical services or medicines. Russian health tourists choose Finnish health services because of their high quality, safety and competitive price. In addition to the geographic proximity, fast access to care is also valued. Most places also have health services available in Russian.” FinnMedi is developing a health and wellness cluster as it already has links to university hospitals, life science companies, as well as public and venture capital funding; it also offers advice to start-up health companies. Finnish hospitals and health care service providers offering medical care have set up Health Care Finland to attract more customers from Russia. Hospitals offer specialist cancer care, orthopaedic treatment, cardiology, joint replacement and fertility treatment. Norlandia Care has a patient hotel for self-sufficient patients, relatives and ordinary hotel guests to stay. Norlandia Care is the largest operator of patient hotels in the Nordic Region. It offers healthy and interesting food based on a philosophy that promotes proper nutrition. The one in the city of Tampere has 130 rooms and is near several hospitals. In 2011, Russian visitors to Finland spent EUR 670 million on products and EUR 220 million on services, of which EUR 15 million went on health care. Hospital specialists and directors in the South Karelia region of eastern Finland have been receiving an increasing number of email enquiries. The services with the biggest demand are cancer treatment, surgery and dental care. Memira, the market leader in the field of refractive eye surgery in northern Europe, is opening its first clinic in Finland. The clinic in the city of Vaasa on Finland's western coast was selected due to its Finnish and Swedish speaking population and good economic situation. Memira has 50 eye clinics in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Germany. Memira is investing about EUR 1.2 million in the new clinic in Vaasa which is expected to open in October or November this year. The company is also looking for suitable premises in some other cities in Finland. Memira, carries out 40,000 surgical eye treatments annually in the Nordic countries, covering everything from eye laser to intraocular surgery. Finland's long experience of trade in Northern Europe, combined with its historical and cultural ties to neighbouring countries, makes it a business gateway to Russia. Over 90% of Finns under thirty speak English, while Swedish is Finland's second official language in addition to Finnish. Many Finns also speak Russian. Finnish travel companies are establishing a presence in the Russian social media as a way of attracting more Russian visitors. Finnish spas, ski resorts and cities have joined Vkontakt (VK), which is similar to Facebook and the largest European social network with more than a 100 million active users. Russians are among the most active user of social media in Europe. Social media is especially important for Russians, according to Miikka Raulo of Jyväskylä Innovation. He believes that social media is better suited to serving Russian customers than traditional advertising. According to Invest in Finland, Finland's public healthcare system is a unique and comprehensive ecosystem. Primary healthcare and secondary care are networked into a comprehensive system that includes central and university hospitals as well as healthcare centres. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=396087 Thu, 20 Sep 2012 10:03:00 GMT 20120920100300 Thu, 20 Sep 2012 09:42:07 GMT 20120920094207 Thu, 20 Sep 2012 10:03:00 GMT 2012092010100300 International Medical Travel Journal has been appointed as the Official Journal of the inaugural International Medical Travel Exhibition and Conference, IMTEC, taking place from 22 - 23 March 2013 in Monaco. IMTEC 2013 will bring together, under one roof, country pavilions, service providers, purchasers and experts on medical travel across the globe making it the only genuine international medical travel event to date. In the run up to IMTEC 2013, IMTJTM will be bringing you regular updates on themes, speakers and plans for the event. For the first time in the medical travel sector, one of the world's major conference and exhibition companies is taking the sector seriously and fulfilling the need for an independent, and professionally run event to bring the industry together. The event is organised by Informa Life Sciences, one of the biggest conference and exhibition organisers worldwide. The Life Sciences division consists of 20 exhibitions yearly covering the European, African, Middle Eastern and Asian markets. Over the course of the year, these events attract over 5,000 exhibitors, 120,000 visitors and 13,000 delegates. Their experience with the organisation of medical travel events across the Middle East and Asia (such as Arab Health), coupled with Informa Group's extensive database with a global reach of more than 26 million, will ensure a successful and fruitful medical travel event for 2013. Why Monaco?Aside from being one of the most sought after tourist destinations, Monaco provides a perfect neutral platform for this global medical travel event, as it has no medical travel aspirations for itself, meaning an even playing field for all participants. By bringing together the entire global healthcare travel market under one roof, IMTEC will challenge the traditional method of travelling from domestic show to domestic show, saving you time, effort and money. Why attend IMTEC?IMTEC will host a 1,000sqm exhibition with support already from many different companies spanning over 3 different continents. Alongside the exhibition there will be a large multi-track conference catering for 800 plus delegates and focusing on topics such as healthcare marketing, customer experience, the role of quality and accreditation in medical travel, case management, insurance, the EU Directive, cross-border healthcare regulation, telemedicine amongst others IMTEC will also introduce hosted buyers to the conference. These buyers are responsible for sending large numbers of patients abroad for healthcare treatment and will be looking to source new healthcare providers at the event. How do I book?IMTEC is a perfect platform to the medical travel world to meet, network and do business. For more information on this pioneering event, please visit www.medicaltravelexhibition.com. You can also download the brochure, download the booking form or book online. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=395230 Wed, 12 Sep 2012 14:35:14 GMT 20120912143514 Wed, 12 Sep 2012 14:24:13 GMT 20120912142413 Wed, 12 Sep 2012 14:35:14 GMT 201209121423514 Temos, the German-based quality Certification Company and Turkish medical assistance company Marm Assistance have become partners to co-assess selected private hospitals and clinics in Turkey. Temos has an expanding quality certification system while Marm Assistance has local knowledge of the Turkish healthcare market. In mixed teams, Marm Assistance doctors and Temos quality experts will visit hospitals seeking the Temos certificates and quality seals on patient care and medical tourism. In the USA, European quality system DNV Healthcare has been approved by the US Centers for Medicaid Services (CMS) to accredit US hospitals for another six years, the maximum allowed by law. First approved by CMS in 2008, DNV Healthcare has now accredited more than 300 US hospitals ranging from major urban medical centres to rural critical access hospitals. The NIAHO accreditation standards employed by DNV appeals to a growing number of hospitals seeking an alternative approach to hospital accreditation. DNV is the only programme that integrates CMS requirements with the ISO 9001 Quality Management System. The result is an accreditation process that hospitals find less onerous but at the same time more supportive of their quality and patient safety initiatives. Yehuda Dror of DNV Healthcare explains, “Our whole philosophy centres on the idea of freeing hospitals to innovate, and to use their own talents to not only comply with CMS but to create continual improvement throughout their organizations.” Based in Cincinnati, Ohio, DNV Healthcare is part of Det Norske Veritas, a global independent foundation dedicated to safeguarding life, property and the environment. DNV accredits acute care and critical access hospitals, and also provides specialist primary stroke centre certification. Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City is the latest to get Medical Travel Commission international patient certification, as the hospital's international patient services department seeks to attract more overseas medical tourists. In addition to providing high quality healthcare, it offers international patients seeking medical treatment concierge services that include travel and visa coordination and translation services. Mount Sinai's new premium patient floor Eleven West offers hotel-level accommodation with gourmet meals in private rooms and suites with 24-hour concierge service. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=386806 Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:30:58 GMT 20120907153058 Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:19:51 GMT 20120907151951 Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:30:58 GMT 201209071533058 Chinese visitors to Taiwan for medical tourism are to get e-visas, while Thailand has eased the visa process for 6 Middle East countries. Taiwan has launched an e-visa service on a trial basis for people from China visiting the country for physical checkups, cosmetic surgery or anti-aging treatments. The National Immigration Agency (NIA) will screen applications and issue visas to Chinese nationals within 48 hours. Chinese nationals previously needed five working days to get a visa. Thirty-nine hospitals and clinics that target medical tourists can apply online for visas for their Chinese patients. Taiwan is promoting medical tourism at two major airports in China and one in Vietnam. The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) has put up billboards at Shanghai Pudong Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport in China, and at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Vietnam. The new advertising is aimed at attracting high-end consumers in major cities in China and Vietnam. In January, Taiwan began issuing medical travel visas for independent Chinese tourists, allowing them to stay up to 18 days for health checks or cosmetic treatment at 39 certified hospitals. In the first eight months Taiwan issued 10,000 such visas. China is now the largest Asian market for cosmetic surgery, with 3 million customers a year, and rising. 100,000 Chinese visitors travel to South Korea for cosmetic surgery, and Taiwan seeks to take part of this business; the big advantage it has over South Korea is the common language. Both countries argue that each is cheaper than the other. The Taiwanese authorities estimate a total of 50,000 medical tourists in the first eight months of 2012, of which 20,000 are from China. Travel agencies in Taiwan are selling trips to wealthy Chinese customers, which combine medical treatment such as checkups and cosmetic skin care with gourmet slimming meals, cultural experiences, and even agricultural visits. Thailand is offering 90-day visas on arrival to citizens of six Middle Eastern countries for private health treatment in a bid to boost medical tourism. The previous limit was 30 days. The visas are available to nationals of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as long as they can show medical records and proof of an appointment at a hospital in Thailand. They may be accompanied by up to four relatives. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=386805 Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:19:51 GMT 20120907151951 Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:14:15 GMT 20120907151415 Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:19:51 GMT 201209071531951 The high cost of many medical procedures in Alaska has led to insurance company Premera Blue Cross to pay air fare, hotel and other expenses for customers to undergo the same treatment in Washington state at far less cost. Premera covers 1.5 million people—from individuals and families to large employer groups. It only offers cover in Washington and Alaska, insuring half the market in Alaska, so is uniquely placed to compare the two locations. The insurer has researched which procedures are safe for travel and can be done less expensively in Seattle hospitals. A new policy that includes domestic medical travel, targets customers looking for options that maintain quality and get better control of costs. Going Outside is voluntary so patients are not forced to travel outside Alaska. The travel benefit is just for a set list of procedures, including knee and hip replacements, breast lumpectomies, laparoscopic gall bladder removal and cardiac angioplasty. To start with, Premera is only offering the benefits to self-funded employers who between them insure 32,000 people. Employees get a reduction in co-payments and the employer saves money too. A report for the Alaska State Health Commission shows that the average allowable doctor's fee can be up to three or four times higher in Alaska than in five comparable states. The study by actuaries Milliman surveyed costs in Alaska, Idaho, North Dakota, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming. Some simple procedures can cost three or four times more in Alaska than elsewhere. But for more complex and long term treatment, savings can be low or even negative. Milliman said average hospital costs in Alaska are 138 % of the average of the five comparison states. Some self-funded plans in Alaska already cover it of state surgery, simply because Alaskan costs are far higher than nearby states. Domestic medical tourism agency BridgeHealth has helped Alaskan teachers save money by seeking simple surgery in other states. The National Education Association Alaska health plan covers 17,000 teachers and dependents. Anticipated savings have kept insurance premiums static. The state of Alaska is now considering a similar deal to cover the costs for a companion to travel with someone undergoing surgery, and to help people find health care in other states. Domestic medical travel is very much on the minds of many employers. Opponents of Obamacare argued that employers would stop offering insurance, but the latest surveys shows this is not and will not be happening. A Towers-Watson survey of 512 companies each employing more than 1000 workers, shows that these companies spend at least $5 million in health benefits annually. When asked how likely it was that they would drop coverage in 2014 and send employers to the new health care exchanges, not a single one planned to drop cover. But the survey shows that health insurance is expensive, costing employers $15,073 on average to cover one employee and their family. So seeking to reduce costs by offering specific treatments in other states is attractive. There now seems no appetite at all for companies of any size to look at sending people outside the US for treatment. If the Republicans win the election and if they seek to, and are able to, reverse the healthcare reforms, there still seems no appetite for companies to look at overseas treatment. Most indicators show that small, medium and large employers are rather fed up with being buffeted by politicians changing healthcare for ideological reasons, so are seeking to keep or arrange insured or self-funded healthcare that is not subject to frequent change. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=386804 Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:14:14 GMT 20120907151414 Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:06:57 GMT 20120907150657 Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:14:14 GMT 201209071531414 There are signs that US inbound medical tourism is slowly changing from an ad hoc business, to one where selected hospitals are actively targeting overseas medical tourists with planned marketing. With its location plus business and cultural links to other countries, Miami is a leading city for inbound medical tourists. Baptist Health South Florida gets 12,000 patients from more than 100 countries annually using their international patient department. 70% come from the English- and Spanish-speaking countries of the Caribbean, Central America and the northern part of South America. An increasing number come from the Middle East. The hospital works hard to attract overseas patients by having a very strong educational presence in the different markets, including in-country symposiums and providing access to medical education at US hospitals. The logic is that just targeting individual customers is a very short-term measure, while long-term success is achieved by building strong links with overseas doctors and hospitals that may lack the ability to treat patients for complex problems at home. One speciality is cutting-edge care on cancer and cardiovascular disease. Oncology is another specialty that it plans to expand with a new cancer centre. Baptist provides concierge services for international patients and family members traveling with them. Many patients have second homes or family members in South Florida. It has agreed preferred rates at a number of area hotels, and even owns some one- and two-bedroom furnished apartments for families and patients needing an extended stay. The hospital can arrange a pick up at the airport, offers a new VIP/international waiting area, specialist international medical team and patient advocates who speak a number of languages. In emergencies, patients are flown in by air transport and a heliport is planned at the University of Miami hospital in the near future. UHealth, the University of Miami Health System, has relationships with overseas embassies in the hospital's key markets of the Americas. Baptist Health is famous for sports medicine so attracts high-profile athletes from all over the world. Three years ago, a number of health-care organizations, including Baptist Health and UHealth, banded together to brand Miami as a medical tourism destination. This marketing effort, Miami Health Care, is overseen by the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau The Southern Florida patient services department of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society supports international patients from Latin America and the Caribbean by providing patients with information on their disease and helping them travel to the US for care. 18 months ago, the society opened its first office in Puerto Rico as anyone in the Caribbean needing allogenic bone marrow transplants have to go to US hospitals. Riviera Health Resort in Coral Gables is a new 223 -bed post-acute and rehabilitation boutique hotel that markets its services to international patients as well as locals. Offering an array of complex care services, the five-storey Mediterranean-style Riviera Health Resort caters to the needs of guests that require short and long term care as they transition from the hospital to their home, with a particular emphasis on post-stroke and hip and knee replacement recovery. Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach is popular as the international health section promotes recovery on the beach. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=386802 Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:02:55 GMT 20120907150255 Fri, 07 Sep 2012 14:53:58 GMT 20120907145358 Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:02:55 GMT 201209071530255 As Health City Cayman Islands and New River Medical Centre in Nevis break ground, both hope to open in 2013 to medical tourists. Dr. Devi Shetty, his partners and local politicians broke ground at the East End site of Health City Cayman Islands, the new medical tourism centre due to open in November 2013. Dr. Shetty commented that his lower-cost, high quality hospital in Grand Cayman to deliver would not be the cheapest hospital, but 'the safest hospital in the region”. US partner Ascension Health Alliance will provide facilities planning, supply chain management and biomedical engineering services, while Dr. Shetty's group will run the the $2 billion hospital project hospital. One innovation will be remote monitoring of intensive care patients by internists in India, who due to the time zone difference between India and Cayman, are working while it is nighttime in Cayman, when local internists would not normally be working. The first phase is the construction of a 140-bed hospital, which is scheduled to be operational in November next year, limited to cardiac surgery, cardiology and orthopaedics. Eventually, if all planned developments are completed, it will have 2000 beds by 2163. This would need huge improvement of facilities at Owen Roberts International Airport in Grand Cayman. The aim of the hospital is to attract medical tourists from the Caribbean, Latin America and the USA for cancer treatment, open heart and bypass surgery, organ transplants (if the local laws can be amended), angioplasty and orthopaedics. It will also mean that fewer islanders have to travel to the US for treatment. In Nevis Island, ground has been broken at New River, for construction of New River Medical Centre. On completion in 2013 it will be the region's first medical and rehabilitation centre. The $15million wellness centre is a partnership with the US based Princeton Health Care of Atlanta, Georgia. This too seeks to stop St. Kitts and Nevis islanders going overseas for treatment and attract patients from other islands and the USA. The 22-bed centre will focus on simple bariatric surgery, orthopaedic, cosmetic and dental surgery. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=386795 Fri, 07 Sep 2012 14:53:57 GMT 20120907145357 Fri, 07 Sep 2012 14:25:16 GMT 20120907142516 Fri, 07 Sep 2012 14:53:57 GMT 201209071425357 The UK government is launching a new initiative to sell NHS services overseas. Hospitals are to be encouraged by the government to sell their services abroad, setting up clinics to pull in much-needed cash for the health service from overseas. Healthcare UK is being set up in the next few weeks by the Department of Health and UK Trade and Investment to act as a consultant for hospitals and potential overseas clients. The body will also represent private healthcare firms including health insurer Bupa. The logic is that the NHS could learn from the success of major American brands, such as Mayo Clinics and Johns Hopkins that have established themselves abroad in several countries in partnership with local providers. Health minister Anne Milton says,” This is good news for NHS patients, who will get better services at their local hospital as a result of the work the NHS is doing abroad and the extra investment that will generate. The NHS has a world class reputation and this will make the most of that to deliver real benefits for both patients and taxpayers." But critics of the healthcare reforms that are effectively cutting what the government spends on the NHS are uncomfortable about NHS hospitals drumming up private custom overseas. Katherine Murphy of the Patients Association says, "The guiding principle of the NHS must be to ensure that outcomes and care for patients comes before profits. Waiting times are rising and trusts are being asked to make £20 billion of efficiency savings, this is a distraction." Andrew Hine of KPMG comments,” The precedent for exporting the expertise of the NHS has existed for some time, as many of the health services offered have long been used to treat patients privately within the UK. Not only does it afford the NHS a chance to develop a sustainable revenue stream; it will allow one of the world's largest employers to attract and retain top talent by offering global career opportunities. The NHS has proven time and again that it can deliver. It should be given the chance to do so once again through this initiative because, with the income that can potentially be generated, Britain will cement its place on the world healthcare map and UK patients will benefit as funds are boosted to enhance healthcare on the domestic front.” A handful of private and NHS organisations already operate internationally. Moorfields Eye Hospital, Imperial College London and Great Ormond Street hospital are all in the Middle East. In reality, the total income that UK hospitals generate from business overseas is tiny. The UK government says that all profits made by British hospitals abroad would have to go back into the UK, while investment could only come from the revenue they make from private patients. But the UK government cannot dictate how overseas governments deal with tax or revenue. While medical tourists bring income to the UK, overseas ventures are more complex and if they do start to earn money overseas, overseas governments may heavily tax any profit or simply refuse any money to be sent back to the UK. In 2010, the UK government set up NHS Global to help the health service make the most of the global market for healthcare; it was almost a clone of the new UK Healthcare, cost a significant sum to set up, and produced a total of zero income on zero projects before closing. Only a handful of the UK's hundreds of hospitals are in a position to start offering services abroad. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=386792 Fri, 07 Sep 2012 14:25:16 GMT 20120907142516 Fri, 07 Sep 2012 13:57:08 GMT 20120907135708 Fri, 07 Sep 2012 14:25:16 GMT 201209071422516 In a move to cut down on alleged 'free medical tourism' by holidaymakers, non-Spanish residents and part-time overseas residents who go to Spain for the winter, Spain has quickly introduced new rules to combat this and reduce its healthcare costs. All EU citizens who are moving to Spain for longer than three months now face added paperwork under new residency requirements. For anyone not employed in Spain by a company that contributes to the Spanish national healthcare system, they may have to prove that the have health insurance. In an effort by cash-strapped Spain to save €1billion a year on health costs, EU citizens applying for residency in Spain may be required to produce evidence of sufficient financial means to support themselves and dependants, as well as proving that they have health insurance. Although a national law, it is administered by the regions, often down to town level. The new rules as to who is and who is not entitled to free healthcare are open to local interpretation, and as it is the regions that pay the health bills, there is suspicion from local expatriates that it will be a case of 'guilty until proven innocent' for any EU nationals seeking to access free healthcare, or even seeking residency. Anette Skou of Mijas Foreigners' Department, specifies: "If you are not working, you must present a private insurance document or an S1 from the public health service from your home country, plus proof of income (which includes a pension) of no less than 5008 euros annually. A further 8,763 euros is also required over and above the 5,008 euros per dependent family member. Failure to produce the correct documentation could result in residency applications being rejected.” The Government is rolling out this policy, as it believes it could save up to one billion euros annually on providing healthcare to foreigners who are not entitled to it. Under European laws any EU citizen is entitled to receive medical attention in any other member state. But Spain's government is justifying the new residency requirement by drawing on a 2004 EU directive on "free movement" which gives member states the authority to define, "without prejudice to national border controls" – meaning EU countries can restrict entry to other citizens of other member states. Other cash strapped countries that have EU expatriates and many temporary EU residents, such as Portugal, Greece and Italy, will be watching closely to see if they too can tighten up on their provision of free health care. Basically, Spain is ignoring a whole host of EU rules, agreements and directives in an attempt to save money. If, as seems likely, they get away with it, others will surely follow suit. Spain has always been the harshest critic of EU cross-border healthcare, and in the unlikely event that they will pass the required laws in 2013, national and local clampdowns on treating non-Spanish patients will render it meaningless. The possible good news for medical tourism is that once the myth or reality of 'free health tourism' is put to rest, then paid for medical tourism can operate in a clearer environment. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=384905 Fri, 24 Aug 2012 17:10:08 GMT 20120824171008 Thu, 23 Aug 2012 14:12:59 GMT 20120823141259 Fri, 24 Aug 2012 17:10:08 GMT 201208241751008 There is growing evidence that India is at last realizing that the growth of its medical tourism relies not on the out of reach potential of US and Western European markets, but on more local custom. Kolkata has the potential to be developed as a major medical tourism destination in South Asia. Debashis Sen of the Urban Development Department, West Bengal, explains,” There is great possibility of turning Kolkata into a health tourism hub for South East Asian countries, Bangladesh and Nepal.” The state government has allotted land to new ventures including Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Shankara Nethralaya, a global organ transplant hospital, and several other speciality hospitals in Rajarhat New Town. Tata Memorial Centre for cancer research in Rajarhat is a new major hospital that is also developing a trauma care centre and school of paramedical science. The key to the development of Kolkota as a medical tourism destination is low priced surgery and specialist care with minimal customer services that is suited to poorer nations with few facilities such as Bangladesh, Nepal and others in Asia. Thomas Cook (India) is tying up with major Indian hospitals to launch medical tourism packages by the end of 2012. The travel firms argues that outside of Asia, those who do travel to India for major medical treatment, number no more than 10,000; and almost all these are non-resident Indians. Madhav Pai of Thomas Cook explains, “We are trying to tap this potential in Gujarat, Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai and Bangalore.” The company has already tied up with Seven Hills Hospital in Mumbai and is in talks with others including Apollo and Hinduja Hospitals.” There is a problem for India though. While fast growth countries Brazil, China and Russia have, are and will spend huge sums on developing the infrastructure of broadband, electricity, rail, road and airports, India, the fourth member of the BRIC countries, has lagged far behind. Mostly, the problems have not really affected hospitals or medical tourism, but a recent serious problem may make people think twice about going to India. In late July and early August, much of India lost electricity in back-to-back grid failures, with massive traffic and railway jams. Larger than both the August 2003 blackout on the U.S. East Coast and the March 1999 southern Brazil blackout, the grid failure plunged 640 million people back to life before electricity. On the first day 360 million people—equal to the population of the USA and Canada combined—lost power across seven states in northern India when excessive demand and a shortfall in hydropower overwhelmed the electricity grid. 12 hours later, power resumed in the capital, only to fail again the next day. The second blackout was even worse, with the chaos spreading to Kolkata and other parts of eastern India. The failures were enough to disrupt even well prepared hospitals. New Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital has a backup generator to ensure that lights stay on when the network fails. The disaster plan was not able to cope with a second big blackout coming a day after the first that knocked out power to much of northern India. With less than three hours of electricity for the intensive care unit, the hospital had to make plans to shift critical patients to other hospitals.” Officials blamed forces beyond their control, such as the weather. But electricity production depends heavily on coal, where supplies are struggling to keep up with demand. Another serious problem is that between 30% and 50% of the electricity produced by India's power plants gets siphoned off by people who don't pay for it, while the entire industry has problems with corruption. Because India works on a mix of national and local government, any infrastructure project becomes a tug of war between the national government and the state as to who will pay for anything. The slow speed of Indian politics and bureaucracy, mean that while the country has benefited from economic growth, the vital infrastructure of rail, road, air, and power has not kept up. Nor have building and safety regulations. Corruption is still a problem both on new projects and on enforcing laws at local level. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=384897 Fri, 24 Aug 2012 16:36:21 GMT 20120824163621 Thu, 23 Aug 2012 13:49:26 GMT 20120823134926 Fri, 24 Aug 2012 16:36:21 GMT 201208241643621 Concerned at the currency loss from the billions of naira that Nigeria spends on overseas medical treatment for thousands of Nigerians, the Federal government has attacked the principle of outbound medical tourism. Indonesia has a similar problem. Both countries plan to increase the health budget to improve the quality of services at home. Nigeria's Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, has launched a raft of health investment initiatives, and eventual universal health coverage, but even if they all work and give Nigerians the decent health system they badly need, it could take a decade or more to reach fruition. Meanwhile, Nigeria's balance of trade is suffering due to the amount of currency going overseas to pay for medical tourism. According to the government, Nigerians spend N180 billion annually on foreign medical trips. In recent years there has been a dramatic increase in medical tourism by Nigerians, due simply to the lack of enough appropriate and modern facilities all over Nigeria. Dr Ufuoma Okotete of Diamond Helix, a Lagos based medical tourism agency that helps Nigerians seeking overseas treatment to connect with hospitals and doctors abroad, mostly to India as it is the local agency of Apollo Hospitals, argues that with the current state of the nation's health sector, it is practically impossible to stop Nigerians from travelling abroad for medical treatment for brain surgery, open heart surgery, complex eye problems, and micro dissection surgery. The agency also sends people to the UK Germany, South Africa, the USA and Dubai. Dr Ufuoma Okotete explains, “What we lack in Nigeria is the infrastructure. Even if you bring these doctors to Nigeria to carry out surgery here, they will need technical assistance, a team of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals to do the job; well equipped intensive care units and lots more that is lacking in Nigeria.” President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia has told wealthy Indonesians to stop heading overseas for medical treatment because it only benefits neighboring countries. He is asking his own ministers need to set an example for the rest of the nation and only seek treatment at home. He argues that the country does have enough high quality hospitals and doctors. The president admits that it is beyond his powers to actually stop anyone seeking medical help abroad. His comments may have been taken seriously in Indonesia if he applied the same rules to his own family. Among those who sought medical care overseas was Yudhoyono's wife, Ani Yudhoyono, who went to the USA as recently as June 2012 to undergo treatment for a nerve problem in her neck at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. According to the health ministry, 600,000 Indonesians leave the country for medical treatment every year. They spend an estimated $1.2 billion on treatment in nations with modern, and better-equipped, health facilities. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=384903 Thu, 23 Aug 2012 14:12:58 GMT 20120823141258 Thu, 23 Aug 2012 14:07:29 GMT 20120823140729 Thu, 23 Aug 2012 14:12:58 GMT 201208231421258 Local politicians have talked up the potential of Belize as a medical tourism destination that could rival Costa Rica for American business, but is it possible? The country offers dental tourism to Americans and is considering expanding medical tourism, but local doctors are not convinced that there is spare capacity. Formerly known as British Honduras, Belize was the UK's last colony on the American mainland and still maintains strong ties with Britain. Belize is not a medical tourism destination by any standards, though proposals to build facilities and begin promoting it are being considered. Belizean doctors generally come from abroad, some as volunteers to help the locals, and the vast majority work in publicly funded clinics or hospitals with very little time and resources for special care. However there are a few doctors that run their own private medical and dental practices, with some even advertising to foreigners. A few people have visited Belize as medical tourists, often enjoying Belize's laid-back atmosphere as a great place to recover. But the island only has a population of 138,000 and few towns, so talk of rivaling Costa Rica, which has cities, a population of 4.7 million, internationally accredited hospitals etc is optimistic! Most available medical procedures are cheaper in Belize than in the USA but most locals and permanent residents head north to Mexico for treatment, where costs are lower, facilities are better and more procedures are available. Facilities, equipment and doctors in Belize are in extremely short supply, so the range of available treatments is limited at best. The government plans to promote medical tourism and is encouraging overseas investors to set up in the country, but the investors want to bring in US doctors, which the locals oppose. The Belize Medical and Dental Association (BMDA) does not support medical tourism. Belize has a problem with violent crime, much of it drug-related, and the trafficking of narcotics to the US. In 2011 Belize was added to a US blacklist of countries considered to be major producers or transit routes for illegal drugs. The Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) and the Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (Beltraide) recently held a public workshop on medical tourism. The IADB hired a Costa Rican medical tourism consultant, Massimo Manzi, who presented an overview of the study he is leading at this workshop. Beltraide is committed to developing a sustainable medical tourism approach that will benefit Belize, and Belizeans. Manzi emphasized what Belize must do to become successful long-term in this challenging market. He confirmed that there is great opportunity for Belize in this market. He pointed out that the price of entry is high and that unless it had the backing of local doctors it was doomed to fail. Belize has few specialist doctors and few hospitals, with no international certification. Belizean doctors argue that the government has yet to institute medical laws and regulations. Dr. Joel Cervantes, of the Belize Medical Association stresses that since 1999 his organization has pushed the Ministry of Health to pass a Health Act, and health regulations. As of yet nothing has been passed. He states that this first step must be accomplished prior to proceeding with any medical tourism plans in Belize. Locals, including doctors, have accused the government of not waiting for the study or any local agreement, and issuing permits for future medical tourism facilities. The doctors are very unhappy that some of the permits do not expect to use any Belizean doctors or nurses. After the workshop, the government has tried to backtrack by claiming that the permits have been put on hold until Belize's medical tourism plan is completed; but some local doctors do not believe the politicians. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=384900 Thu, 23 Aug 2012 14:07:29 GMT 20120823140729 Thu, 23 Aug 2012 13:58:21 GMT 20120823135821 Thu, 23 Aug 2012 14:07:29 GMT 201208231420729 With a rising elderly population globally, two international accreditation organizations have launched programmes for long term care and rehabilitation. Although as yet few people go overseas for long-term care, there is a tendency for some colder nations such as those in Scandinavia, to send older people needing care to warmer ones for the winter. One possible future trend could be for people to go, or be sent by relatives, to another country for long-term care as the basic cost in the USA and some Western European countries is now enormous. This is a matter for major debate, as some Western Europe countries totally disagree with people being sent to care homes, as they believe that they should be cared for at home within their families. Temos has launched its Quality in International Rehabilitation Care programme and accredited the first centre, in Greece. The assessment includes the therapeutic, medical and non-medical services for rehab care containing the systematic and continuous processing of patients, the identification, analysis and improvement of quality of structures, processes and results in rehab services. Animus Recovery and Rehabilitation Centre in Trikala opened in May 2008. It looks after people who have accidents or diseases, and then either need outpatient treatment or hospitalisation for their recovery and rehabilitation. Animus is being extended to offer space for more patients. Animus actively seeks medical tourists considering rehabilitation services in Greece. The Temos certification is part of the plan to get international exposure and trust in a sector that has a poor reputation. The process of applying to Temos has helped Animus improve standards and hopes the quality approval will give it a significant competitive advantage. Long Term Care is the newest JCI accreditation programme, designed to address the care of individuals needing long term care. JCI accepts that the needs of people in hospices, seeking temporary care, needing home care and permanent or on-off long term care are increasingly fractured. So it is developing specific care standards for each sector to replace an overall care one. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=384898 Thu, 23 Aug 2012 13:58:21 GMT 20120823135821 Thu, 23 Aug 2012 13:52:34 GMT 20120823135234 Thu, 23 Aug 2012 13:58:21 GMT 201208231315821 Although cosmetic surgery is a major mainstay of international and national medical tourism, it is rarely properly regulated and although it has many experienced and well qualified practitioners, as a cash quick industry it has more than its share of unqualified “amateurs” undertaking work. Problems with cosmetic surgery and cosmetic dentistry have often undermined any good press that medical tourism gets. So all countries where cosmetic surgery is a major component of medical tourism should take notice of a UK government review that will look at all aspects of the cosmetic surgery industry, including whether or not advertising should be restricted, controlled or even banned altogether. The UK cosmetic surgery industry is under scrutiny and could find itself operating under tighter restrictions following a major review into cosmetic surgery and procedures launched by the Department of Health and led by Professor Sir Bruce Keogh. It will look at many issues including whether the right amount of regulation is in place, if people have the right amount of information before going through with surgery and how to make sure patients get the right aftercare. People are being asked to give their views on, and share their experiences of, the cosmetic surgery industry and cosmetic procedures. The call for evidence is asking for people's views on:• The regulation and safety of products used in cosmetic surgery;• How best to ensure that the people who carry out cosmetic surgery operations and procedures have the necessary skills and qualifications;• How to ensure that organisations have the systems in place to look after their patients both during their treatment and afterwards;• How to ensure that people considering cosmetic surgery and procedures are given the information, advice and time for reflection to make an informed choice. Professor Keogh says,” The recent problem with PiP breast implants has shone a light on the cosmetic surgery industry. Many questions have been raised, particularly around the regulation of clinics, whether all practitioners are adequately qualified, how well people are advised, aggressive marketing techniques, and what protection is available when things go wrong. I am concerned that too many people do not realise how serious cosmetic surgery is and do not consider the life-long implications and potential complications it can have.” Some organizations favour the introduction of tough rules on cosmetic surgery advertising. Elli Moody of UK Feminista suggests, "This offers a vital opportunity to stamp out the unethical and aggressive advertising techniques deployed by the cosmetic surgery industry. These adverts are a public health hazard. Their sole purpose is to persuade people to undergo medically unnecessary invasive surgery in order to boost profits. By frequently portraying surgery as quick and easy, they recklessly trivialise risks that include postoperative infection, blood clots and, in rare cases, death. Cosmetic surgery adverts also ruthlessly prey on women's widespread unhappiness with their bodies, making false promises of confidence and self esteem." Fazel Fatah of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) comments, 'We have been campaigning for many years for better regulation of the cosmetic surgery sector to protect patients. We would like the review to draw a clear line between cosmetic treatments that are seen as a commodity and cosmetic surgery that is serious medical treatment that must be provided by fully trained and qualified surgeons. We want the review to look at advertising if an outright ban is not achievable, then a new strict code of advertising is badly needed to protect patients." An opposition MP has called for better regulation of the cosmetic surgery industry. Labour MP Ann Clwyd has introduced a bill to the House of Commons seeking to establish minimum standards for the practice of cosmetic surgery. The Cosmetic Surgery (Minimum Standards) Bill would cover surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures and would place a ban on cosmetic surgery advertising. Ann Clwyd says, "The medical profession has always been controlled and regulated by strict ethics, but the voluntary codes of practice have been breached by some operators to make quick easy money. Responsibility clearly lies with the government to take action as soon as possible to stop any more innocent people being subjected to butchery at the hands of some greedy, unscrupulous and incompetent people and to introduce the kind of regulation for cosmetic surgery that is long overdue." There are measures and standards to help regulate the industry, but some cosmetic surgeons operate outside these voluntary regulations. Some treatments and procedures are unlicensed for cosmetic use but can be given at the discretion of doctors, or 'off licence' in some clinics. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=384895 Thu, 23 Aug 2012 13:49:26 GMT 20120823134926 Thu, 23 Aug 2012 13:43:01 GMT 20120823134301 Thu, 23 Aug 2012 13:49:26 GMT 201208231314926 Dr. Yahya Öztel, the owner of Turmed, a medical tourism agency operating in Russia and Ukraine says that growth of health and medical tourism in Turkey will be led by visitors from Russia and the Ukraine. Dr. Öztel explains, “Unfortunately the health system in Ukraine is not highly subsidized therefore Ukrainian doctors do not always have the necessary modern technology or equipment to diagnose or treat patients. The same is true in parts of Russia. So health tourism mobility from Russia and Ukraine will provide Turkey with more business.” Turkey offers thermal and spa-wellness tourism, tourism, and medical tourism. Turkey's geographical advantage will increase numbers in all three areas. Antalya Medical Park International hospital also sees potential in other Eastern Europe countries Almost very week it gets cancer and organ transplant patients from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Turkey aims to create special health zones to target health tourism, including hospitals, rehabilitation centres, thermal spa facilities and care facilities for the elderly and holiday villages. The Ministry of Health has a new legal code that helps it develop health tourism and improve the inflow of foreign investment in healthcare. Which companies have been awarded the contracts to manage and develop the new zones will be announced in December; while investment, building and zoning operations will begin in 2013. A holiday provider who promises not to beaten on price or value is anticipating that health tourism will help to increase the number of bookings for Turkey holidays next year. Holiday Mate says, “Investment in health tourism could provide a great boost to general tourism across Turkey. Plans to develop niche health zones could signal a rise in the demand for holidays to Turkey and flights to Turkish resorts.” http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=383125 Wed, 08 Aug 2012 11:46:39 GMT 20120808114639 Wed, 08 Aug 2012 11:40:03 GMT 20120808114003 Wed, 08 Aug 2012 11:46:39 GMT 2012080811114639 Accreditation Canada International is expanding the adoption of its Qmentum International accreditation programme to hospitals in Oman and Slovenia. Pro Cardiaco Hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is the first international organization to earn an Accreditation Canada International stroke services distinction, awarded to health organizations that meet or exceed the best standards of stroke care. Hygeia Hospital Tirana is the first Temos certified hospital in Albania. It has been awarded the Temos Certificate “Quality in International Patients' Care” for its high class medical, non-clinical and technical services offered for national and international patients. Areti Souvatzoglou of Hygeia says, “The onsite inspection and Temos certification are important for our hospitals, since they offer us the possibility of accessing an extensive network of healthcare providers in the medical tourism market, with the ultimate aim being to expand our customer base and attract foreign patients. Medical tourism is also very important for Albania, which will evolve another line of tourist business not yet developed in the country”. From January 2013, academic medical centres accredited by Joint Commission International (JCI) will be accredited under a new set of standards; the Joint Commission International Standards for Academic Medical Center Hospitals. These hospitals will also be recognized separately on the JCI website listing of all accredited organizations. Paul van Ostenberg of JCI explains, "These new standards were developed to recognize the unique resource such centres represent for health professional education and human subject research in their communities and countries. They were also developed to present a framework for including medical education and human subject research into the quality and patient safety activities of academic medical centre hospitals. Unless deliberately included in the quality framework, education and research activities often are the unnoticed partners in patient care quality monitoring and improvement." The new standards are divided into two chapters -- medical professional education, and human subject research programmes - as medical education and clinical research are most frequently organized and administered separately within academic medical centres. These new standards will be integrated into the evaluation process for the accreditation of hospitals. For example, when the on-site evaluators are reviewing patient care in a clinical unit, they will also evaluate the contribution of medical trainees to care processes in that unit, and the integration of clinical research protocols into the care provided on the unit and the quality monitoring processes. Not every hospital with students or conducting research is considered an academic medical centre hospital under these new standards. JCI will evaluate hospitals under the academic medical centre hospitals requirements when the hospital:• Is organizationally or administratively integrated with a medical school;• Is the principal site for the education of both medical students and medical specialty residents from the medical school noted in the previous criterion; and• Conducts academic and/or commercial human subject research involving patients of the hospital. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=383122 Wed, 08 Aug 2012 11:40:02 GMT 20120808114002 Wed, 08 Aug 2012 11:31:18 GMT 20120808113118 Wed, 08 Aug 2012 11:40:02 GMT 2012080811114002 “Medical Tourism: The Ethics, Regulation, and Marketing of Health Mobility” a new hardback book costing £85, from major publishers Routledge, is edited by Professor C. Michael Hall of the Department of Management, University of Canterbury, New Zealand. The author explains, “Medical and health tourism is a significant area of growth in the export of medical, health and tourism services. Although spas and improved wellbeing have long been part of the tourist experience, health tourism now includes travel for medical purposes ranging from cosmetic and dental surgery through to transplants and infertility treatment. Many countries actively promote and compete for the medical tourist, while many developed countries also provide niche private services. However, the field of medical tourism is increasingly being subject to scrutiny and debate, particularly as a result of concerns over regulatory, ethical and wider health issues.” The publisher adds, 'Drawing on a range of theoretical and methodological perspectives, this book is one of the first to critically address the substantial political, philosophical and ethical issues that arise out of the transnational practices of medical tourism. Through a series of chapters the book engages with key issues such as the role of regulatory and policy structures in influencing medical and health tourism related mobilities. These issues are investigated by considering range of developing and developed countries, medical systems and health economic perspectives .The book adopts a multi-layered perspective to not only investigate the business and marketing practices of medical and health tourism but places these within a broader framework of contemporary globalization, policy and practice. By doing so it opens up debate of the ethical space in which medical and health tourism operates as well as reinforce the wide ranging perspectives that exist on the subject in both the public and academic imagination.” Contents-1. Development and implications of medical mobility 2. Quality, safety and risk in medical tourism3. Economic, social and institutional impediments 4. Medical tourism, xenotourism and client expectations5. Impacts of health policy on medical tourism in Germany6. Thermal versus surgical medical tourism in Hungary7. Health spa tourism in the Czech and Slovak Republic 8. Macao's cross-border medical tourism9. Branding medical and health tourism in Germany10. Korean health tourist behaviour11. Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and India 12. The promotion of Malaysia as a destination13. The future Another book in preparation is “Patients with passports-medical tourism, law and ethics” by Glenn Cohen. Oxford University Press will publish it. Glenn Cohen explains, “This book will be the first comprehensive analysis of the legal and ethical issues raised with multiple varieties of medical tourism—for services that are legal in the home and destination country (e.g. hip replacements, cardiac bypass), for services that are illegal in the home country but legal in the destination country (e.g. abortion, assisted suicide, reproductive technologies, stem cell treatments), and for services that are illegal in both places (e.g, organ sale).” Cohen is seeking the assistance of student research partners who will be responsible for page proofing, gathering materials, and managing media contacts. They will learn about bioethics and the globalization of health care. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=383118 Wed, 08 Aug 2012 11:29:39 GMT 20120808112939 Wed, 08 Aug 2012 11:14:34 GMT 20120808111434 Wed, 08 Aug 2012 11:29:39 GMT 2012080811112939 90% of Arabs who leave the Middle East to have cosmetic surgery performed come to Europe, and more than half of them choose London for their treatments. Leading cosmetic surgeon Professor Laurence Kirwan explains why, ”London is famous for many things and this includes top-notch cosmetic surgery. The women come from very wealthy backgrounds and can afford to go anywhere in the world so choose the place with the best reputation.” Professor Kirwan has set up a monthly consulting surgery in Abu Dhabi as more Arab and Middle Eastern women become more open to the idea of cosmetic surgery. He already has an international presence with clinics in Harley Street in London, as well as New York and Connecticut in the US. He is sought out by wealthy clients from the Arab world and expects his consultancy will be in high demand in Abu Dhabi. Arab women are influenced by what they see in the media and want to feel good and look beautiful. But cosmetic surgery is outlawed in some Arab states, which is why many Arab women go overseas for treatment. While the private health sector in the UK continues to be a magnet for private patents from all over the world, how successful NHS hospitals will be in attracting private patients from the UK and overseas is still an unknown. The government has given all NHS hospitals the opportunity to earn more from private patients by lifting the cap on hospitals' private income. The new limit on income hospitals can derive from private patients, drugs sales or intellectual property is 49%, which in practice means that it now offers no limitation on their potential. The new limit applies from October and the increase is based on the logic from health secretary Andrew Lansley, “The existing limit prevents foundation trusts from pursuing the kind of innovations that will benefit patients in the future and put more of our hospitals on the map internationally". Cosmetic surgery across the world has been criticized for the number of unqualified or under qualified individuals undertaking what is in effect a medical procedure. An opposition MP has called for better regulation of the cosmetic surgery industry. Labour MP Ann Clwyd has introduced a bill to the House of Commons seeking to establish minimum standards for the practice of cosmetic surgery. The Cosmetic Surgery (Minimum Standards) Bill would cover surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures and would place a ban on cosmetic surgery advertising. Ann Clwyd says, "The medical profession has always been controlled and regulated by strict ethics, but the voluntary codes of practice have been breached by some operators to make quick easy money. Responsibility clearly lies with the government to take action as soon as possible to stop any more innocent people being subjected to butchery at the hands of some greedy, unscrupulous and incompetent people and to introduce the kind of regulation for cosmetic surgery that is long overdue." There are measures and standards to help regulate the industry, but some cosmetic surgeons operate outside these voluntary regulations. Some treatments and procedures are unlicensed for cosmetic use but can be given at the discretion of doctors, or 'off licence' in some clinics. Surgical practice in the UK is regulated by the General Medical Council and practising surgeons should be enrolled on its specialist register. But some concessions are made for private cosmetic surgeons who have been practising since before April 2002. By satisfying certain criteria, these doctors can practise without the need to be on the specialist register. More worryingly, are the number of health clinics that offer semi-surgical or non-surgical procedures with no qualifications. Reputable cosmetic surgeons welcome the proposal, but the general view is that the ban on advertising is never going to happen and is only in the proposal so that the government can drop it as a political trade–off and enact the legislation. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=383114 Wed, 08 Aug 2012 11:14:34 GMT 20120808111434 Wed, 08 Aug 2012 11:03:00 GMT 20120808110300 Wed, 08 Aug 2012 11:14:34 GMT 2012080811111434 The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has done much to add to and improve local hospitals to make them up to date; but has had little success in attracting medical tourists. Many locals go overseas for treatment, and even for medical check ups. Numbers doing this has gone down by 20 to 30% in the last three years. But it is unclear whether this is due to better provision at home, or the global economy causing fewer to afford overseas treatment. Saudis tend to go to high cost countries such as the UK, Germany and Switzerland. The country has relied heavily on the logic that building new hospitals and seeking international accreditation will automatically bring in medical tourists. But with most Gulf nations pursuing a similar strategy, this alone does not bring in medical tourists. The state and hospitals have been reluctant to advertise or market the country properly. Dr. Sami Badawood of Jeddah Wellbeing Affairs says that the country needs to do more to attract medical tourists from other Gulf nations. "There are plans to develop a brand for medical tourism in Jeddah. The strategic five-year plans seek to create a medical city in Jeddah that has many medical services. To do this we need much more private sector investment." Jeddah has 40 hospitals and a growing number of private clinics. But as India and Dubai are showing, medical cities or medical tourism clusters are part of an outdated concept that never did and probably never will, bring in sufficient numbers of medical tourists to justify the huge investment expense. The Ministry of Wellbeing and the Jeddah Governorate are to hold a workshop on how to create a plan to increase medical tourism in Jeddah. They may carry on independently or seek the help of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA); which works with public and private interests to promote tourism. The country needs to attract medical tourists and increase the capacity and resources of private hospitals. Saudi Arabia has many local competitors; particularly Jordan and the UAE. Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, India, the Philippines and Eastern European nations are attracting substantial numbers of medical tourists from the Middle East. Saudi Arabia gets medical tourists seeking pediatric and obesity remedies and eye surgery. Cosmetic surgery is increasingly popular but is much more expensive than in India, Egypt or Lebanon. Costs generally are far higher than Asian competitors. One area that could be developed is stem-cell therapy and infertility therapy; but both face local cultural and religious obstacles, while the nations opposition to women being involved in anything other than child rearing and housework, and strict dress codes, would make it a very uncomfortable destination for couples seeking fertility treatment. The normal local procedure of only talking to the husband about even the most intimate female medical details may not be very attractive. Public and private sectors are not working together to promote medical tourism. Saudi Arabia is a Muslim country in which Islamic law is strictly enforced. Islamic codes of behaviour and dress are also rigorously enforced. Anyone involved in a commercial dispute with a Saudi company or individual may be prevented from leaving the country pending resolution of the dispute. The Saudi legal system is different; suspects can be held without charge and denied legal representation. The Saudi authorities often detain witnesses and victims of crimes, as well as the culprit. All visitors require a visa to enter Saudi Arabia. Visitors may be refused entry to Saudi Arabia if their passport contains evidence of previous travel to Israel. Saudi law requires female visitors to have their sponsor meet them on arrival. Saudi Arabia is a classic case where culture and local politics mean that the potential for inbound medical tourism is limited. Although the local culture may not cause problems for some Gulf states; those with more westernized ideas can be put off. For most Americans, Asians and Europeans, the culture will stop it being considered as a medical tourism destination. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=383112 Wed, 08 Aug 2012 11:03:00 GMT 20120808110300 Wed, 08 Aug 2012 10:46:09 GMT 20120808104609 Wed, 08 Aug 2012 11:03:00 GMT 2012080811110300 Mercury Advisory Group has put together 30 key findings from global research on medical tourism. Maria Todd of Mercury explains, “Our consultants and technical advisors have gathered the findings when benchmarking medical tourism market initiatives throughout the world. We hope these findings will help new market entrants and to make it easier for people in their medical tourism strategy.” The findings include;• All leading medical tourism destinations have developed a clear vision and strategic objectives and set specified goals with specific timeframes.• Co-operation and co-ordination among relevant authorities is a must. Singapore, Korea, Malaysia, Turkey, and Lebanon have formed national medical tourism councils bringing together relevant parties.• Many destinations work to attract foreign and national investments by using tax incentives for the development of the sector.• Medical tourism clusters have mostly failed.• Most destinations offer transparent pricing for their surgical and diagnostic services, often as packages. But what is in or out of the package is often poorly described and puts off potential customers.• More countries are trying to monitor health and medical tourism numbers.• International safety and quality accreditations have become a prerequisite for any hospital or clinic.• Some countries have also developed their own ISQua-accredited national accreditation system.• Many doctors have international professional qualifications and are fluent in several languages.• India, Thailand, and Malaysia have special visas for long-stay medical tourism.• Airlines such as Lufthansa, Malaysian Airways, Turkish Airlines, and Etihad offer medical tourism packages.• Some hotels work with hospitals to accommodate companions and recovering patients.• A national marketing strategy is essential. Overall, what the research shows is that for any country to be successful, it has to be organized and pro-active at national and international level. Gone are the days that any country can develop medical or health tourism with a hands-off approach where hospitals and clinics spend as much time competing with each other as with other countries. Customer expectations in packaging, quality of care, language skills and service are growing all the time. Countries have to train doctors, hospitals, nurses, therapists and others in language and service skills. What is interesting is within the 30 detailed topics that we are only able to give an indication of here; there is no mention of low price or international medical tourism bodies, and little mention of medical tourism agencies. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=383110 Wed, 08 Aug 2012 10:45:37 GMT 20120808104537 Wed, 08 Aug 2012 10:28:39 GMT 20120808102839 Wed, 08 Aug 2012 10:45:37 GMT 2012080810104537 The problem of making comparisons of overseas prices against US prices, and one reason that US domestic medical tourism is growing, is shown by a new report. The report shows that US hospitals in areas with the highest prices charged 2.7 more times than hospitals in the lowest-priced regions. These are 2010 figures; so do not take into account, price cuts and package rates of those US hospitals targeting domestic medical tourism. And they only refer to California, a rather well-off state; it is known from other studies that hospitals in other US states can offer higher or lower prices than in California. Hospital prices significantly vary for surgical procedures, with location and market power playing an important role in marking up prices, concludes a new report from independent consumer advocacy group CALPIRG. A new report by CALPIRG Education Fund found large discrepancies between what California hospitals charge for common surgeries, such as caesarean section births and knee replacements. The significant price variations, which appear unrelated to quality of care, could provide important insights into how to lower the rising costs of health care in California. The report, 'Your Price May Vary: Geographic Variation in Hospital Charges in California', examines statewide data from the California Common Surgeries and Charges Comparison database – a record of the prices charged by hospitals for common, elective, in-patient surgeries widely performed at hospitals across the state. Daniela Uribe of CALPIRG Education Fund comments,” Overcharges are unacceptable for a service as important as health care. Consumers, whether it's on their own or through higher insurance premiums, should not be paying 250% more for the exact same surgery at different hospitals. According to this data, a pregnant woman in the Bay Area could take a private jet to Fresno, stay at the nicest hotel in the city, and still save thousands of dollars on her birth. In health care, higher prices do not reflect greater value. Consumers deserve clear, easy-to-access information about both the cost and quality of care in order to make sound judgements about their health. Exploring variations in the charges for providing health care is potentially one of the most effective ways to identify cost-saving strategies and put pressure on high-cost providers to do business in a way that is more economical for their patients and insurers.” The report found that:• Surgery charges were 2.7 times more expensive in the highest cost region vs. the lowest cost region. Surgery charges were highest in the Alameda and San Mateo areas. The Fresno and Orange County regions charged the least.• San Jose-area hospitals charged an average of $144,900 for angioplasty, while Bakersfield hospitals charged $44,400.• The typical patient in the San Mateo region was charged nearly $48,000 for a Caesarean section. The typical patient in the Fresno region was charged less than $13,000 for the same surgery. Even within the regions, prices widely differed. In the Bay Area:• The most expensive planned c-section surgeries were at Seton Medical Center, which charged $54,866, in comparison to $21,498, at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.• The most expensive knee replacement surgeries were at Regional Medical Center of San Jose, which charged $165,200, in comparison to $59,824 at Alameda Co. Medical Center—Highland Campus. Other research has concluded that price variations are not correlated to the quality of care or patient income or health status. Additionally, cost of living differences by region only partially explain the regional variations in common surgery charges. Rather, research suggests that variation in charges could have more to do with which hospitals have more leverage and greater market power, particularly with the insurance industry. CALPIRG Education Fund recommends:• The state of California should make information about both the cost and the quality of care at each hospital accessible to consumers and policy-makers.• Hospitals should disclose their accepted payments and discounts, rather than just their sticker price for common procedures, to enable consumers to shop around and to enable policy-makers to better understand how California might control the cost of providing quality health care. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=382002 Fri, 27 Jul 2012 10:22:37 GMT 20120727102237 Thu, 26 Jul 2012 11:27:46 GMT 20120726112746 Fri, 27 Jul 2012 10:22:37 GMT 2012072710102237 Australian health insurer, nib, is considering becoming a medical tourism agent for its customers, but not offering insurance cover for medical tourism as the main reason that Australians go overseas for treatment is cosmetic surgery, something that health insurers do not cover. The insurer has 18 branches across the country and if it cannot increase income in a very competitive market for health insurance, then it will have to close some. This is why ideas for producing extra income, such as becoming an agency for Australians seeking cosmetic surgery overseas, are being considered. Mark Fitzgibbon of nib explains, ''If you're going to go overseas for surgery you want to deal with a company you trust. Australians are spending a lot of money on cosmetic surgery by going overseas. Everyone is making money out of it: the airline, the travel agent, the credit card and loan companies, as well as the clinics overseas. So we are exploring the prospect of having a role in assisting people making those decisions, because they know our brand.'' While globally, insurers are not keen on insuring medical tourism, there are other insurers around the globe that have dabbled in helping customers go to another country for treatment such as cosmetic surgery that they do not insure; as there are then no conflicts of interest. A new dental tourism venture is targeting Australians. Dental Abroad, based in Auckland, New Zealand is seeking to take Australians to New Zealand for dental care. A weakening New Zealand dollar and cheap airfares have helped make the venture viable. It has been set up by a dentist and a technician who makes dental implants. It offers Australians a net saving of 20% to 30% on the dental cost in Australia. The company promises that work done in Auckland will be of a higher standard than in other countries where dental tourism is popular, such as Thailand. The company specializes in the larger complex restorative cases involving 3 or more teeth requiring crowns, bridges or cosmetic veneers. Implants are made in house to high quality controls and standards, with a 3-year guarantee. Only internationally recognised brands of implants and fixtures are placed. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=381996 Fri, 27 Jul 2012 10:18:42 GMT 20120727101842 Thu, 26 Jul 2012 10:48:50 GMT 20120726104850 Fri, 27 Jul 2012 10:18:42 GMT 2012072710101842 Nadeem Esmail of the Fraser Institute think tank claims that 46,169 Canadians left the country to get medical treatment elsewhere, mostly in the USA, in 2011. According to Nadeem Esmail, "In some cases, these patients needed to leave Canada due to a lack of available resources or a lack of appropriate procedure or technology. In others, their departure will have been driven by a desire to return more quickly to their lives, to seek out superior quality care, or perhaps to save their own lives or avoid the risk of disability. Clearly, the number of Canadians who ultimately receive their medical care in other countries is not insignificant." The reason many go abroad is shown in another report by the same author. Data from the Fraser Institute's annual survey of hospital wait times found that Canadians waited 9.5 weeks, on average, from an appointment with a specialist to receiving treatment in 2011, up slightly from 9.3 weeks in 2010. Another think tank, Atlantic Institute for Market Studies (AIMS), suggests that Canadian hospitals should pursue more medical tourists. It argues that although Canada has a universal access health care system that strives to provide quality care for every Canadian, there is demand for private healthcare. There has been an increase in the number of private clinics across the country. These provide diagnostic services, fertility treatment, gynecological and urological procedures, weight-reduction and vascular surgeries, neurosurgery and ophthalmology, plus a wide range of sports-related remediation and an array of cosmetic procedures. These services are provided to Canadians who can afford to leapfrog the creaking public health system and to patients from other countries. AIMS argues that politicians should stop attacking private healthcare and restricting private health insurance and help promote private treatment in Canada to Canadians and others. It argues that this would reduce the number of Canadians going overseas for treatment and that the country can actually profit by actively encouraging inward medical tourism. In Quebec City, luxury hotel Fairmont Le Château Frontenac has partnered with a private radiology clinic, Clinique de Radiologie et Imagerie médicale de la Capitale (RIMC), to offer what it claims is the first medical tourism package in Canada. It is only available to Canadian residents. The package includes accommodation in a Fairmont room (minimum of two nights stay), breakfast for two, a 60-minute Swedish massage for two at the Payot Institute and round trip transportation between the hotel and the clinic. RIMC offers mammography, bone densitometry, taco lung, abdominal and pelvic ultrasound, virtual colonoscopy, and scans. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=381995 Fri, 27 Jul 2012 10:13:18 GMT 20120727101318 Thu, 26 Jul 2012 10:33:30 GMT 20120726103330 Fri, 27 Jul 2012 10:13:18 GMT 2012072710101318 Just as it starts to recover from the last conflict, Lebanese medical tourism is being damaged by the problems of neighbour Syria. Tourism and medical tourism to many countries in the region have been suffering from the civil wars and uprisings in Syria, Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Bahrain and other countries. Even if the country itself is peaceful, the perception of tourists means that it takes a long time for normality to resume. Medical tourism tends to be harder hit, as while a normal tourist can get home quickly if danger erupts, it is not so easy if you are being treated in hospital. So medical tourists are being more careful about where they go. The Beirut Eye Specialist Hospital (BESH) has suffered from this heightened risk, even though Lebanon itself is peaceful. Since problems began in Syria, the number of patients from Syria has dropped to a trickle and numbers have fallen from across the Arab world. Like it or not, medical tourism exists in the political and economic world around it, not in a protected bubble. Lebanon has an extra problem in that many medical tourists from the Arab world came through Syria. Economic problems at home are also reducing overseas numbers. While competitors Dubai and Jordan have huge government support for medical tourism, the handful of hospitals and clinics in Lebanon have no support at all. Politics led to many Libyans going to Jordan for medical treatment, and the difficulties of getting paid may mean that Jordan regrets how much they pushed for that business. Although some Gulf countries pay for some of their people to get treated overseas, Lebanon is totally dependent on self-pay patients. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=382001 Thu, 26 Jul 2012 11:27:46 GMT 20120726112746 Thu, 26 Jul 2012 11:20:32 GMT 20120726112032 Thu, 26 Jul 2012 11:27:46 GMT 2012072611112746 India is becoming a favourite destination for Omani medical tourists; there has been a steep rise in the number of visas being issued to India-bound Omanis. From January 1 to June 30 this year, the number of medical visas issued to Omanis has jumped three fold. The statistics reveal that India is becoming a prime destination for Omanis who opt for advanced treatment. According to the data: Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra and New Delhi are the top five destinations where Omanis visited for medical treatment during the last six months. The Indian Embassy in Muscat issues medical, tourism, business and student visas for Omanis. Omanis travels to India to seek treatment for cardiovascular, gastroenterology, orthopaedic, oncology, ophthalmology and dental ailments. Low price is one attraction. Another is that due to cultural similarities and historical ties, many Omanis feel at home in India. The processing of official papers for going to India for medical purposes is much easier than any other country. An Omani medical tourism agency says that visa enquiries for treatment in India are very high. Hassan Mohsin Al Lawati of Al Furdha Services says, "More and more Omanis want to visit India as it is an affordable and trusted destination for medical care. Most customers sent to India are quite happy after their return. During the last six months, we have assisted more than 50 Omanis to go for treatment in India.” The government of India is planning to provide visa on arrival facilities to Oman and other GCC nationals as part of a major drive to attract tourists from the Gulf region. India is already providing visa on arrival facility to 17 nationalities. The Indian state of Rajasthan seeks to attract patients from neighbouring countries as the state government has started working on formulating a separate policy on medical tourism. In an initiative aimed at positioning Bhubaneswar as a complete health destination and promoting medical tourism in a big way, Odisha plans to develop an integrated health city. The health city will be built on the outskirts of the city on 150-200 acres of land. Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation of Odisha (Idco) has prepared the concept note for the project. PK Jena of Idco explains,” The proposed health city is at a conceptual stage and will have various components including super specialty hospital, medical college, residential zones, high-end diagnostic centre and common infrastructure facilities. Destinations like Gurgaon, Chennai and Hyderabad already have health cities while one such city is soon coming up in Vishakhapatnam. A health city in Odisha will help us pull medical tourists to the state.” Medanta- the medicity in Gurgaon founded by cardiac surgeon Naresh Trehan is spread across 43 acres including a super specialty hospital, research centre, medical and nursing school. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=381999 Thu, 26 Jul 2012 11:20:32 GMT 20120726112032 Thu, 26 Jul 2012 11:08:09 GMT 20120726110809 Thu, 26 Jul 2012 11:20:32 GMT 2012072611112032 More foreigners are seeking medical treatment in Thailand each year, with 2012 expecting to see 2.53 million foreign patients generating Bt121.6 billion in income. Most popular treatments are for orthopedics, heart surgery, cosmetic surgery and dental work. Department of Health Service Support chief Somchai Pinyopornpanich reported the growing trend - 1.37 million foreigners in 2007 generated Bt41 billion; 1.38 million in 2008, Bt50.9 billion; 1.39 million in 2009, Bt63.3 billion; 1.98 million in 2010, Bt78.7 billion; and 2.24 million in 2011 generated Bt97.8 billion. The top five countries were Japan, USA, UK, Middle East and Australia. Somchai said the three main groups of foreigners seeking medical treatment were - foreign residents (41.4 per cent), tourists who use some medical services during their stay (32 per cent), and visitors seeking specific medical treatments here (26.6 per cent). He said a medical hub campaign (focusing on medical treatment, Thai spa, Thai traditional medicine and Thai herbs) would improve Thai medical services in general. Previously, both the health and tourism bodies have stuck firmly to much higher figures, and not even admitted what local doctor bodies argued, that at least 30% of 'medical tourists' were expatriates or holidaymakers. The long used figures from The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Department of Export Promotion (DEP) for the number of medical tourists to Thailand, with no source given for the figures, other than 'reliable estimates' were as follows: • 2001 550,161• 2002 630000• 2003 973000• 2004 1 million• 2005 1.25 million• 2006 1.45 million• 2007 1,373,807• 2008 1.3 million• 2009 1.2 million• 2010 1.5 million estimate• 2011 1.5 million estimate These new figures are interesting as they are the first official confirmation of what many in the medical tourism industry have argued, and others have denied, that most “ medical tourists' are actually expatriates resident in Thailand or holidaymakers. There are still concerns that even the new figures are inflated by including outpatient use such as use of hospital pharmacies. Applying 26.6% to the figures for 2007 to 2011, and rounding them up, as we do not know how the % varies over time, this for the first time gives us a more accurate view of actual medical tourists; • 2007 365,000• 2008 367,000• 2009 370,000• 2010 527, 000• 2011 596, 000• 2012 673, 000 http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=381992 Thu, 26 Jul 2012 10:33:30 GMT 20120726103330 Thu, 26 Jul 2012 10:24:20 GMT 20120726102420 Thu, 26 Jul 2012 10:33:30 GMT 2012072610103330 Poland aims to use the Euro 2012 football tournament to kick-start promotion of a profitable tourism segment – health and medical services. If the new promotion campaign is successful, it will turn Poland into one of the most popular health and medical services destinations in the world. A consortium of PAIiIZ (Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency), EuCP (European Center for Enterprise) and Ameds Centre is promoting health, medical and wellness tourism through a full scale campaign that will include an international advertising campaign, attending specialty fairs, plus organizing trade missions and tours for journalists and medical tourism representatives. Most medical tourists come from Germany, Scandinavia and Russia. Many of those from the UK or USA are Polish emigrants. The most sought out services are dental treatment, cosmetic surgery, neurosurgery, cardiovascular treatment and orthopedic services. The other part of the business is wellness resorts, spas and health centres, all popular with foreigners. Polish medical services are attractive to foreigners because of their prices – much lower than in Western Europe and the USA. And foreign clients pay better than the Polish National Health Fund. There is some debate in Poland as to the effect of the EU cross-border healthcare law when it comes into force on October 25, 2013. The new law will ensure patients' rights to access treatment across EU borders. Some argue that it will double the medical tourism business of Poland, but others argue that in the current EU climate, getting money out of foreign governments will be hard work; while the numbers of state or private insured patients travelling will not be very high. The government and the Polish Association of Medical Tourism say that 2011 saw between 250,000 and 300,000 medical tourists, and this will increase by between 12 and 15% in 2012 and onwards. Part of the new promotion includes a fund to help agencies and hospitals promote medical tourism. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=380678 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 12:07:21 GMT 20120712120721 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 10:21:12 GMT 20120712102112 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 12:07:21 GMT 2012071212120721 In another attempt to promote medical tourism in the emirate, Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) will open specialised centres for oncology, genetic disorders and diabetes and add facilities for rehabilitation, paediatrics and integrated medicine. Last year, DHCC recorded a sharp growth in total patient numbers, attracting 502,000 patients in 2011. It is claimed that 15% of these patients are medical tourists compared to 10% of a total of 412,000 patients in 2010. But the 15% who are “international patients” includes expatriates and those on holiday. 85% of the UAE population, and 90% of the Dubai population are expatriate. DHCC has yet to provide statistics that identify real medical tourist numbers. The costs of healthcare in Dubai are higher than in Asia, but DHCC claims that it is cheaper than in the USA. 90% of the medical staff are expatriates and change often, so building up any expertise that is not available in other Gulf countries is difficult. They have modern hospitals, the latest equipment and a good infrastructure, but the challenge is to offer something that persuades people from Gulf countries to go there rather than other local states or countries that have scores of new hospitals too. Dubai's biggest challenge is to convince its own people to stop going abroad in their thousands, often paid for by their own state health insurance. It will not attract Europeans or Americans in enough numbers to justify what has been a huge investment by the state owned DHCC.The entire population is only 2 million and according to their own official statistics is 1,523,000 males and 455,000 females, the discrepancy due to the number of expats there on a temporary basis who leave their families at home. A delegation from the Libyan ministry of health has visited Dubai Healthcare City to raise awareness about the status of the Libyan healthcare sector and engage in dialogue with healthcare institutions in the UAE. It is unknown if Libya wants to send people to Dubai or consider building a Libyan version of DHCC.If the former, it should note what has happened in Jordan. A year since they received the first batch of injured Libyans who went to Jordan seeking healthcare, and after providing treatment to around 55,000 patients, private hospitals are still waiting to be reimbursed. A dispute between the hospitals and Libyan authorities over medical bills that amounted to more than US $200 million is still dragging on. The dispute involves the mechanism of auditing these bills, with numerous committees being formed and dissolved. Fawzi Hammouri, president of the Private Hospitals Association (PHA) told the local press, "We are no longer in contact with Libyan authorities, which promised to get back to us after reviewing and auditing the bills. They do not even ask for the new bills for treating their citizens who are still in our hospitals," Libya has paid some bills but still owes $130 million. This publicity has prompted Libya to hire a Jordanian medical management company to help process financial claims filed by Jordanian hospitals that have treated around 55,000 Libyan patients over the past year. Following a meeting between Fawzi Hammouri, and Libyan Health Bureau director Ali Bin Jalil, an agreement has been made to pay all bills within a 30-day deadline after auditing is completed as stipulated in the Libyan-Jordanian Medical Cooperation Protocol. The audit process will weed out any bills that are not part of the agreement or where there is proof of loading by a hospital. The bills are still increasing, as there are 2000 Libyans are currently receiving treatment in the kingdom's hospitals and clinics. And these bills are just for medical expenses. Local hotels that accommodated thousands of Libyans, have received $ 56 million from the Libyan authorities. Michael Nazzal, president of Jordan Hotels Association says that the Libyan authorities are cooperating and the remaining dues stand at $70 million. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=380687 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 12:06:07 GMT 20120712120607 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 11:03:25 GMT 20120712110325 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 12:06:07 GMT 2012071212120607 The Philippines Department of Tourism (DoT) is urging British businessmen to invest in Philippine medical tourism. The DoT has also pitched to local developers, and travel and tourism businesses for wellbeing, wellness and leisure holiday packages. The government is committed to promote investment for tourism by relaxing investment regulations and supplying incentives, investing in infrastructure development and advertising activities; and simple access to and from significant international cities within the region. The Tourism Act of 2009 is a measure created to create the Philippines much more globally competitive by creating tourism from the country's engines of investment and employment, of growth and national development, and the provision for tourism enterprise zones to become established in strategic locations to attract foreign investors. To attract interested investors, The Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC) has made recommendations to the government on how it can improve inbound medical travel. It says that promoting medical tourism is not enough; the tourism and taxation regimes much work positively too. JFC says that the government should remove taxes on foreign airlines and implement 24/7 operations in international airports and seaports. It wants them to develop and implement national and destination plans. JFC says that promotional resources should highlight international medical travel and promote transparency of medical packages. The government should develop and implement national policy on wellness and medical travel. It should offer seamless travel of medical travellers by issuing longer medical tourism visas for patients and their companions and streamlining procedures. The JFC is the latest in a long line of organizations telling the government that endless committees with yet new promotions are useless unless backed up by joined up thinking on promoting tourism and investment. The Philippines, while having had foreign patients for over 30 years, has only recently launched a concerted effort at medical tourism advertising. Medical tourism continues to grow, with the number of medical tourists rising from 60,000 in 2007 to about 100,000 in 2008.It is thought that post-recession figures dropped in 2009 to 70,000 or less and have not recovered, which is why there are no official figures for 2009, 2010 or 2011. The DOT target is for 200,000 medical tourists by 2015, but this more a hope than any real figure. The Medical City is a local pioneer of medical tourism, has assumed the management and operations of the Great Saviour International Hospital and also the Global Medical Network in Iloilo, in anticipation of a full purchase of both before year's end. TMC has acquired existing sister sites in Luzon, including the Mercedes Medical Center in Pampanga and a network of outpatient clinics in Dagupan, Olongapo and Cavite. TMC is increasing its presence in Luzon and Visayas as part of a national expansion strategy, aimed at offering its distinct brand to a broader patient base including more medical tourists. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=380683 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 11:58:37 GMT 20120712115837 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 10:47:10 GMT 20120712104710 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 11:58:37 GMT 2012071211115837 The industry, investment and commerce minister, Anthony Hylton, says that all Jamaicans will benefit from the government's plans to expand the country's health and wellness tourism offerings as it will not only help to enhance the quality of the country's health care, but will also contribute to the economy, through the creation of jobs. The minister seeks to dispel claims that a developed health and wellness sector in Jamaica would seek to widen the gap between the rich and the poor, particularly as it relates to the ability to the most vulnerable to access quality healthcare. Hylton says that the government is working to put in place, a number of projects that would benefit all Jamaicans, especially the unemployed and low income earners, “The poor will actually benefit from what would be centres of excellence created here in Jamaica to do things and to provide services, some of which are not now locally available, and means that they would have to find foreign exchange and travel abroad to get those services. We will bring those services here and they will all be accessible to the wider public." The government plans to partner with the private sector and doctors to develop the health tourism sector. Hylton explains, "Public/private partnership will be beneficial as doctors are asking the government to partner with them by providing land as part of the investment. In exchange we can leverage certain requirements as it relates to the wider population.” Dr. Neville Graham of EMedical Global Jamaica argues that health tourism enhances local healthcare and encourages people, who would otherwise go abroad for healthcare, to stay in Jamaica, “It has been proven in Singapore that health tourism means they are now eighth in the world in terms of providing healthcare for their own population." The government argues that health tourism will mean not only that Jamaicans would stop travelling to Miami or New York for healthcare, but people who have emigrated to the USA or elsewhere will return home for treatment. The health and wellness segment of the tourism industry is a new growth area with significant potential. But Jamaican governments have been making promises on developing the sectors for many years, with little sign of progress. According to the government there are two million Jamaicans living overseas, mainly in the UK, Canada and the USA. This is a huge number as the population only numbers 2.7 million. The government sees them not only as a potential market, but also as a source of overseas investment. The dilemma is that the government may be able to offer land, but does not have the money to develop healthcare facilities and few local businesses can invest serious money. So any progress will depend on getting overseas companies to look to the island for investment opportunities. Before investors part with any cash, they will want to see the politicians deliver on promises various reforms and the strategies including developing the infrastructure. Problems of lawlessness make it hard to guarantee safety. There are no agencies, trade bodies, travel groups or hospitals actively seeking overseas business. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=380679 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 11:57:34 GMT 20120712115734 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 10:26:46 GMT 20120712102646 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 11:57:34 GMT 2012071211115734 Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi's R The Spa has become the first spa in a five-star hotel to be awarded accreditation by the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) under the aegis of the Quality Council of India. Javed Ali of Radisson Blu Plaza Delhi says, "We feel honoured to be the first hotel spa in India to have received NABH recognition. It gives us immense satisfaction to be acknowledged for customer safety and quality of care that R the Spa provides to its guests. With the boom in wellness tourism in India, the customers will use accreditation as a guiding point. Accreditation will go a long way in enhancing the growth and credibility of the spa.” Dr. Girdhar Gyani of NABH adds, “The NABH accreditation will bring significant benefits to the spa including support from the Ministry of Tourism in marketing it internationally, a listing on the Incredible India website and participation in Ministry of Tourism publications.” Spread over three levels, the spa features a state-of-the-art fitness studio, spa bar, salon, luxurious spa suites and offers a range of Asian and Western spa therapies. Guests can enjoy suites with aqua beds that offer a floating experience, Vichy showers and hamam tables. R the Spa also features a range of salon therapies including hair care, waxing and threading. The fitness studio at this spa in New Delhi is the city's most exclusive, state-of-the-art gym, providing fitness programmes designed to help guests maintain their routine while travelling. The gym is equipped with multiple cardiovascular machines, bicycles, treadmills and strength training equipment. Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts, part of the Rezidor Hotel Group, currently operates more than 230 hotels worldwide, with another 51 projects under development. Radisson Blu is a first class full service hotel brand. Carlson, a privately held, global hospitality and travel company, based in Minneapolis (USA), is the majority shareholder of The Rezidor Hotel Group. Together, Carlson and Rezidor have hotels in more than 90 different countries, 1,070 hotels in operation and 240 hotels under development. NABH is part of the Quality Council of India (QCI), an autonomous, non-profit organization set up by the government in 1997 for running a national accreditation programme. NABH is currently offering accreditation to hospitals, small health care organizations, ayush hospitals, blood banks and transfusion services, primary health care centres/community health care centres, wellness centres, dental centres and medical imaging services. NABH standards are internationally recognized by ISQua. The Ministry of Tourism has initiated several measures to promote medical tourism. This includes promotion to overseas markets and production of publicity materials including brochures, CDs and films, distributed to target markets. Under a market development scheme the ministry offers financial support only to approved medical tourism service providers, i.e. representatives of hospitals accredited by Joint Commission International (JCI) and NABH, plus medical tourism agencies approved by the ministry. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=380686 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 11:03:25 GMT 20120712110325 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 10:57:27 GMT 20120712105727 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 11:03:25 GMT 2012071211110325 Rehab and addiction treatment are the often forgotten areas of medical tourism. Thailand is seeing an increase in the number of Australians going there for alcohol and drug dependency treatment. Three years after the opening of The Cabin, an upmarket rehabilitation facility in the city of Chiang Mai, a third of patients are from Australia, and half of those are from Western Australia. Each spends upwards of $12,000 for a 28-day course to kick their addiction; a price much lower than it would be in Australia. It can take 30 patients at any one time and so far has treated over 300 people. While traditional detox clinics can be very spartan, new centres offer a softer option for recovering addicts in a riverside resort that resembles a five-star luxury hotel, complete with swimming pools, four-poster king-size beds and ensuite bathrooms. Customers of The Cabin range from 18 to 60, but most are aged 30 to 45 and include successful businesspeople, housewives and medical professionals who want anonymity. The drug of choice for most Australians is alcohol, while some have methamphetamine or cannabis addiction. A growing number of patients are hooked on prescription drugs such as painkillers. Rehab centres overseas can be a great benefit to the patient as it provides anonymity, and crucially breaks the daily cycle by about getting them away from the people, places and things that trigger alcohol or drug use by being in another country. The Cabin uses the 12-step programme, with cognitive behavioral therapy, physical fitness and a focus on dealing with drug and alcohol cravings. It claims a success rate of 96 % for those who complete the programme. The Cabin has a great deal of experience and success dealing with corporate clients who send their staff because of a proven treatment method, guarantees of confidentiality and anonymity, and competitive pricing and location .So for companies with international staff it can be easier to send a staff member from Hong Kong or Singapore for treatment in Chiang Mai rather than back home to the US or UK and it guarantees greater anonymity. A track record in the corporate sector has seen it gain a solid following of local and regional companies as well as larger multinational and global businesses. British singer Pete Doherty recently cancelled a string of festival gigs and flew to the remote jungle clinic in a bid to try and conquer his drug addictions of heroin and crack cocaine. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=380682 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 10:47:10 GMT 20120712104710 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 10:42:57 GMT 20120712104257 Thu, 12 Jul 2012 10:47:10 GMT 2012071210104710 After last year's analysis of defunct Canadian medical tourism agencies, Leigh Turner from the Centre of Bioethics at the University of Minnesota in the USA has turned his attention to Canadian medical tourism agencies marketing of medical travel. The research is published in PubMed: Background Despite having access to medically necessary care available through publicly funded provincial health care systems, some Canadians travel for treatment provided at international medical facilities as well as for-profit clinics found in several Canadian provinces. Canadians travel abroad for orthopaedic surgery, bariatric surgery, ophthalmologic surgery, stem cell injections, Liberation therapy for multiple sclerosis, and additional interventions. Both responding to public interest in medical travel and playing an important part in promoting the notion of a global marketplace for health services, many Canadian companies market medical travel. Research method Research began with the goal of locating all medical tourism companies based in Canada. Various strategies were used to find such businesses. During the search process it became apparent that many Canadian business promoting medical travel are not medical tourism companies. To the contrary, numerous types of businesses promote medical travel. Once businesses promoting medical travel were identified, content analysis was used to extract information from company websites. Company websites were analyzed to establish: 1) where in Canada these businesses are located; 2) the destination countries and health care facilities that they market; 3) the medical procedures they promote; 4) core marketing messages; and 5) whether businesses market air travel, hotel accommodations, and holiday tours in addition to medical procedures. Results Searches conducted from 2006 to 2011 resulted in identification of thirty-five Canadian businesses currently marketing various kinds of medical travel. The research project began with what seemed to be the straightforward goal of establishing how many medical tourism companies are based in Canada. Refinement of categories resulted in the identification of eighteen businesses fitting the category of what most researchers would identify as medical tourism companies. Seven other businesses market regional, cross-border health services available in the United States and intranational travel to clinics in Canada. In contrast to medical tourism companies, they do not market holiday tours in addition to medical care. Two companies occupy a narrow market niche and promote testing for CCSVI and Liberation therapy for multiple sclerosis. Three additional companies offer bariatric surgery and cosmetic surgery at facilities in Mexico. Four businesses offer health insurance products intended to cover the cost of obtaining privately financed health care in the U.S. These businesses also help their clients arrange treatment beyond Canada's borders. Finally, one medical travel company based in Canada markets health services primarily to U.S. citizens. Conclusions This article uses content analysis of websites of Canadian companies marketing medical travel to provide insight into Canada's medical travel industry. The article reveals a complex marketplace with different types of companies taking distinct approaches to marketing medical travel. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=379276 Tue, 03 Jul 2012 14:23:08 GMT 20120703142308 Thu, 28 Jun 2012 11:22:17 GMT 20120628112217 Tue, 03 Jul 2012 14:23:08 GMT 201207031422308 King Edward VII's Hospital in London has received an international quality accreditation from DNV Healthcare, as it seeks to increase the number of medical tourists it serves. The accreditation signifies the hospital has met a stringent set of standards, including clinical, management and environmental safety. It follows a recent Care Quality Commission review that found the hospital is achieving the best standards in patient care. King Edward VII's Hospital Sister Agnes is an independent, acute private hospital in Marylebone, central London. It has been delivering high quality healthcare since 1899 and is in the heart of London's West End and has 58 en-suites, private, air-conditioned rooms. John Lofthouse of King Edward VII's Hospital says, “The DNV accreditation is an important achievement as it shows we are meeting all requirements for providing the best in healthcare while meeting global quality standards. This world-recognised accreditation will be particularly reassuring to our growing body of international patients, who can feel confident they have access to the best consultants, nurses and facilities.” DNV Healthcare has 140 years of experience in setting safety benchmarks and is responsible for the set of risk management standards used by all NHS trusts in England. The requirements of DNV International Accreditation are based on standards developed by the US Government, and include annual reviews looking at all aspects of quality care and management. DNV has developed the National Integrated Accreditation for Healthcare Organizations program (NIAHO) that blends ISO 9001 quality management with Medicare's conditions of participation for hospitals. The result is a more streamlined accreditation process that captures best practices and turns them into standard practices across the organization, leading to sustainable, continual improvement. DNV is rapidly expanding its hospital accreditation services. Over 250 hospitals in the US have now switched to the new NIAHO accreditation delivered by DNV. DNV has accredited hospitals in the USA, Czech Republic and Singapore. It is working with hospitals in China towards accreditation. Other countries being pursued include Brazil, India, and Thailand. DNV works with Macmillan Cancer Support to assess the Macmillan Quality Environment Mark (MQEM) for cancer care centres through the United Kingdom. The MQEM recognises facilities that give those affected by cancer the optimum environment for their treatment to take place. The MQEM is built on patient and stakeholder input, and focuses on dignity, comfort and respect for those using a service. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=379273 Tue, 03 Jul 2012 14:18:35 GMT 20120703141835 Thu, 28 Jun 2012 11:11:07 GMT 20120628111107 Tue, 03 Jul 2012 14:18:35 GMT 201207031421835 While the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) seeks to expand medical tourism in Israel, both the finance and health ministries, who fear that more medical tourism will mean less service for Israelis, are strenuously opposing it. The tourism ministry is faintly supportive. The ministries say local hospitals are already overcrowded and understaffed, and there is not enough room in medical wards. But medical tourism reaps a decent income each year for Israel, and both public and private hospitals take part. Most medical tourists come from the former Soviet Union. An estimated 30,000 patients come to Israel every year for treatment; cancer treatments make up 80% of the market. But this 30,000 figure has now been in use for at least five years, well before the global recession. So the truth is that nobody really knows how many medical tourists there are and if the numbers have been increasing, steady or decreasing. What is clear that while medical tourists used to come from a range of countries, people from Russia and other former Soviet bloc countries now dominate the business. The director general of the PMO, Harel Locker, met with senior officials from the finance, health and tourism ministries. He asked the participants to put together a plan to increase medical tourism. But the welcome he got was not what he expected. Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman hit out with, "The health system is already operating at full capacity; there are no empty wards with extra doctors. So if we bring in more patients it will come at the expense of Israeli patients." There is a two-tier price system with medical tourists being charged much higher prices than Israelis, about 50% higher on average. The hospitals argue that they charge medical tourists a fair price while what Israeli hospitals are reimbursed for by the state or health funds is too little. But government officials privately accuse hospitals of profiteering. Health and finance ministries are concerned that hospitals will give preference to foreigners and that this will lead to distortions in the allocation of resources. The ministries also fear that increased private medical care for tourists will lead to inflationary wages for doctors, which could upset the delicate balance keeping the health system functioning. Yaakov Litzman has his own solution: Take private medical tourism out of the public hospitals and move it exclusively to private medical hospitals and clinic. The goal is to prevent medical tourism from cutting into the operations of the public system. After the meeting where the other ministries wanted to reduce medical tourism in public hospitals rather than increase it, all that a subdued and ego-battered PMO would admit was, "The matter is still under examination." The hospitals with the largest revenues from medical tourism are the largest hospitals in Israel, including the Hadassah medical centers in Jerusalem, Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer, Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv and Assouta Medical Center in Tel Aviv. State hospitals took in NIS 240 million in revenues from medical tourism in 2011, says the health ministry. This was a 50% increase over 2010.These figures do not include private hospitals or those belonging to Clalit Health Services, such as Hadassah, Assouta or Beilinson Hospital at the Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva. These hospitals are estimated to take in more than twice as much from medical tourism as the public ones do. What attracts hospitals to medical tourism is that the amounts paid by foreigners are 150% of what the hospitals receive for treating Israelis. In addition, tourists usually pay immediately, or in advance, and the hospitals do not have to wait months for reimbursement, as they do from the state. Medical tourism also brings in hefty revenues for the Israeli tourism industry, as most patients are accompanied by family members who then stay in hotels and spend elsewhere, often for extended periods. Most of the medical tourism industry operates via agencies and perhaps they should ask themselves if it is morally right for hospitals to charge medical tourists 50% more than locals. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=379278 Tue, 03 Jul 2012 13:48:44 GMT 20120703134844 Thu, 28 Jun 2012 11:30:59 GMT 20120628113059 Tue, 03 Jul 2012 13:48:44 GMT 201207031314844 A groundbreaking product from Passport2Health, a new entrant to the private healthcare insurance market, combines private UK diagnostics with private treatment abroad. This new medical tourism based plan offers rapid access to private hospitals overseas, including door-to-door, concierge-managed return travel and accommodation for the patient and a companion, plus after-care and travel insurance. Customers have access to hospitals in Belgium, Cyprus, France, Germany, Gran Canaria, Israel, Malta, Portugal, Spain, and Turkey. Every hospital is selected for its English language capabilities, service quality and patient comfort. All hospitals in the network have been carefully selected and visited personally by members of the team Pricing reflects the lower cost of European healthcare and efficiencies achieved through its international provider network and outsourced business model. The company operates a small core team with low fixed costs, supported by expert service providers for sales administration, customer service and claims handling, including clinical case management. With typical savings of up to 50% on conventional private medical insurance packages and from as little as £19 per month, the scheme combines high quality private diagnostics in the UK with private treatment overseas. One way savings have been made is to exclude cancer cover, partly because the insurer argues that long-term treatment for cancer is best done at hospitals near to home. It promises greater choice and faster access to affordable private healthcare for the majority of Brits financially excluded from mainstream PMI products. Passport2Health founder Frank Levene says “For years, millions of people in this country have gone without health insurance for themselves and their families, but with Passport2Health they can now afford to take advantage of the same high quality healthcare enjoyed by our European neighbors.” Insurance is underwritten in UK at Lloyd's by Advent Solutions Management on behalf of Sirius Lloyd's Syndicate 1945. Europ Assistance handles claims and clinical case management. Concierge services are run by Ten Group.UK scans are done by Alliance Medical and post treatment rehabilitation in the UK by Nuffield Health. Passport2Health has developed its pricing structure to provide an affordable alternative to increasingly expensive personal policies, or a replacement for employee benefits that have been downgraded or withdrawn. The product is aimed at small and medium sized businesses, the self-employed and individual clients. It is sold through selected health insurance specialists and insurance brokers, as well as direct online. While the NHS is highly valued for emergency and urgent surgery, elective treatments such as angioplasty, hernias, hip replacements or cataracts can now be treated overseas without joining a long waiting list. Passport2Health says that procedures are scheduled as fast as possible, to suit the patient – normally within two to four weeks of diagnosis. Customers initially contact their GP, followed by private specialist consultations and diagnostics in the UK. With the exception of cancer, patients are covered for the same types of surgical procedures as many other UK PMI schemes, including a wide variety of treatments in specialisms such as orthopaedics, ENT, cardiology and ophthalmology. In the UK, there are some health insurances that allow customers to get treatment overseas, but it us totally up to the customer to arrange travel and treatment. All the insurer does is pay a very small fixed cash sum all subject to detailed receipts. The mainstream UK health insurance market has set its head firmly against allowing non-emergency treatment abroad. There are international health insurances that allow treatment in multiple countries but these are very expensive compared to normal health insurance and are not aimed at the domestic customer, but people who effectively live in several countries over a year. There are insurances in Europe that allow some out of country treatment for specific policy sections-but none that allows full cover to apply across the EU.There are cross-border schemes but these are limited to 2 countries such as USA and Mexico, or USA and Canada. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=379275 Tue, 03 Jul 2012 13:44:12 GMT 20120703134412 Thu, 28 Jun 2012 11:18:36 GMT 20120628111836 Tue, 03 Jul 2012 13:44:12 GMT 201207031314412 Allianz Worldwide Care has launched Signature, a private medical insurance plan where treatment can be undertaken inside or outside the UK, in line with the trend for global mobility. It has been designed for the UK based employees of small, medium and large corporate clients, predominantly those in senior management roles. The plan aims to provide corporate clients with a fully portable and transparent health plan which offers a high level of cover for cancer treatment, chronic conditions, routine maternity, routine health checks, dental and optical treatment. It is far from cheap. There are two core plans to choose from: Signature Prime and Signature Plus, which cover a range of in-patient and day-care treatments as well as other benefits such as private ambulance, MRI scans and nursing at home. In addition to this, there are a number of optional add-ons to the core plan that cover out-patient treatment, routine health checks, GP visits, dental & optical benefits and maternity treatment. It includes comprehensive cover for cancer treatment, for as long as it is medically necessary, even if the cancer is terminal. This includes access to licensed treatments not normally approved under the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). It includes cover for pre-existing/chronic conditions including on-going maintenance and routine monitoring. And cover includes an option for routine maternity and childbirth that includes complications of childbirth. There is an option to have treatment overseas for any treatment covered under the plan, as well as cover for emergency treatment abroad. This is in line with the increasing global mobility of people. They now have the option to travel to get the best treatment, if necessary. Plus, for those with homes outside of the UK or who travel regularly on business, they have the convenience of accessing treatment locally. Direct settlement is in place for in-patient treatment in all UK hospital groups and for out-patient treatment in the majority of UK hospital groups, but not overseas. It does not include any travel or accommodation for the patient and a companion, nor after-care, nor a concierge service. Claude Daboul of Allianz Worldwide Care says, “We looked at existing plans and our findings demonstrated a distinct need for a product that also supports the geographically mobile nature of our customers. Health insurance in the UK has become very commoditised, so we took a bold approach in developing something new and somewhat revolutionary for the premium end of the market. The competition among employers for senior talent is fierce, and being able to offer a top-end employee benefit such as Signature can make all the difference in terms of attracting and retaining key staff.” The insurer expects that more insurers will offer cover across borders but points out that few have the capability to do so as they lack the vital international networks. Based in Ireland, Allianz Worldwide Care specialises in providing international health insurance for employees, individuals and their dependants, wherever they are in the world. As a wholly owned subsidiary of the Allianz Group, the majority of services offered by Allianz Worldwide Care are developed, delivered and supported from within the group. This ensures a dependable and accessible service package that makes the most of local knowledge and on-the-ground support. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=379280 Thu, 28 Jun 2012 11:41:14 GMT 20120628114114 Thu, 28 Jun 2012 11:38:42 GMT 20120628113842 Thu, 28 Jun 2012 11:41:14 GMT 2012062811114114 EURORDIS has prepared a questions and answers document to help people understand the EU legislation on cross border healthcare and to ensure its transposition into national law is favorable to rare disease patients. EURORDIS is a non-governmental patient-driven alliance of patient organisations representing more than 510 rare diseases patient organisations in over 48 countries. The document presents in 21 points, the main aspects to look out for when seeking to apply patient's rights to cross border healthcare. For example, issues such as level of reimbursement, need for upfront payment, need for prior authorisation and reasons for refusal. It answers frequently asked questions such as: “Can I seek healthcare abroad if the treatment is not available in my country?” “Where can we find information on care provided in other Member States?” or “Can we ask for travel and accommodation expenses to be also reimbursed?” The Directive on Patients' Rights for Cross-Border Care was officially adopted in March 2011. It aims to help patients exercise their right to reimbursement for healthcare received in another EU country; provide assurance about safety and quality of cross-border healthcare and establish formal cooperation between health systems. This is especially important for rare disease patients who cannot find the right care locally or need to access a centre of expertise in another country. Member States have until October 2013 to transpose the Directive into national law and adopt appropriate measures. During this process, patients and their organisations have an opportunity to assert the right of every EU citizen to healthcare in another Member State and to make their voices heard when implementing this legislation. At a recent EURORDIS membership meeting in Brussels, patient advocates discussed why and how a patient organisation should influence the process taking the case of cross border healthcare between Belgium and the Netherlands and the case of Luxembourg. Yann Le Cam of EURORDIS highlights how a new directive on cross-border healthcare will foster patient mobility and greater cooperation on rare diseases, “The directive clarifies the rules for patients to access healthcare abroad, and is especially important for rare disease patients and their families who cannot find diagnosis locally or need to access a centre of expertise based in another country. According to EU statistics, the demand for cross-border healthcare only affects approximately 1% of public spending on health, while the EurordisCare survey records that 2% of families affected by rare diseases have to seek diagnosis abroad.” John Dalli, European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy adds, 'the directive will help patients who need specialised treatment, for example those who are seeking a diagnosis or treatment for a rare disease. Some rare diseases are not even recognised in some countries, let alone treated. Small countries often cannot offer the same medical services as bigger nations.” Nathalie Chaze of the European Commissions adds, "The basis of this directive is to reduce inequality, to assert the right to be treated in another member state and be reimbursed for it. The directive should benefit rare disease patients who seek diagnosis, treatment or care that do not exist in their state." Patients seeking healthcare in another country that involves an overnight hospital stay or is highly specialised and costly will need to ask for permission from their national health authority in charge of reimbursement. The great step forward contained in this directive is that this prior authorisation can no longer be denied or postponed indefinitely, which often happens due to low knowledge and expertise on rare diseases by the authorities in charge of granting the authorisation. The good news is that travel for treatment of rare diseases not provided for in one's country of affiliation cannot be refused. While the directive applies broadly to all diseases in general, it recognises rare diseases for their specificities (rarity of expertise and patients, scarce knowledge, and limited therapeutic interventions) that require particular measures to organise and disseminate this expertise at the European level – through the European Reference Network – and to support easier patient mobility across the EU to access quality diagnosis and care. These new avenues are extremely important for patients and their families. Article 12 of the directive states that: 'The Commission shall support member states in the development of European Reference Networks between healthcare providers and centres of expertise in the member states, in particular in the area of rare diseases.' http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=379271 Thu, 28 Jun 2012 11:11:07 GMT 20120628111107 Thu, 28 Jun 2012 11:06:01 GMT 20120628110601 Thu, 28 Jun 2012 11:11:07 GMT 2012062811111107 Passport2Health, a new entrant to the private healthcare insurance market, is set to change the shape of UK health cover and challenge the high cost of traditional PMI. With typical savings of up to 50 percent, and from as little as £19 per month, the scheme combines high quality private diagnostics in the UK with private treatment overseas. It promises greater choice and faster access to affordable private healthcare for the majority of Britons financially excluded from mainstream PMI products. The UK's first fully packaged cover for treatment abroad, Passport2Health provides rapid access to some of the finest private medical facilities internationally, including door-to-door, concierge-managed travel and accommodation for the patient and a companion. Customers have access to some of the finest hospitals internationally, including those in France, Germany and Spain as well as Belgium, Cyprus, Portugal, Gran Canaria and Malta and soon to be added Israel and Turkey. Every hospital has been hand-picked by Passport2Health's expert team for its exemplary clinical standards, and each is carefully selected for its English language capabilities, service quality and patient comfort. Pricing reflects the lower cost of European healthcare and efficiencies Passport2Health has achieved through its international provider network and outsourced business model. The product is aimed at SMEs and individual clients and is being sold through selected PMI specialists and insurance brokers, as well as directly via the internet. Customers can deal with Passport2Health via the web, telephone, or through their intermediaries. In addition to personal plans, Passport2Health will appeal to employers, particularly SMEs, as an affordable and attractive alternative to the spiralling cost of corporate schemes. The product is also ideal for the self-employed seeking affordable health cover, flexibility on dates and the earliest possible return to work. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=378237 Mon, 18 Jun 2012 15:14:57 GMT 20120618151457 Mon, 18 Jun 2012 15:08:41 GMT 20120618150841 Mon, 18 Jun 2012 15:14:57 GMT 201206181531457 With a population of just 142,000, the Dutch owned Curacao is hoping to attract American medical tourists to its one hospital, two private clinics, and four dental clinics. In the Turks and Caicos Islands, at Cockburn Town Medical Centre on Grand Turk and Cheshire Hall Medical Center on Providenciales, a new form of medical tourism has been developed. Here, the patient stays on the island, but the medical team is flown in from the USA. Nine local residents received total knee replacements during a five-day visit by surgeons and staff visiting from Chicago. It was a long awaited relief for the patients, some of whom had waited a decade for the procedure. InterHealth Canada, operator of the two hospitals, contracted the surgeon through Global MedChoices, a US based medical tourism agency. The surgery was a test for a bigger plan to bring American patients to the country to utilize the state-of-the-art hospital facilities for orthopedic surgeries. This is particularly important for the Grand Turk facility, which is currently not used to its maximum potential. Renting the facilities to outside firms would create a potential new revenue stream for the cash strapped government. In Barbados a group of American investors has decided to transform the derelict St Joseph Hospital in St Peter into a modern facility designed to serve foreign and local patients by recruiting US and Canadian doctors to buy time-share style membership in the renovated hospital and bring their patients there for surgery. American World Clinics (AWC) hopes to open the first stage of the new five-year project as AWC-Barbados in 2014. And a fertility centre in Barbados is successfully attracting couples from Britain and North America. The idea of an exclusive drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility is being looked at by a Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) committee set up to explore opportunities for medical tourism. King Edward VII Memorial began offering a prostate cancer treatment unavailable in the US called High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) in 2010, bringing hundreds of American medical tourists to the island. Other specialists are now offering cosmetic and weight-loss procedures at the hospital to patients from abroad in partnership with BHB. BHB subsidiary Healthcare Partners Limited offers concierge services for people going to Bermuda for medical treatment. Top US rehab organization the Caron Foundation already has a base in Bermuda, but Bermuda residents have to travel to the US for the actual treatment as the local clinic is only for contact and aftercare. So far, despite much talk and promotion, the numbers of medical tourists going to Caribbean islands is very small and overshadowed by the increasing number of locals going to other countries for treatment. Florida hospitals get many medical tourists from the region and are stepping up promotional and marketing activity. The Caribbean used to be a very important travel market for Puerto Rico but with economic turmoil in the region in recent years, the tourism market has suffered. Air Eagle has restored and added 250 flights from the USA and Caribbean that had vanished during 2007/2008. Mario Gonzalez-Lafuenta of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company says, “Medical tourism from the Caribbean is very important, and we have a new law right now that allows for additional promotions and allows for service providers in Puerto Rico to become more aggressive since they will be receiving incentives – credit incentives and tax incentives – from the government of Puerto Rico. We are developing a whole strategy to enhance and further medical tourism and increasing promotion in our primary markets.” http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=377906 Fri, 15 Jun 2012 16:34:43 GMT 20120615163443 Thu, 14 Jun 2012 15:23:44 GMT 20120614152344 Fri, 15 Jun 2012 16:34:43 GMT 201206151643443 Jordan's medical tourism sector is expected to grow this year but badly needs a strategy, says Zuhair Abu Faris of the Jordan Hospitals Association, which represents 23 hospitals, including 10 public hospitals. Although the country reports 170,000 international patients in the last twelve months, the figure includes 50,000 from Libya who are mainly war victims, while the remaining 120,000 also include many expatriates and travellers. Jordan provides medical services for Arab countries including Libya, Iraq, Yemen, Sudan, Algeria, Palestine and the Gulf states, and several of these are involved in war, civil war or domestic problems. The country has so far failed to get medical tourists to attract significant numbers from Europe, America or African countries. Zuhair Abu Faris argues that the private and public institutions need to work together to develop medical tourism, "We should formulate a national strategy for marketing Jordanian medical services and establish a national organisation.” That co-operation is needed is shown by the way the problems of Libya are shunted backwards and forwards between various government departments and private hospitals. The Libyan government is arguing that it did not commit to payments to private hospitals and hotels in Jordan in return for Libyan citizens ' medical treatment. The Libyan government continues to delay payments until it has audited the bills as it argues that some prices are too high and some bills are for cosmetic and other treatment unrelated to war injuries. The unpaid bill is US$140 million but as many Libyans are still in hospital, that is rising each month. Dubai is also trying another medical tourism initiative to promote Dubai's healthcare sector. Qadhi Saeed Al Murooshid of Dubai Health Authority says, “We will work with the private sector and key relevant government departments, airlines and tourism companies to ensure we develop successful medical tourism initiatives for Dubai,” The region is targeting patients from GCC countries, Middle East North Africa region (MENA), South Asia, Western Europe, Baltic States, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries and parts of Africa. Iran too has new plans to expand medical tourism in the region. A health tourism committee has been formed with representatives of Foreign Ministry, Iran Medical Organization, Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, and the Commercial Chamber of Health Ministry. The committee aims to make health tourism policies, and is targeting Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan. Iran already gets patients from Iraq, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait. All three have similar problems in that they are among countries in the region all vying for medical tourists, often competing for the same patients. While they are doing this, an increasing number of wealthy residents of the region are going to Turkey, Germany, Switzerland and other EU countries. Having new hospitals and the latest equipment is no longer enough to get new business. The price and atmosphere and quality of non-medical service are equally important. Because of the political turmoil in the region, few Americans or Western Europeans are going there as medical tourists; almost all those claimed as international patients are expatriates. One possibility is to target Eastern Europe and Africa, but for most of this business they are competing with Asian countries that offer much lower prices. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=377898 Fri, 15 Jun 2012 15:03:49 GMT 20120615150349 Thu, 14 Jun 2012 14:51:42 GMT 20120614145142 Fri, 15 Jun 2012 15:03:49 GMT 201206151530349 Proving that low prices are not the only way to get medical tourists, German hotels and hospitals are attracting an increasing number of customers from the Middle East whose key concern is luxury, comfort and attention to cultural needs. Germany understands that to attract high-paying medical tourists from certain countries, you must pay attention to their religious, cultural, dietary and other needs. To this sector of the market, price is not important. But what does matter is attention to detail, high-level personal service and very comfortable surroundings. When this type of patient wants to talk to his doctor, they mean now, not in a few hours time when it suits the doctor. Failure to appreciate cultural needs is why many Middle East medical tourists are turning away from certain countries who just offer them their standard service, to places like Germany that understand their needs. Often they bring several family members and stay a long time for treatment and recuperation, so they spend a lot of money-in return they expect to get special treatment. The Charles Hotel in Munich, part of the Rocco Forte Hotels group, is a leading hotel in the centre of Munich. With a high hospital density, Munich has become an attractive destination for patients travelling from the Middle East. Frank Heller of The Charles Hotel says, 'In 2011 over 70 % of our Middle Eastern guests were booking into our hotel for a medical stay. We collaborate with the best hospitals and surgeons in the city, offering Middle Eastern guests a home away from home while they recuperate in a luxurious and comfortable retreat. To cater to the specific needs of our Middle East guests, The Charles Hotel has an Arabic chef, rooms have a copy of the Koran and prayer mat, and there is an outdoor courtyard where guests can enjoy shisha. Other exclusive services include our personal limousine service and in-house medical concierge.” The hotel also offers luxury spa and wellness services. Rocco Forte's Villa Kennedy hotel in Frankfurt, works closely with Dr Ulrich Mondorf, an expert in illnesses common across the Middle East – diabetes, renal and coronary heart disease. Offering tailor-made check-ups for Middle Eastern visitors, Dr Mondorf provides international patients with high-quality medical care in a comfortable outpatient environment, allowing guests to relax and recuperate in a five-star environment. Another Rocco Forte hotel, the Hotel de Rome in Berlin, is within walking distance of top hospitals German medical tourism is growing at 20 to 30% a year and much of this trade comes from the high spending Middle East. Residents from the UAE alone spend up to $2 billion in healthcare travel annually. Attracted by high quality medical and accommodation, and Germany's excellent medical reputation, Germany is a leading destination for Middle Eastern medical travelers seeking top quality, safe and easily accessible healthcare. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=377895 Fri, 15 Jun 2012 14:56:56 GMT 20120615145656 Thu, 14 Jun 2012 14:42:42 GMT 20120614144242 Fri, 15 Jun 2012 14:56:56 GMT 201206151425656 An EU-funded project, the Adriatic Health and Vitality Network (AHVN), seeks to establish a co-coordinated system of health and medical tourism that spans everything from conventional and alternative healthcare centres to thermal baths and healing spas. The Adriatic Health and Vitality Network (AVHN) has an overall objective to stimulate sustainable health tourism within and between the partner regions, increasing high-value tourist visits within the interrelated niches of medical tourism, alternative health tourism, spa and wellness tourism, and active lifestyles tourism. By strengthening networks, the AHVN's specific objectives are: • To encourage high quality tourism products integrated with local and regional cultural and natural heritage offerings. This network aims to merge healthy food, good accommodation, recreational activities, medical and wellness services, and authentic culture into unique tourist experience networked throughout the Adriatic region. • To enhance inland tourism and expand the tourist season, thus relieving some of the pressure from the current focus on high season seaside tourism. • To train and network health tourism service providers from partner regions for high-quality tourism service delivery. The project leader is the School of Economics and Business (Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina), where the project co-coordinator is Natasa Kovacevic. Partners in the project are Association Healthy Entrepreneur (Koper, Slovenia), City of Buzet (Croatia), Hotel Tartini (Piran, Slovenia) and Green Home (Podgorica, Montenegro). The project is supported by the financial assistance of the IPA Adriatic Cross-Border Cooperation Programme. As Balkan countries seek to boost revenues in the tourism sector, medical tourism is an increasingly attractive market. Bosnia and Herzegovina is seeing an increase in dental tourists -- primarily from Western Europe, but also from the USA, Australia and New Zealand -to take advantage of high-quality dental work and low prices. Most visitors come during the summer, and despite economic woes, most clinics in Sarajevo, have seen a steady increase in business year on year. Bosnia and Herzegovina is taking business from Croatia and Serbia, as prices are lower. Prices for dental treatment in Germany are five times higher, while in Spain, prices are nearly three times the amount. Like many Balkan countries, dentists use the same materials and have the same standards as Western Europe, with the latest technology and methods. Many Balkan dental tourists are people who emigrated to Western Europe for better pay. AHVN seeks to widen the market to other Western Europeans. Dr Almir Pestek, of the Sarajevo Economic Institute, says that while the potential is good, BiH's international image as a politically unstable country keeps tourists away. The AHVN project expects to integrate a minimum of 50 tourism service providers into an Adriatic-wide medical tourism network, create industry-wide standards to be implemented across the region, and engage in a hard-hitting marketing campaign. There is a need for a comprehensive approach to the medical tourism industry across the region – and the project recognises the benefit of regional integration and support services. Health tourism requires a more active role of tourist associations in promoting this type of service, as well as of each state. Most countries here have developed medical and health tourism with little or no official support. The region has yet to fully tap the potential and if it gets organized will challenge better known competitors in Asia. Croatia and Montenegro are already popular seaside resort destinations that have high-quality private medical and dental practices. Serbia is particularly strong on dental tourism, and Slovenia is an increasingly popular destination for cheap medical check-ups. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=377891 Fri, 15 Jun 2012 14:51:44 GMT 20120615145144 Thu, 14 Jun 2012 14:26:32 GMT 20120614142632 Fri, 15 Jun 2012 14:51:44 GMT 201206151425144 South Korea gets many tourists from Cambodia, Russia and the Philippines, and is now seeking ways to attract many more medical tourists from these countries. The 24,000 Cambodians who visited South Korea during 2011 included about 100 people going for medical services, most of them high-ranking Cambodian government officials, according to Charm Lee of the Korea Tourism Organization. Lee says that medical care in Korea is less expensive than that in Singapore but more expensive than in Thailand. Yeongcheon Son Hospital in Busan does get Cambodians seeking treatment and plans to open a clinic in Cambodia as soon as it can find a Cambodian doctor partner for the venture. Ang Kim Eang of the Cambodian Association of Travel Agents says increasing numbers of Cambodian people are starting to be able to afford medical treatment in Korea, “People who have new cars should be able to afford medical treatment in Korea.” South Korea has set up its first tourism office in the Philippines aiming to target high- and middle-income Filipinos to become medical tourists in Korea. Charm Lee of the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) says the office will not only promote tourism in Korea but will also help Philippine travel agencies, tour operators and airlines in getting Filipino travelers to Korea by promoting would promote tour packages at reasonable prices for Filipinos, “KTO is targeting high-income as well as middle-class Filipino citizens.” There were some 337,000 Filipino tourists in Korea in 2011 and the KTO aims to accelerate the trend. Filipinos account for 3.4 % of the total number of 9.8 million foreign visitors in Korea in 2011. Lee explains why Filipinos may want to go to Korea for medical treatment, “Korea's medical services are at a high level not only for Western medicine but also for traditional Korean medicine. We are very strong on spinal and disc problems and have very high success rate with these specialist treatment. Korean medical tourism offers high quality healthcare at a competitive price. The level of our service and technology is very high but the price is low compared to Europe. We are a bit more expensive than Thailand but our environment is much better and safer.” The number of medical tourists seeking services in Korea has risen over the years. The number in 2007 was a low 7,900 but jumped to 60,201 in 2009, and climbed further to 81,789 in 2010 and 110,000 in 2011. Russia is potentially a big market with visitors surging from 1,758 in 2009 to 5,089 in 2010 and 9,000 in 2011. 30,000 from Vladivostok go abroad every year for medical treatment. Three years ago, only a few hundred went from Vladivostok to Korea, but in 2011 there were 9000. Three years ago, Korea set up a medical consulting office in Russia, staffed by doctors. Advanced Healthcare Partners has partnered with Henghao Consulting to form a medical tourism company with a focus on cardiovascular surgery. It targets patients from China and Russia to travel to Konkuk University Medical Center in Seoul, South Korea. The hospital uses heart valve replacement techniques and equipment developed there by Dr. Meong-Gun Song, where he has performed more than 1300 surgeries using the techniques. AHP has offices in Hong Kong, and in Vladivostok, Russia. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=377905 Thu, 14 Jun 2012 15:23:44 GMT 20120614152344 Thu, 14 Jun 2012 15:17:11 GMT 20120614151711 Thu, 14 Jun 2012 15:23:44 GMT 201206141532344 Both Singapore and Bali attract high-paying medical tourists by offering much more than basic hospital accommodation. Singapore's Raffles Hospital has designed a new class of private rooms with the culture-specific needs of Middle Eastern patients in mind, providing a more pleasant healing process while receiving quality medical care. Gulf patients are offered a home away from home. Mohamed Hafez Marican of Singapore Tourism Board says, “Raffles Hospital has taken a very proactive approach to enhancing services for international patients, specifically those from the GCC and Middle East. This patient-centric initiative conveys Singapore's commitment to providing quality healthcare.” Each of the new rooms provides Middle Eastern and Gulf in-patients with a multitude of amenities, which aim to aid the patients' recovery more quickly, and with peace of mind. It includes a Qibla, Quran, and prayer mats; Arabic-language media and entertainment; extra living space for family members and visitors; and a menu offering a variety of Halal Arabic cuisine. The hospital also offers Arabic-language concierge services for patients and their families, including translation services, appointments, and airport pick-ups and transfers. All services are conducted by both male and female Arab doctors and staff. In Bali, BIMC Hospital Group has a new partnership with the Courtyard by Marriott Bali to provide the country's first ever medical tourism packages and services to inbound travellers visiting Asia's most popular island destination. The hotel is next to the hospital in Nusa Dua. The Courtyard by Marriott Bali has added specific aftercare services in preparation for the launch of the hospital. Jeff Tyler of The Courtyard says, “Ahead of BIMC Hospital opening, we began planning and training for the best of comfort and care the moment a guest returns to the resort from their medical procedure. We carefully looked at services that aid in recuperation such as special diets and nutrition, unique spa and wellness programmes as well as ensuring wheelchair access to all areas of the property.” The 50-bed hospital is set in a one-hectare site. BIMC Nusa Dua is the group's second hospital to open in Bali. Within the hospital are a dialysis centre, cosmetic surgery centre and dental clinic. The two-storey BIMC Nusa Dua Hospital is a 30-minute drive from Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=377901 Thu, 14 Jun 2012 15:16:20 GMT 20120614151620 Thu, 14 Jun 2012 15:05:41 GMT 20120614150541 Thu, 14 Jun 2012 15:16:20 GMT 201206141531620 The government has begun to support Polish medical tourism with a promotional campaign funded by the EU. The Ministry of Economy has identified medical tourism as one of fifteen high export potential sectors. Medical tourism has become the one of the priorities of the Polish export policy for the period 2012 to 2015. The main advantages being promoted are easy access to high quality services at lower costs than in Western Europe. The costs of medical treatment in Poland can be up to 40% lower than Germany or the UK, and even more compared to US prices. The promotional programme for Polish medical tourism began in April 2012 and will last 36 months. The budget for the project is a million Euros. The main target markets are: Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Russia, UK and USA. The campaign will see sponsored participation of Polish hospitals and clinics at medical tourism conferences and exhibitions in Russia, UK, Germany, Denmark and the USA. And there will be new co-branded information and promotional materials for the medical tourism sector plus films, videos, brochures, catalogues and a new on-line portal. There will be trade missions and study tours for foreign journalists and foreign companies to Poland; organized training for representatives of medical tourism, companies; plus business meetings and match-making sessions with companies, associations, and institutions. The activities are being organized by a consortium of PAIiIZ (Polish Information and Foreign Investment Agency), EuCP (European Center for Enterprise) and Ameds Centre. PAIiIZ will be responsible for organization of international conferences, exhibitions and media study visits to Poland. Ameds will recruit candidates to participate in international events and training as well as be responsible for the publication of informational and promotional materials; EuCP is responsible for contacts with the ministry and paying for the project. New mystery shopping research at medical tourism and hotel/spa facilities in Poland has assessed the standard of care of potential medical tourism customers. Several facilities were contacted by email during spring 2012 and asked for medical/spa help in most common procedures. 7 out of 10 contacts made by potential clients (email or website form enquiry) were lost meaning that approximately 70% of potential clients were not contacted by the medical tourism facility reception or coordinator. This shows more is needed in basic customer contact, plus training on how to collect medical data, personal needs and detailed information from medical tourists. The response to online enquires was mixed with 2 out of 3 contacted and given detailed guidance. But one out of three were never contacted by phone or email and website information was often poor. But among hotel/spa facilities the responsive rate was almost 100% as these businesses are more experienced in customer care management. The study shows how new the medical tourism customer care business in Poland is and that it needs to improve standards to those in the hotel/spa/wellness sector. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=376623 Fri, 01 Jun 2012 10:50:27 GMT 20120601105027 Fri, 01 Jun 2012 09:38:39 GMT 20120601093839 Fri, 01 Jun 2012 10:50:27 GMT 2012060110105027 Many transplants use legally obtained organs, but despite many laws to stop it, the global trade in illegal kidneys and other replacement organs is under scrutiny. An illegal network of organ traffickers is making profits by buying kidneys from vulnerable individuals in developing countries and selling them on to wealthy people desperate for transplants. Doctors and hospitals can make significant profits, often with little risk of legal comeback. According to the World Health Organization, there are 10,000 illegal transplants around the world each year. So, one in ten of all transplants use illegal organs. People in need of a kidney transplant pay up to £128,000 in countries such as China, India and Pakistan, where organs are harvested from vulnerable people who may receive £3,000 or less. One Chinese organ broker has an advertising slogan 'donate a kidney, buy an iPad'. The practice of selling kidneys and organs is illegal in most countries. Performing a legitimate transplant is an incredibly complex procedure involving scrupulous medical tests and a range of measures to prevent infection and organ rejection. Purchasing a kidney from the black market offers no guarantees about the quality of the organ supplied or patient safety. Those in need of a transplant should not consider illegally purchasing a kidney, as it places them at great risk. Trading in organs, either from living or deceased individuals, is illegal in many countries, or goes against the World Health Organization's 'Declaration of Istanbul', which sets out the circumstances and principles that should guide organ donation and transplantation. It states, “The allocation of organs, cells and tissues should be guided by clinical criteria and ethical norms, not financial or other considerations. Cells, tissues and organs should only be donated freely, without any monetary payment or other reward of monetary value.” Organ donation involves extracting organs from living or recently deceased people and offering them to people in need of a transplant. Transplantable organs such as a kidney, heart or lung are surgically removed and transferred to the person in need of the organ through an operation. The most common organ donated by a living person is a kidney, as a healthy donor can continue to lead a normal life with only one functioning kidney. Organs such as a heart or lung can be transplanted after a person has died and there are standards and procedures that allow this to happen if the consent of the person donating the organ is given. The number of people in need of a transplant is expected to rise steeply due to an ageing population, an increase in people with kidney failure and scientific advances that allow a wider range of people to benefit from a successful transplant. But for every one person getting a legal transplant, there are ten more in the queue, often dying before it is their turn. This increasing global shortage of organs has prompted an increasing number of organs to be donated by living people, both legally and illegally. The most common organ donated by a living person is a kidney, as a healthy person can continue to lead a normal life with only one functioning kidney. Kidneys are estimated to make up 75% of the global illicit trade in organs. Although many countries have laws against illegal organ transplants, few have the resources, ability or even will to seek out and prosecute offenders. While commercial transplantation is forbidden in China, the authorities are too terrified to challenge the chief suspects, hospitals run by the politically powerful Chinese Army. With foreigners of Chinese descent are prepared to pay up to $200,000 for a transplant, the temptations are great for poorly paid Chinese doctors and officials. Investigative journalist Scott Carney's book "The Red Market: On the Trail of the World's Organ Brokers, Bone Thieves, Blood Farmers and Child Traffickers" is the result of five years spent tracing the lucrative and deeply secretive trade in human bodies and body parts - a multibillion-dollar underground trade where very ill rich people and desperate poor people are both exploited by a well-organised global business that is a mirror image of how legitimate businesses trade around the world. A report from the Salvation Army has revealed the case of an adult female brought to the UK by a trafficking gang, for the sole purpose of having her organs harvested for sale. The Salvation Army says that this is the first case of this kind that they have come across, although the practice has almost certainly operated beneath the radar for some time. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=376630 Fri, 01 Jun 2012 10:47:04 GMT 20120601104704 Fri, 01 Jun 2012 10:04:12 GMT 20120601100412 Fri, 01 Jun 2012 10:47:04 GMT 2012060110104704 The Turkish government will soon decide where, or perhaps if, to place one or more new free health zones. The Ministries of Health, Economy, Tourism are deciding the alternative merits of Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, and Diyarbakir. The logic is to base it on the Dubai Healthcare City free zone so that new hospitals and clinics targeting medical tourists are in one area along with teaching hospitals and medical companies. Diyarbakır claims that its economic and health infrastructure for patients and health tourists from Iraq, Syria and Iran, make it the best location. Free zones are areas in which special regulatory treatment exists for companies inside, to promote exports of goods and services. Much may depend on whether or not US investors are prepared to put money behind so far vague promises of interest. Other problems are that Turkey's health and medical tourism sector is scattered, and may see this as unfair competition; while despite enormous expenditure Dubai has mainly attracted locals and expatriates and very few real medical tourists. The number of medical tourists in Turkey is now 130,000 annually, and another 250,000 go for thermal tourism, rehabilitation and services for the elderly. Turkey provides both quality and affordable health services. Many people that live in the region travel to Turkey to take advantage of these services. Often overlooked are the retirement communities and services that cater to the elderly population who go to Turkey for many months each year during the coldest winter months at home, particularly from Scandinavian countries. Another growth area is the increasing number of people going to Turkey for dental treatment. The vast majority of medical and health tourists come from Western Europe, but increasing number come from the former Soviet bloc and Middle East countries – the latter often switching to Turkey from Gulf/Middle East countries that are at war or in political turmoil. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=376629 Fri, 01 Jun 2012 10:29:09 GMT 20120601102909 Fri, 01 Jun 2012 10:02:03 GMT 20120601100203 Fri, 01 Jun 2012 10:29:09 GMT 2012060110102909 Romanian medical tourism saw 60,000 foreign arrivals in 2011, with dental, ophthalmic and cosmetic surgery services being the most sought after, says Emilian Imbrifrom of the Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism, “Most came at the recommendation of friends. People sought cosmetic surgery, dentistry, ophthalmology, cardiac prostheses, and orthopedic prosthetic services.” Although claimed as medical tourism numbers, it is highly probable that this mixes both medical tourism and health tourism. The ministry is fuzzy on how it defines medical/health tourism, and how it calculates those numbers. Tourist packages combining travel and medical treatment will be on offer from mid-2012. Romania is also a leading international destination for natural spa treatment. Romania is unknown to much of the world, despite offering mud baths, thermal water baths, mineral baths and asthma therapy in natural salt caves. In Split, the first medical tourism centre in Croatia should be completed in the second half of this year. This luxury accommodation aimed at retirees from overseas will include clinics with diagnostic and specialist centres. Users will have a restaurant, an internet corner, a piano and lounge bar, a cinema and a library. On the roof there will be a green oasis with a promenade, an outdoor swimming pool with a sundeck and a wellness and fitness centre. The residence will have 54 accommodation units, 40 rooms and 14 suites, with an option to rent them out for the period of five days to 99 years, and will be able to accommodate up to 100 people, The seven-storey building will have an underground garage with 105 parking spaces and several business premises – a shop, a bank and a gift shop. The new retirement health tourism centre is in town and is only a 15-minute walk from the beach, promenade and the old town. Qatari citizens will now be able to visit Bulgaria for medical tourism. Bulgaria's minister of health Dessislava Atanassova has signed a memorandum for partnership with the Qatari government. Tour operators and tourism department officials in Macedonia are expecting travellers from across the world in 2012. Compared to 2010, 2011 saw a 30% rise in the number of tourists visiting Macedonia, according to the Macedonian Chamber of Commerce. In 2011, the country that has a population of only 2 million received more than 700,000 visitors, mainly from within Europe, US and the Far East, but increasingly from Japan and China, while Qatar is the latest target market. Dental treatment and health tourism are both attracting an increasing number of visitors to Macedonia, but numbers are not known. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=376628 Fri, 01 Jun 2012 10:26:04 GMT 20120601102604 Fri, 01 Jun 2012 09:56:10 GMT 20120601095610 Fri, 01 Jun 2012 10:26:04 GMT 2012060110102604 Although exact numbers are not available, indirect evidence from hospitals and clinics and medical tourism agencies says that Costa Rica is getting more medical tourists, almost all from the USA. It is also beginning to get more business from Latin America. Costa Rican vice president Luis Liberman claims, “We have the doctors, we have the dentists, we have the whole operating system of a public-private medical system that is reaching high quality levels of service and medical care.” Medical tourism generated $288 million in Costa Rica in 2010, with an estimated 36,000 medical tourists visiting the country in 2011, according to the government. In 2014, the industry is expected to generate 800 million and attract 100,000 visitors to the country. All these figures are 'guesstimates' rather than actual numbers. For Nova Dental Advanced Dental Center, 95% of all business is from overseas, and the majority are US or Canadian citizens. At Clínica Bíblica Hospital in San José, 18% of patients are from overseas, and the international services department expects numbers to grow. Imago, a distance-learning company that offers digital training courses to members of the tourism industry, has added a virtual medical tourism course to train tourism workers to be ready to deal with foreign patients. But Costa Rica expects growing competition from both Nicaragua and Colombia. Hospital Metropolitano Vivian Pellas in Managua, Nicaragua, is planning to become a destination for medical tourists. Foreigners or Nicaraguans who live outside the country already account for 8% of patients at this hospital. While Colombia has problems on security, Nicaragua can compete with both Costa Rica on price and Mexico on security. At the very busy Dr. Marco Munoz Cavallini International Dental Clinic in Costa Rica, 90% of the patients are from overseas, and the numbers have risen during 2012. Although the clinic advertises, most new business comes from recommendations from former patients and comments on blogs. Dr.Cavallini comments why he thinks foreign patients are attracted to the clinic, “The wide variety of dental services we offer is a plus. But our relevance comes from having our own on site laboratory. We can assure our patients not only prompt quality rehabilitations but also more efficient procedures that translate in time and money savings for everyone. Additionally, our lab has state of the art facilities, with the most recent and efficient high-tech equipment such as the CAD CAM, which gives the option to digitally design and build crowns, this is the latest computer technology applied to dental restorations. And we have highly trained personnel making high quality temporaries, great looking porcelain crowns and zirconium crowns and bridges. We do many full mouth restorations.” And the clinic is the only one in the country with an on-site hotel. Dental schedules are coordinated between the clinic and the dental recovery centre so they go from their bedroom straight to dental treatment rooms. It is a small hotel with only 12 rooms, but it has all the comforts including wi-fi, air conditioning, and small refrigerators. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=376625 Fri, 01 Jun 2012 10:20:19 GMT 20120601102019 Fri, 01 Jun 2012 09:51:39 GMT 20120601095139 Fri, 01 Jun 2012 10:20:19 GMT 2012060110102019 The Japanese government is planning to launch a new system of certifying hospitals and clinics involved in medical tourism, as Japan seeks to establish itself as an attractive destination and belatedly attract visitors from overseas. Although Japan's high quality medical care does attract some visitors to the country from Asia, it is only now slowly recovering from last year's earthquake. Erwin Gonzales of medical tourism agency Japan Medical Tourism reports losing many customers in the wake of the disaster. Japan Medical Tourism had been getting 60 customers a month before the disaster, but afterwards numbers dropped to zero. Numbers began to increase last autumn, but are still only around one-third of pre-quake levels. A handful of hospitals in Tochigi and Tokushima are offering treatment to Asian customers, but the industry is scattered and disorganized. Kameda General Hospital in Kamogawa claims 1,000 foreign visitors a year, but it is unclear how many of these are actually medical tourists. It is now targeting well-heeled visitors from China, and the international patient centre appointed a Chinese doctor as its supervisor. Most foreign visitors to the hospital pay for their expenses out of pocket, which generates a large amount of profit for the hospital. By introducing a new medical tourism certification system, the Health Ministry aims to increase the number of hospitals across the country prepared to receive overseas visitors and create an environment where international patients feel comfortable to receive medical care. An independent expert panel will screen hospitals based on various criteria, including whether or not it offers surgery consent forms in foreign languages, a consultation desk for foreign patients, interpreters and vegetarian menus. The Japan Tourism Agency claims that Japan gets 70,000 medical tourists a year, but how it arrives at this figure, whether or not includes all international patients is a mystery. It is almost certain that the figure includes the more established spa/health and wellness tourist industry. The Development Bank of Japan estimates that by 2020 there could be 430,000 patients from overseas, but this is more a declaration of hope rather than a realistic estimate, and it has been making the same prediction for 4 years. The government aims at increasing the number of foreign patients as part of its new growth strategy, as Japan lags behind other countries despite its high medical standards. By 2020 it aims to become the top destination in Asia for advanced medical care and checkups, but unless Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and China all decide to pull out of medical tourism, that is likely to remain a pipe dream. In January last year, the government created a medical visa for foreigners who visit Japan for medical care. However, the visa had been issued only in 122 cases between January 2011 and May 2012. The spread of medical tourism in the country remains limited due to the Great East Japan Earthquake. Both the visa numbers and general effect on tourism throw great doubt on the bank's estimate of medical tourism numbers. Professor Toshiki Mano of Tama University comments, "An increase in the number of foreigner-friendly hospitals would lead to improved medical care in Japan. Japan lags behind other countries in developing a system to accept foreign patients. I believe the certification system will be the first step." http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=376624 Fri, 01 Jun 2012 10:15:00 GMT 20120601101500 Fri, 01 Jun 2012 09:47:11 GMT 20120601094711 Fri, 01 Jun 2012 10:15:00 GMT 2012060110101500 UK online publishers, Intuition Communication, have launched a new medical travel web site aimed at infertile couples. Fertility Treatment Abroad gives infertile couples the information they need to make the right choice of infertility clinic in another country. The site features leading infertility clinics and treatment providers in over 50 countries. It's a comprehensive online resource for people wanting to find out what's available, how much it costs, what the success rates are and then to get in touch with their preferred clinics. A unique feature of Fertility Treatment Abroad is the “Good Practice Score” which is based on compliance with the ESHRE Good Practice Guide for cross-border reproductive care. ESHRE, the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, is working hard to ensure high-quality and safe, assisted reproduction treatment for international patients; Intuition are keen to see the ESHRE Good Practice Guide adopted by clinics, centres and physicians providing fertility treatment to foreign patients. The Good Practice Score applies a rating on 20 different factors to create an overall compliance score for each clinic. Key features of the site• Search - Patients can search a database of information on over 500 fertility clinics around the world. The initial search is based on a selection by type of treatment and by country.• Filter - Visitors narrow down their search by filtering results according to their preferences, such as number of procedures undertaken, price for IVF, upper age limit, whether sex selection is available, whether donor anonymity applies.• Compare results - Visitors can select a shortlist of clinics and compare profiles, prices, success rates at these clinics. • View clinic profile - Extensive profiles are available for participating clinics. Basic information is provided for non-participating clinics.• Clinic updates - Clinics can update their profile online, and can manage their response to enquiries received through the site. There are opportunities for creating additional content by providing patient stories and infertility articles for publication on Fertility Treatment Abroad . According to Keith Pollard, Managing Director of Intuition, “With FertilityTreatmentAbroad, we want to help infertile couples to make an informed choice of fertility clinics abroad. There are some excellent fertility clinics offering world-class treatment around the globe but many people struggle not only to find the right treatment option but also to identify the best place for them to go in terms of quality of treatment, patient services and the type of destination.” http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=375275 Fri, 18 May 2012 15:29:20 GMT 20120518152920 Fri, 18 May 2012 15:21:56 GMT 20120518152156 Fri, 18 May 2012 15:29:20 GMT 201205181532920 Jeju Healthcare Town, part of Jeju Free International City Development Center (JDC), has broken ground and expects to be built by 2015 on the self-governing island off South Korea. This will be the first medical town in Korea to provide a variety of healthcare services on one site. It will offer medical check-up clinics, rehabilitation centres, medical research and development centres, and more. Byon Jong-il of JDC explains, “A healthcare town is where everything about health is concentrated in one location. Although there are many of these in other countries, it is the very first to be built in Korea. Jeju is the perfect place for a healthcare town to be established not only because it has a great natural landscape but also because it has a clean environment and abundant natural resources. Korea is also famous for its Oriental medicine. Jeju is a great place for medical tourism because it can combine such medicine with its environment.” Jeju Healthcare Town is being built on a 1.54 million-square-meter site, 34 % of which will be preserved as green areas. The town will have three different parks — the wellness park, the medical park, and the research park — to provide specialized services to patients and visitors. The wellness park will be a medical complex focusing on healthcare and recreation. The medical park will provide advanced medical services such as specialized hospitals and long-term care facilities. The town is one of six core projects to help the island become internationally recognized. The other five projects include a science park, global education city, resort-type residential complex, Seogwipo tourism port, and a history theme park. The aim is to build the town into a global medical tourism site that attracts not only Korean patients but also those from abroad. Byon Jong-il adds,” We plan to attract medical tourists from abroad. We do not have a specific target, but we expect there will be many Chinese tourists in the coming decade or two. So in the short term, we will focus on attracting Asian medical tourists. The town will provide clinics for internal medicine, orthopedics, cosmetic surgery, dentistry and more. The island's clean natural environment will be perfect for treating seriously ill patients over a long period of time.” JDC plans to connect local hospitals with foreign ones for active exchanges of medical services and know-how. Seoul National University Hospital will be participating in the project in a development consortium with Neulproon Medical Foundation, Seowoo Co Ltd, Zhong Da Real Estate and ADI Health Care. Zhong Da Real Estate will be responsible for overseas marketing, while Neulproon Medical Foundation will become the main operator of healthcare facilities at the resort complex. ADI Health Care Co will build and operate healthcare facilities. Greenland Group from Shanghai will build facilities at the wellness park Across South Korea, the Ministry of Health and Welfare is tracking down illegal brokers, and demands medical institutions directly explain the medical fees to the patients, to stop them charging visitors more than locals. Korea is the first country report in a new OECD series evaluating the quality of health care across OECD countries – whether care is safe, effective and responsive to patients' needs. The Ministry of Health and Welfare has announced Korea's own standards in accrediting medical institutions have been accredited by the International Society for Quality in Healthcare (ISQua). Receiving accreditation from the Korea Institute for Healthcare Accreditation (KOIHA) will now mean the accredited hospital is providing medical services to international standards. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=375229 Fri, 18 May 2012 10:23:41 GMT 20120518102341 Fri, 18 May 2012 09:56:05 GMT 20120518095605 Fri, 18 May 2012 10:23:41 GMT 2012051810102341 Despite safety concerns in a few border towns, Mexico continues to see a boom with Americans seeking low price surgery or dental and cosmetic treatment. There is nowhere else in the world where millions of Americans have access to hundreds of hospitals and clinics where they can drive there and back in one day. Although the Peso is the official currency of Mexico, US dollars are also widely accepted. The Mexican border town of Mexicali is making a push for more tourists from the American Southwest to visit the city's dentists, surgeons and doctors. Medical tourists from the USA with the right documents can skip much of the wait on the Mexican side of the border by using a new designated medical tourism lane. Mexicali's tourism director Omar Dipp, says the new lane is one part of the city's plan to boost medical tourism by 50%, "You can now drive to Mexicali, take care of your health, and only take 20 minutes to cross the border instead of two hours." American patients must request a pass from Mexican doctors who are participating in the programme. That pass, plus a doctor's receipt and foreign license plates, will allow patients access to the special lane. Once in the lane, vehicles can bypass the traffic on the Mexican side of the border crossing, and cut to near the front of the line. Mexicali is promoting the medical tourism lane in Arizona, Nevada and California to persuade more residents there to visit Mexicali doctors. Patients who go to the Mexicali area for affordable medical services also stay in hotels, eat in restaurants, use taxis and attend shows. One problem is that the shortcut only works on the Mexican side, since medical tourists can still be subject to delays from U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents. To avoid abuse, Mexicali tourism officials are requiring participating doctors to sign a contract with the tourism board to ensure they only give passes to foreign patients who are crossing the border. Each pass costs the doctors $4. Mexico City is raising its profile as a centre for medical tourism with a campaign aimed at residents in Chicago and other cities with large Mexican immigrant populations who need cancer treatment, heart surgery, dental procedures and other health care. The marketing campaign is focusing on Mexican immigrants and Mexican-Americans in the USA, starting in Chicago, Los Angeles and San Diego. Although there are no statistics on how many US patients travel to Mexico City for health care, local health officials say that have been climbing since it began promotions in Chicago and other US. Among the services being promoted in Mexico City are organ transplants, diabetes care, gastrointestinal procedures and fertility treatment, with the costs 40 to 80% cheaper than those in the USA. A number of clinics in Mexico are located very close to the US border, and many patients opt to travel to these places and return home the same day. The proximity of the location is a major factor for American medical tourists in addition to the significantly lower prices. Cosmetic surgery, obesity treatment and dental treatment are on offer in places such as Tijuana. Crime in Tijuana is a problem but less common in tourist areas. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=375228 Fri, 18 May 2012 10:20:54 GMT 20120518102054 Fri, 18 May 2012 09:54:13 GMT 20120518095413 Fri, 18 May 2012 10:20:54 GMT 2012051810102054 The first ever national strategy to promote all forms of inbound tourism to the USA, and make it quicker and easier for people to enter the USA as visitors, will help US hospitals promote inbound medical tourism, and may even get people to think twice before looking overseas. The National Travel and Tourism Strategy promises federal support for travel in a way never before seen in the U.S. The strategy mandates the creation of a National Travel and Tourism Office within the Commerce Department. It also sets an ambitious goal of attracting 100 million foreign visitors annually to the USA by 2021, up from 60 million in 2011. The new National Travel and Tourism Office gives the industry a major platform for influencing policies across the federal government. The office will be the central driving force for travel and tourism policy in the federal government. The strategy includes more steps to ease entry for foreign visitors; a promise to better coordinate federal programs that affect tourism, and government support for travel-related research. Roger Dow of the U.S. Travel Association comments, “The travel industry is very, very excited about this. A national strategy is finally here, and we have been talking about it for 16 years.” Tony Gonchar of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) adds, “It acknowledges the role travel agents play in driving international visitors to the United States. I am pleased to hear the White House's promise to work more closely with private-sector entities and trade associations in policy development.” The new strategy recognizes the travel industry's importance to economic growth and job creation. Travel and tourism contributes $125 billion in service exports to the economy, making it the leading service sector contributor to the balance of trade. The strategy sets forth an ambitious goal of making the USA the world's top travel destination by the end of 2021. If it succeeds in attracting 100 million international visitors annually, they would spend an estimated $250 billion. The strategy also includes the first ever promotion to encourage Americans to travel across the states, and this could give a new impetus to domestic medical tourism. The 10-year five areas of focus are:• Promoting the United States by capitalizing on the growing demand for travel and tourism in the USA, creating a positive and welcoming message for international visitors.• Enabling and enhancing travel and tourism to and within the United States by working to reduce institutional barriers to the free flow of trade in travel services; expanding the Visa Waiver Program; enhancing U.S. visa processing; expanding trusted traveller programmes and expediting screening initiatives; and improving the processes for arrival and aviation security screening initiatives.• Providing world-class customer service and visitor experiences that will inspire repeat visitation and positive word-of-mouth.• Coordinating across government to prioritize its support for travel and tourism, better coordinate Federal policies and programs, engage more deliberately with partners, encourage coordinated Federal participation in public-private tourism collaborations and establish a national travel and tourism office to provide leadership and focus within the federal government.• Conducting research and measuring results to ensure continual progress on the important goals and strategies outlined in this National Strategy. In key growth markets for international travel, such as China and Brazil, visa interview wait times have already dramatically decreased. The Department of State is making improvements to existing facilities in key markets such as Mexico and India and investing in two new consulates in Brazil. A new pilot programme for first-time visitors to the United States is streamlining the visa renewal process for certain low-risk, previously interviewed visa applicants. In addition to efforts to streamline the visa process, the Department of State will continue to work closely with Brand USA, the public-private partnership charged with promoting travel to the United States. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=375227 Fri, 18 May 2012 10:17:01 GMT 20120518101701 Fri, 18 May 2012 09:50:54 GMT 20120518095054 Fri, 18 May 2012 10:17:01 GMT 2012051810101701 Medical tourism has been identified as a lucrative market for many Central European countries. Tourism promotion agency CzechTourism has launched Internet campaigns targeting Britain, Russia and other post-Soviet states, Germany, Switzerland, and several rich Arab countries. It is promoting the country's reputation for high quality and low price surgical, dental and cosmetic treatment, with the aim of attracting more medical tourists to the country. Iveta Jakoubková of CzechTourism says, “Most of the interest at the moment is for various types of cosmetic surgery, while obesity treatment is also popular. The latest advertising initiative follows on from the publication last year of the first comprehensive catalogue of surgical and health treatments offered, the “Medical Tourism Guide Czech Republic”, in English, German, and Russian versions. Foreigners are already attracted to the Czech Republic for various types of operation, including fertility treatment, eye operations, dental treatment, and simple surgery.' CzechTourism admits that no statistics are kept on the number of visits to the country for various medical or cosmetic treatments offered by specialized clinics or in some of the country's biggest hospitals, but there is a clear impression that interest in the country is rising in what is identified as a booming market. Estimates put the cost of various health and cosmetic treatments in the Czech Republic at around a third or quarter of what they would cost in Western Europe, Russia or the Middle East. HealthCzech, another medical tourism portal, provides information about healthcare services available in the Czech Republic and is part of the Treatment Abroad group of specialized medical tourism websites owned by Intuition Communication. With a growing reputation for excellent dental services and prices 40% to 60% lower than those in the UK or Germany, many Europeans head to Hungary for dental treatment. The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban emphasised the growing importance of this sector at a conference on dental tourism at which he announced that it generated some €227 million a year for Hungary. He took the opportunity to sign an agreement of co-operation with medical companies to push the development of dental tourism programmes. Hungary claims that it already has a 40% share of all trips in search of dental services. To preserve its advantage over other countries, spa and dental tourism is to receive financial incentives of €117 million from the Hungarian Government. The scheme will help to modernise the sector, financing technical improvements, and will also provide grants to Hungarian practitioners to prevent them emigrating at a time of deep economic difficulties in the country. The government hopes to double the number of foreigners coming for dental care by 2014 and to treble it by 2016. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=375224 Fri, 18 May 2012 10:13:51 GMT 20120518101351 Fri, 18 May 2012 09:43:55 GMT 20120518094355 Fri, 18 May 2012 10:13:51 GMT 2012051810101351 Several African countries want to reduce the flow of outbound medical tourism, mostly to India, and eventually become local medical tourism destinations. While several African countries are promoting themselves as developing nations where local and inbound investment can flourish, the image that annoys local politicians is that local healthcare is so poor that many have to go abroad. Apart from on the Northern coast, medical care across many countries in Africa is generally poor and patchy, so those able to pay will often look elsewhere. The Ministry of Health has initiated a policy to make Ghana a health tourism destination in Africa by creating specialized health centres of excellence for the treatment of complicated diseases. The logic is to attract people from all over Africa to Ghana to seek medical care for complicated diseases. The Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) in Accra, the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi and the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) in Tamale have been earmarked to play a leading role in the health tourism initiative, with the private sector providing the requisite partnership. Another location will be the Sweden Ghana Medical Centre (SGMC), a cancer treatment centre in Adjirigano, near Accra. It is a modern clinic of international standard. Services provided include curative radiotherapy treatment, chemotherapy, pain control programmes, psychosocial support, clinical trials for treatment improvement, cancer prevention programmes and patient education programmes. When the project is fully completed, the centre will provide more advanced radiotherapy, more basic diagnostic equipment, a 50-bed hospital, a bigger, ultra-modern chemotherapy suit, a patient hotel and the integration of other medical specialties. And another will be the new private orthopedic medical centre at Pantang near Accra. The ministry claims that the rate of exodus of medical professionals in Ghana to overseas was reducing, with many Ghanaian medical experts returning home. In Nigeria, the minister of health, Professor Onyebuchi Nwosu, has ruled that public officers will no longer be allowed to travel for treatment that could be handled by hospitals in Nigeria. One of his predecessors, Professor Babatunde Osotimehin, valued the losses Nigeria incured on medical tourism at $200million each year. The minister argues that while public servants have a right to choose their medical care, it is not right for people entrusted with maintaining medical facilities in the country to use public money to go overseas. But the ban list does not include all elected and appointed government officials in the presidency and the National Assembly. Professor Onyebuchi Nwosu says that public officers should not use public funds to finance their trips. The key is to mend the infrastructure and engender professionalism in the health sector to discourage wealthy and not-so-wealthy Nigerians from travelling abroad for medical help It does not help that that some Nigerian doctors make a lot of money from referrals to foreign hospitals. The minister alleges that every month at least 3000 Nigerian patients travel abroad for medical tourism monthly and, about 1000 are mis-diagnosed. Some patients have died on their flight back to Nigeria after some complicated heart surgeries. While some go overseas for surgery, others seek cosmetic treatment or to have babies delivered. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=375233 Fri, 18 May 2012 10:06:46 GMT 20120518100646 Fri, 18 May 2012 10:04:13 GMT 20120518100413 Fri, 18 May 2012 10:06:46 GMT 2012051810100646 Many potential medical tourists are told that the only safe hospitals are those with international accreditation; many Americans are told that they should only ever consider JCI accredited hospitals. Within the medical tourism industry, some would argue that both views are a fallacy. A Minnesota medical tourism agency, Soter Healthcare, has looked at national and international accreditation from a consumer viewpoint and aims to dispel some of the myths on accreditation and certification. The company says, “There is a lot of noise about accreditation in media and marketing surrounding international medical travel. With few clear voices, sorting the message from the madness is challenging.” “Accreditation, whether regulatory or voluntary, is simply a floor above which a hospital must work. That there are no good, better, best connotations implied or expressed in existing standards. There is a significant trap awaiting patients who believe, either having come to it on their own or through promotion by medical tourism agencies, accreditation by one international body or another equals a standard of excellence.” “The prevailing view is that international accreditation provides a comfort for international patients. Harvard Medical International cites the focus of this development on its website:” Internationally, the growth of the health care industry has resulted in increased competition, leading hospitals to attempt to differentiate themselves through accreditation and certification by internationally recognized health care evaluators.” “We often see the comment - We only use JCI accredited hospitals - on the websites of medical tourism agencies. I always enjoy reading that statement, knowing that the company either doesn't understand accreditation or doesn't really believe the comment. Accreditation is a means by which the medical community evaluates administration, operations, quality and patient safety. In some cases, local or national regulatory authorities conduct accreditation inspections. In other cases, an independent third-party agency whose report the regulatory agent accepts conducts the review. In America, state health departments regulate hospitals, and the health department can either conduct its own inspections or accept those of an agency. In other countries, the national health ministry generally manages the accreditation process.” “In medical tourism, accrediting organizations expanded internationally. International accrediting organizations involved in destination medical care fall into three groups: (a) national/domestic agencies, (b) international accreditors, and (c) medical tourism organisations that purport to offer credentialing. The best known of the international entities is the International Society for Quality in Healthcare (ISQua). ISQua does not directly accredit hospitals; rather, ISQua accredits the accreditors.“ “JCI, QHA Trent, and Accreditation Canada International are all reputable international accreditation agencies. Where a national medical system and accreditation systems are strong, such as in countries like Australia, Canada, China, France, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States, international accreditation is rarely considered. There are no JCI accredited hospitals in Australia, Canada, France, Japan, Norway, or the United Kingdom, nor are there any QHA Trent accredited hospitals in the United States, Canada or Australia.” “None of that means accreditation is not important. It is a beginning stage of reviewing hospital quality for international patients. However, accreditation is not the end point or the distinction.” http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=375223 Fri, 18 May 2012 09:43:51 GMT 20120518094351 Fri, 18 May 2012 09:34:58 GMT 20120518093458 Fri, 18 May 2012 09:43:51 GMT 201205180994351 Many organizations assess and accredit hospitals in general, but the part of the hospital that many medical tourists come into contact with is the international patient centre. A new independent organization, The Medical Travel Commission, has been set up to offer accreditation specifically for international patient centers. The Medical Travel Commission is based in Asheville, North Carolina, USA. Founder Jim Tate has worked as a consultant with healthcare related companies across the world, ranging from Sri Lanka and Israel to Pakistan and Peru, providing health information technology services. Having witnessed disparities in services provided to international patients, he aims to create best in class service standards that will benefit hospitals, agencies and prospective patients. The Commission has Dr. Stewart Hamilton as its Chief Medical Officer, with over two decades of experience across the world. Bambi Rose is Director of Certification, and has worked for the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology. The Medical Travel Commission team includes medical officers, hospital CFOs, published security authorities, legal experts, experienced post-acute care professionals, certification professionals and medical records managers. There is an advisory board to oversee the process. The organization aims to create the optimal experience for international patients by the certification of international customer service standards. They believe that a transparent credentialing process for healthcare providers; •Helps hospitals gain credibility among potential medical tourists. •Enhances medical tourism agencies abilities to educate prospective patients. •Delivers a quality assurance promise to patients and their care providers that minimizes cultural or communications obstacles. The Medical Travel Commission has assembled a diverse team of healthcare advisors to establish benchmarks for the delivery of quality service, and develop reviews, audits, and recommendations. The onsite review is performed by a team that includes certification as well as clinical expertise. It certifies hospitals that support medical travel and the care of international patients and has created an educational review process leading to certification that includes support of best practices to increase credibility in the medical travel industry through transparent and unbiased standards. Jim Tate says that the first certifications are expected to be awarded very soon, “Final preparations are being made for the notification of the initial recipients of the 2012 Medical Travel Commission Certification. The certification is only awarded to those hospitals that have successfully met 100% of our stringent criteria." http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=373637 Fri, 04 May 2012 16:36:04 GMT 20120504163604 Fri, 04 May 2012 09:41:56 GMT 20120504094156 Fri, 04 May 2012 16:36:04 GMT 201205041643604 The Cyprus health minister Stavros Malas has travelled to Libya to investigate attracting patients from Libya to Cyprus for medical treatment, “The Libyan government asked us over to discuss the policy of sending public patients to Cyprus as they do mostly in Jordan, but also to a certain extent in Greece and Italy. It could prove to be an economic boost for Cyprus, as well as providing a service to Libya.” But the Cyprus government has ruled out using public hospitals as Stavros Malas explains, “Public hospitals are already stretched to the limit. Public hospitals cannot respond to this task because of their workload. The Libyan patients will be paying for the service in private hospitals for pediatric surgery, heart disease, brain cancer and oncology. The ministry may also consider sending Cypriot healthcare experts to help run Libyan hospitals. There is a snag or two; the Cyprus government of Dimitris Christofias was one of the few open supporters of the deposed dictator Gaddafi. The minister of health is pushing a private sector initiative when the public sector is in crisis. Private Cyprus hospitals are buckling under the pressures of the financial crisis, maintaining minimum nursing staff or even being forced to close, according to Marcos Agathangelou of the Pancyprian Association of Private Hospitals, “The last two to three years have been bad and especially during 2011, which was the worst year that private hospitals have seen. The situation is unprecedented and insurmountable. 60 out of 130 of the smaller private hospitals have been forced to close over the last few years. One of the main causes is that a lot of these hospitals rely on medical tourism and as a result the services they provide are seasonal. There are private hospitals in Paphos and Ayia Napa where for six months they maintain the same level of nursing staff even though there is a 90 % drop in the number of patients. An increased number of Cypriots are now using state hospitals too, resulting in many private hospitals losing a significant number of Cypriot patients. There are hospitals that have gone ahead and fired some of their nursing staff and are maintaining a minimum number in accordance with the law, just so there are enough nurses to ensure the safety of patients.” The Cyprus delegation to Libya wants to reactivate agreements they had with the Gaddafi regime. When in Libya, Stavros Malas gave more information on the talks, “We want to explore ways of offering our medical services not just to Libyan patients that were injured during the war, although that is also a possibility, but we are here to offer specialist services to adults and children in orthopedics, eye specialists, spine surgery and MRI diagnostics. We want to organize a tight well-regulated service in Cyprus for Libyan people. We have enormous capacity in the private sector under the coordination of the government. The private sector has agreed to offer these services not on comparative bases but all offering the same services at the same prices.” There is one area that Cyprus hospitals may want to clarify. The Jordanian government offered a similar deal on behalf of private hospitals, rather than allowing direct negotiations. But Jordan's private hospitals are struggling to get paid the money owed by the Libyans and the Jordanian government does not guarantee any bad debts. Perhaps the Cyprus hospitals should insist on a deal that is negotiated for them by the government, with bills paid by the Libyan government, that the Cyprus government guarantees to pay up if the Libyans default or delay on payment. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=373642 Fri, 04 May 2012 10:18:37 GMT 20120504101837 Fri, 04 May 2012 10:11:04 GMT 20120504101104 Fri, 04 May 2012 10:18:37 GMT 2012050410101837 Local doctors argue that Pakistan should promote medical tourism as it offers excellent treatment at very low costs. It used to attract more patients from overseas, but after legislation came into place to regulate the illegal trade of selling kidneys, numbers plummeted. At present, almost all medical tourism is outbound. Pakistanis travel abroad for treatment even when Pakistan has specialists and high-quality hospitals where comparable care is available. The cost of infertility treatment abroad can be many times that at home. It does get a tiny handful of patents from the UK and USA and the Middle East, but most foreign patients are of Pakistani origin. Dr Samrina Hashmi of the Pakistan Medical Association argues there is huge potential for Pakistan in medical tourism, as the cost of treatment in Pakistan is only 50% of what doctors and hospitals charge abroad, “In the past, a sizable number of such globetrotting patients came here for kidney transplants. But it is not cost that puts people off Pakistan, it is safety.” Dr.Hashmi says medical tourism can be a huge opportunity for Pakistan if the government improves the security situation and the infrastructure, and then promotes the country to target markets. The real stumbling block is that in Pakistan, some doctors work as agents for foreign hospitals; earning commissions if they send affluent Pakistani patients for treatment to their patron hospitals. Dr Mian Atif Fayaz has an office in Lahore and promotes Bumrungrad International hospital in Thailand online and via email. His company, globalhealthtravel.pk, a web-based company gets a processing fee from the patient and a fee from the hospital. Doctors say there is nothing illegal about marketing for hospitals based abroad, but it does little to promote Pakistan at home or abroad. One of the problems, a lack of quality control, is being tackled. India's National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers will now help hospitals in Pakistan in getting accreditation. Dr Giridhar J Gyani of the National Accreditation Body for Hospitals says, "Four hospitals have shown interest in accreditation by NABH. It is in the pre-assessment stage. The two government hospitals include the National Institute for Child Health and Aga Khan University Hospital and the private ones are the Indus hospital and Memon hospital." Curiously, the deal began with the initiative of the 'Aman ki Asha' a campaign for peace between India and Pakistan. The NABH is clear that many changes and improvements in standards will be needed by these hospitals before they are given an NABH accreditation. Despite being illegal, a network of organ trading and kidney tourism still operates in Pakistan. The kidney business in Rawalpindi and Lahore is estimated to be worth a billion rupees a year. There is no real enforcement of the law and several hospitals are suspected of still being involved. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=373641 Fri, 04 May 2012 10:11:04 GMT 20120504101104 Fri, 04 May 2012 10:03:45 GMT 20120504100345 Fri, 04 May 2012 10:11:04 GMT 2012050410101104 Health tourism could be a viable income-generating option, which, if pursued, could bring substantial numbers of visitors to Jamaica, argues Dr Wykeham McNeill, Minister of Tourism, "Several organisations have shown interest and we are working closely with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Commerce to ensure that we put in place a health-tourism policy to grow this area. Jamaica has a clear advantage over many other countries, with natural spas but these need serious investment to reach world-class standards. For medical treatment we have a distinct advantage given our proximity to the USA. The fact that we speak English is certainly an advantage." This would not be the first time that Jamaica tried to promote health and medical tourism. Last time it failed. MoBay Hope, a private medical centre in Montego Bay, St James, used to offer cosmetic surgery for people from all over the world. Nichola Francis, of MoBay Hope explains, “"We have not offered that service for the past six years. We still have a very large number of tourist clients, but those are guests at our hotels, who we attend to on an emergency basis." The clinic seems less than enthusiastic about getting involved in a new national health and medical tourism promotion. Another possible location in Montego Bay is Doctors' Surgi-Clinic .Dr Geoffrey Williams of Doctors' Surgi-Clinic suggests,” Jamaica could emulate the Far East by setting up centres that offer the same range of services. They have put in resources that do not limit them to cosmetic surgery. Taking travel and accommodation into account, the total cost would be between 50 % and 70% of the US cost- although the true medical cost would be 20% of the US price. We already offer cosmetic surgery to visitors from the US, Europe and the Caribbean.” Jamaica's public-health sector is ailing and creaking with concerns about the level of resources provided by the government, but the private sector is attracting some people from other Caribbean countries and the USA. Patients go from St Lucia, the Cayman Islands, Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, Washington and New York. To maximise the benefits of health tourism, Jamaica would have to improve the infrastructure and safety of the island. The Hospiten Group recently opened a clinic in the port of Falmouth .The minister for tourism, Edmund Bartlett said,” The clinic guarantees healthcare services for the numerous visitors to the port of Falmouth and is part of the development of Jamaica as a medical tourism destination". The Ministry of Tourism is conducting a study of the economic impact of the tourism sector, which will be completed soon. The Statistical Institute of Jamaica's (STATIN) Tourism Satellite Account (TSA is a tool to measure the contribution of the sector; and the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association's (JHTA) has a study on travel and tourism as a driver of economic development. These studies may help decide if health and medical tourism is a sector that Jamaica should promote. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=373640 Fri, 04 May 2012 10:03:44 GMT 20120504100344 Fri, 04 May 2012 09:58:35 GMT 20120504095835 Fri, 04 May 2012 10:03:44 GMT 2012050410100344 For many years medical travellers have gone to private Finnish clinics for treatment and now public hospitals want to attract Russian business. Almost all business comes from Russia, with a smattering from other European countries. Most private clinics with specialist skills that attract foreign customers to Finland are in Helsinki. The number of foreign customers is not known, but many private clinics in the Finnish capital each receive hundreds of patients from abroad each year. People go for cosmetic surgery, surgery, fertility treatment and cancer care. The Lauttasaari clinic of Suomen Terveystalo, Finland's biggest private clinic and hospital chain, receives hundreds of foreign clients every year. They go for varicose veins treatments and laser surgery, which is used to remove wrinkles and tattoos: advanced hair transplant techniques. Some foreigners go to Finland to receive fertility treatments. At Felicitas Clinic, one out of ten clients come from abroad. Some come from Norway where the laws on donor egg treatments are stricter than in Finland. Publicly funded hospitals in Finland are showing interest in caring for health tourists coming from Russia. Many hospitals are considering different ways of getting Russian citizens to travel across the border for medical care in Finland. Among measures under consideration to make it easier for foreign customers to find medical care in Finland is the establishment of a patient agency to organise travel for both patients and their accompanying family members or friends. Some public hospitals do attract paying private patients from overseas. Coxa, a hospital specialising in joint replacements in Tampere, gets under 100 foreign patients a year; while 30 to 50 Russian women give birth at the Kymenlaakso Central Hospital in Kotka. At the private cancer centre, the Docrates Hospital in Helsinki, one in five patients are from abroad. Most of the 300 to 400 patients are Russian. In addition to the actual treatments, the customer service includes post-op hotel accommodation. If needed, a nurse can visit the patient to administer medication, until the patient is ready to return home. Some of the clinic's patients receive treatment a couple of times a month and they will stay in Finland for a few days at a time. The clinic sees its greatest potential for growth abroad. Language skills are given a priority when hiring staff. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=373639 Fri, 04 May 2012 09:58:35 GMT 20120504095835 Fri, 04 May 2012 09:49:49 GMT 20120504094949 Fri, 04 May 2012 09:58:35 GMT 201205040995835 Dr Uwe Klein, Chairman of the European Medical Travel Conference (EMTC) and Informa Life Sciences, a major events and publishing business in the healthcare sector, have joined forces to create the International Medical Travel Exhibition and Conference (IMTEC), scheduled to take place on 12-13 April 2013 at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. The initial plans for IMTEC are impressive; it is clear that the involvement of Informa, a major player in the events industry, will take conferences in the medical travel industry to a new level in terms of strategy, content, delegate value and attendance. Informa is the first of the major worldwide events businesses to take a serious interest in the medical tourism industry. Dr Klein has built a growing reputation and following for his European Medical Travel Conference. In its sixth year, the EMTC visited Berlin in April 2012 and attracted medical tourism experts and opinion leaders and hospitals, clinics and medical tourism businesses from across Europe and the world. Informa is the largest publicly-owned organiser of conference and training events in the world and has a dedicated division, Informa Life Sciences, looking after healthcare related ventures. Informa has around 8,000 employees working in some 150 offices in over 40 countries. Acquisitions in recent years include IIR Holdings and Datamonitor. The company runs major events such as Arab Health, the largest healthcare exhibition and medical congress in Middle East. EMTC will be integrated in to the new IMTEC with Dr Klein involved as Chairman of IMTEC in developing the strategy and content for this major medical tourism event for the next five years. Says Dr Klein, “. “The core mission for IMTEC is to continue the pursuit of transparency, quality and innovation as well as the exceptional quality of the speaker academy and the advisory board.” According to Simon Page, Managing Director of Informa Life Sciences, “IMTEC will serve the medical tourism market as the number one destination for business networking, clinical education and global partnerships within the medical tourism industry”. Our experience with the organisation of medical travel events across the Middle East and Asia, coupled with Informa Group's extensive database with a global reach of more than 26 million, will ensure a successful and fruitful event for 2013 in Monaco. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=373090 Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:29:59 GMT 20120430112959 Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:50:05 GMT 20120430105005 Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:29:59 GMT 2012043011112959 Spain has excellent private hospitals and clinics that attract paying medical tourists from the UK and many other European countries. But the government is now attacking health tourism. Spain's economy is declining, while the public hospital system faces dramatic budget cuts with a battle between central and regional governments on healthcare cuts. The Spanish have always led the fight against freedom of movement within the EU healthcare system, and are now blaming this for the burden of treating foreigners, by whom they mean anyone not Spanish, even if they are one of the several million expatriates residing there. In the past, Spanish hospitals and doctors have been very lax about who they treat for free, and it is fair to say that some people have taken advantage of an inefficient and poorly managed system. In 2009, some 700,000 foreigner treatments cost €1 billion, according to government data; although they are very vague when pressed as to how much of this they got paid by other governments, how much is legally due for Spain to pay under EU rules, how much non-payment was due to poor administration, and how does it compare to the income they get from the tourism that props up the Spanish economy? Spain's main allegation is that it is finding it hard to get money out of other governments for treating their citizens. But other countries counter that much of the money Spain alleges is owed is not payable as the people are legally living and working in Spain. Spanish politicians have mixed up nationalism and problems in paying for Spanish healthcare, with complex allegations that it is all the fault of a badly worded Spanish law from 2007. Foreign countries have hit back at Spain by saying that the Spanish are keen to take money from millions of tourists and expatriates, but not so keen on spending money on them that is legally due. The real crux of the problem is that the Spanish health service faces a 7 billion € spending cut this year, with hospitals expected to close. The British Embassy did not help matters by a badly worded webpage that gives advice to British citizens on how to get the most out of the Spanish health system. Minister Cristóbal Montoro complained, “We must avoid the foreigners abusing the health service. There are Europeans who come to Spain to use services which are not available in their own countries”. The Spanish Government says it will ask the European Commission to ensure the proper use of the free movement of persons between the EU members and the healthcare system in different countries; but few expect the EU to do more than remind Spain that they are in the EU and cannot pick and choose which laws apply to them. The British Embassy released a statement in Spanish, “The British government does not approve or promote health tourism. The object of the advice we gave is to guarantee that British citizens who are in Spain, residents or tourists, clearly meet the requirements of Spanish and European legislation regarding their rights and obligations.” The British Embassy also reminded Spanish ministers that more than 13 million British citizens travel to Spain each year, accounting for one in four of all tourists. The contribution of the UK to the Spanish tourist industry is put at 10 billion € a year, or 1% of Spain's GDP. It also pointed out that it is in the interests of both countries that their citizens know how to use the Spanish health system correctly if they get ill. The Embassy guarantees that the U.K. can reimburse Spain correctly and efficiently in line with the pertinent European legislation. The British Embassy also points out that in addition to 13 million tourists, there are millions of Britons who are legally living and sometimes working in Spain who have the right to use the Spanish health system is the same way that Spanish citizens living in Britain has the right to use the National Health Service. They also highlight the 500million € that the UK pays Spain for healthcare for British pensioners who have retired to Spain, and that while these pensioners get good service from the Spanish health system they also pay taxes in Spain on pensions from the UK. Spain may not like the system but EU rules state that you if you are an EU citizen in another EU country you get the same healthcare as a citizen of that country. EU law is clear - you should be entitled to treatment on the same basis as the locals. If you are a visitor you cannot fly in for a replacement hip operation but if you break you hip on holiday you are entitled to hospital treatment. What the over-reaction of Spanish politicians shows is that it is highly improbable that Spain will enact the EU cross-border healthcare directive in 2013.They already have a track record of delaying EU laws till years after the supposed action date. They will not be the only impoverished EU country to fight tooth and nail against enacting, operating and paying any other country in line with the EU cross-border health directive that means well but may become a toothless tiger. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=372147 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:33:39 GMT 20120423113339 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:32:06 GMT 20120423113206 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:33:39 GMT 2012042311113339 The new government of Tunisia is targeting visitors with a marketing campaign from the Tunisian National Tourist Office (TNTO). The smallest nation in North Africa has seen a turbulent 12 months of a successful revolution, a newly elected government and democracy. Part of the multi-media campaign targets British visitors, as the UK is now the third most important market. One focus is on health tourism, particularly 40 luxurious hotels with thalassotherapy centres. The recent political strife virtually halted the country's medical tourism offerings. The main attraction is cosmetic surgery, but dental treatment, hip and knee surgery, stem cell treatment and other services are all on offer. According to a report 'Medical Tourism in Tunisia' by the University of Carthage, much of the background global material refers to 2006 and 2007 figures, plus various studies that are now either out of date or discredited. Using 2009 and 2010 data, Tunisia attracted over 16,000 medical tourists from Europe in 2010 and around 15,000 in 2009; including 9,000 from France, and smaller numbers from the UK, Germany, Italy and Belgium. The major source of patients in 2009 was over 100,000 from Libya and another 60,000 from Algeria, Morocco and various African countries. The figures are not necessarily indicative of future potential with 2011 being forgettable, 2009 and 2010 affected by problems in Europe, 2010 figures hit by the start of the political turmoil, the Libyan revolution. The report suggests a total of 176,000 medical tourists in 2010, but gives no source for either the totals or sub-totals. The health ministry has a target of 300,000 medical tourists in 2012, but as total tourism in 2011 fell by half, getting anywhere near that figure when each of its markets has problems is difficult. For the time being at least, Libya as a source has almost dried up, while the economy means fewer Europeans are travelling for treatment. But, with many competitors in Africa and the Middle East having their own serious problems deterring medical tourists, Tunisia could be neatly placed between Africa, Europe and the Middle East to attract medical tourists who may prefer a safe haven. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=372145 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:32:06 GMT 20120423113206 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:26:45 GMT 20120423112645 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:32:06 GMT 2012042311113206 Narayana Hrudayalaya Hospitals of India has entered into a partnership with Ascension Health Alliance of the USA to build Dr. Devi Shetty's hospital on Grand Cayman. This investment will offer medical care for those living on the island, the Caribbean region and the USA. Ascension Health Alliance is the largest Catholic and non-profit health system in the USA. The group has been working with Dr. Shetty for two years to explore ways to adapt his Indian hospital technique of providing healthcare at low cost to a relatively high cost destination. The Health City is a US$2 billion project that is scheduled to break ground in August. It will be built in phases over 15 years on a 200-acre site in East End, and will initially be a 140-bed hospital opening with a planned opening date of September or October of 2013. Ascension will own part of the new hospital in Cayman under the partnership deal and will handle group purchasing, facilities management and biomedical engineering services, while Narayana Hrudayalaya will manage the hospital. If the hospital gets to the planned 2000 beds it will provide services not widely available in the region such as open-heart/bypass surgery, angioplasty, heart-valve replacement, cancer treatment, bone-marrow transplant, nuclear medicine, organ transplant (if the necessary new law is passed) and orthopaedics. Ascension Health manages more than 17,000 beds spread across 69 hospitals in the USA, while Dr. Shetty's group has 14 hospitals in 11 cities, with 5,600 beds. Three major medical equipment suppliers will supply the new hospital in Cayman equipment at the same price as Narayana pays in India. The motive for Ascension's involvement seems to be a desire to learn new ways of offering healthcare at a lower cost in its US hospitals. Whether patients will choose to go to the Caymans rather than Miami remains to be seen. US patients would have to be self-pay as suggestions that people buying insurance from new US state health exchanges forget that the agreed product design for insurances offered there do not include medical tourism outside the USA. Even a 140-bed hospital would need to attract close to 10,000 patients a year to achieve a profit making occupancy level, while a 2,000 bed Cayman hospital would need over 150,000 medical tourists a year. The Cayman Islands is a British overseas territory in the Caribbean Sea, with just 51.000 inhabitants. Grand Cayman is south of Cuba on the east coast of the US mainland. Florida is the closest US state, which is why Miami is the main competition. Clan Construction, a Cayman-based company, has been selected as the general contractor to supervise and build phase one, assisted by DeAngelis Diamond Health Care Group of Naples, Florida, which has experience in providing specialty services for construction of hospitals. Phase one is being designed to withstand hurricanes and will have full standby power and water. The first building will be a two-storey, low-density structure. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=372139 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:26:45 GMT 20120423112645 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:21:07 GMT 20120423112107 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:26:45 GMT 2012042311112645 Business from Europe has fallen, while higher prices and tougher competition mean Middle East and Russian business is at best static; but Singapore is attracting Asian medical tourists seeking quality rather than a low price. Hospitals are getting more patients from India and China, as well as the traditional sources of Indonesia and Malaysia. Two years ago, Russia and the Middle East were identified as growing markets. Now, patients from less developed nations such as Cambodia and Mongolia are going to Singapore too. Parkway had a 38% increase in patients from India in 2011 compared with 2010.Treatment for blood disorders, and kidney and liver transplants rank among the top three areas where patients seek help. Dr Lim Suet Wun of Parkway says “Privacy and Singapore's reputation as a safe country are among the reasons Bollywood stars and wealthy businessmen choose to fly to Singapore for treatment. They can relax and recover in peace, away from public attention.” Parkway has seen strong growth in medical travellers from Vietnam and Burma. Raffles Hospital also saw a growth in foreign patients in 2011, especially from Cambodia, Burma, Vietnam and Papua New Guinea. The number from each of these countries grew 20 to 50 % in 2011 compared with 2010. Most sought costly treatments for ailments such as cancer and heart disease. Singapore Medical Group has 19 clinics and reports that patients from China and India are a fast-growing group. Medical tourists are now one in four patients. A substantial number of Indian nationals make use of the group's obstetrics and gynaecology expertise - some women fly in to give birth. The Asian Center For Liver Diseases and Transplantation is getting more patients from Vietnam, Laos, Burma, Cambodia and Mongolia. The private liver transplant centre reports that than 90 % of its transplant patients came from abroad. They choose Singapore for the post-operative care and the clean hospital environment. Taiwan is targeting ethnic Chinese residents of several Southeast Asian countries, but faces stiff competition from regional rivals such as Singapore. The six-month campaign targets ethnic Chinese citizens of Cambodia, Laos and Burma. Because it is quite difficult for ethnic Chinese naturalized in the three countries to obtain visas to enter Taiwan, the campaign allows them easier access if they travel in tour groups with visits to medical facilities on the itinerary. Taiwan is stricter in issuing visas to visitors from the three countries than to applicants from China, for fear they will work illegally in the country. Numbers are small, at three to four tour groups of 15 to 20 visitors each month, but can be expanded if the idea works. Taiwan face stiff competition from Singapore and Thailand, who have been promoting medical tourism for much longer and are less strict when it comes to issuing visas. People from Burma, Cambodia, and Laos can just visit Thailand and Singapore for medical purposes at will. There is no need to go through the trouble of applying for a visa as they do for Taiwan. There are other constraints. The pilot requires visitors planning to travel to Taiwan for medical treatment, health checks or cosmetic procedures to make appointments with Taiwanese hospitals two months prior to their journey. Such complications could well make potential visitors choose Thailand and Singapore over Taiwan. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=372135 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:21:07 GMT 20120423112107 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:06:32 GMT 20120423110632 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:21:07 GMT 2012042311112107 York academics researching aspects of medical tourism are still keen to talk to people who have paid for treatment overseas, people who have travelled to the UK for treatment, and members of the medical tourism industry. The purpose of the research funded by the National Institute of Healthcare Research is to explore medical tourism to and from the UK.The main research questions focus upon the economic implications of medical tourism for the NHS, the decision making process for individuals contemplating accessing care abroad, and the development of the medical tourism industry. The studies are a detailed empirical examination of medical tourism, with interviews with medical tourists, members of the medical tourism industry, health care providers and purchasers, and representatives of professional associations. The research involves integrating policy analysis, economic analysis, and industry case studies. 2012 has already been a busy year for the team with the project moving into its final six months. Recruitment of participants has been steady and preliminary analysis has proven extremely interesting. The team has contributed to various edited books, including two chapters prepared for the 'Encyclopaedia of Health Economics', a chapter in a forthcoming book titled 'Medical tourism and transnational health care', as well as comment pieces in the Lancet and the British Medical Journal. Dr Hannah King is leading the preparation for a review of the role accreditation plays in the medical tourism industry. Professor Richard Smith has travelled to East Asia and Dr Neil Lunt has visited South Korea. The team has completed a review of websites aimed at potential consumers of bariatric and dental treatment abroad, the results of which have formed the basis of a book chapter and submission to a journal. The web review was particularly illuminating, with a real variance in the quality of sites reviewed. The purpose was to recreate the search experience of a consumer interested in finding out more about treatment abroad. The team looked at the general quality of the websites and the quality of clinical information. Crucially, all websites are deficient in some manner. Dr Jo Hanefeld is making the final edits to a systematic review of the existing academic medical tourism literature. She has already highlighted the often weak evidential base for many of the claims made about the size and scope of the medical tourism industry. This review will be prepared as a stand-alone article, which will be submitted to an appropriate journal. The project's key aim is to assist government and the NHS in dealing with and understanding medical tourism, in advance of the new EU rules on cross-border healthcare. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=372131 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:06:31 GMT 20120423110631 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:59:43 GMT 20120423105943 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:06:31 GMT 2012042311110631 A Chinese town is to create an international medical tourism project for the hot spring resort of Ruzhou. The total investment is ＄400 million. Ruzhou Hot Spring Leisure Resort sits within the hot spring town, 27 kilometres away from Ruzhou city. The hot spring's water is crystal clear and smooth as silk. It contains over 50 salutary microelements and macro elements and is also a rare high-quality mineral water for medical use. Besides hydrotherapy, the resort will offer acupuncture, massages, and ultrasonic therapy. The key target market is from within China, plus visitors from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau. Despite government efforts to ban unapproved stem cell treatments, companies in China still offer them openly. In January, the Chinese Ministry of Health attempted to regulate the unapproved stem-cell tourism business in China, announcing rules such as required registration for organizations using stem cells in the clinic and a halt to any unapproved stem cell treatments. But not a single clinic has registered, and business is still booming. The clinics, which operate openly offer expensive and unapproved stem cell treatments for Parkinson's disease, diabetes, and autism, among other disorders, and attract thousands of medical tourists from around the world. The Chinese health ministry has made several attempts to ban the treatments, including classifying stem-cell treatments as high risk and requiring the approval of a technical audit board, but they are ignored. The clinics all claim success in treating patients, but none has published data from controlled clinical trials. The stem-cell clinics are aware of the government regulations. The Ministry of Health is trying to regulate the industry, but internal politics means that the clinics think they can safely ignore the law; particularly those with military or other government backing. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=372130 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:59:43 GMT 20120423105943 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:57:50 GMT 20120423105750 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:59:43 GMT 2012042310105943 Vietnam is beginning to seriously promote itself as a destination for medical tourism. The government admits that 30,000 people go to other countries for medical treatment. Other sources say that even a higher figure of 40,000 people seeking medical help outside of Vietnam is probably too low. Many who stay in Vietnam do so because they cannot afford to travel abroad for treatment. Singapore, China and France are among the destinations. So why is Vietnam now poised to become a regional player in this expanding market? The star destination in the country is Ho Chi Minh City, where few doctors or dentists speak English, but service is often immediate, relaxed and competent. And compared to America and other Asian countries, the prices are incredibly low. Vietnam is undeniably an attractive destination but foreign tourists come to enjoy the natural beauty of the country rather than to have medical treatment, and most Vietnamese hospitals are overcrowded. The country is currently limited to offering hot springs, Chinese medicine and cosmetic surgery. The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) has unveiled a plan to triple the number of Russian visitors from 100,000 last year to 300,000 by 2014. VNAT plans to participate in a series of fairs in Russia and organise road shows and publicity campaigns there. How many they can attract for medical tourism is unclear, while Russia and China are key target markets. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=372127 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:57:05 GMT 20120423105705 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:51:29 GMT 20120423105129 Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:57:05 GMT 2012042310105705 A new medical travel insurance product has been launched just for medical tourists to Thailand. Episodes Medical Travel Insurance offers travellers protection against certain risks of surgery along with safeguards against medical emergencies, lost luggage and trip delays. It can be bought online or on arrival in Thailand. There are two parts to the cover, travel insurance and treatment insurance. LMG Insurance and Liberty International Insurance underwrite the cover, and the in-country assistance is by Mondial Assistance (Thailand). Episodes is two policies, one is travel insurance and the other is cover for complications. Bumrungrad International, Bangkok Hospital, Medical Travel Quality Alliance and Mondial helped with the development. It is not the first global insurance covering the two areas, but is the only one tailored to a specific country destination. It covers medical tourists for complications of surgery and anaesthesia, cardiopulmonary events or post-operative complications that may occur during an episode of care even after they return home. Medical tourists may buy only complications insurance or complete medical travel coverage. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is projecting that the healthcare sector will earn $11.5bn by 2014, contributing much to the government target of becoming a world-class healthcare destination by 2014. Since 2008 Thailand has promoted a holistic collection of curative medical treatment plus preventive spa and wellness services. The earning expectations for medical treatment are $8 billion, $2.23 billion for spa and wellness services, and $1.3billion for sales of products and supplies. Apichai Jearadisak of the Federation of Thai Spa Associations, says Thailand already leads the regional spa market,” With more than 1,200 registered spas, 400 of which are high-end luxury facilities, Thailand has a claim to call itself the spa capital of Asia. Thai spas are working to upgrade the standards of their services and products, as well as the hygienic standards in the spas themselves. Efforts are also being made to improve the quality of their communications and marketing.” Dr Prapa Wongphaet of the Thailand Medical Tourism Cluster says, “There are more than 30 international accredited hospitals in Bangkok and various tourist destinations such as Pattaya, Phuket, Samui, Hua Hin, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and elsewhere .The country can offer a complete combination of advanced medical treatment and other health related services. More than 200 private and public hospitals have received the hospital accreditation certificate issued by the Healthcare Accreditation Institute.” Since 2010, the Thailand Medical Tourism Cluster concept has involved the collaboration of five government agencies and five leading business associations to support all aspects of medical and health and wellness tourism to Thailand. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=370212 Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:30:06 GMT 20120412143006 Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:07:41 GMT 20120410110741 Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:30:06 GMT 201204121423006 Medical tourism providers want a more integrated strategy to attract more potential customers from China as they feel that the effect of a new policy allowing independent Chinese travellers to visit the country has been limited due to poor promotion. Sammy Yen of Lion Travel argues that the travel industry has been trying to develop more comprehensive medical tourism packages through closer cooperation to win over high-end consumers because a business model relying on quantity is not likely to work, "We used to have high hopes for the independent traveller scheme but may have overestimated its benefits." Yen says that estimates of 3000 more medical tourism visitors from this programme during the second half of 2011 when it became active were wrong as only 1500 went to Taiwan. The National Immigration Agency (NIA), records 30,000 Chinese independent travellers between June and December 2011. The quota limit of 500 a day was never close to being achieved. So Taiwan's medical tourism providers argue that it must offer more than simple check-ups and cannot rely on Chinese medical travellers just turning up. It needs much more promotion and the creation of more high-end services. Formosa International Hotels and Lion Travel will now provide three-day packages that could cost over S4000 and include health checks, beauty treatment, shopping and golf. The medical tourism industry is also urging the various government agencies to work together to promote the Taiwan brand and send an integrated message that Taiwan is one of the best travel destinations to heal your body and soul. Taiwan has no shortage of high-class hospitals able to offer a range of treatment. So there is frustration that the country is just promoting health-checks and cosmetic surgery. One proposal is to grant medical visas to Chinese citizens, so there would be great potential that would appeal to high-end Chinese tourists who could visit to the island for medical treatment. In 2011, more than 4 million people travelled to Taiwan, and nearly 1.2 million of them were from Mainland China, thanks to the gradual warming of cross-strait relations. The Japanese government now grants a six-month visa to foreigners who visit for medical purposes; so the industry argues that Taiwan's government should also devise policies that give Chinese tourists opportunities to visit Taiwan for medical reasons, rather than force them to enter the island under the pretense of business or tourism. There is a problem with openly promoting tourism for medical treatment, as this would suggest that the Chinese government, always touchy on such matters, is unable to offer good medical treatment for its citizens. Effectively Taiwan wants to move upmarket from the lower end of health check and simple cosmetic surgery, as there is more potential and more income. But, the political peace between China and Taiwan is always delicate; one false move could close the doors as China argues that the new travel freedoms are only pilots and could be withdrawn if abused. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=370223 Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:58:55 GMT 20120410135855 Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:56:55 GMT 20120410115655 Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:58:55 GMT 201204101315855 Sheikh Hamdam, Crown Prince of Dubai summoned the top officials of various government and private sector bodies to a weekend meeting where he emphasised the need for all of them including the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and Dubai Department of Tourism to work together to promote his latest medical tourism initiative. The prince made it clear that he will no longer tolerate poor promotion, inter-departmental squabbling and the undermining of promotions by the health authority sending citizens overseas for treatment. Dubai Health Authority's (DHA) new initiative on medical tourism is aimed at boosting the international status of Dubai as a destination for medical tourism through concerted efforts of all departments and their private sector counterparts. A new task force will be an overall co-ordinating body to promote the city. Sheikh Hamdan wants the DHA to promote medical treatment, cosmetic treatment, spa and wellness services. The initiative is part of the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015. The target for health tourism is Dh6.1 billion by the end of 2012. The main market will be other Gulf states. Dubai wants to attract people from nearby countries and stop its citizens going to Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Qatar for high-end medical services. While the official line from Dubai Healthcare City is still that it sees Europe and America as target markets, an increasing number of doctors admit that almost all American and European business is either working expatriates or holidaymakers. Adding air travel costs to high prices means that DHC cannot compete either on price, or unique facilities, for European or American medical tourists. Dubai Healthcare City says that 15% of 502,000 patients who sought care in 2011 were medical tourists; up from just 5% of 231,000 patients in 2009. So from 2009 to 2011 the number of medical tourists rose from 46,000 to 75,000. While Dubai has been concentrating on the Gulf, USA and Europe, other UAE states have been more progressive, RAK Hospital has been opening small offices in Iraq, Afghanistan, Ethiopia and Nigeria to find out more about the kinds of patients who are travelling abroad for treatment. It has also been putting together its own treatment packages that include airline tickets, visitor visas and negotiated rates at partner hotels near its base in Ras Al Khaimah.The hospital plans to open offices in Russia, Pakistan, Kenya and Uganda to expand this business further. Dubai healthcare facilities are working to keep local patients from travelling elsewhere for treatment - and boosting the medical-tourism sector of competing countries. Dr Ayesha Abdullah of Dubai Healthcare City explains,” One of the challenges that the UAE faces is stiff competition from popular medical destinations such as India and South East Asia that also provide competitive medical care. Another challenge is many patients still prefer to get medical care outside the UAE." Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, which is scheduled to open next year, is encouraging local residents to seek treatment there while it also tries to attract medical tourists from other states including Dubai. All hospitals in Dubai have been given a deadline to acquire international accreditations in an effort to raise standards in the healthcare sector. The Dubai Health Authority has given all hospitals operating in the emirate until the end of this year to get or begin the process of getting accreditation. The DHA says that 61% of hospitals already have accreditation, while 29p% are in the process of obtaining it, but 10 % of hospitals have not begun the process of accreditation yet. It takes at least 2 years to get JCI accreditation. The DHA is working on a set of guidelines to govern medical tourism. Facilities would be categorised by cost, with minimum standards and customer protection rules in place. There are two flaws with this latest Dubai initiative. David Hadley of EHL Management Services, which manages The City Hospital and Welcare Hospital thinks, “There are not enough highly specialised services that other countries do not offer.” Dr Ionnis Michael Salivaras of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery Hospital in Dubai adds, “Many people travel for treatment due to lower costs. But our costs are not lower so most people who travel here first look for access to quality health care, followed by privacy, and their last concern would be costs." Dubai has thrown a lot of money at building new hospitals and DHCC. For this, the most recent of several initiatives, the ruler has taken control; but only time will tell if this high-price state can deliver. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=370218 Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:57:06 GMT 20120410135706 Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:37:50 GMT 20120410113750 Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:57:06 GMT 201204101315706 Canada is often seen as a target market for providing medical tourists, but there is very little academic or other research. In Barbados, American investors are recruiting U.S. and Canadian doctors to buy time-share style memberships in a renovated hospital and take their patients there for surgery. In Chennai, India, it is said that Canadians are seeking orthopaedic surgery to bypass wait lines at home or get procedures not readily available in Canada such as hip resurfacing. These are two examples of ventures and examples used by the medical tourism industry. But how many of these projects take off and are sustainable? Is it 200 or 2 Canadians in Chennai, and when? Why do some Canadians really seek treatment overseas? One academic study last year showed many new Canadian medical tourism agencies quickly went out of business due to demand being far less than the optimistic projections they had been fed. In 2008 Simon Fraser University (SFU) health geographer Valorie Crooks set up the SFU Medical Tourism Research Group (MTRG). Her initial studies revealed truth and fiction not aligning. Valorie Crooks says, “We found that many Canadians are relying on informal testimonies and anecdotal information from the Internet to make important decisions for surgical care. People believe Canadians are going abroad because of waiting lists, but our research shows that it is more complex than that. There are issues of procedure availability and procedures not covered under Medicare, while others go because they are concerned about the quality of care in Canada.” The group has now received funding to set up 3 new studies that will examine a variety of issues related to medical tourism. • What is happening to local health-care services in developing countries that cater to medical tourists?• Is medical tourism good for the locals because it brings in money and jobs? Does it shift the focus to high-end surgeries and facilities for treating international patients? There is very little evidence one way or the other to prove these two theories. Three members of the group have travelled to Mongolia to explore the impact on local health services when affluent look at the health-system challenges this poses for Mongolia. They are talking to agents who send Mongolians abroad for health services as well as local health officials. The researchers will also travel to Mexico, Guatemala, Barbados and India over the next year to complete their research. • New ethical guidelines The group is researching and will develop an ethical buying guide for Canadians thinking of travelling for medical services. The guide will address issues such as the potentially negative impact medical tourism could have on local communities. Do returning medical tourists requiring expensive on-going treatment burden people in Canada waiting in a queue? The group is working with the Michael Smith Foundation on a policy paper for British Columbia's health ministry to help articulate what the government's responsibilities should be for patients returning home after international treatments. • Medical tourism caregivers This three-year study will look into the roles, risks and responsibilities of caregivers who often accompany medical tourists. These travelling companions use accommodation and transportation, and are unpaid untrained labour to assist the patient, in their own time and for no reward. What risks may they be exposed to? Is the medical tourism industry exploiting them as unpaid labour rather than offering proper care and support? http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=370225 Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:11:13 GMT 20120410121113 Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:06:46 GMT 20120410120646 Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:11:13 GMT 2012041012121113 Health tourism and health travel are on the up as 94% of British people now seek holidays to pursue health and fitness, says The Body Holiday survey commissioned by wellness travel agency Health and Fitness Travel. 85% are now willing to try a health and fitness holiday to improve their body and mind. Choosing a holiday including health and fitness is very important to 82% when they are away from home with spa treatments, fitness classes, land and water based sports being the most sought after. 85% are likely to try new forms of exercise or body treatments on holiday so they can open their minds to new experiences. Paul Joseph of Health and Fitness Travel says “Gone are the days when people want to return from holiday feeling sluggish with waistbands that little bit tighter. With our collective life spans increasing by approximately 30 years, the importance of a healthy lifestyle has never been so important. More people lead cash-rich and time-poor lives making it harder to focus on their own well-being. A health and fitness holiday can be a great way to reset the body, learn a new approach and develop good habits to bring home. Ditching waist-expanding getaways for active and healthy holidays combines the fun of travel with fitness focussed activities such as yoga, beach boxing and hiking.” The survey was conducted by Dennis Publishing on behalf of Health and Fitness Travel with 1,290 men and 1,290 women totalling a response of 2,580 people nationwide. Another British firm, Obsidian Health Retreat based in Alicante, agrees that British people desperate to get more help with obesity and diabetes are looking overseas. Run by Andy and Carol West, in 2011 Obsidian opened Europe's first year-round health retreat offering prices at an affordable holiday rate. This helped Type 2 diabetics to control and in some cases reverse their condition, and for its dramatic weight loss results; places available in 2011 sold out within weeks of opening. Obsidian has now launched Europe's first nutritarian hotel with 26 rooms and suites. The hotel offers pioneering and advanced diet and fitness techniques from around the world to combat weight, diet and lifestyle related illnesses and promote wellbeing. A nutritarian hotel offers a nutrition-rich plant-based vegan and juicing diet, which provides an abundance of micronutrients. The difference with the nutritarian approach is that it fulfils all food groups (including protein) and ensures the body gets all the vital nutrients, enzymes and vitamins it requires. Complimentary treatments are also available: Colon hydrotherapy, meditation, hypnotherapy, Swedish massage, colon massage, crystal massage, bio-resonance, Reiki, metamorphic or Indian head massage; food intolerance testing, facials, manicures and pedicures and life coaching, Andrew West says, “More people are taking a DIY approach to their health and searching out new ways to lose weight, get educated, ditch long term medication and kick start a more healthy lifestyle. Taking control of your own life and health is something we promote so strongly at the retreat and we give guests the tools to make not just short term change but longer term lifestyle adjustments too.” http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=370221 Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:56:54 GMT 20120410115654 Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:48:44 GMT 20120410114844 Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:56:54 GMT 2012041011115654 Proving that medical tourism is not all about providing treatment at the lowest price, Switzerland continues to increase the number of medical tourists attracted by high quality treatment, top of the range care and outstanding customer service-despite being one of the most expensive destinations. While known for medical treatment, an increasing numbers of foreigners are visiting Switzerland for cosmetic surgery treatment such as liposuction, face-lifts, and breast surgery. Also, says Gregor Frei of Swiss Health, “There is increasing demand for reconstructive surgery after an accident or treatment for breast cancer.” Cosmetic and reconstructive surgery now accounts for just under 10% of all medical tourism. H+, the Swiss hospital association, represents 300 hospitals and estimates that between 1 and 2% of all patients come from abroad, although it could be much higher. Switzerland's largest private healthcare group, Hirslanden, has 14 hospitals and is seeking annual growth of 10 % in foreign patients within the next five years. It gets many patients from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Switzerland's main markets are the Gulf states, Russia, China, and former Soviet countries. The European economy and political changes have led to drastic reductions in business from Egypt, Syria and Greece. The agency Swixmed says,” For people coming here for medical treatment, they are impressed by the strong positive influence of traditional Swiss values: precision, reliability, punctuality, kindness, cleanliness and discretion. Switzerland is neutral and politically stable, and has excellent infrastructure for travel and tourism. Switzerland has a long history of medical tourism and patients from around the world travel here to profit from the incomparable quality and range of the medical treatment. Every year we get patients from 30 or more countries.“ Many Swixmed clients are referred by private banks and one in three customers pays via a Swiss bank account. Rayan Partners is an agency offering services from a network of top Swiss clinics and spas,including anti aging clinics. In the network are also private banks, colleges and universities. So it finds that many clients from these sectors are now also interested in health tourism. Anna Kosmina of Rayan Partners says they get 20 cosmetic surgery enquiries a week, “It is all about quality.” The company also offers a VIP tourism concierge service. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=370214 Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:37:49 GMT 20120410113749 Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:18:01 GMT 20120410111801 Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:37:49 GMT 2012041011113749 The Libyan government is no longer paying Jordanian hospitals for the treatment of Libyan patients who travel to Jordan without prior approval. Ali Bin Jalil, head of the Libyan medical committee in Jordan says: “Any Libyan who now goes to Jordan without prior approval from the government must pay his own expenses, including the cost of medical care. The decision was adopted because we cannot cover the high costs of accommodation and daily costs for those who go for treatment and stay for long periods. Some patients have been finishing their treatment and staying in Jordan as tourists – we have had to pay for their accommodation and other expenses.” The Libyan government owes a huge sum to the Jordan government and hospitals. 58,000 Libyans have gone to Jordan since February 2011, including 48,000 for medical treatment, many with war injuries. The total cost of treating Libyan patients in Jordan is £90 million, and only $30 million has been paid. The new Libyan government is footing the bill for people injured in the civil war that brought down Qaddafi. It has begun an audit after being charged in excess of $110 million. It accuses some Jordan private hospitals and of ordering unnecessary tests and charging double or even triple the normal cost for treatment. Jordanian doctors have been treating tens of thousands of Libyan war wounded at private hospitals and clinics across the country. But the mission of mercy has become the object of controversy amid accusations of inflated bills and patients being turned away for lack of beds. Yalli Abul Kassem, a representative of Libya's interim government in Jordan, has accused Jordan's medical sector for overcharging Libyan patients. He also accused Libyan patients of excessive spending, after reports they were using state funds for cosmetic surgery and holidays. “When I took over my job to take care of Libyan patients in Jordan I realized how big my responsibility will be due to overspending of patients and overcharging from Jordanian doctors.” Until the new rules on prior approval, the Libyan government had no management and budgetary controls, so was paying for the medical costs and travel expenses of the war wounded as well as costs for one or two people to accompany them to Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon and other countries. Jordan's Private Hospitals Association (PHA) has rejected accusations of profiteering, but agreed with Libyan authorities to appoint a team of arbitrators to settle the dispute. Jordanian officials have been also accused of using their positions to take a share of the spoils. One minister is accused of taking 10% of all billed medical costs in exchange for writing and managing contracts for the Libyans with Jordan's hospitals and serving as the legal representative of all the Libyan patients in the country. The arguments on profiteering are threatening the hard-earned reputation of the kingdom's private hospitals, not only among Libyans but others as well, which could hurt one of Jordan's main earners of foreign currency. Jordanian health minister Abdul Lateef Werikat said the government was alarmed by the rising number of complaints of overcharging by Libyan patients and promised to sort out the problem. Awni Bashir of the PHA denies profiteering or manipulation of the expenses, but this does not satisfy Ali Bin Jalil of the Libyan medical committee, “There is a difference in prices charged for the same medical treatment in different hospitals and we will review the bills as part of the audit process.” Jordanian private hospitals are a favorite medical tourism destination for patients from Yemen, the oil rich Gulf States, Sudan, Libya and other countries with a less advanced medical infrastructure. The Arab Spring badly hurt the medical tourism business, with non-war 2011 medical tourism cut to half of what it was in 2010.Jordan insists it is safe, but admits that it is surrounded by regional unrest, which makes it difficult to attract patients other than from nearby countries. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=367821 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 17:13:59 GMT 20120323171359 Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:08:11 GMT 20120322140811 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 17:13:59 GMT 201203231751359 In 2011, the Asia Pacific healthcare market was 28.5% of the global healthcare market. It is expected to represent 34.6% of the global healthcare market by 2015. Frost & Sullivan finds that by 2020, the APAC healthcare expenditure will increase by 151%. Medical tourism is becoming a major economic factor for APAC. In 2012, the Asian medical tourism market is expected to reach US $4.4 billion. Rhenu Bhuller of Frost & Sullivan says, "International accreditations, for example JCI, are likely to become the prerequisite for hospitals targeting to participate in medical tourism. Stringent operational and stringent accreditation requirements are likely to escalate the clinical and operational quality standards, thus increasing market competitiveness. JCI accredited hospitals in Asia have increased by almost 7-fold over the past 6 years (2005-2011). Malaysia currently has 9 JCI accredited hospitals. “This belief that JCI accreditation automatically increases medical tourism is a view curious to Americans, and Frost & Sullivan are American. The positive healthcare market outlook for APAC is also based on the expansion of the middle class and an aging populace that changes healthcare services configuration and market strategies. Asia's population is expected to grow to 4.5 billion by 2050, which accounts for 60% of the world's population. Currently there are about 4.8 million Asian households with income above US $50,000 p.a. and this is expected to grow by 3% to 5% for Southeast Asia. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=367828 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 11:31:05 GMT 20120323113105 Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:26:06 GMT 20120322142606 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 11:31:05 GMT 2012032311113105 The German National Tourist Board (DZT) forecasts that health and medical tourism will grow strongly over the coming decades, due to changes in lifestyles and demographics. A survey was conducted by the DZT in which 300 travel experts from 12 countries gave their views. Nearly 40% of them expect growth over the next 20 years in health-related travel activities. The trend is already visible in Germany, where the number of trips exclusively motivated by health more than doubled between 2009 and 2010. According to the World Travel Monitor, 341,000 Europeans visited Germany for health reasons in 2010, compared to 157,000 in 2009.These are health, wellness and medical tourism customers. The country's popularity is to the credit of Germany's image as a leading nation in medical standards. The World Economic Forum ranks Germany seventh among 139 countries worldwide for healthcare standards. Last year DZT introduced its health and wellness travel theme at the heart of its international marketing, focusing on spas and health resorts, wellness and beauty hotels and medical tourism. First results show that the most interested markets for medical tourism in Germany are the UAE, Saudi Arabia and especially Russia. In Russia the DZT created a special team dealing with health tourism requests. There is also strong interest in medical tourism from some European markets, including the Netherlands, France and Austria. Since 2009, the health pool Health Cologne project, led by Cologne Tourist Board, has been active in the health tourism sector. It has been able to attract numerous partners from the clinic, hotel, tourism and high-end retail sectors for 2012. With the help of the Cologne Chamber of Commerce and Industry, these partners will appeal to customers in Russia, the Arab Gulf states, the USA and the UK. The brochure 'Health Cologne' will once again be published in Russian, Arabic and English. Hotel Adlon Kempinski in Berlin is targeting Middle Eastern patients travelling to Munich for health care. It has created a package to make the process as effortless as possible for the consumer .The hotel has partnered with airlines and area hospitals to create a health-care package that includes the flights, hotel room and treatment at a regional hospital. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=367809 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 11:26:37 GMT 20120323112637 Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:26:00 GMT 20120322132600 Fri, 23 Mar 2012 11:26:37 GMT 2012032311112637 The Turkish health ministry has launched a hotline that will break the language barrier for tourists seeking medical treatment, using a teleconference system that will allow patients to speak to doctors through translators over the phone. Tourist calls are dispatched directly to a doctor, with a translator teleconferenced in for assistance. If the tourist is already at a hospital, a translator can be reached too. Translators speaking English, German, Arabic and Russian are on stand-by 24/7 to help foreigners communicate with doctors. Dursun Aydın from the Ministry of Health says,” This is a first in the world. The global practice is to bring in a translator.” International accreditation agency Temos has agreed a contract with the Ministry of Health. The aim of this project is the development of a guideline to determine, define and standardize the non-medical services and processes of the international patients' care cycle to be fulfilled by Turkish public hospitals. The biggest spa and wellness centre in the country is being built, mainly for overseas visitors. Cam Thermal Resort and Spa Hotel is being built by Ogulturk Group in the Soğuksu National Park. The 5-star thermal hotel is currently under construction, and planning to open in September 2013.It will include swimming pools and thermal pools with sauna, Finnish bath, Jacuzzi, and fitness areas. Orhan explains, “Health tourism has become one of the most important aspects of tourism in recent years in Turkey. According to the Turkish statistics from the last five years, the number of travelers that visit us for health purposes is rapidly increasing. They come from the Middle East, the Balkans, Central Asia, Africa, Europe and even from America. ” The hotel will have fully equipped rooms for medical therapy, physical therapy and a rehabilitation center with doctors and specialists. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=367833 Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:45:00 GMT 20120322144500 Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:37:33 GMT 20120322143733 Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:45:00 GMT 201203221424500 Until recently US hospitals all acted independently on inbound medical tourism so there was no co-ordination or co-operation. There are several new initiatives as part of the US government's aim to make the country the top global destination for travel, to improve the economy, and discourage outsourcing to other countries. The US Cooperative for International Patient Programs (USCIPP) was recently launched as a means to increase the global competitiveness of US healthcare providers and to improve access to healthcare in the US for patients from around the world. USCIPP is a partnership of the International Trade Administration of the US Department of Commerce, UHC, and Rush University. The aim is for domestic providers catering to international patients to share best practices and potentially grow their business collectively. In November 2010, the U.S. Department of Commerce awarded the Rush University of Chicago, in partnership with the University HealthSystem Consortium, a three-year $500,000 Market Development Cooperative Grant to help increase medical travel to the country. The idea is to stimulate growth through better data that tracks international patients and services, networking across institutions and the implementation of the best strategic business development practices. The grant is intended to support President Obama's National Export Initiative, which aims to double exports (any form of U.S. medical care purchased by people outside the country) by 2015. The aim is to create millions of U.S. jobs with the influx of thousands of patients with a vast array of needs. Plans include establishing a forum for international patient programme, creating a standardized set of data elements to be reported on international patients, determining the value of medical care exports, hosting a series of meetings focused on strategies to increase the global competitiveness of US health care providers, and developing strategic relationships with ministries of health and private payers abroad The federal government has been making determined noises about encouraging international travel to the USA. The new Brand USA is a public private partnership with the mission of promoting increased international travel to the United States. The Department of Commerce is forecasting an increase in international arrivals of 6% a year in 2012-16. President Obama's ambition is to make the USA the world's top travel and tourism destination. In 2010, 59.7 million international visitors went to the America, generating some US$134 billion for the economy. The USA remains the world's second most visited, after France. The US administration and UNWTO estimate that 62.5 to 63.0 million international travellers visited the USA in 2011. Tourism is already the USA's most important export service industry. It is also seen as a way to boost job creation - an urgent priority in the current economic climate. Tourism represents nearly 3% of the country's GDP and is responsible for some 7.5 million jobs, according to the US Department of Commerce. Among the steps to be taken by the US administration to boost tourist arrivals is a streamlining of visa formalities. Efforts will be made to expand the Global Entry Program place this year, making it easier for frequent visitors to the USA (who have therefore already undergone a background check) to travel across US borders. More countries will be invited to join the list of those whose citizens are allowed to visit America without a tourist visa under the visa waiver programme. Steps will also be taken to accelerate travel formalities for booming markets such as Brazil, China and India. Medical travel has representation in the new travel and tourism strategy, with the appointment of Steven Thompson of Johns Hopkins Medicine International, to the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board. Thompson is one of 32 member of the board, which advises the Commerce Department on policies and issues affecting travel and tourism. Steven Thompson commented,” There is a growing demand for US health services coming from the international community. The adoption of travel policies that encourage and support growth in international travel are vital.” http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=367829 Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:37:33 GMT 20120322143733 Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:29:18 GMT 20120322142918 Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:37:33 GMT 201203221423733 Dissatisfaction with healthcare at home is a prime driver of medical tourism, so it is interesting to see how people in different countries in the Middle East and Gulf region differ in their views. Despite massive hospital building programmes, the rise in demand for healthcare means some individuals, employers and governments, pay for treatment in other countries. Most nationals and Arab expatriates living in GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries say they are satisfied with the availability of quality healthcare in the city or area where they live. Six in ten or more express satisfaction with the availability of quality care, with satisfaction highest in Qatar (90%) and lowest in Kuwait (62%) and Saudi Arabia (60%). GCC populations are growing and residents are living longer than ever. But obesity and diabetes are increasing. The World Health Organization forecasts the prevalence of diabetes to almost triple in countries such as Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Saudi Arabia and more than double in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates between 2000 and 2030. Additionally, research shows that anywhere between two-thirds to three-quarters of adults are overweight or obese in Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain -- a likely effect of the increases in nutritional health problems and related diseases coinciding with economic growth in the Gulf region. The levels of satisfaction compare favourably with those of the national populations in many other Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries and areas expected to face a healthcare crush in coming years. Between one-half and two-thirds of residents in Jordan, Iran, Algeria, the Palestinian Territories, Turkey, and Lebanon are satisfied with local access to quality healthcare. Satisfaction is about half as high in Egypt, Iraq, Morocco, and Yemen. But unlike their GCC neighbours, many of these countries do not have the financial resources to foot the bill for the rising need for quality care. Governments in GCC countries have recently upped their investments in the healthcare industry. This includes subsidizing a large percentage of nationals and expatriates care needs, even if that means covering the costs for medical tourism to other countries. Improvements in the availability of quality care over the past few decades and these more recent investments may help explain relatively high satisfaction with access to quality healthcare in these countries. But people in GCC countries are experiencing serious health challenges now -- including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease -- that demonstrate the need for additional investment. State governments in the GCC must consider strategies for meeting increasing care needs and improving the quality of healthcare. Possible solutions include further development of private care options for nationals and expatriates. Privatization of care in these countries comes with other challenges, though, such as staffing, quality oversight, and the economics of reimbursement and insurance in a public-private healthcare system. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=367808 Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:20:12 GMT 20120322142012 Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:17:49 GMT 20120322131749 Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:20:12 GMT 201203221422012 A new foundation aims to improve healthcare delivery in African countries, with a long-term aim of reducing the need for Africans to travel to India or South Africa. Three organisations from three different continents have combined to improve the safety and quality of health care provided in resource-restricted countries. The South African-based Council for Health Service Accreditation of Southern Africa (COHSASA), the PharmAccess Foundation of the Netherlands, and US-based Joint Commission International (JCI) have establish the SafeCare Foundation. SafeCare has grown out of a global initiative, launched in March 2011 in Cape Town, South Africa, to introduce a comprehensive quality improvement program using internationally recognised standards to improve health care delivery. The SafeCare Foundation is designed for health care providers in resource-poor settings to assist them in step-wise quality improvement and the delivery of safer care to their patients. The new foundation has an international board and is based in Amsterdam. The SafeCare programme has been successfully initiated in more than 107 clinics in six countries - Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana, Lesotho and South Africa. The clinics participating in SafeCare have committed to improve the quality of their services as part of their participation in various insurance and medical credit programmes. The first 10 clinics recently obtained certificates of improvement, which were awarded based on reaching pre-defined levels of standard compliance. Placed in the African context, where many facilities face resource challenges and a high disease burden, this establishes the principle of graded improvement that many African facilities will follow in the years to come. The analysis of SafeCare certification data will allow governments, investors, insurers and donors in developing countries to support feasible, cost-effective and structured quality improvements. The foundation will build and maintain a database of organisations using its standards and keep track of their progress as well as the progress of the clinics. SafeCare will collaborate with other organisations to apply for the funding of quality improvements in resource-poor areas. A SafeCare Knowledge Institute will be set up to provide health intelligence data on health care quality improvement in Africa, provide benchmarks, perform gap analyses, and study the associations between quality improvement certification and medical output and outcome. These vital analyses can be used to inform donors and governments about the status of health care in specific regions or countries. The SafeCare methodology combines the respective knowledge, expertise, skills, tools and experience of all three organisations - COHSASA, JCI and PharmAccess - to issue a graded certificate of improvement to different categories of health care facilities ranging from nurse-driven health clinics to district hospitals. Certificates range from level 1 to 5, which allows for demonstrating incremental achievement in compliance with the SafeCare Foundation Standards. Health care facilities are rewarded with a certificate of improvement every time they reach the next pre-defined SafeCare step. If executed completely (SafeCare Level 5), this qualifies a facility for formal accreditation through COHSASA or JCI. The uniqueness is that the SafeCare route is all about relative improvement and does not demotivate African facilities with unreachable international absolute quality norms. SafeCare offers a step-wise approach, confronting facilities with incremental challenges with respect to quality and patient safety and eventually rewarding and motivating these facilities with recognition through its certification system. SafeCare can be offered in combination with affordable loans through the Medical Credit Fund or inclusion in innovative insurance programs like those supported by the Health Insurance Fund. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=365406 Wed, 07 Mar 2012 09:41:42 GMT 20120307094142 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 10:58:58 GMT 20120306105858 Wed, 07 Mar 2012 09:41:42 GMT 201203070994142 A new report from research firm Technopak Advisors argues that the revenue from medical tourism to India is set to grow 250% between 2010 and 2015 from Rs 4,500 crore to Rs 16,000 crore. In these five years, the number of international patients visiting Indian hospitals will double. Although there may be arguments on how it estimates 600,000 medical travellers in 2010, when 159,000 is the figure that the Indian government reported recently, the analysis within the report is useful. The report argues that the presence of well-established healthcare brands will help India develop the medical tourism market. Technologically advanced and cost-competitive specialty care ranging from high-end cardiac care and orthopedic surgery to superior quality cosmetic surgery and eye care will give India an edge over countries like Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia. India has the unique opportunity to combine Ayurveda and other alternative medicine for a more holistic approach towards healthcare delivery. Apart from the total numbers, the report agrees with and adds to the recent analysis for the Indian government. It says that one in three of the people who travelled in 2010 to India for medical purposes, went to the top six or seven hospital brands. And that 30 % of the total were non-resident Indians, many of whom, out of familiarity with the market had chosen smaller hospitals or other healthcare centres for treatment. Among source markets, West Asia and Africa constitute 55 % of medical travel. South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SARRC) nations are another big source market. Apart from India, the SAARC nations are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Patients from poor countries in Asia and Africa seek basic but relatively expensive medical care including cardiology, transplants and general surgery. People from better off countries can get surgery at home, so are more interested in non-essential treatment including cosmetic surgery, dental procedures or orthopaedics. All medical tourists prefer to travel for procedures that can be planned in advance. Arvind Singhal of Technopak says, “The higher growth in revenue against patient growth in the coming years indicates the growing confidence level among the patients. Initially they will experiment with less-value simpler procedures and later go for longer stays and additional procedures as the confidence level builds up.” To promote medical tourism to India, Sumanta Ray of Apollo Hospitals feels it is important to establish and follow clinical protocols, and publish clinical outcomes. “At Apollo, we have implemented a system in key hospitals to benchmark our clinical outcomes with those of reputed international institutes.” Apollo hospitals are one of the few Indian hospitals that think such information is important. There is now a gap between what the major groups, most of who have international patient centres and strict patient safety guidelines, and other hospitals do. Another brand leader in Indian medical tourism is Fortis Healthcare. The group feels that, apart from brand name, the location of the hospital and its proximity to international airports are important for medical travel. International patients are up to 25 % of all patients in some Fortis hospitals in metro cities. The group has been achieving 45 % annual growth in medical travel revenues in recent years. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=365393 Wed, 07 Mar 2012 09:41:20 GMT 20120307094120 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 10:13:43 GMT 20120306101343 Wed, 07 Mar 2012 09:41:20 GMT 201203070994120 A major new independent report takes a look at what is happening in the world of medical tourism, and gives guidance as to where the future lies. Much has been written about medical tourism….millions of people flying from country A to country B for cheap medical treatment. Everyone thinks they know the top destinations, reasons for travelling and current direction. These'facts' are repeated every time a journalist discovers medical tourism, or when people are trying to sell their conferences or consultancy services; or politicians seek to justify a plan. Few of these 'facts' are now accurate; medical tourism has settled in certain patterns and is going in new directions. Few of the countries regularly claimed as market leaders are the top ones. Some of the most successful countries are the least noisy, and often not dependent on the myth of huge cost savings. The reality is more interesting: • Most business is regional or even within a country.• Many medical tourists do not seek out the cheapest destination.• The top three European destinations are also the most expensive ones.• The USA sees as many inbound medical tourists as outbound.• Much medical tourism is for cosmetic, fertility or dental treatment. While several hyped countries have not achieved the expected inbound numbers, or are even seeing falling numbers, there are success stories where coherent targeted marketing, organization, and a realisation of who the real customer is sees countries like South Korea and Taiwan make great strides with increased numbers. Many European countries are quietly succeeding too. The UK has been a leading medical tourism destination for many years, but receives little mention. The 2012 edition of Medical Tourism Facts and Figures has over 400 pages of updated and extra information, including data from countries where no figures were previously available. All figures are analysed for truth or fiction, and gaps in knowledge are highlighted. For each of the 150 listed countries, the report provides (where available) an overview, basic country facts, numbers in and out, targets, destinations and sources, research reports, promotional bodies, plans and problems. Not everybody within medical tourism will welcome this analysis, as it destroys a few myths, but to anyone wanting the real picture of this vibrant and expanding industry, or who wants to avoid the mistakes of others, it is a must read. Author Ian Youngman comments, “In the two years since my last global report on medical tourism, the world and the industry have changed greatly. Countries that have got their act together are doing very well, but some big names that relied on past glories have lost customers to competitors. The industry is fragmenting into specialist areas and customer segments, so it is frustrating to see some countries and experts still peddling the 'one cut-price size fits all “mythology.” Medical Tourism Facts and Figures 2012 will be available for purchase from 15 March 2012. Contact IMTJ for further details. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=365511 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 17:23:40 GMT 20120306172340 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 17:20:05 GMT 20120306172005 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 17:23:40 GMT 201203061752340 Medical tourism in Malaysia hit record levels in 2011 and is on track to achieve yet another year of healthy numbers in 2012. But with the bulk of business coming from Indonesia, attracting people from other countries is vital for long-term growth as Indonesia has a new hospital improvement plan. Receipts from foreign patients spending on medical treatment in Malaysia in 2011 were RM 509.77 million, while foreign patient numbers were 578,403. This compares to revised figures for 2010 of 392,956.The 2012 prediction is over 600,000. Dr Mary Wong Lai Lin of the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) says the 2011 revenue grew by 34.5 %, while the number of patients went up by 47.2 % on 2010. These figures are well above the initial projection of RM 431 million revenue and 400,000 foreign patients. MHTC was established under the Ministry of Health Malaysia as the primary agency to develop and promote the healthcare travel industry and position Malaysia as the healthcare destination of choice in the region. Medical tourism receipts are separate from tourist receipts, which are tabulated by the tourism ministry. 41 hospitals and 8 dental, eye, and health screening clinics are registered with MHTC. Penang received the highest share of foreign medical revenue at 49 %, followed by hospitals within the Klang Valley at 21 % and Malacca, at 10 %. The Indonesian market continued to form the bulk of foreign patients in Malaysia due to its proximity and accessibility. Dr Mary Wong Lai Lin of MHTC adds, “We are targeting Japan, China, the Middle East and Bangladesh as well as countries within South East Asia such as Cambodia and Myanmar.” Foreign patients often seek very specialised treatment such as cardiac, orthopaedic, in vitro fertilization and oncology, while an increasing number are seeking cosmetic surgery and dental treatment. Indonesia is planning to bring more hospitals up to international standards, aiming for the country to be a health tourism destination by 2015.The health ministry believes that it is unfair that Indonesia is always overlooked and even its own citizens go to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand or India. There are 10 state-run hospitals in Indonesia — including Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital [RSCM] in Jakarta - currently working towards Joint Commission International accreditation. Three private hospitals, Siloam Hospital and Eka Hospital in Tangerang and the Santosa Hospital in Bandung — are the only JCI ones in Indonesia. The Indonesian health ministry seeks to improve hospital standards at home so fewer Indonesians will travel abroad to seek medical care. Bali's Sanglah Hospital has the most potential to be marketed as a health tourism destination, as patients can enjoy the resort island while recuperating from treatment. The ministry will ensure the affordability of medical care for Indonesians at the state-run hospitals seeking international accreditation. The plan is that the accreditation process for RSCM will finish before the end of 2012 and the others will follow soon afterwards. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=365402 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 12:02:23 GMT 20120306120223 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 10:48:21 GMT 20120306104821 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 12:02:23 GMT 2012030612120223 A new project to strengthen the competitiveness of Romanian medical tourism has been initiated by the Romanian Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism in partnership with the Romanian Ministry of Health, CNAS (Romanian Social Fund) and CMR (College of Romanian Physicians). Officials say that Romania has a health system equipped with modern equipment and trained doctors, who provide a high level service. In addition, Romania's medical costs are much lower than in Western European countries. The medical tourism industry in Romania claims to have attracted 60,000 patients from abroad in 2010, and it is probable that there were more in 2011. Most treatments were eye or dental surgery, but cardiac procedures have been conducted on medical tourists too. The new alliance has agreed to join forces to promote the Romanian health system abroad and compile official statistics on medical tourism in Romania. The Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism has launched a database that lists every healthcare provider who is interested in treating patients from abroad. The database also provides information on hotels, medical facilities, private clinics, doctors and a list of prices for medical services provided. Staff of the Romanian Ministry of Health and the College of Physicians will inspect healthcare facilities and evaluate doctors who work there in order to see if the services listed in the database are available and if the doctors are able to provide the necessary quality and standards. Medical tourists can get a comprehensive full-service package containing the airfare, airport transfers, hotel accommodation, medical appointment at the chosen unit, and a sightseeing tour of the area. One of the most attractive regions for medical tourism might be Romania's third largest city Iasi as it has many modern hospitals and clinics. With one-third of all Europe's mineral and thermal springs, Romania has a huge potential for health treatment based on natural cure factors. The curative properties of Romania's many spas and health resorts have been used since Roman times. Located throughout all regions of Romania, they offer natural mineral and thermal springs, thermal lakes and naturally therapeutic mud, in a variety of locations and bio-climates, from higher altitudes of the Carpathian Mountains to the Black Sea coast. Determined to put Romania on the tourism map as one of the world's top destinations for health and wellness tourism, the Romanian Government has stepped in by making funds available for promotion, and also by selecting and licensing those health resorts that offer treatment conditions complying with EU and international standards. In so doing, the tourism and medical authorities guarantee the quality of treatment. Romania Tourism has launched a spa resorts guide with useful information about health resorts, and treatments available in Romania. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=365398 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 11:56:36 GMT 20120306115636 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 10:36:13 GMT 20120306103613 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 11:56:36 GMT 2012030611115636 While Dubai is the focus of attention, it should not be forgotten that it is only one of the seven states within the UAE. Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah states both want to be medical tourism destinations. Ras Al Khaimah is set to raise its profile as a medical tourism destination. RAK Hospital, the northern emirate's largest privately owned healthcare facility, has a new deal with RAK Airways under which patients can fly in free of charge for treatment. Another deal with Etihad Airways is being negotiated. RAK Hospital is a subsidiary of Arabian Healthcare, a joint venture company between the government of Ras Al Khaimah and the ETA Group. Raza Seddiqi at ETA Star Healthcare says "When you talk about medical tourism, you cannot just talk about the medical aspect alone. Patients want a good hospitality environment. Medical tourism can take off only when health care meets hospitality."Ras Al Khaimah has been bringing in more tourists from Russia, the UK and Italy. Now, by promoting itself as a medical tourism destination, the emirate can hope to break into other markets." The UAE has to compete on quality, not price. The average cost of heart bypass surgery in the UAE is $15,000 to $18,000 compared with $18,500 in Singapore, $15,000 in Thailand, between $12,000 to $15,000 in India and $10,000 to $12,000 in Malaysia. The hospital argues that “price is not a key factor for the market it targets, as the rule of thumb in medical tourism is that 40 % go for advanced technology, 32 % seek better health care, 15 % opt for faster medical services, while only 9 % favour lower costs as the reason.” By providing free air travel free to Ras Al Khaimah, RAK Hospital is making a more compelling case for itself on the cost factor. RAK Hospital has an arrangement with the hotel operator Cove Rotana where the package price package allows patients to recuperate. Other hotels will be added if there is demand. Raza Seddiqi explains, "The intention is to provide American or international quality health care at Asian prices. Our main target clientele is visitors from the CIS and Africa, the latter group currently meeting their medical requirements by visiting Thailand or India. We could also tap into the demand for medical services from Pakistanis, who currently travel to India." Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), community of independent nations includes-Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Georgia. ETA Star Healthcare is planning to create specialty hospitals in Dubai and Abu Dhabi similar to the one in Ras Al Khaimah. RAK Hospital has been open for four years, and plans to increase capacity to 150 beds. The Cleveland Clinic, based in Ohio, USA is set to open its first facility outside North America next year on Sowwah Island, in Abu Dhabi. The $1.9 billion hospital, offering specializations including neurological and cardiovascular treatments, will be built and owned by Mubadala, the investment arm of the Abu Dhabi government, with Cleveland as the operator. Rosewood Hotels and Resorts will have a luxury spa hotel on the island, Rosewood Abu Dhabi. Both aim to attract people from within the United Arab Emirates, elsewhere in the Middle East and other parts of the world. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=365395 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 11:54:38 GMT 20120306115438 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 10:25:50 GMT 20120306102550 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 11:54:38 GMT 2012030611115438 A new independent report for the government says that Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands, could diversify its economy by promoting medical tourism. The 'Review of Guernsey's Economic Profile' says the health sector is one of the few that can reliably be predicted to grow in coming years, and that there are numerous opportunities for Guernsey to exploit that commercially. The island is an offshore tax centre but pressure from the EU means that the tax incentives it offers will reduce in the future, so sources of income other than traditional tourism are needed. Oxford Economics, a leading UK economics consultancy, was commissioned by the Policy Council's fiscal and economic policy group and the commerce and employment department of the States of Guernsey, to provide a third-party outlook on the island's current economic profile and opportunities for future growth. The report suggests that cosmetic surgery provides one of the strongest opportunities for growth in the medical tourism sector. A potential VAT tax increase on cosmetic procedures in the UK could benefit inbound medical tourism, while Guernsey may also be able to attract people from other European countries. The report says: "To attract higher-income consumers the medical tourism sector should be sold in tandem with Guernsey's existing core brand image - premium quality, skilled professional labour and relaxed, picturesque surroundings. Unless capacity can be significantly expanded, Guernsey probably needs to treat medical tourism as a niche sector in order to identify true specialisms and concentrate on providing key services to a higher standard than elsewhere." Oxford Economics recommends that the island explores the idea of developing and promoting medical tourism and high-end residential care. Oxford Economics will present the report at an open public meeting at the end of March. The report will form the basis of a consultation process on the development of an economic development strategy that will then be incorporated into the fiscal and economic plan in the States Strategic Plan debate later in 2012. Neil Gibson of Oxford Economics explains why health tourism is a good idea for the island, "The UK population is getting huge numbers of retired people, elderly people - people living longer. There is a significant demand for operations on knee and hip replacements where people will require top class medical care and a couple of days rest and recuperation. People like to go where the climate's pleasant and crime levels are low, so Guernsey is an attractive place and there is potentially a significant demand." Guernsey is the second largest island in the Channel Islands, in the English Channel off the Normandy coast of France. The island is not part of the United Kingdom or European Union, but is a possession of the British Crown with independent administration. The 62,000 inhabitants are mostly British citizens of Norman French and British extraction. On the small island of Guernsey, only 30 square miles, the two official languages are English and French; so that plus the location makes the UK, France and Belgium the key target markets. The island had 325,000 visitors in 2011, but only 55% were on holiday, the rest was split equally between business and visiting family. 70% come from the UK, 12% from other Channel Islands, and the rest from the EU. In 2011, Guernsey health department's 'Future 2020 vision of healthcare' called for a review on the opportunity of encouraging people living off-island to receive medical treatment in Guernsey - but exploring that option would be secondary to making sure the essential needs of the island were catered for. Guernsey is not part of the UK's NHS but there is a reciprocal agreement between the two countries, and many Guernsey residents travel to the UK for medical treatment. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=365388 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 11:52:08 GMT 20120306115208 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 10:08:35 GMT 20120306100835 Tue, 06 Mar 2012 11:52:08 GMT 2012030611115208 While politicians urged the Department of Tourism to promote medical tourism, a tourism official told a national conference that it had failed to become a top medical tourism destination, so planned to revert to promoting health and wellness tourism. Politicians in Congress have urged the Department of Tourism to adopt a more attractive programme to promote medical tourism in the country. Rufus Rodriguez, co-author of House Resolution 2025, said foreign nationals, overseas Filipino workers and Filipinos living abroad are among the potential targets of medical tourism. Rodriguez wants the DOT to implement proper programmes to attract foreigners and Filipinos living overseas to get health care, medical, surgical, cosmetic and other wellness needs in the Philippines to boost the country's medical tourism industry, "Foreigners who will invest in healthcare facilities and service in the Philippines. This will result in increased job opportunities for Filipinos and will also motivate local hospitals to follow the best, world–class standards and medical practices to be able to compete on a global level.” Maximo Rodriguez, co-author of the measure, said the country needs to upgrade its standards for doctors and healthcare facilities to international levels to effectively persuade foreign travellers to seek the medical services the country could offer,” While the medical tourism industry of the country is growing, there is still a lot of room for improvement.” He cited the report of Philippine Medical Tourism that said that the Philippines has internationally recognized health care professionals who have excellent healthcare education and training, "Compared to the cost of health care in the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, Europe, and other Asian countries, the cost of having medical procedures done in the Philippines can be 50-80 % cheaper." Maximo Rodriguez was dismayed that according to estimates, the Philippines' share of 3.5 million medical travellers in Southeast Asia was “A measly 3% (100,000)“ not the higher figures that earlier local promoters of medical tourism had claimed. But medical tourism is likely to take a backseat to health and wellness programmes because the Aquino administration intends to focus on those booming tourism sectors, tourism undersecretary Daniel Corpuz told reporters at the National Tourism Statistics conference 2012 in Manila, 'Most of the major hospitals are internationally accredited, but only a few foreigners are coming here for treatment. So we would rather concentrate on health and wellness programmes or non-invasive procedures, rather than surgery or major treatment. Medical tourism is a complicated market segment, and therefore hard to promote.” At the instigation of a former government, the tourism department launched its medical tourism programme in 2007 to boost the country's tourism industry. It promoted cosmetic surgery, complex orthopaedic procedures, cancer and cardiovascular care, among other things. It worked on the logic that “ the country's beaches and resorts, world-class facilities and friendly people will entice foreigners to come here for treatment” .The reality is that most medical tourists are Filipinos working or living overseas. Another view is that the country should concentrate on retirement tourism, attracting foreign retirees for permanent or seasonal residence. Everjust Realty Development is in discussion with an international partner for a retirement village and hospital in northern Cebu.The company is considering a five-year plan for the construction of a retirement village in Consolacion and a hospital in Mandaue.They want an international partner to manage the hospital so it can adopt international standards and get international accreditation. The hospital will cater to the heath care needs of residents living in the retirement village as well as medical tourists. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=357370 Mon, 27 Feb 2012 10:07:57 GMT 20120227100757 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:22:53 GMT 20120223102253 Mon, 27 Feb 2012 10:07:57 GMT 2012022710100757 Although between them they have less than 8 million residents, the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are extending beyond their traditional wellness offerings, into medical tourism. All can offer high quality medical and dental treatment at costs below most Western and Central European nations. Their location means they can target Scandinavians, Russians and Western Europeans. Medical Tourism Lithuania has been set up to promote the country's leading hospitals and clinics. They offer high standard cosmetic surgery, heart surgery and dentistry. Lithuania has no shortage of clinics and there are private practitioners whose sole enterprise is performing cosmetic surgery on clients from western nations. Lithuania has been increasing efforts to attract Western patients by stepping up medical standards across the country. The quality of treatment meets international standards and the cost is significantly lower. Many medical professionals speak several languages. Health tourism is a promising sector as Lithuania has natural healing resources and a long tradition of wellness, spa and recovery resorts-particularly by the Baltic Sea. The Druskininkai health resort recently opened a new winter entertainment complex, to attract year-round business. Estonian spas are recovering from a period of low visitors and some are currently at or near capacity. The growth is being propelled mainly by Russian tourists. The number of visitors to Estonian spas from traditional markets such as Finland and Sweden is up 3 to 5 % while Russian business is up 10%. The Estonian Spa Association with the support of Enterprise Estonia has been marketing the country in Moscow and St. Petersburg market. Fra Mare Thalasso Spa in Haapsalu, had a 40% increase in Russian business in 2011. The country is now targeting Russians for dental and cosmetic treatment. Jurmala is Latvia's oldest and most significant wellness resort. It has many spa hotels, wellness and rehabilitation centres that continue to develop. The National Rehabilitation Centre recently opened its renovated hydrotherapy complex and mineral water pool. A rehabilitation centre in Bulduri has developed a canine therapy programme for children, i.e. rehab using dogs. The country is targeting Russians and Scandinavians for dental tourism. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=357367 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:53:44 GMT 20120223105344 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:57:55 GMT 20120223095755 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:53:44 GMT 2012022310105344 According to a new report by Global Industry Analysts - 'Specialty Tourism: A Global Outlook' - medical tourism continues to grow despite the financial crisis. The tourism sector grew in 2011 with consumer confidence and enthusiasm heading back to pre-recession levels. Medical tourism is expected to exhibit continuous growth in the coming years. According to the report, medical tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors in the tourism industry. Increasing health awareness levels, low medical costs, less waiting time are driving medical tourism, with a significant portion of the tourists flow directed towards developing nations such as India, Brazil and Thailand. The report claims that Asia-Pacific medical tourism industry accounts for a significant portion of the worldwide medical tourism market, with the region attracting travellers from Europe, North America and Australia largely due to the cost factor. The report reaches this now outdated conclusion, while more recent research tells us that most Asia-Pacific medical tourist business is actually regional from Africa and Asia, while Europeans go to Europe and Americans go to the Americas. The research report provides a collection of statistical anecdotes, market briefs, and concise summaries of research findings. The report offers an aerial view of the global specialty tourism sector, identifies major short to medium term market challenges, and growth drivers. Regional markets elaborated upon include the US, Canada, Mexico, Japan, France, Germany, the UK, Russia, China, India, Brazil, Thailand and Malaysia. The report takes at face value the now discredited claims that surgical procedures in countries such as Thailand, India, or South Africa cost one-tenth of the cost for such procedures in North America or Western Europe. Important medical tourism markets cited in the report are: Panama, Brazil, Costa Rica, Thailand, India, Malaysia and Singapore. It says South Africa, Argentina, Cuba, Jamaica, Hungary, Latvia, Estonia, Dubai and Jordan are emerging as destinations for medical tourism. Eastern Europe countries, particularly Poland, Hungary, and Czech Republic are emerging as major private medical care tourism destinations for Europeans. Much of what the report says would have been regarded as true two years ago, but the modern medical tourism market is a different animal, and many of the "facts" that the report bases conclusions on, are either outdated or have been proven to be myths. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=357355 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:53:05 GMT 20120223105305 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:07:48 GMT 20120223090748 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:53:05 GMT 2012022310105305 There is growing controversy over the potential development of medical tourism in Belize. The policies are currently being drafted and could open up the market to new medical facilities that may offer health care exclusively to foreigners. The problem is that the government is working with investors, but refusing to include local medical professionals in any debate or discussion. Medical tourism could hurt the pockets of local doctors, as it seems that American medical professionals will provide exclusive health services that are already being offered by locals. In a radio interview, Joel Cervantes, president of the Belize Medical and Dental Association said that removal of medical tourism services offered by local doctors could seriously affect the viability of well-established institutions,“ What is very important to realize is that medical tourism, at this point for Belize, poses a threat as there are a lot of interest both inside Belize—powerful businessmen, very politically aligned—and also foreign interests with a lot of money and they are interested in opening up medical tourism. In fact, there are a lot of advanced plans; we know that there is a place in the Free Zone; we know that there are plans for something to go on in San Pedro, and also down in Placencia. The only problem, in our view is that medical tourism should first and foremost be a national industry whereby we, as Belizeans, local doctors, dentists, nurses and all health allied personnel, should be the ones that are leading. But we have been left out of the picture.” Most available medical procedures are cheaper in Belize than in the USA, but many residents head north into Mexico for treatment, where costs are lower, facilities are better and more procedures are available. Facilities, equipment and doctors in Belize are in extremely short supply, so the range of available treatments is limited. Belizean doctors generally come from abroad and the vast majority work in publicly funded clinics or hospitals. A few run their own private medical and dental practices, with some advertising to foreigners. A few people have visited Belize as medical tourists, often enjoying Belize's laid-back atmosphere as a great place to recover. The Placencia Group wants to promote the country as a health and wellness destination for Canadians, Americans and Europeans. The five star therapeutic and wellness resort will be part of an acute care hospital at The Placencia, 10 minutes from Placencia International Airport. The company claims it has government support for the venture that will also offer stem cell treatment. It seems that the politicians are planning to develop medical tourism, without involving local healthcare professionals. Mike Singh of the Caribbean Export Development Agency reports, “The policies are currently being drafted and will open up the market to new medical facilities that may offer health care exclusively to foreigners. It was discussed at a forum spearheaded by the Caribbean Export Development Agency and the Inter-American Development Bank. There are inquiries coming in from medical professionals abroad that are interested in setting up facilities. It is an area that has quite a huge scope for development.” The reason that local hospitals are not happy is that under current proposals, overseas organisations flying doctors in from the USA would get preferable tax treatment to Belize clinics promoting medical tourism. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=357368 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:52:39 GMT 20120223105239 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:15:16 GMT 20120223101516 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:52:39 GMT 2012022310105239 There are already signs that the winds of change in the Middle East will affect medical tourism, but in each country the effects may differ. Traditionally, the Middle East /Gulf region has been a source of medical tourists for other countries, particularly Germany, the USA and UK. After 9-11, travel restrictions and anti-Arab sentiment, meant that the US became less popular. Recent US moves to increase inbound travel may alter that. Countries such as Belgium have targeted Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE; some Asian destinations have fared less well in attracting this market. The building of new hospitals in the region is struggling to keep up with demand, so outbound medical tourism is still expanding. Meanwhile, several places, particularly Dubai and Jordan have been promoting themselves as medical tourism destinations. Once you discount the expatriate and business or vacation traveller who becomes sick, the Middle East/Gulf country has made few inroads in attracting people from Europe or North America. Partly this is due to cost, but increasingly it is due to the increased political tensions in the region. Unfortunately for those places that are peaceful and safe, the average European or American does not discriminate between places but just regards the region as one. It is likely to be many years before this changes, so those places promoting medical tourism are effectively competing among themselves for regional custom. Regional custom is also being affected by politics. Saudi Arabia's Prince Alwaleed has warned that changes will affect every Arab state, “The winds of change that are now blowing in the Middle East will eventually reach every Arab state.” In Saudi Arabia, the number of people who travel overseas for the purpose of medical tourism is around 200,000, mainly to the USA, UK, Germany and France. South Korea wants to take some of that business. The minister of health of Saudi Arabia, and the ministry of health and welfare of Korea, recently signed a co-operation agreement. As well as treating Saudis in Korea, Korean hospitals will be given the opportunity to be part of a new medical city, which is a national project of the Saudi government. Saudi patients are going to foreign countries for organ transplants, cancer treatment, organ transplant and chronic disease care, and it is this lucrative market that Korea wants. Turkey is targeting several Middle East countries, the latest being Yemen. The Yemeni Ministry of Health sent over 200,000 patients to Jordan and Egypt in 2011. Turkey's goal is to receive at last 10% of this amount in 2012 from Yemen and 50% in the future. With one neighbour Syria effectively fighting a civil war, and the other one, Egypt, embroiled in a struggle between protestors and the military, tourism to Jordan is being affected. The Yemen government is looking at alternative medical tourism destinations, and Turkey can offer cheaper treatment than Jordan in a peaceful region. But the Yemen is another country with problems. Jordan hopes for an increase in medical tourism in 2012, but local political problems may make this unlikely. Local hospitals promoting medical tourism are reluctant to say how many international patients are actually medical tourists. Libya has been the main source of business in recent years, and local hospitals are now seeing Libyan business again. There are 20,000 Libyans in Jordanian hospitals, but these are mostly casualties of war, not medical tourists. There are so many Libyans that a committee of representatives from different branches of the health sector will be formed to regulate the distribution of Libyan patients to local hospitals. The committee will have a base at Queen Alia International Airport where Libyan patients can get a preliminary diagnosis and be referred to hospitals according to the specialisations available. During the Libyan civil war, many Jordanian hospitals treated war casualties for free, but the numbers still coming mean that they cannot afford to keep doing this. The Jordanian government has agreed to use public hospitals to treat Libyans. More importantly, the new Libyan government has agreed to pay treatment costs. In the past, Qataris preferred to seek medical treatment in Europe, and some still do. But aggressive medical tourism promotions by Thai tourism operators and the Tourism Authority of Thailand in the Middle East means Qatari arrivals in Thailand increased from 14,052 in 2007 to 15,138 in 2008, 15,913 in 2009, and 22,341 in 2010. Regency Travel & Tours in Qatar, with 35 offices in Qatar, says 30-35% of clients select Thailand with the rest preferring Europe, particularly Germany and the Czech Republic. Bahrain's $1.6bn Dilmunia Health Island is a step closer to becoming a reality, with a call for tenders for the project's initial infrastructure phase. Development manager Ithmaar Development Company (IDC) says phase 1 infrastructure works will take 24 months to complete, and rather ambitiously expects the first hospitals, hotels and clinics to be open by mid-2014. The aim is to turn Bahrain into a world-class health tourism destination. The artificial island is off the northeast coast of Muharraq. It will be a mix of residential, leisure and commercial sub-developments, surrounding core health and wellness facilities. Whether Dilmunia will ever be more than a fantasy is debatable as political tensions in Bahrain have almost destroyed the local tourism industry, with violent crackdowns on dissenters, plus doctors and nurses being imprisoned for treating dissidents. In the Gulf kingdom the Shia Muslims are in the majority, but the kingdom is ruled by a royal family from the Sunni minority, who also happen to occupy most government posts. The country may have difficulty attracting investors, medical tourists or medical staff for Dilmunia. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=357364 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:51:18 GMT 20120223105118 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:33:44 GMT 20120223093344 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:51:18 GMT 2012022310105118 New research on inbound and outbound UK medical tourism,' by academics from the University of Birmingham and University of York, raises fundamental questions on the decision process and aftercare for medical tourism. The rise in medical tourism presents potential challenges for the NHS. Since the establishment of the National Health Service (NHS) in 1948, health services in the UK have been funded primarily through general taxation and delivered free at the point of access to individuals. However, recent decades have witnessed an expansion in the global market for health services. This has been manifest in various ways, including an unprecedented increase in the volume of patients willing to cross national borders for the purposes of receiving medical care. People travel for cosmetic and dental surgery; cardio, orthopaedic and bariatric surgery; IVF treatment; and organ and tissue transplantation. The UK has also experienced inward flows of patients who travel to receive treatment and pay out of pocket, being treated in both private and NHS facilities. Health tourism to and from the UK is a growing reality as patients seek to bypass waiting lists or access treatments not available in their own healthcare system. Policymakers have ignored it. Discussions on health tourism have tended to focus on the experience and identity, rather than the potential effects health tourism has on the quality and continuity of care patients receive. Yet the reality of patients choosing to travel for treatment raises fundamental questions about how medical decisions are made, continuity of patient care and the commercialisation, commoditisation and internationalisation of UK healthcare. There are four key policy areas where the growth of medical tourism has major implications for the NHS: • Patient decision making Relatively little is known about how medical tourists make decisions on the treatments they seek and the destinations they travel to. One particular concern is how patients balance hard data like performance measures, with soft intelligence, information provided by websites, the recommendations of family and friends, when making a decision. • Continuity of care Continuity of care is increasingly viewed as a key factor in the delivery of high quality health care, but an aspect of care that is seemingly under threat from commercialisation. Health tourism creates challenges in this area including whether patients have informed consent for treatment, and the implications of complications, side effects and postoperative care when patients do not have accurate treatment records. • Safeguarding quality and safety Modern health care is an inherently complex and risky undertaking, with the potential for clinical errors and medical malpractice ever present, particularly when accessing health care in countries where providers are poorly regulated. There is little comparable information with regard to the quality and safety of care provided by many of the destinations visited by UK medical tourists. • The economic consequences of medical tourism For the NHS there are implications from the inward flows of international patients, and from medical tourists from the UK using overseas providers. The Health and Social Care Bill proposes removing the private patient cap for foundation trusts, opening up the possibility for NHS trusts to secure greater numbers of patients travelling from overseas for treatment. Whilst this is a new revenue stream it has serious implications for patients in the NHS. Medical tourism is an under-researched dimension of contemporary health policy that deserves closer attention by policymakers and academics alike. The price of treatment, the speed of obtaining treatment, and the availability of treatment are all potential attractions for UK patients seeking health care abroad, and – due to recent NHS reforms – treating international patients will increasingly be a key objective of NHS foundation trusts. Focusing on this phenomenon will allow us to understand key issues like how patients make decisions about private healthcare and the extent to which the growth of medical tourism represents part of a wider commercialisation and commoditisation of personal health where relationships are governed by commercial regulation (tort and contract) rather than professional ethics. Lunt, N, Mannion, R and Exworthy, M (2012) 'A Framework for Exploring the Policy Implications of UK Medical Tourism and International Patient Flows', Social Policy & Administration. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=357359 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:50:42 GMT 20120223105042 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:19:05 GMT 20120223091905 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:50:42 GMT 2012022310105042 A new health complex in the capital Bogota, costing between $11m and $19m, could boost health, wellness and cosmetic tourism to Colombia. The construction of the Bosque Beauty Garden hotel and medical centre is expected to begin next March. It is the result of a partnership between spa company Altos de Bosque and construction company Ricam. The health centre and adjacent hotel will cover 52,000 square feet. Cosmetic surgery will be a major part of services on offer, with five-star accommodation for visitors alongside shops, green space and conference rooms. The complex with be the first of its kind in Colombia and will have 130 rooms and 40 doctors offices. According to the Medellin-based cluster group of medicine and dentistry, and the Cali Chamber of Commerce, there were 18,000 health tourists in the region in 2010. 10,000 of those were foreigners, mainly from Curacao, Aruba, Suriname, the United States, and Spain. Bogota estimates similar numbers in 2010. According to Colombia's Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism the most popular treatments sought by visitors are heart surgery (41%), general surgery (13%), gastric band surgery (10%), cosmetic surgery (10%), cancer treatment (6%), orthopedic treatment (4%, dental care (2%) and eyecare (1%). Guillermo Rincon, the man behind its construction, says "When this is finished it will be the first in the country, meeting the needs of a rapidly growing sector in Colombia." http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=355072 Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:45:30 GMT 20120210114530 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:21:43 GMT 20120209152143 Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:45:30 GMT 2012021011114530 The Bahamas provides the largest international client base for several hospitals in South Florida, with thousands of patients every year, but a new hospital seeks to reverse this trend. A group of Bahamian doctors are building a hospital in Fort Charlotte, with the idea of offering specialist services for local and international patients. The Renaissance Harbour View Pavilion plans to invest $5 million in phase one to create a 10-bed facility by mid-2013. The doctors are now seeking investment partners to take the project forward, targeting a 40-bed specialty hospital in the near future at a cost of $50 million. Overlooking Paradise Island, the boutique hospital will serve as a pioneer for medical tourism in The Bahamas. Speaking for the group, Dr. Barrett McCartney explains, “Our plan is to develop the healthcare system so we can do as much here as possible. We continue to send a lot of patients to the USA for rehabilitation care following strokes, brain injuries, and traffic accidents. We aim to compete with the US so Bahamians no longer need to go abroad for care. Once established we want to target patients from the USA.” The Renaissance will focus on being a diagnostic and in-patient rehabilitation centre, and to later offer niche surgical procedures commonly seen in Europe, but rare in North America; such as ligament transplants. Dr. Barrett McCartney adds, “Because of our location, we are extremely well positioned. With the ease of travel, the amenities in Nassau and on Paradise Island, that we speak English as a first language and that we use US dollars, all we need is the proper facilities.” Off the east coast of Florida in the warm climate of the Caribbean, the Bahamas is a favourite tourist destination for US travellers. Nine years ago, the downturn in the local economy forced the closure Western Medical Plaza. Doctors Hospital has decided to re-open the facility. Operating under a new name, the full service hospital will services for local and international patients seeking treatment in The Bahamas. There will be an international patient department when it opens in April 2012. Doctors Hospital has begun aggressively working on its marketing strategy and campaign to attract its core target markets in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. 16 % of Doctors Hospital's business comes from non-Bahamians, and the target is to grow this number to 50 %. Doctors Hospital already has a successful HIFU programme, which brings 15 patients to The Bahamas each month. It now plans to weight loss surgery, cosmetic surgery, spinal fusion and hip and knee replacement procedures. Doctors Hospital is also developing key partnerships with local hotels that are suitable for accommodating surgical patients and providing the level of concierge service that will be necessary. It is estimated that every international patient who travels to The Bahamas for treatment will bring as many as three family members or friends with them for support. These additional visitors will need places to stay, restaurants to eat in and things to do while visiting, while medical trips tend to be a lot longer than a traditional holiday. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=355076 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:37:54 GMT 20120209163754 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:39:47 GMT 20120209153947 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:37:54 GMT 201202091643754 South Korea posted a net surplus in medical tourism for the first time ever in 2011 as medical tourists spent US $115.6 million in Korea, while Koreans spent US $109.1 million overseas on medical treatment. Korea's medical tourism income was just $ 59 million in 2006, but rose to $69.8 million in 2008 and $89.5 million in 2010, nearly doubling over a five-year period. In contrast, the money Korean nationals spent overseas for treatment has fallen from $ 119.1 million in 2006 to $ 109.1 million in 2011. The Bank of Korea has been producing both sets of figures since 2006. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Health Industry Development Institute, the number of foreign patients who visited Korea was 81,789 in 2010. The Bank of Korea predicts that at this pace, as many as 400,000 foreign patients will visit Korea by 2018 and an income of $1.34 billion dollars. In the past, people visited Korea primarily for cosmetic surgery but 10,000 patients a year are seeking more serious surgery and medical treatment. Oriental medicine, gynecology and orthopedics in Korea are also growing in popularity among foreigners. Most come from China or Japan, and in 2011 the Korean Embassy in China issued 1073 medical tourist visas. Abu Dhabi Health Authority has sent a second patient that needs kidney transplant to Seoul Asan Hospital. The first patient that had a vocal cord disorder was transferred to Seoul National University Hospital late last year after the agreement with four Korean hospitals; Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul Samsung Hospital, Seoul Saint Mary's Hospital, and Seoul Asan Hospital. Abu Dhabi Health Authority will send more patients to Korea after two or three patients are sent as a trial, including the one that needs a kidney transplant. Seoul's seven-storey Chaum Life Center is the key national attraction in Korea for stem cell treatments. Opened in 2010 and operated by Cha Hospital, one of the larger hospitals in Korea, Chaum offers the controversial stem cell treatment. It is not legal to reproduce stem cells in Korea yet, but gambling that it will be legal soon, Chaum extracts and stores the stem cells of patients, sending them to its research laboratory in Bundang to be analyzed for the best possible treatment of likely future illnesses. Once it becomes legal, it will then be able to reproduce stem cells and use them for treatment. Some 40% of the centre's patients are from abroad. NFL player Terrell Owens from the United States travelled to Korea for a three-day stem cell treatment for a knee injury to Chaum last September. Patients include Arab princes and princesses and VIP patients from all over the world, including Europe, the United States, China and Japan. In 2011 it had 900 international patients, for the rather expensive treatments on offer. Chaum Life Center and the Korea Tourism Organization are preparing to promote the treatment options that include medical checkups, sleep therapy in the only sleep capsule machines in Asia, acupuncture, tea therapy, and stem cell treatment. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=355073 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:03:55 GMT 20120209160355 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:30:17 GMT 20120209153017 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:03:55 GMT 201202091640355 The Philippines has long sought to be a major medical tourism destination, and a new study suggests both why it has failed and why it can succeed in the future. The study by healthcare business intelligence firm HealthCORE, indicates that most medical tourism earnings between 2006 and 2010 were from overseas foreign tourists and balikbayans (Filipinos who live overseas), rather than planned medical tourism by non-Filipinos. “Philippine Medical Tourism Compendium 2011: facts, figures & strategies” estimates that the country earned a total of $1.30 billion from health care and wellness services in the period of 2006 to 2010. The study also projects that the Philippines has the potential to earn as much as $1 billion in additional annual revenue by 2018 or earlier if it invests thoroughly on healthcare infrastructures, have more open and liberal travel arrangements for medical tourists and lay down an extensive international marketing promotions campaign. The research says that the Philippines has a high potential to grab a larger market share in the global medical tourism industry based on: • High level of quality in healthcare.• Competitive cost of healthcare, with lower costs then the USA or Canada. • Many competent healthcare professionals• English language skill.• A culture of compassion and service.• Geographical proximity to countries that have expensive medical services such as Guam and Micronesia, Australia, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.• Top hospitals in the Philippines have state-of-the-art medical and hospital facilities, are staffed with highly qualified medical consultants, doctors, nurses and other personnel. At least eight hospitals and clinics were now accredited by various international accreditation agencies. The study concludes that-• The medical and tourism sectors and other related industry stakeholders should work together and develop broad-ranging strategies in healthcare infrastructure and service.• The government should liberalize visa restriction for medical travellers.• There is an urgent need for an aggressive international marketing and promotions campaign to catapult the Philippines in the elite circle of medical tourism providers. HealthCORE is not an independent research body, but a company that aims to develop, project and sustain the competitive advantages of the Philippines as a preferred global healthcare destination. HealthCORE is the official Philippine representative of the National Accreditation Board for Hospital and Healthcare Providers (NABH International) and offers accreditation for hospitals. None of these insights or suggestions is new. The country has a multiplicity of organizations set up to promote medical tourism, which have spent years bogged down in internal discussion, power struggles, endless debate and conferences. Although offering lower costs than in the US, many Asian competitors undercut them. While health and tourism officials as well as health institutions are doing their best to promote medical tourism in the Philippines, Chinese hospitals are beating them through aggressive advertising to entice Filipinos to be medical tourists in China. In the past months major dailies carried adverts that boasted of new technologies and innovative treatment procedures for cancer patients in China. Representatives of Chinese hospitals even go to schools with a Chinese-Filipino population to do their promotion. Their target audiences are not the students but the Chinese-Filipino parents. An example of the government's inability to turn expressions of support for medical tourism into practical help is the Department of Tourism's 2012 campaign "It's more fun in the Philippines" that offers a slogan opposite to what would attract medical tourists. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=355059 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:03:38 GMT 20120209160338 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:41:18 GMT 20120209144118 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:03:38 GMT 201202091640338 At the Arab Health Congress in Dubai, hospitals across the world demonstrated their plans to expand within the Gulf Arab region where the fast growing and aging population has triggered an increasing demand for health services. Many at the conference admitted that a significant percentage of patients from the Arab world travel abroad for medical treatment, to East Asia, Europe and even North America. On the other hand, foreign doctors and hospitals have identified Gulf countries as fertile ground to expand in order to reduce outbound medical tourism. The Middle East is a large region, home to 300 million inhabitants and 18 countries. Each of these is a different health market, with its own characteristics. Governments throughout the region are trying to develop their local health industry, both in order to meet spiraling demand from a growing and changing population, and in order to attract medical tourism to their country. The Arab population is growing at a rapid pace, generating strong demand for more healthcare capacity. Lifestyle changes are causing a marked increase in health issues that were previously far less common, thereby multiplying the medical treatment capacity needs of this growing population base. The growth in demand is far outstripping current medical capacity. Saudi German Hospitals Group (SHG) is building 30 hospitals in the Gulf Arab region. The latest has opened in Dubai's central district Barsha and the next is a 300-bed hospital in Abu Dhabi. Lifeline Hospital Group have three hospitals in Abu Dhabi, a fourth will follow soon in the first quarter 2012. It also has two clinics in Oman and one in Dubai. Lifeline services are not for everyone as patients stay in luxurious five-star rooms. Saudi-based Dr Sulaiman Al-Habib Medical Group (HMG), with seven Gulf medical centres in operation and four under construction, wants to tap into the bulging demand for healthcare services and may build another four hospitals outside of Saudi Arabia. The German Medical Centre was the first clinic in Dubai Health Care City (DHCC), a free zone for the health industry, and plans to build a second 200-bed hospital as the number of has increased from 20 a day to 900 a day. Dubai Healthcare City struggled in the wake of the emirate's real estate crash after 2008.Among the biggest disappointments was the central 400-bed University Hospital, which was hit hard by the construction slowdown, and is yet to schedule a firm opening date. Although the free zone has 90 clinics, it has struggled to retain clinics and smaller brands. The US-based Mayo Clinic was one of several to shut. In 2009, DHCC also closed its outpatient care centre Dubai Medical Suites (DMS), just six months after its launch. The centre was intended to attract foreign hospitals. HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein was appointed in September to lead an overhaul of the $5.3billion healthcare city, in a bid to attract fresh healthcare brands and increase Dubai's chances of capturing a part of the medical tourism market. The wife of Dubai's ruler aims to shift DHCC away from real estate and back to healthcare. Gulf Healthcare International, which has headquarters in DHCC, says the city needs to attract high-profile brands if it has any chance of making a profit from healthcare tourism, as with high prices, it can only sell on quality. DHCC is targeting locals, expatriates living in Dubai and people from other Middle Eastern and Central Asian countries. But it has strong competition from Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Healthcare and medical tourism in the region is in a melting pot. The main target for hospitals is to persuade locals not to go abroad or elsewhere in the region. The secondary target is professional expatriates, but not the larger numbers of low paid domestic, service and industrial expatriates. The third target is people from other countries in the region, and some nearby countries. Whether the often-promoted target of European and American medical travellers is ever going to happen is doubtful. A new question is whether the culture, climate and lack of language skills will put off the two biggest growth markets where people are looking for quality rather than low price, of Russia and China? Abu Dhabi Health Authority is sending around 3,000 patients a year to foreign countries such as Germany (33%), England (22%) and the USA (16%). Those who are transferred to foreign hospitals mostly have needs or diseases that cannot be easily met or treated within Abu Dhabi such as malignant tumour, pediatric surgery, organ transplant, cardiovascular diseases, spinal disorder, etc. The UAE including Abu Dhabi is sending its patients to other countries due to a lack of medical staff, high cost for treatment and surgery, and lack of trust in its medical staff and equipment. 80% of doctors and 90% of nurses in the UAE are foreigners. According to a 2011 EIU (Economic Intelligence Unit) report, UAE is spending 2 billion dollars per year in sending out patients to foreign countries.130,000 people from the UAE visit foreign countries for medical treatment, including 4,500 where the expenses are covered by the government. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=355064 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:03:24 GMT 20120209160324 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:02:40 GMT 20120209150240 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:03:24 GMT 201202091640324 If figures from a Canadian academic are correct, South Africa had over 400,000 medical tourists in 2010 and currently gets 300,000 to 350,000 a year, with 85% from nearby African countries. “Patients without Borders: Medical Tourism and Medical Migration in Southern Africa, 2012' reveals much new information that overturns most of the existing perceptions of medical tourism in the country. Jonathan Crush of the Southern African Research Centre at Queen's University, Canada, says that South Africa is increasingly looked to by Africa's elite and middle-class as a place where quality private care is available for non-elective treatments such as surgery and cancer treatment. The greatest growth in medical travel to South Africa in recent years is from neighbouring countries whose public healthcare systems are in a state of crisis. South Africa's own public healthcare system is itself overburdened and under-resourced but it can still deliver a quality of treatment that is often unavailable elsewhere on the continent. The Southern African Migration Project (SAMP), an international network of organisations that promotes awareness of migration-development linkages in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), has embarked on a major project to study the dimensions and impact of medical travel. Jonathan Crush argues that South Africa's ' surgeon and safari 'cosmetic surgery packages including a consultation and surgery, personal physical therapist and personal assistant with in a spa and a safari tour afterwards is actually only one small segment of the industry in South Africa. Evidence suggests that most medical tourism is not from Europe, but from other African countries. Two major forms of south-south medical migration to South Africa from the rest of Africa are identified. The first is the growth in medical travel from East and West Africa to South Africa. These travellers spend more in South Africa than any other traveller (including those from the Northern hemisphere) and are generally middle-class Africans seeking specialist diagnosis and treatment. The second, making up more than 80% of the total medical travel flow to South Africa, are formal and informal movements from countries neighbouring South Africa (especially Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique and Zimbabwe). Crush claims that the number of medical travellers increased from 327000 in 2006 to more than 500000 in 2009 but dropped again to under 400000 in 2010, as a result of the global recession, and is now between 300,000 and 350,000 a year. In terms of the regional breakdown, Asia and Australia were the least important source of medical travellers at 29000 (only 2.5% of total visitors) and Africa the most important at 219,600. What is most striking is that 85% of South Africa's medical visitors are from other African countries. In general, medical travellers tend to stay in the country for shorter periods than other visitors. The average length of stay of all tourists in 2010, for example, was around 8.5 nights while medical travellers stayed for around 5.5 nights on average. The main reason for the discrepancy is that the former tend to engage in a wider variety of activities in several destinations whereas medical travel is generally restricted to a single destination and purpose. The average length of stay of medical travellers did increase from 4.5 nights in 2007 to 5.6 nights in 2010. This could be associated with a greater demand for more specialised treatment and advanced medical procedures by patients. When length-of-stay data is broken down by source country, interesting differences emerge. The average length of stay for medical travellers from Europe was eight nights in 2010 (compared with 13 nights for all European tourists). The average length of stay for medical travellers from countries neighbouring South Africa, on the other hand, was four nights and as low as one night in the case of Botswana and Lesotho. Medical travellers from African countries further away actually spend more time in South Africa than European medical travellers: for example, 20 nights for medical travellers from Angola; 14 nights for those from the DRC and 13 nights for those from Nigeria. There is considerable country variation with medical travellers amounting to 17% of total entrants from Mozambique and 12% of those from Angola. The proportion for most countries neighbouring South Africa is much lower: Botswana (4%), Lesotho (4%), Zimbabwe (3%) and Swaziland (2%). This is because cross-border traffic with these countries is so large that medical travel is relatively insignificant as a proportion of the whole. The actual number of medical travellers is currently 300-350,000 per annum. Lesotho is the source of the greatest numbers (140,000), followed by Botswana (55,000), Swaziland (47,000), Mozambique (38,000) and Zimbabwe (17,000). The flow has been increasing fastest from Mozambique: from 8000 in 2003 to 147,000 in 2008. The high demand and large informal flow of patients from countries neighbouring South Africa has prompted the South African government to try and formalize arrangements for medical travel to its public hospitals and clinics through inter-country agreements. South Africa has entered into bilateral health agreements with eighteen African countries. Bilateral agreements can be seen as an effort to formalise and manage these movements and obtain payment from governments for the cost of treating non-residents. Some governments have set up special funding mechanisms (such as the Phalala Fund in Swaziland) to pay the medical costs of patients who go to South Africa for approved treatment. However, these special funds have been plagued by corruption on both sides of the border to the detriment of patients. Recent press reports from Botswana and Swaziland suggest that these agreements are not functioning well, to the detriment of patient care. Hundreds of Swazi cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy were recently sent home because the Swazi government had not paid their hospital bills. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=355054 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:02:36 GMT 20120209160236 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:28:13 GMT 20120209142813 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:02:36 GMT 201202091640236 The latest official figures on travel and medical tourism to India have put paid to the claim that India has millions of medical tourists, many from Europe or America seeking cut-price treatment. A government review has suggested what has to be done to make India a leading medical tourism destination. According to the 2010 figures on inbound travel from the Ministry of Tourism, there were 156,000 medical tourists, including those on medical visas and normal visas. Very few came from Europe or North America or other developed countries. The vast majority came from poor Asian or African countries that can only afford Indian prices and have poor healthcare at home. The two biggest providers of medical tourists were way ahead of all other countries and were the Maldives and Bangladesh. India had more medical tourists from Nigeria than from the combined totals of the UK, Western Europe and North America. The government tasked the Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management to study the problems and challenges faced by medical tourists going to India, and in particular to throw light on the gaps between what inbound medical tourists expected and what they actually got. The research objectives were• To map the Indian medical tourism value chain of hospitals and medical tourism agents.• To identify the concerns of medical tourists.• To identify the gaps in service.• To identify weak points.• To make recommendations. The headline finding is that what medical tourists expect to pay as the price quoted for medical treatment is often much less than they actually pay for the treatment and all associated costs. The solution suggested is that hospitals and agents should offer package prices that reflect the full costs, rather than just tempting patients in with a low quote just for the medical procedure. The next major area of concern is that as most patients are actually from nearby countries, there are a large number who cannot speak Hindi; while most from Africa and the Middle East do not speak English. So there are language difficulties in communicating between doctors and patients, and that using interpreters is neither comfortable nor efficient. The third problem found that while the quality of treatment may be high, the related quality of care, buildings and accommodation is often not. While well-off patients can afford hotels, the many poor ones are often disappointed with the lower quality accommodation that they can afford. The review places much of the blame for prices being under-quoted, not on the hospitals, but on the medical tourism agents operating in a highly competitive market seeking to get business. It also blames them for giving patients a higher expectation of the overall experience than many actually get and of having no interest in after care. Another key problem area identified was on care after the patient left hospital. As the review found that for the poorer medical tourists in particular, major surgery (with cardiac treatment being the main one) is the reason for travel, after care is very important. The review found that follow up care was often poor or non-existent, with not enough communication with doctors in the medical tourists' home countries. The researchers made several recommendations including-• Increase marketing to developing countries in Africa.• Hospitals must target niche markets by country and treatment.• Hospitals should bundle costs of treatment and care.• The medical visa system leads to people going to Thailand instead.• The government should decide what type of medical tourism it wants to promote and what type of visitor from where.• The government should actively promote Indian medical tourism http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=352921 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:42:43 GMT 20120127154243 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:02:11 GMT 20120127140211 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:42:43 GMT 201201271534243 The London Clinic is the latest to target Middle East medical tourists but while fellow independent hospitals successfully attract top-end medical tourists, the state owned NHS Global has been a disaster. The UK's largest independently owned hospital has a long tradition of medical expertise and clinical excellence for patients from the UK and abroad. It caters for visiting nationals from over 30 countries, and is committed to further strengthening ties in the Middle East region with medical professionals, governments and patients. London has to compete with the USA, Germany and Switzerland for the top-end of medical tourism. London hospitals are active in the Middle East, many having local agents Bupa Cromwell Hospital has 128 beds and boasts a large and loyal UK and international following. Each year thousands of patients go to Bupa Cromwell Hospital from around the world for specialised medical care not readily available close to home. An international patient centre provides a high quality service and care to all international patients and their families. The team of international care co-ordinators can help with services before, during and after a visit to the hospital. It has locally based representatives to assist with various aspects of travel and treatment at the hospital in China, Libya, Pakistan, and Cyprus. Bupa Cromwell Hospital VIP suites attract stars and royalty from around the world and are available for those looking for luxury accommodation. They offer lift access from a dedicated car park so that discretion and privacy can be guaranteed, and they are also the only bulletproof VIP suites in the UK. Michele Lahey of Bupa Cromwell Hospital advises, “We want to deliver an outstanding patient experience. That is why we are embarking on an ambitious transformation programme to become a world leading facility.” In March 2010 a government scheme was launched to generate significant funds by exploiting the NHS brand abroad through consultancy services. But it has failed to secure a single contract in the 18 months since its launch. Set up by the previous Labour administration with a lack of clarity on what it sought to do, it is out of favour with the current coalition government. At launch it was claimed that NHS Global would earn at least £50billion for the NHS, by exporting models including UK general practice, but since then the models themselves have been drastically altered as part of the reforms of the NHS. It cost £75,000 to set up, plus thousands of hours of NHS management time, and a hefty fee to consultancy firm Deloitte for carrying out an initial scoping and analysis of the international healthcare market. An international visit has yet to take place with the purpose of promoting NHS Global. NHS Global claimed the NHS could make billions by advising on, designing and building new hospitals in China based on the public/private template, and by opening hospital chains across the Middle East to compete in the medical tourism market. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=352931 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:48:59 GMT 20120127144859 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:41:34 GMT 20120127144134 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:48:59 GMT 201201271424859 President Obama has announced the first ever national strategy on travel and tourism to boost travel to the United States and make it the number one destination. This could benefit the high-end medical tourism trade. The number of travelers from emerging economies with growing middle classes, such as China and Brazil, is projected to grow by 135%, and 274% respectively by 2016 when compared to 2010. The USA share of global international tourism earnings has declined from 17% in 2000 to 11% in 2010, with travel restrictions following September 11 often pointed to as one of the reasons for the decline. The latest global figures for 2011 show receipts were up significantly in the USA (+12%), while the top spenders were led by emerging source markets: China (+38%), Russia (+21%), Brazil (+32%) and India (+32%). President Obama will charge several government agencies to effect new initiatives to significantly increase travel. Some of the initiatives include: a new pilot programme and rule change for visa processing in China, Brazil, Argentina and Chile; and other improvements to the entry process for international guests. The USA is perceived by many in the medical tourism sector as a rich source of outbound patients, rather than a deliverer of care to inbound patients. But the latest figures show that the US is the biggest medical tourism destination in the world. Some of this business is from nearby countries that have poor medical facilities, such as people from the Caymans and the Bahamas going to Miami for treatment and patients travelling from Caribbean, South and Central American countries. Canadians and Mexicans also go to the US for treatment that is either not available or has a long waiting list at home. There are also the well-off medical tourists from millionaires to state leaders, who go to top of the range hospitals that are globally renowned for their specialities. When the ruler of Saudi Arabia went for treatment at the New York Presbyterian Hospital, his entourage occupied an entire floor. Many American hospitals now offer VIP facilities for rich patients from home and overseas. The Mount Sinai Medical Center only has 19 rooms in the VIP area, but 30% of patients come from overseas. Johns Hopkins Medicine International offers international patients a medical concierge to arrange all aspects of the medical visit, paying special attention to your personal, cultural and travel-related needs. It also provides language interpretation, assistance with travel arrangements and other help. For Canadian patients, it works with Medcan Clinic to offer a convenient way for Canadians to connect with specialist care and expertise and benefit from pre-treatment checks and aftercare. With this new push to make the US travel and tourism industry the focus of economic recovery, top hospitals in the USA will look to new patients from China and Brazil, plus reviving the numbers from the Middle East who have been affected by the complex and length process of gaining visas. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=352929 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:41:34 GMT 20120127144134 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:32:52 GMT 20120127143252 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:41:34 GMT 201201271424134 As Dr. Devi Shetty's plan for a medical tourism hospital in Grand Cayman gets closer to fruition, he told the BBC that if it works, it would become a blueprint for his plans to build a hospital chain across Africa. Although still saying that the Narayana Cayman University Medical Centre in the Cayman Islands will offer healthcare at less than half of what Americans pay in the USA, Shetty has moved away from earlier claims that Americans are the key target market to a position where the primary target is not American patients, but mostly people in the Caribbean region plus Central and Southern America. He has not named the US investors behind the project apart from hinting that the partners “are running a very prestigious, not-for-profit hospital chains.” Dr. Shetty plans to break ground on his proposed hospital in August 2012 and to begin accepting patients in August 2013. The first phase of the project involves the creation of a 140 bed hospital on a 200-acre site acquired in the seaport East End. The project will be completed in a phased manner over a decade and will eventually include a 2,000 bed hospital and assisted living quarters for 1,500 families of employees. The first phase will primarily focus on cancer, cardiac, orthopedic and major general surgical treatment with India-trained doctors and nurses among the 100 doctors and 600 nurses in the first phase of Dr Shetty's project. Doctors trained in India have to take exams to qualify to practise in the USA, but Cayman Islands is the first country to recognise Indian degrees. The government bowed to many demands in return for the new hospital including:• the Health Practice Law, which enables medical staff trained in India and other overseas countries to practise in Cayman; • the Tax Concessions (Amendment) Law, which exempts companies from potential future taxes for the next 20 years; • the Medical Negligence (Non-Economic Damages) (Amendment) Law, which caps pain and suffering damages awarded in medical malpractice cases to $500,000; • the provision of water at a price acceptable to the company, including a preferential rate for a fixed period of time; • and the still to be made law which would allow human organ and tissue donations and transplants to be done in Cayman. These demands have not met universal approval on the islands. The Cayman Islands is a British overseas territory in the Caribbean Sea. It comprises three islands — Little Cayman, Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. The islands are south of Cuba on the east coast of the US mainland. Florida is the closest US state. The islands have an estimated population of 70,000 people, and a reputation as a tax haven. The hospital could be welcome news for the islands, which see at least 700 patients airlifted every year to Miami in the US because of its inadequate medical infrastructure. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=352927 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:32:51 GMT 20120127143251 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:28:52 GMT 20120127142852 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:32:51 GMT 201201271423251 2011 was a disappointing year for many medical tourism destinations, but active promotion and encouragement from the government saw South Korea increase business by 30%, often at the expense of local competitors. Korea attracted 110,000 patients from abroad in 2011, an increase of 30 % from 81,800 in 2010. A substantial proportion of those visited the country for cosmetic surgery, according to government data. The government aims to increase the figure to 300,000 by 2015. The Ministry of Health and the Korea Health Industry Development Institute have launched a project to improve the medical service system for foreign patients by designating 38 tasks, including seven major issues to minimize inconveniences for foreign medical patients. Korea's seven major tasks for foreign patients include adopting a compensation system for medical injuries; easing floor area ratio regulations for the building and remodeling of lodging facilities in medical institutions; allowing drug dispensing in hospitals; expanding training programs at the Medical Korea Academy and permissions granted to foreign medical professionals to participate in clinical studies; increasing the cultivation of professional medical workforces; assessing foreign patient accommodation in each medical institution; and improving the visa system. Korea is considering establishing a credit union for hospitals that treat foreign patients and providing partial support for the funds with government subsidies. It plans to ease floor area ratio regulations when medical institutions build or remodel lodging facilities in hospitals for foreign medical tourists and provide them with financial support or loans through a tourism promotion fund. New one-stop medical services to foreign patients will allow hospitals to dispense drugs so that foreign patients do not have to suffer inconveniences resulting from the separation of drug prescription and dispensing. Korea is also planning to actively cultivate professional medical workforces, such as medical interpreters. The 2011 Medical Korea awards ceremony rewarded 10 outstanding medical tourism service providers. Yonsei Severance Hospital won the grand prize for attracting the highest number of foreign patients in 2010 and 2011 combined. Three medical tourism agencies, designated as first movers in the medical travel service industry, were given certification; in the Russian-speaking category - Goryeo Healthcare Tour Development and Hyundai Medis; in the Chinese and Japanese-speaking category - Hu Care; but no agencies were awarded in the English and Arabic and other language sections as no agency scored at least 70 out of 100 points in the evaluation. Incheon International Airport Corp (IIAC) seeks to attract more Chinese tourists with plans for medical centres and a hotel, as the number of Chinese visitors to South Korea increased by 17% in 2011 to over 2 million-representing a 23% share of arrivals, according to year-end figures from Korea Tourism Organization; compared to only 15% five years ago. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=352924 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:27:09 GMT 20120127142709 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:12:29 GMT 20120127141229 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:27:09 GMT 201201271422709 The Middle East lost five million tourists last year due to the impact of the Arab Spring, according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. New figures from Jordan confirm that medical tourism suffered. 55 million tourists visited the Middle East last year, 6% of the total international tourist arrivals of 980 million. Although tourism arrivals to the region slumped 8% in 2011 the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman still recorded steady growth. UNWTO forecasts a slow recovery in visitor numbers in the Middle East, up to 5% more in 2012 than in 2011. Jordan's medical tourism sector contracted in 2011 due to instability in the region, but is expected to bounce back this year, according to Awni Bashir of the Private Hospitals Association (PHA), “180,000 international patients came for treatment in the Kingdom's hospitals in 2011 compared to around 220,000 patients the previous year, indicating a drop of nearly 20 % due to the turmoil in some countries in the region that prevented patients from leaving their countries for treatment.” Historically, most patients come from Iraq, Palestine, Sudan and Yemen. The sector was particularly hard hit by the conflicts in Libya and Yemen in 2011, but the PHA hopes for a return to growth for medical tourism if the situation in these and other countries becomes more stable. With the ongoing turbulent conditions in the region, especially in neighbouring Egypt and Syria, the year ahead could be a challenging one for Jordan. During 2011, Jordanian hospitals reported a drop in the number of Libyan, Yemeni, Sudanese, Bahraini and Syrian patients. Although the figures are often reported as being medical tourists this is not accurate. The figures are for all international patients, including expatriates, embassy staff, holidaymakers and business travellers. The PHA is vague on how many of the 180,000 are medical tourists and how many are from other categories. Of the total patients who had treatment in Jordan last year, 40% were from Libya, and there are currently some 4,000 Libyans in the country's hospitals, although this includes war casualties receiving free treatment. Accepting the need to widen the target market so the country is less vulnerable to political changes, the PHA is targeting new areas such as Azerbaijan and Russia. In cooperation with the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB), it recently organized a promotional tour for delegates from the Republic of Russia representing six medical tour operators and insurance companies. PHA argues that prices offered in Jordanian private hospitals are 25% to 49% less than in Germany or Israel, and there are Russian language speaking doctors. As more Middle East countries seek to stimulate travel and medical travel, UNWTO is urging governments to make the most of information and communication technologies in improving visa application and processing formalities, as well as the timings of visa issuance. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=352917 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:11:51 GMT 20120127141151 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:38:16 GMT 20120127133816 Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:11:51 GMT 201201271421151 Iran attracts patients from neighbouring states mostly for transplants, ophthalmology, orthopedics and dentistry. Mohammadreza Shams-Ardekani of the Ministry of Health says, “The reasonable cost of medical treatment in Iran compared to Europe and the high quality of medical facilities are important factors for attracting foreign patients to Iran. In addition, Iran has highly experienced and professional doctors.” A draft of the bylaw on centres qualified to receive health tourists has been prepared. 60 hospitals and clinics have declared their readiness for rendering medical services to health tourists. Mohammad Morteza Sharabyani of ICHHTO's Office for Tourism Projects, says the country does not have any problem in issuing visas to health tourists, “Iran is not a country to close its door to the world. We don't have any worry about the arrival or exit of tourists. The country issues visas for tourists from 85 nations at the port of arrival.” Based on studies conducted by Iran tourism organization ICHHTO- Iraq, Afghanistan, Persian Gulf states, Central Asian nations and Iranians residing abroad are the main targets. ICHHTO provides travel agencies active in health tourism with special facilities such as a pavilion for them in overseas fairs. ICHHTO has also specified certain provinces for health tourism with the cooperation of the Ministry of Health:• Tehran province for treating tuberculosis and lung disorders.• Khorasan Razavi for ophthalmology, skin care, heart surgery and orthopedics.• Fars for liver, kidney and marrow transplants.• Yazd for treating infertility.• Qom for its sun and desert potential.• Hamedan, Ilam and Zanjan as centres of herbal medicine. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad recently addressed a conference on medical research in Tehran and said that 30,000 people go to Iran each year to receive medical treatment, “Medical treatment in Iran is safer, more knowledge-based and cheaper. Until 8 years ago, many Iranians travelled abroad to receive medical treatment, while now we are medical tourists. Iran has taken great strides in science and technology, particularly in medical and medicinal fields, in recent years." http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=342433 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:20:46 GMT 20120123152046 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:53:34 GMT 20120123145334 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:20:46 GMT 201201231532046 A UK dental provider argues that dental implants are cheaper at home than overseas. But with prices so variable around the country, it can be worth checking prices at home and overseas. UK based cosmetic dentistry provider Dentalcare Plus argues that it is now cheaper to have cost-effective dental implants at home, so there is no need to go to Thailand, Poland, Bulgaria or Hungary to receive low cost dental implants. The strong pound and the rise of discount airlines are factors that make the treatment appear cost-effective. Dentalcare Plus has significantly lowered the prices of its dental implants, and competitors are following suit. It has three clinics in Cornwall, Bristol and London, with a new clinic opening in Harley Street soon. The company suggests that while many overseas dental companies claim that dental treatment abroad is less expensive, it is important for the prospective patient to make their own evaluation to understand whether it would be less expensive than competitively priced implant treatment in the UK. When planning to go abroad, it is not just the cost of the implant that needs to be considered, but also the travel charges, meals, accommodation, miscellaneous expenses and income lost from staying off work for several days. Dental implant treatment seldom requires only a single visit, resulting in further overseas travel costs. Generally, dental implant procedures require three days of visiting the dental practice at various times of the year. So the costs of the outbound and return flight, accommodation, meals and related expenses are multiplied three times. It makes an interesting point – that when the implant is being placed it is essential to spend a minimum of three days in the country following the surgery, as airlines do not allow post-operative patients to travel due to a risk of increased blood flow resulting from the low air pressure in the cabin of a jet flying at approximately 35,000 feet. The company suggests that there is a problem of being unable to verify the capability of foreign dental surgeons. Each country has its own standards of assessing dental surgeon competencies. While these standards are stringent in countries such as UK, USA, Australia and western European nations, it can often be difficult to determine if dental tourism destinations such as Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary and Thailand have such stringent regulations in place, and even if there are, whether the clinic is following them. Dentalcare Plus suggests, "Some dental practices outside of the UK get away with issues which would usually attract the interest of Trading Standards, with some dental tourists reportedly being drawn in by photographs of apparently world class facilities but then finding the actual clinic to be considerably less well equipped. With Dentalcare Plus, as with any UK dental practice, safety is assured due to organizations such as the General Dental Council (GDC) strictly regulating the British dental industry. It is also important to consider the level of after-care treatment that is available. Many complications which arise later are often not resolved by the foreign dental clinic which provided the initial treatment, as it is not always feasible or cost-effective to book hotel rooms and flights to correct the problems.” Dentalcare Plus argues that dental implant treatment at home is now more cost-effective than receiving the treatment abroad, considering the expense involved in making overseas trips for treatment, “With a lower overall cost, the additional assurance of the competency of dental surgeon and high standard of aftercare in the UK, the making the choice between receiving implants here or abroad has never been easier.” http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=342432 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:18:52 GMT 20120123151852 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:51:14 GMT 20120123145114 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:18:52 GMT 201201231531852 Croatia has signed a EU accession treaty, paving the way for the former Yugoslav republic to join the 27-country bloc in mid-2013, after almost a decade of long and often fraught negotiations. Before it formally joins the EU on July 1, 2013, citizens have voted on the question in a referendum. Two-thirds of Croatians voted in favour of joining the European Union. Croatia is the second of the six republics that formed the old Yugoslavia to join. Of the six - Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia - only the latter is an EU member, since 2004. With a population of only 4.2 million, its economy is based mostly on Adriatic coast tourism. It has been largely in recession since early 2009 so sees health tourism as a way of extending its tourism trade and expanding the economy. Croatian food giant Agrokor has pledged a 100 million Euro investment into a new wellness centre that will form part of medical rehabilitation facilities in Daruvar spa (eastern Croatia). The spa is well known for its rehabilitation facilities, but the new investment would strengthen its role in continental tourism with the expansion of sport and recreational offers. The new tourist complex will cover a vast area. Another new investment of 16 million euros is spread over 12,000 square metres. The Analiza Hospital in Dugopolje on the outskirts of the Adriatic port of Split will boost health tourism in southern Croatia. Once completed it will be Europe's third biggest private hospital. Marin Bosotina of Analiza Hospital explains, "We are developing a modern project that will have an impact not only in Croatia, but also in surrounding countries. At the moment, we have 14 departments, two operating theatres, a biochemistry lab, microbiology, cistology, genetics, complete radiology, CT, mammography, densitometry, and ultrasound. We expect to complete the next phase in 2012. That will include 4 operating theatres, a large rehabilitation department, intensive care, and accommodation with 120 rooms for 220 patients together with restaurants, a shopping centre, congress centre and a pharmacy. This project goes beyond Croatia. It is a European project. We are unique in Croatia not only for the size of the hospital, but also for our organisation, equipment and staff. We have hired people who worked abroad, in the USA, Germany, France, and Italy." The hospital admits that it does still need a good investor from outside the country but says that it expects to attract foreign patients as it can offer cheaper prices and EU standards of quality. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=342424 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:14:40 GMT 20120123151440 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:37:48 GMT 20120123143748 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:14:40 GMT 201201231531440 More and more patients going to Germany for medical treatment are choosing to go to Berlin. With 18,000 specialist doctors, 121,500 hotel beds, 70 hospitals, and state-of-the-art spa facilities, the German capital offers an excellent location for medical and health-related travel. All the large Berlin hospitals have international patient centres to look after foreign patients and many hotels make special provisions for medical tourists. Wellbeing and health-related tourists are a profitable target group for the German capital. While a typical visitor to Berlin will stay for 2.3 days on average, hotels are finding that health visitors stay for 10 to14 days. Charité – Universite Medicine Berlin hospital recorded a 20 % growth in international patients in 2011. The Charité has an international reputation and extends over four campuses with more than 100 clinics and institutes bundled under 17 CharitéCenters.It has an international patient centre, while the Charité-owned Virchow Guesthouse is located on the campus, offering patients and accompanying family members 22 guestrooms in a bed and breakfast hotel. Burkhard Kieker of visitBerlin explains, "Combining Berlin's two big players, the health care sector and tourism, is the obvious thing to do. A good year ago we begun to gather together all those involved so as to promote the wellbeing and health tourism sector. So as to be well prepared for the future the city is tapping into this trend and we see great growth potential for Berlin". A section of the visitBerlin website is devoted to health and offers detailed information on hospitals, specific treatments, wellness, and health checks. Petra Hedorfer of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB) adds, "We have firmly anchored the health trend in our marketing and sales activities. Our central marketing platform, the GNTB website, provides information on health and medical-related travel in 26 different languages including Russian and Arabic. With the website we provide potential travellers from important source markets with extensive information on Germany and promote it as one of the leading health countries in the world". For the last year, visitBerlin has been actively marketing health tourism abroad. A close network of partners has grown up and in spring 2011 a website was launched in English, Russian and Arabic as these are the countries where demand is highest. At international trade fairs such as Arab Health in Dubai, visitBerlin advertises the German capital as a destination for health-related travel often in collaboration with Berlin Partner, Health Capital Berlin-Brandenburg and the GNTB. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=342421 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:08:39 GMT 20120123150839 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:33:38 GMT 20120123143338 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:08:39 GMT 201201231530839 Patients Beyond Borders, a source of consumer and industry information about international health travel, and Medeguide, an online international doctor directory, have formed an alliance to provide patients with search tools for global healthcare options, and to provide hospitals and health travel third parties with a unique offering of branding and marketing tools for the international patient. Patients Beyond Borders and Medeguide will exchange their information and services, allowing patients everywhere to search hundreds of leading international hospitals and thousands of the world's best doctors throughout Asia, Latin America, Europe, and the US by specialty, procedure, region, and cost. Healthcare providers and networks can take advantage of a wide offering of marketing and branding tools tailored to maximize international visibility through online, mobile and light device apps, video, social communications, and traditional publishing channels. Ruben Toral of Medeguide says, “Merging our product lines will create a comprehensive programme for those ready to take their international marketing campaign to the next level, and will create a win-win for healthcare consumers seeking reliable healthcare information. Josef Woodman of Patients Beyond Borders adds, “ Access to trusted, vetted information is key to millions of patients worldwide who are seeking quality and cost options, whether across town or across oceans. Our alliance is a big step toward connecting leading international hospitals and doctors to healthcare consumers in this currently underserved global marketplace.” Medeguide, based in Bangkok, Thailand, is an online doctor directory that lists doctors from leading hospitals in medical travel destinations. Popular with expatriates and medical tourists, Medeguide allows users to find doctors by country, hospital, specialty, procedure, or condition. Users can view and compare doctors' information without the hassle of going through multiple hospital websites. Medeguide's easy-to-use online platform enables users to get recommendations about doctors from other patients, request appointments, and read articles about doctors, treatment options, and destinations. Patients Beyond Borders provides independent information to healthcare consumers and industry leaders, through books, e-books, consumer websites, mobile devices, and social media. Patients Beyond Borders, soon to be released in its third edition, is a leading consumer reference guide for medical tourism. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=342434 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:04:22 GMT 20120123150422 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:56:55 GMT 20120123145655 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:04:22 GMT 201201231530422 An increasing number of hospitals are setting up international patient centres to help medical tourists with treatment, accommodation and travel; but they often need help. Medical Tourism Training has launched a new training programme "Welcoming the World" for international patient centres. "Welcoming the World: building an outstanding international patient department" is an online and on-site offering. Medical Tourism Training is a US based global training and consulting company offering on-site training and consulting services for dental and medical clinics as well as hospitals. Created by its team of healthcare and training experts, it is a fully scalable and flexible package for both new and established international patient centres. Providers small and large will benefit from the training, systems, forms and structure of this offering. With a focus on the customer experience, the programme offers practical and detailed information about staffing, department infrastructure, forms and systems, billing and financial issues, and concierge services. One of the creators is Pam Frank, former director of international health services at Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, “We focused on the basic information dental and medical care providers need to build or improve services for patients coming from different countries or regions. These valuable clients and their family members notice every detail from arrival to departure plus they serve as word-of-mouth advertising, both good and bad. To succeed, healthcare providers must deliver a patient experience that is better than their competitors.” The affordable on-line course gives users the option to study to their own pace, in the comfort of home or office. With a running time of more than five hours plus knowledge checks and reviewing sample documents, it is a complete do-it-yourself kit. Clients can take advantage of adding additional support with essays questions including expert feedback or purchasing online consulting services to answer specific questions. Medical Tourism Training offers stand-alone consulting services in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Arabic for clients who want the company's team of experts to provide services on site to build or improve patient services. Elizabeth Ziemba of Medical Tourism Training says, “Set goals, schedule time, and share the information with co-workers. This will contribute to improved learning, sharing content, and implementing what is learned. Turning individualized learning into team work generates the most value for employees and employers”. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=342413 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:27:45 GMT 20120123142745 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:10:57 GMT 20120123141057 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:27:45 GMT 201201231422745 Medaway Health and Gorgeous Getaways, the avant-garde partnership companies of medical tourism and cosmetic surgery have announced their corporate expansion to the United States with two offices opening in New York City and Miami, Florida. Since 2004, the companies have served as a research platform for internationally recognized surgeons and hospitals; a holistic and safe support system for patients traveling abroad for these procedures while offering a range of services from diagnosis and treatment to travel arrangements. The surgeons sought have a minimum of 10 to 15 years experience and treat every patient personally, possessing the ultimate goal of complete and successful recovery. The company considers their longevity in the industry as medical tourism experts by offering surgery holidays all over the world. Over the past 8years, patients have traveled to countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, , Costa Rica, and Mexico to have their procedures done by world renowned surgeons. Not only does the company pride itself with superb customer care, it works with tourism bodies, affiliates of the industry, as well as the local government. CEO Rachel Rowling is ecstatic about the expansion. “The company has grown so much since 2004, and I am honored to announce our expansion into the United States markets. We look forward to continue to make our clients happy with medical tourism and their surgery choices. We believe that it is an outstanding alternative to the rise of medical costs in the United States, and we believe our Clients are for Life” which translates to our clients having a rich and rewarding healthy future! Medaway Health and Gorgeous Getaways is looking to further offer the best in medical tourism to the growing United States market. According to Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, it is estimated that Americans will spend $21.4 billion dollars in 2012 for medical tourism. This amount is only going to increase as health care costs maximize each year by 9 percent. The safety and quality of care available overseas is no longer an issue as many of these facilities are accredited by the Joint Commission International. In order to streamline their message in the US, Medaway Health and Gorgeous Getaways have retained New York based media relations firm Cordelia Donovan Inc. Medaway Health and Gorgeous Getaways look forward to a successful 2012 with their two new offices at 245 Park Ave ,24th fl, NY, NY 10167 and 1111 Lincoln road 4th fl Miami Beach, Fl 33139. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=333278 Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:52:16 GMT 20120116165216 Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:48:48 GMT 20120116164848 Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:52:16 GMT 201201161645216 A new auction site claims that it will shake up the dental tourism industry. ClickFlySmile has launched a new dental auction tool that enables patients to compare dental treatment costs in the EU. The company argues that people spend too much time finding the right clinic and treatment options and could still be concerned about the quality of the treatment abroad, while dental tourism agencies charge extra money for their services. The dental auction tool allows customers to make choices on their dental treatment, with a wide selection of dental clinics and treatment options. Only fully screened dentists are listed who have experience in treating international patients. How qualified Intice Ltd is to screen dentists, as it is not an approved health accreditor, is an interesting point. The organization provides no information on how it assesses or selects the participating clinics. Intice Ltd is a tech development company that appears to have no background or expertise in healthcare, nor involvement from dentists or healthcare professionals. Its previous development project is a calendar sync tool for the iPhone. Erwan Allene of Intice, owner of ClickFlySmile.com, says, “There are a huge number of people who would love to have dental treatment abroad. If only they had a tool that makes it simpler for them to find the finest clinics and the largest choice of treatment plan options. We believe this new auction tool allows patients and dentists to meet regardless of time and space.” Auctioning of services is always tricky as it encourages customers and providers to concentrate on the bottom line price rather than differences in quality of treatment or service. No two dentists are alike, and there is no universal standard of accreditation for dentists across Europe, it varies widely both between country, and within countries depending on what type of dental treatment is involved; a dentist may be brilliant at dental implants but have little experience of cosmetic dentistry. We wait to see how the UK dental profession and the British Dental Association reacts to this auction approach to the marketing of dentistry. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=332793 Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:48:19 GMT 20120116164819 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:40:20 GMT 20120113144020 Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:48:19 GMT 201201161644819 The first application for Chinese visitors seeking to go to Taiwan for medical treatment was submitted to the National Immigration Agency (NIA) one day after the new initiative took effect. Mainland Chinese can now visit the island specifically for the purpose of having physical examinations, elective or non-urgent surgery and cosmetic procedures. The application was filed by Taipei-based Shin Kong Wu Ho-su Memorial Hospital, which is expecting to receive a 26-member group from the Chinese province of Liaoning, headed by the president of a Liaoning-based hospital. Scheduled to arrive in mid February, the members of the group will undergo advanced health screening programs such as positron emission tomography, and learn more about Taiwan's techniques in health checkups and cosmetic surgery. During the six-day trip, the group is also scheduled to visit top tourist attractions around the country such as Taroko Gorge in Hualien County and Alishan National Scenic Area in Chiayi County. Under a new measure for 2012, Chinese people can now go to Taiwan for health checkups or cosmetic surgery. Medical facilities qualified to provide such services can apply to the NIA on behalf of the potential visitors. It will take five days to review and approve applications. These will be given top priority for processing by the NIA with life-threatening cases put on a four-hour fast track, even during weekends and public holidays. Under the programme, visitors from China can stay in Taiwan for up to 15 days, including three days for shopping and tourism in addition to medical treatment. Before the new initiative came into force, Chinese visitors seeking health checkups or cosmetic surgery in Taiwan only had access to medical treatment as part of group or individual travel itineraries. Compared with China, Taiwan provides quality services at more modest prices. 30 Taiwan hospitals and clinics are qualified to submit applications to the National Immigration Agency (NIA) on behalf of their potential Chinese clients for entry to receive medical treatment in Taiwan. The 30 hospitals include National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei Veteran's General Hospital, Cathay General Hospital and Adventist Hospital in the north, China Medical College Hospital and Changhua Christian Hospital in central Taiwan, and E-Da Hospital and Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital in the south. More small-scale hospitals and cosmetic surgery clinics are expected to be added to the qualified list soon. Although Taiwan's health care providers had only 85,000 medical tourists in 2011, this is considered something of a success given the government did not begin making significant headway in growing the industry until President Ma Ying-jeou took office in May 2008. Internationalized health care became one of 10 emerging service industries selected for intensive development. The government is also establishing special international medical zones, seeking to raise substantial sums in private investment for the planned aerotropolis project near Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. An estimated 40,000 tourists are expected to visit the zone each year. With four of these zones in the pipeline, Taiwan has committed to going head to head with regional competitors. The government is banking on these facilities, along with the state-of-the-art health service technologies and low treatment costs, to take business from competitors. For Taiwan's hospitals and clinics, mainland Chinese represent a surefire way to bolster the number of tourists seeking treatment on the island. Many of the island's hospitals were instrumental in laying the foundations for the development of this market. The tour packages they put together, which combined sightseeing and treatment, left participants more than impressed by Taiwan and the standard of its medical facilities and workers. The anticipated influx of patients from Europe and the USA has not happened. The county blames the financial crisis, but other factors such as distance, culture, air miles and poor language skills may be as important. So the government and the local medical tourism industry are now concentrating on a target market where language, culture, short distance and low cost all make it attractive for more mainland Chinese to go to Taiwan as medical tourists. The government's pragmatic approach to cross-strait relations, ignoring the historic severe problems between the two, has been the catalyst for this development and plays a valuable role in helping Taiwan to become a major player in medical tourism. The proactive, co-ordinated, targeted nature of government support is in contrast to better known local rivals who may suffer for their assumption that being an early entrant to medical tourism is enough to prosper in the future. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=332796 Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:46:23 GMT 20120116164623 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:42:35 GMT 20120113144235 Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:46:23 GMT 201201161644623 US hospitals that made deals with major US employers are negotiating with other national companies on domestic medical tourism. Cleveland Clinic and Johns Hopkins are negotiating with several national employers for deals involving a bundled payment that covers most of the necessary care related to a particular procedure. Payments are then distributed to physicians and others involved in care. An outside company generally arranges travel provided to patients and their companions. Employees get the option of local care or travelling, with incentives to travel, but no there is no compulsion to do so. Lowe's has 234,000 employees plus dependents covered by its self-funded health insurance plan. In February 2009 it made heart surgery at Cleveland Clinic an employee benefit. During the past year, Lowe's has paid for 38 employees or their dependents, including three children, to travel to Cleveland Clinic for heart surgery that was fully covered by health insurance with no co-pays or deductibles. Lowe's considered hospitals in Mexico, but went for Cleveland Clinic when it became clear that domestic travel would get more buy-in from workers as an extra option, and that with many employees living in rural areas, going to Cleveland is a big decision but more attractive than Mexico. PepsiCo, the world's second-largest food and beverage business, has a new deal giving employees the option to travel to Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore for cardiac and complex joint replacement surgery. The travel surgery benefit is for PepsiCo's domestic employees and their dependents, almost 250,000 people. PepsiCo, which sponsors its own self-funded medical plans, will waive deductibles and coinsurance for those who elect to have their surgery at Johns Hopkins. The company will also cover the travel and lodging expenses to Baltimore for the patient and a companion. The payment methodology for these procedures is a bundled rate, an all-inclusive rate for hospital and physician charges and certain preoperative testing. This innovative reimbursement model provides payment for all the patient care over the course of a clinical episode instead of paying for each service on a fee-for-service basis. Patricia Brown of Johns Hopkins HealthCare says, “We are offering their employees some of the best health care available, which should mean fewer complications and should result in employees being able to return to work sooner. At the same time, we are offering PepsiCo predictability regarding cost.” Bruce Monte of PepsiCo explains, “This is designed to help our employees and their families live healthier lives and ensure a high level of workforce support.” To be eligible, the patient must be approved for surgery in advance and be healthy enough to travel. Other types of surgery may be made part of the programme in the future. The company looked at overseas providers but preferred to stay in the USA, is looking at other US deals, and will look at overseas providers for employees outside the USA. For national US companies, and their insurers, international medical tourism is yet to take off. Employers are looking closer to home as a means of controlling health care costs and improving outcomes. Some US medical tourism agencies are shifting their focus to domestic trips. Several cities, including Miami and Las Vegas, are starting to market themselves as destinations for healthcare. These deals between large companies and hospitals mean employees and their families will pay less for out of pocket for care. Companies pay a flat rate for some procedures. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=332788 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:48:30 GMT 20120113154830 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:28:46 GMT 20120113142846 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:48:30 GMT 201201131534830 Brazilian construction company Braengel has been chosen to design a $500m complex including a hospital and a five star hotel in Riyadh. The project will cover an area of 76,000 sq m in the Saudi capital city, and will also include a luxury spa, gym, shopping centre and several restaurants. The focus of the project is to offer aesthetic medicine services to women in the Middle East. The hospital will also target obesity and diabetes, two rapidly increasing problems in the area. The contract is part of a partnership established by Prince Abdulaziz Bin Mishaal Al Saud, who runs Al Shoula Holding Group, a Saudi-based conglomerate, and Marinho Uhlmann of Alicerce Business Solution Holding, the parent company of Braengel. The hospital aims to attract custom from all of the Middle East, particularly attracting women from other countries in the region to Saudi Arabia. Construction of the complex will begin in October, with the project completed in two years. The investment of $500 million is 60% from Saudi and Qatari businessmen, and 40 % from various Brazilian companies. A Brazilian company will manage the site, which is yet to be chosen by the Saudis. Three luxury spa operators in Brazil are being considered to run the enterprise. A new joint venture has been launched to develop a chain of specialised hospitals in Saudi Arabia. RED House Group, a Beirut-based real estate investment company, has forged a partnership with healthcare operator Rizk Healthcare to form RRHH (Rizk RED House Healthcare). Under the deal, RED House has handed RRHH a $1.35bn project for 10 hospitals totalling over 3000 beds in Saudi Arabia in a venture with Ebram, a Saudi investment and healthcare firm. RRRH also plans a 500-bed hospital in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The Ministry of Health plans to build a 500-bed hospital in memory of the late Prince Sultan - the Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Hospital is to be built in the Riyadh. This is part of the Health Ministry plans to construct 12 new hospitals to provide comprehensive integrated health services for citizens in all parts of the Kingdom. In addition to the 12 new hospitals, which will have a total capacity of 3100 beds, the ministry will build 15 integrated clinics in Riyadh, a centre for tumours in Madinah, a centre for cancer treatment, and specialized centres for dental care. Health minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, says the private sector is a strategic partner in providing healthcare services to both citizens and expatriates. 10 of the ministry's hospitals are in the process of gaining accreditation by Joint Commission International. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=332797 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:24:51 GMT 20120113152451 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:44:17 GMT 20120113144417 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:24:51 GMT 201201131532451 China's instant ban on unapproved stem cell treatment will affect some US patients, and a handful of specialist medical tourism agencies who have been accessing China for treatment that is not available in the US or most European countries. In recent years, China has attracted foreign citizens to experimental hospitals and doctors willing to treat seriously ill patients with unproven stem-cell therapies. The Ministry of Health announced that the country has stopped all unproven and experimental stem-cell treatment programmes and refuses to accept any new applications for approval of stem-cell treatments. The ban will initially last until the end of June 2012, but the chances of the ban being lifted quickly after then seem very slim. China's experimental stem-cell treatments have been used on patients with severe neurological diseases, other chronic illnesses and injuries. While some patients have said that these unproven stem cell therapy programs in China have done them good, critics argue that the benefit is purely in the mind. The government seeks to bring under control its growing but loosely regulated industry. It realizes that an official ban will not work unless it can be enforced. A ban on organ transplants is still blatantly ignored by some hospitals. The ministry is implementing a year long campaign to halt unauthorized stem cell therapy trials. Regulations on stem cell treatments were relatively relaxed in China compared to other nations and the country is often seen as a last hope for people suffering from serious medical problems ranging from cancer to spinal cord injuries. But there are many horror stories where unapproved untested stem cell treatment has led to death, disease and infection. Stem cell therapies introduce new cells into damaged tissue in order to treat disease or injury. Patients, both local and from overseas, can pay tens of thousands of dollars in a last ditch attempt to restore back functions or sight. The lucrative nature of the treatment for hospitals and agencies, as many patients will pay anything asked, means that an official ban will reduce it, but may just drive it underground. China has no specific policy for clinical trials or applications of stem cell technology. Such trials are subject to the same general regulations governing all medical practices, such as the importance of volunteers' rights and health. Stem cell treatment and trials already approved by the State Food and Drug Administration will continue. Those that are not approved must be stopped immediately-even in mid trial. The Ministry of Health and State Food and Drug Administration are working together to seek to control the expanding stem cell industry. Stem cells have the ability to become any type of cell in the human body, and researchers around the world are studying them to see whether they can cure disease. The potential of Chinese stem-cell research is high and the long-term aim of the government is to get stringent regulation working and seen to be working, so that it can sell research results, treatment and drugs to overseas countries. A growing number of hospitals and clinics in large cities in China have been offering stem cell therapies for treatment of diseases ranging from cancer and Alzheimer's to spinal cord injuries, treatments that are backed by little or no scientific evidence and which are considered at best experimental. Some of these involve large general hospitals where patients pay thousands -- or even tens of thousands -- of dollars for treatments that are advertised online, which attract both Chinese patients and those from overseas. According to patients, doctors and relatives of patients, patients have come away with little or no improvement and a number have died. The ministry has made it clear that health providers can no longer charge money for experimental stem cell applications under the new order. Whether the government can enforce the ban is questionable, as many hospitals making money from stem cell treatment are affiliated with government organisations such as the army, the PLA, and the domestic police forces, each more politically powerful than either of the enforcing government departments. They were unable to enforce a 2009 order that hospitals and clinics offering advanced and experimental medical technology had to obtain approval or face closure. Days before the Chinese ban, the United States' Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning about unproven stem cell claims, where patients are vulnerable to unscrupulous providers of stem cell treatments that are illegal and potentially harmful. The FDA warned consumers that any stem cell treatment they are considering must be approved by FDA or studied under a clinical investigation that has been submitted to and allowed to proceed by FDA. The FDA has recently participated in activity to fight illegal activity involving stem cells. In December 2011, three men were arrested and charged with 15 counts of criminal activity related to manufacturing, selling and using stem cells without FDA sanction or approval. One of these was a consultant at a university in South Carolina who used university facilities to manufacture stem cell products, then sold them to a man posing as a doctor who travelled to Mexico to perform unapproved stem cell procedures on people suffering from cancer, multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases. The three defendants received more than $1.5 million from patients seeking treatment for incurable diseases. Medical tourists may turn to clinics and hospitals in Mexico, India, Turkey, Russia and elsewhere for stem cell therapies that have not undergone clinical trials, are not recognised as standard treatment, and where governments have a more relaxed view of a practice that brings in income from overseas patients. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=332791 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:11:21 GMT 20120113151121 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:35:35 GMT 20120113143535 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:11:21 GMT 201201131531121 Working out which nationalities go where for medical treatment is an intriguing question. Speaking at a recent medical tourism seminar at the University of Texas, USA, a Texas based medical tourism agent Deepak Datta of Medical Tourism Corporation, shared his insights with a class of MBA business students. He discussed the current trends in medical tourism and the various factors that have fueled globalization of healthcare in the past decade. Deepak Datta discounted the myth that medical tourism is about flying thousands of miles across continents, “Medical tourism is a regional phenomenon, with most medical tourists preferring to visit nearby countries for their healthcare needs. While Americans and Canadians mostly head to Mexico and Costa Rica, people from Africa and the Middle East prefer to go to India. Korea is the medical destination of choice for many people from Japan, while Thailand is the top choice for most Australians.” Datta went on to explain why medical tourism is regional, “Price, safety, travel distance, visa rules, local laws and quality of healthcare are obviously the chief considerations for medical tourists while deciding their healthcare destination, but cultural influence is important. While US Hispanics head to Mexico, the British prefer other European countries.” He explained why there is some global medical tourism for certain specialties, “A destination's reputation for a particular medical service also matters and some countries are more popular for certain procedures than others. Surrogacy in India attracts foreigners struggling with infertility issues.'' An issue often wrongly dismissed by analysts is cross-border healthcare. Datta commented, “Low cost dental treatment and weight loss surgery in Mexico are preferred by Americans and Canadians, who do not want to travel too far for healthcare. Many Americans prefer to drive down to the border, get their root canals or dental implants in US-Mexico border clinics (which have mushroomed at a remarkable rate over the past few years) and return home the same day.” Central and South America, not Asia, are the destinations for many Americans, he explained, “Many people opt to get their dental implants in Costa Rica. They fly to get bariatric and cosmetic surgery in these Latin American countries, because not only the prices are low, but also the treatments are high quality. Realizing the potential of medical tourism, the doctors are prepared to deal with medical tourists and accordingly arrange for English-speaking staff. While the official and most commonly used language in Costa Rica is Spanish, it is not difficult to find a dentist or cosmetic surgeon in Costa Rica, who is fluent in English.” The attractions of Thailand were next up, “Low priced cosmetic surgery in Thailand is also a big draw for medical tourists as they not only get the cost advantage but also get to maintain privacy for their beauty enhancing treatments. Thailand, however, is preferred more by Australians as the distance is less and flights are relatively convenient. Who wants to wait in long lines to see the dentists, when you can get immediate dental implants in Thailand at less than half the price?” Medical tourism is often regarded as travelling for surgery, but this is not the bulk of medical tourism, said Datta, “Elective procedures like weight loss surgery, cosmetic surgery, fertility treatment and dental care are the most common medical services people travel for. This is probably because these are generally excluded from insurance coverage and a medical tourist is usually self-paying.” He went to explain why there is some surgical tourism, “Hospitals also get many foreign patients who are looking for major surgery because either hospitals in their home country are too busy to quickly give them an appointment and relieve their pain or they are too expensive in those countries without free medical care.” Datta dispelled the impression that medical tourism is a fast growing phenomenon, as many medical tourism agencies in North America have closed due to lack of business. He pointed out that there is no reliable data gathering methodology to validate the number of medical tourists, as countries and hospitals often include expatriates, home returning non-residents, tourists and business travellers having emergency medical services, as 'medical tourists' to boost the real figures, while spa and wellness travellers, are sometimes counted as medical tourists and sometimes not. The MBA students learnt about the challenges faced by patients and hospitals in the globalization of healthcare industry, which include the absence of any global standard patient outcome data, no clear cut follow-up regimen, language and cultural differences, safety issues at medical destinations, long travel, and complex visa laws in some countries; lack of follow up care, and how insurance companies have dismissed the concept. On the US market, Datta states, "The US probably benefits the most from the medical tourism industry, as thousands of patients from different parts of the world visit leading American hospitals like MD Anderson Cancer Center, Jackson Memorial Hospital, Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic, John Hopkins, Harvard Medical, and others. Most of these patients are either wealthy individuals or sponsored by their home governments.” http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=332786 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:54:15 GMT 20120113145415 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:24:20 GMT 20120113142420 Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:54:15 GMT 201201131425415 While the governments of rival countries talk up medical tourism, few are so active and successful in assisting local hospitals and clinics as South Korea. The Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) estimates that number of foreign patients in South Korea will reach 130,000 for 2011. The government is supporting the globalization of Korean medical institutions under the banner of Medical Korea, a brand campaign to promote South Korea's advanced medical services abroad. To guarantee the quality of the medical service and strengthen foreign patients' trust, the government has adopted a registry system for Korean medical institutions and agencies- over 2000 are now registered. The government has also accelerated its support for foreign patients' convenience and safety by issuing medical treatment visas, operating an around-the-clock medical call centre and one-stop medical tourism service centres, establishing an arbitration body for medical disputes and helping train medical coordinators and interpreters. Medical institutions also step up globalization to attract foreign patients. A growing number of medical institutions have been gaining accreditation from the Joint Commission International (JCI), the worldwide leader in improving the quality of health care. A total of 22 hospitals, including Severance Hospital, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Korea University Anam Hospital and Ewha Womans University Medical Center, were accredited as of September 2011. 58 medical institutions have established overseas branches in 11 countries to promote the advanced technology and services offered by South Korea. The health authority of Abu Dhabi, one of the seven United Arab Emirates, has signed an agreement with Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Seoul Asan Medical Center and Seoul Samsung Medical Center to have patients treated in Korea. The oil-rich country sends 130,000 people overseas for medical treatment each year at its own expense. In 2010 3000 patients from Abu Dhabi travelled to the United Kingdom, Germany, Thailand and Singapore for medical treatment, but only 54 went to Korea. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, 81,789 foreign patients visited Korea for medical treatment in 2010; up 36 % on 2009.The government's active promotion of medical tourism has led to the sharp increase. The total revenue from treating foreign patients nearly doubled to $88 million in 2010. The number of foreign patients in 2010 was 64,777 outpatients and 11,653 for medical screening. The number of in-patients was 5359.By nationality; the majority of patients were from the USA, China, Japan, Russia and Mongolia.14% had skincare-related treatment and cosmetic surgery while 13.5 % received internal medical treatment. Another 13.1 % visited medical checkup centers.43 went to local medical centres while 20.5 % opted for general hospitals, and 23.5 % chose clinics. With the popularity of Korean TV soaps, women in many Asian countries are saving up to get cosmetic surgery and skin care treatment in Korea. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=331674 Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:23:55 GMT 20120106162355 Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:11:32 GMT 20120106151132 Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:23:55 GMT 201201061642355 A specialist German clinic is proof that high quality treatment and luxury accommodation is an attraction to international patients; and that high-end medical tourism is a thriving alternative market for countries not prepared to enter the medical tourism price war of offering lowest prices to attract custom. Gelenk Klinik orthopedic hospital is a successful provider of orthopedic surgery and treatment:• More than 24,000 orthopedic patients are treated a year.• More than 2,400 surgical procedures are performed a year.• More than 250 international patients a year• More than 50 healthcare professionals: orthopedic specialists, specialists for rehabilitation, physiotherapists and nurses.• 9 hospital beds for in house treatment..Patients benefit from the luxurious environment of a private clinic, with facilities and services adapted to the needs of international patients. Comfortable private rooms include an en-suite bathroom, minibar, safe, flat screen TV, DVD player and WLAN internet access. The hospital has international ISO 9001 quality accreditation. Germany takes a leading role in terms of medical education, medical standards and hospital quality management. German medical research and innovative technology are of the highest standard. Compromises in quality and safety are not compatible with the German culture and work ethic. Due to a long and broad education, German orthopedic surgeons are extremely well trained in the fields of conservative and osteopathic treatment. They have a deep understanding of the bio-mechanics of joints, prosthesis and mobility, with a thorough understanding of nonsurgical ostheopathic and physiotherapeutic therapy. This training gives German orthopedic surgeons the ability to preserve as much of patients natural bones and tissues as possible. The underlying cause of pain and immobility is treated with the smallest possible intervention. Minimally invasive surgical techniques, partial prosthesis and inlays are commonly used instead of total knee and hip replacements and are performed with precision. This preserves mobility and a quick recovery after surgery. The Gelenk Klinik is in Freiburg, where Germany, France and Switzerland meet. Freiburg is home to Freiburg University, one of the most important centres of medical training in Germany, and is easily accessible from Zurich, Basel and Frankfurt airports. The Hospital's support for international patients includes: • All doctors and staff members speak English.• Language support for Russian, French, Arabic, Romanian.• Support for visa application process for non-EU citizens.• Airport shuttle service with a private limousine.• Support with travel arrangements.• Support with organizing postsurgical rehabilitation in the clinic, a specialised provider in Germany or back home.• A dedicated case manager. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=331688 Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:43:31 GMT 20120106154331 Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:38:05 GMT 20120106153805 Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:43:31 GMT 201201061534331 In the USA, Rabbi Levy Izhak Rosenbaum has become the first person in the country to be convicted of selling and trafficking in human organs. A New York resident, Rosenbaum pleaded guilty to illegally buying kidneys from live Israeli donors for $10,000 each, which were transplanted into three New Jersey residents, who had paid at least $120,000 for the transaction. The case of Rosenbaum, whose sentencing is set for February 2, 2012, has brought the problem to the forefront that organ trafficking poses in the United States and around the globe. Transplant tourism started in the mid-1990s when medical researchers proved that, for organ transplants, a direct blood type match between the donor and the recipient was not needed. Confronted with a long waiting list of patients requiring organ transplants, more Americans are ready to travel abroad to purchase a liver, a kidney or even a heart. In 1984, the United States administration imposed a ban on the purchase and sale of human organs, but not on transplant tourism, where a person travels abroad to receive a vital organ in exchange for a sum of money that covers the price of such an organ. Over the last 10 years, the UCLA Medical Center's emergency room has seen 33 patients with serious complications after undergoing organ transplants abroad. Gabriel Danovitch, at UCLA says, “Transplant tourism is a risky and macabre business, but this form of tourism is not a large-scale problem here. Clients come from countries with higher purchasing power where laws regulating organ transplants are stricter, such as the United States and Japan. Colombia is a leader in organ trafficking, where donors are often fatal casualties from the guerrilla war, or people who died and whose bodies were never claimed. For some Japanese and U.S. citizens it is easier to pay up to $200,000 for a liver in Colombia than to wait up to 10 years to receive an organ transplant at home.“ According to the Declaration of Istanbul Custodian Group, an organization founded to regulate and fight this practice, a very large number of patients who have purchased kidneys have developed serious infections or have died. The World Health Organization (WHO) says that thousands of people globally are not willing to wait and so engage in this practice every year without weighing the potentially fatal consequences. In recent years the United States has witnessed an increasing demand for transplant organs, but while demand for vital organs is on the increase due to the deterioration of Americans' health, the number of donors is not increasing proportionately. Organ transplant tourism has become popular in countries such as Colombia, Egypt and the Philippines, according to the Istanbul Declaration - an organization that is supported by doctors and researchers of countries in which transplants are performed. While several countries have outlawed the process, the vast profits for a small expense are a temptation for dishonest doctors and the criminal gangs that control the trade. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=331685 Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:38:05 GMT 20120106153805 Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:33:19 GMT 20120106153319 Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:38:05 GMT 201201061533805 Connexion at Farrer Park will be one of the world's first integrated healthcare and hospitality complexes with Farrer Park Medical Centre, Farrer Park Hospital, and One Farrer, a luxury hotel with wellness and conference facilities. Connexion is expected to be fully operational in 2013 for locals and medical tourists. The developers have changed their name from Singapore HealthPartners to The Farrer Park Company to tie all Farrer Park facilities under one clear identity. Connexion at Farrer Park is built directly above the Farrer Park MRT Station. It has a six-storey centre with two 20-storey high-rise wings. The west wing houses Farrer Park Medical Centre while the east wing combines Farrer Park Hospital and the hotel. Hotel guests can enjoy the privacy and facilities of a distinctly separate hotel with easy and rapid access to medical facilities within the same complex. Farrer Park Medical Centre will be home to more than 200 medical specialists occupying 189 medical consultation suites. The physicians and surgeons will be specialists in diverse medical fields. Outpatients have the choice of recuperating and resting in the comfort and privacy of their hotel rooms at One Farrer after a day surgery or a routine check-up. Farrer Park Hospital is one of the first private hospitals to be built ground-up in Singapore in the last 30 years. As a wholly new development, it is able to incorporate and effectively integrate the tremendous advances in hospital design and medical technology that have transformed healthcare in the past three decades. It will have 11 operating theatres, three day surgery units with a total of 60 attached beds, a 23-bed intensive care unit with state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging services, three endoscopy suites, a radiotherapy department, clinical laboratories, a full-service pharmacy and the most advanced implementation of hospital information technology. A unique feature of Connexion is the twinning of Farrer Park Hospital with luxury hotel One Farrer that offers guests accommodations ranging from serviced apartments to villas to standard hotel rooms. One Farrer will have a large ballroom and banquet hall, seminar rooms, conference facilities, two large spas, two gymnasiums, swimming pools, a ground-floor retail arcade and a range of food and beverage outlets. Travellers to Singapore, who have special health requirements such as kidney dialysis, frequent respiratory care, or the need for regular injections and infusions, can opt to stay in One Farrer with essential medical support amenities at their doorstep. Family and friends, who provide significant emotional and physical support, can stay in the same hotel. On the ground level of Connexion, there will be a mix of lifestyle retail, amenities and services for the leisure, business and medical tourism traveller. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=331684 Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:33:19 GMT 20120106153319 Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:28:44 GMT 20120106152844 Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:33:19 GMT 201201061533319 Among the critical factors for a country to be a successful medical tourism destination it has to have geographical proximity, good airlinks, comfortable environment, friendly people, unrestricted travel, and a broad spectrum of accommodation choices for both high-end clients and less well-off ones. All that before even looking at the medical care, quality of hospitals and price. Mauritius satisfies many of these conditions and the number of privately owned clinics and hospitals is increasing. The government is working on a regulatory framework to address the socio-economic and ethical issues surrounding high tech cures. It is in the process of setting up the appropriate frameworks for stem cells treatments. Mauritius has its own medical schools, and many doctors are trained overseas. Foreign doctors fly in to practice locally. The Mauritian healthcare facilities treated some 11,000 foreigners in 2010 year and about 100,000 medical tourists are expected to visit the island by 2020. Most medical tourists come from the South West Indian Ocean region, with a few from South Africa, France and the UK. If Mauritius wants to achieve the target of tenfold increase in medical tourist arrival by 2020, it has to diversify its markets. The long distance from Europe means patients are reluctant to travel to Mauritius for surgery. To succeed, Mauritius must focus on the regional market. But almost all patients from Southern Africa tend to go to South Africa, while those of Eastern Africa find easy access to Nairobi, which is positioning itself as a regional medical centre. Perhaps the best opportunity for Mauritius is to drastically improve the marketing strategy in the oil-rich countries of the Middle East, where it would compete with many others including Turkey and India. With its 350 million population, the Arab world still has a great need for treatment overseas; but with local hospitals mushrooming, how many years that will last is debatable. Mauritius only needs a fraction of this market to achieve the figures. Mauritius must actively raise an awareness campaign on this market, overcome its image deficit in the Middle East and multiply the air connections towards this region. Another potential and perhaps longer term market is China. Chinese enterprises are spending $1 billion on a special enterprise zone in Mauritius, on the island a thousand miles off the coast of the African continent. Mauritius is a gateway between Asia and Africa and could act as a regional business hub due to its market-access, stability and business climate. Mauritius is a member of the Southern African Development Community and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa. Only 10 to 15% of the 40,000 jobs to be created will go to Mauritians, the majority will be Chinese expatriate workers who will need medical care. The zone will be a Chinese administration centre for all the African countries that the Chinese are investing in, so the zone will be mostly offices, hotels, apartments, recreational services, schools and medical facilities. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=331682 Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:28:44 GMT 20120106152844 Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:26:44 GMT 20120106152644 Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:28:44 GMT 201201061532844 Following a successful start to accrediting Costa Rica clinics that desire international accreditation to help in their efforts to attract more American medical tourists, AAAHC International is now keen to expand into other countries in South and Central America. AAAHC International, a subsidiary of the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) has accredited the Luis Kaver Clínica Dental, a cosmetic dental clinic, the Hospital Clinica Metropolitana, a multi-specialty ambulatory health care clinic, and Instituto Centroamericano de Medicina ICEM-all in San Jose, Costa Rica, under the AAAHC international accreditation programme. John Burke of AAAHC comments, “With the growth of medical tourism and the significant number of Americans living abroad, we believe it is important to offer a programme that helps ensure that ambulatory medical services in foreign countries meet high standards. By voluntarily participating in the AAAHC accreditation process, these ambulatory organizations demonstrated their commitment to the safety and quality of the care they offer patients. The AAAHC peer-based survey process makes our accreditation unique, and enable us to work closely with ambulatory centres to assess their services and assure they provide high-quality care.” The accreditation surveys were conducted by a team of U.S.-based AAAHC surveyors who are themselves active practitioners of ambulatory health care. The first organization to be accredited by AAAHC International was the Nova Dental Center in San Jose, Costa Rica. 95% of customers of the Nova Dental Center, a full-service dental clinic that specializes in cosmetic dentistry, are from the USA. Luis Obando of Nova Dental Clinic says, "The accreditation process was a lot of work to get everything together to meet the standards, but in the end it helped to improve our clinical and administrative processes." Nova Dental received a three-year accreditation. The association launched its international accreditation program in Costa Rica, and other clinics in that country have begun the process toward AAAHC International accreditation. The AAAHC will soon add accreditation for ambulatory organizations in other Central and South American countries. AAAHC International is a subsidiary of the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC). Founded in 1979, AAAHC is the leader in ambulatory health care accreditation with nearly 5,000 organizations accredited nationwide. AAAHC accredits a variety of ambulatory health care organizations, including ambulatory surgery centres, office-based surgery centres, college student health centres, managed care organizations, military health care clinics, large medical and dental practices and medical homes. Third-party payers, medical organizations, liability insurance companies, state and federal agencies and the public recognize AAAHC accreditation as a symbol of quality. In 2012, all AAAHC accreditations will be for a standard three-year term and the less common six-month and one-year terms will be discontinued. Following an accreditation survey, there now will be only two possible outcomes: a three-year term or a denial of accreditation. The policy is effective for organizations that apply for accreditation on or after March 1, 2012, or have their surveys conducted on or after July 1, 2012.Organizations that receive accreditation but have some deficiencies will be required to submit a plan for improvement within 10 days of receiving the accreditation decision. After reviewing the plans for improvement and the survey report, the AAAHC accreditation committee will determine if an organization will require an interim survey. Organizations that demonstrate compliance with all AAAHC standards at the interim survey will maintain accreditation for the remainder of the three-year term. Organizations not in compliance may have their accreditation term revoked. In accordance with existing AAAHC policies, random and discretionary surveys of any organization also may be conducted. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=331677 Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:26:43 GMT 20120106152643 Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:18:59 GMT 20120106151859 Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:26:43 GMT 201201061532643 The availability and quality of care at home are key drivers of medical tourism. The latest study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) evaluates the state of healthcare in all 34 member nations, including how much each government spends on healthcare, and how much its citizens have to pay out of pocket. This sixth edition of 'Health at a Glance' provides the latest comparable data on different aspects of the performance of health systems in OECD countries. It provides striking evidence of large variations across countries in the costs, activities and results of health systems. This edition presents data for all OECD member countries. Where possible, it also reports data for Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, the Russian Federation and South Africa, as major non-OECD economies. It uses OECD Health Data 2011, the most comprehensive set of statistics and indicators for comparing health systems across the 34 OECD member countries. The quality of medical care is improving in OECD countries, with higher survival rates for life-threatening diseases. But there is a need for better prevention and management for chronic diseases, such as asthma and diabetes, with too many people unnecessarily admitted to hospitals. Obesity is a key risk factor for many chronic conditions, with severely obese people dying up to 10 years earlier than those of normal weight. 'Health at a Glance 2011' shows that obesity rates have doubled or even tripled in many countries since 1980. In more than half of OECD countries, 50% or more of the population is now overweight, if not obese. The obesity rate in the adult population is highest in the United States, rising from 15% in 1980 to 34% in 2008, and lowest in Japan and Korea, at 4%. In 2009, the country spending the most on health was, by far, the United States, devoting $7,960 per capita, two and a half times the OECD average. The next highest spending countries, Norway and Switzerland, spend only around two-thirds of the per capita level of the United States, but still spend more than 50% above the OECD average. Despite public concerns about privatisation of health financing, the public sector continues to pay 72% of all health expenditure on average across OECD countries, a share that has not changed over the past 20 years. Long waiting times are often seen as a reason for people becoming medical travellers. Since there are no universally accepted definitions of waiting times, data derived from different sources and different countries are not be fully comparable. Waiting times for specialist consultations were higher in Canada, Norway and Sweden, with 50% or more of survey respondents waiting at least 4 weeks for an appointment. In Germany, Switzerland and the United States, more timely access was provided. Waiting times for elective surgeries such as cataract removal or hip replacement also show substantial differences. In 2010, a considerable proportion of patients in Canada, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom and Australia reported waiting four months or more for elective surgery. Waiting times can vary within countries. Though very moderate waiting times for a doctor consultation are reported for Germany, patients in the eastern part of the country report waiting longer. There is evidence from several countries, including England, Germany and Austria, that persons in higher socio-economic groups or with private health insurance have shorter waiting times. The report warns that it can be cost-effective to maintain short queues of elective patients because the adverse health consequences of short delays are minimal, and there are savings in hospital capacity from allowing queues to form. They may also deter patients who stand to gain only small health benefits from demanding free treatment. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=330589 Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:35:44 GMT 20111230163544 Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:52:37 GMT 20111230095237 Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:35:44 GMT 201112301643544 Advertising guidelines for the healthcare sector in Malaysia may be further liberalized in 2012 to promote medical tourism and ensure targets under the National Key Economic Area are achieved. Health minister Seri Liow Tiong Lai says health practitioners appealed to the government for a review of the guidelines because they were losing out on medical tourists, "Although doctors and hospitals are now allowed to advertise their services, there are certain limitations. We will review this and see how it can further boost the health industry. Since healthcare travel has been identified as one of the entry point projects to generate greater income and create new jobs, this will be considered.” Health practitioners cannot claim to be the best providers of a particular treatment and are not allowed to use too many personal photographs to promote themselves. The government hopes that by 2020, the country will attract 2 million medical tourists a year. In the first nine months of 2011, 350,000 foreigners, most of whom were Indonesians, sought treatment in Malaysia. 2010 saw 400,000 medical tourists. Malaysia still struggles to compete with Singapore and Thailand. The health minister has told private healthcare providers to improve their services and facilities in order to be on par with their foreign counterparts, if not better, “Clearly, our private hospitals have to improve their quality of service in order to remain competitive, but I am confident it can be done. Competitors such as Singapore and Thailand have shown stronger growth in this area and have established themselves as leaders in high value healthcare experiences.“ As part of recent budget measures, the private healthcare service industry will be liberalized to allow up to 100% foreign equity. The government has initiated various strategies to transform its healthcare tourism industry by marketing itself beyond Indonesia, which makes up about 80% of Malaysia's revenue in healthcare tourism. The Ministry of Health is setting up call centres in China and Indonesia in 2012 to attract more medical tourists, and is targeting China, Australia, the Middle East and the UK. The government has been supporting the industry with significant investment in many areas, including the refurbishment of existing hospitals, building and equipping new hospitals. More hotel/resort spas are opening across the country, increasing from 108 outlets in 2009 to 130 in 2010, as the demand for these resorts has soared. Malaysia badly wants this niche market, as medical visitors spend more than leisure travellers, stay longer and also tend to become repeat visitors. People are starting to go to Malaysia from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East and USA for cosmetic surgery. The latter group tends to come for cosmetic surgery and dental treatment, while Indonesians come for medical treatment. If Indonesia builds the hospitals it promises, then many Indonesians will stay at home, which is why the country is urgently trying to seek new markets. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=330598 Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:25:03 GMT 20111230112503 Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:49:13 GMT 20111230104913 Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:25:03 GMT 2011123011112503 Taiwan is gearing up for more Chinese and American medical tourists. It has launched a new app service for medical travel that provides handy information on tourist attractions and healthcare facilities around the country. The app, designed by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) under commission from the Department of Health (DOH), has versions for English, as well as for traditional and simplified Chinese. The service, which is free, covers information ranging from health checkups to cosmetic medicine, with a map service for each listed facility. Users can access information on the 31 medical and healthcare facilities under the DOH's international medical programme. Now available for iPhone and iPad users, the App will expand to Android users in the first quarter of 2012. Four major hospitals in Taiwan have signed a cooperation agreement with New Era Life Insurance Co. of the USA to provide unique medical services to American policyholders of the insurer when they choose to get medical treatment in Taiwan. New Era Life Insurance of Houston, Texas, will pay for American customers to get medical services at the Taipei Medical University Hospital, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital System (made up of hospitals in different areas in Taiwan), Changhua Christian Hospital in central Taiwan, and E-Da Hospital in southern part of the island. New Era Life Insurance has designed a US medical insurance policy for customers who can speak Chinese. The new service will help American customers, including Taiwanese who hold U.S. passports, to get medical treatment in Taiwan - including health examinations and cosmetics surgery, which are uncommon in insurance policy contracts. The customers can also get treatment in the USA. The details are still vague but founder Bill Shun-zer Chen, a Taiwanese immigrant, suggests customers have to pay a bigger share of medical costs if treated in the USA and funding for air flights to the island for themselves and families. The insurance group is controlled by shareholders who are primarily Asian and has 150,000 policyholders. The company makes the bold claim that they plan to sell it to 1% of the total 20 million Asian Americans. We will get 1% of the total market - is a marketing claim that turns off experienced investors as it never happens. Keeping this deal in perspective, by the standards of US health insurers the company is tiny, the equivalent of a family retailer when compared to insurance supermarket Cigna. In any one year, if more than 5% of the 150,000 policyholders have a medical claim in any one year then the insurer would lose money. The big question is how many of these US based Asians will rather be treated in Taiwan than in the USA. Similar deals for other countries have yet to find more than a handful, if any, US policyholders prepared to go overseas even when they have overseas links. What may determine the answer is how good the incentive is for the policyholders to go to Taiwan. This is an interesting pilot, but neither the insurer nor the hospitals should expect a rush of medical tourists. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=330595 Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:23:09 GMT 20111230112309 Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:32:52 GMT 20111230103252 Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:23:09 GMT 2011123011112309 The Global Comparators project is a unique opportunity for leading hospitals to work together in sharing best practice to:• Deliver meaningful cost savings.• Improve clinical outcomes.• Increase efficiencies in care delivery. Leading hospitals from around the world are sharing data to define comparable, worldwide indicators of quality and efficiency across international boundaries. Hospitals from the USA, UK, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands have joined the project as founding members. The project brings together state-of-the art technical solutions, academics and recognised global leaders in the provision of quality healthcare. It formalises a collaborative approach to quality improvement based on evidence created from a shared international dataset. In phase one, 32 hospitals will collaborate to compare clinical outcomes and share best practice across international borders to inform strategies for improving quality of care. Phase two will welcome a further 30 participants. The project is managed and led by Dr Foster Intelligence. For participants, the project delivers:• Access to a web based analytics tool allowing real-time data analysis of mortality, length of stay and readmission sub divided by individual diagnosis and procedures down to a patient level. These can be directly compared to all participant institutions on a named baasis.• Membership of the Global Comparators global outcomes accelerated learning work streams focused on specific clinical areas and delivering measurable impacts on quality, safety and efficiency for participants.• 2 international conferences and other networking forums each year. Tom Jackiewicz of San Diego Medical Center says, “Global Comparators has the potential to revolutionise the way leading hospitals share outcome data and collaborate on clinical outcome improvement.” Professor Misa Dzoljic of Academic Medical Center Amsterdam comments, “The project gives us a unique forum for engaging and collaborating with our peers from around the world, to drive improvements in our clinical quality.” Carol Peden of the Royal United Hospital Bath, concludes, "As a doctor focused on quality, the opportunity to compare outcomes, engage and network with international peers is a potentially very valuable opportunity to drive further improvement in patient care.' http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=330593 Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:17:34 GMT 20111230111734 Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:12:18 GMT 20111230101218 Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:17:34 GMT 2011123011111734 The tourism industry in Russia is expanding with health resorts a popular choice for vacations, says the Federal Agency of Tourism. Tourism is growing at a rate of 7 % a year and one in three Russians favour health resorts as their vacation destination. Grigory Sarishvili of the Federal Agency comments, "Health resorts are gaining popularity and in certain regions are fully booked all year-round.” Russia is to spend up to $60 million on a six-year advertising campaign to bolster its image as a tourist destination, as part of the government's programme for the development of tourism through 2018. The $60 million earmarked for advertising will be spent on subjects and programmes about Russia on federal channels, promotion on social networks, exhibitions, the organization of presentations about Russia in foreign countries, promotional campaigns and the organization of press tours. While the campaign is directed at both domestic and foreign tourists, the total number of foreign tourists visiting in 2011 is disappointing as European economic problems are affecting the chief suppliers of visitors to Russia: Germany, France, Britain and Italy. Of the 22 million foreign visitors in 2010, only 2.1 million were tourists. Northern Caucasus Resorts Company (NCRC) is developing a massive system of ski, beach and natural heath spa resorts covering 50,000 sq km in the North Caucasus Mountains, stretching 1,200 km from the Caspian Sea to the Black Sea and bordering Asia. It is attracting Asia-Pacific investors seeking to diversify outside their domestic markets in a new national strategy to use public-private initiatives in tourism to spur much-needed economic growth in depressed regions of the Russian Federation. Moscow-based NCRC was established last December to drive the massive tourism project, which will create up to 300,000 new jobs. A collaboration with the federal government, the development is part of a long-term strategy to address the economic lag that underlies social tensions in the North Caucasus region. The ten-year project is anticipated to require up to $30 billion to complete all phases, including a cluster of five world-class skiing and five modern seaside resorts, as well as an array of health spas that will take advantage of the area's legendary healing mineral and hot springs. The eventual aim is 150,000 visitors a day. The Russian government has designated the entire 50,000-sq-km development area a special economic zone. State guarantees will cover up to 70 % of investments for three to ten years. The state will impose no corporate or transportation taxes for the first ten years, no land taxes for five years and no VAT tax will be applied on equipment imported into the SEZ. The project offers opportunities for foreign companies interested in hospitality, health and wellness, food and beverage, retail, real estate, logistics and warehousing industries. The French state-owned banking group and long-term investor Caisse des Depots et Consignations (CDC) has signed a strategic joint venture with NCRC to provide advanced technical, legal, planning and environmental expertise to support the project. 20 French companies have already expressed interest in investing in ski lifts, hotels, airports, mountain tunnel and other construction projects. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=330591 Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:13:52 GMT 20111230111352 Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:06:19 GMT 20111230100619 Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:13:52 GMT 2011123011111352 The organization running hospitals in the Bahamas sees great potential in medical tourism, but the money for expanding a local hospital is coming from overseas bank loans, and is based on hopes of attracting large numbers of American medical tourists. With the first phase of the Princess Margaret Hospital extension underway, Herbert Brown of the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) plans to aggressively pursue medical tourism, "I have no doubt medical tourism will play a key role in the economic expansion of this country. We need to think of ways of attracting investment and expanding the economy. The Bahamas have some of the finest doctors, nurses and administrators in this part of the world. We have the skills. It is more the facilities, so with the upgrade we are beginning to say to the world - we are ready for medical tourism.” The $75 million construction of the critical care block, will bolster's PMH's efficiency, capacity and technology. The expansion is needed, as at present it is regular for patients to lie on trolleys because there are not enough beds. In a four-phase plan, the PHA intends to add some high quality individual rooms, separated from the standard hospital rooms to specifically cater to foreigners seeking long-term treatment in a comfortable facility. It is also likely, that it will add accommodation for family and friends. The PHA, or more specifically Herbert Brown, argues that having planned procedures done in The Bahamas could be a viable and attractive option to Americans, and perhaps other markets such as Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean and beyond. The four-phase expansion and construction of PMH could eventually create a steady source of revenue for the country. But there are concerns as to where this investment money is coming from, and whether enough medical travellers would come to make the investment offer real returns. Currently, the Bahamas is a depressed economy. When local papers asked where the money is coming from, Brown gave replied, “Financial institutions have confidence in The Bahamas to pay the bills and I have confidence in the government to see this through.” For the first phase, the Royal Bank of Canada has extended a $55 million loan. To make the investment work, even the PMH admits that the Bahamas must invest considerably in training and development of medical and service staff. The Cayman Islands and Bermuda are potential local competitors also relying almost exclusively on a hoped for American market. While all three could be a potential destination for Americans to receive the care they need, many other countries in Central and Southern America already offer an existing product from a much lower treatment and staff cost base than these three. It is unlikely Bermuda or the others two will be able to compete as travel costs (including hotel stay and flight) alone could exceed the total costs in a low cost jurisdiction. According to a recent World Health Organisation report, 71 % of hospital costs are for labour, and this might be difficult for these three to overcome. All three also have very small populations that limit the number of procedures that can be economically performed on the islands and it would be difficult to increase volume of procedures or medical tourists significantly without bringing in medical staff from overseas. The problem is that the numbers required to make any investment pay off, would mean that as a proportion of the tourism industry or total economy, medical tourism would have to be so huge as to make the whole local economy dangerously reliant on it and at risk from boom and bust cycles. In Bermuda and The Bahamas, the enthusiasm for medical tourism is led by a handful of individuals based on optimistic figures on the future numbers of American medical tourists. Local doubters see two key risks; the first is that the promised number may not happen. The second is that even if it does, whether these islands can get their cost base low enough to attract business in the face of stiff competition from a score or more of other local countries. Some locals see the prospect of using borrowed money for medical tourism as a worse gamble for the investment of capital or time than alternate product offerings such as casinos, short-term retreat packages, and even retirement homes. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=330590 Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:10:56 GMT 20111230111056 Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:59:32 GMT 20111230095932 Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:10:56 GMT 2011123011111056 Health Tourism Battle at ITB Berlin Convention, 9 March 2012 The International Tourism Exchange ITB Berlin is known throughout the world as a leading trade fair for the global tourism industry. The ITB Berlin Convention in March 2012 will feature a “Health Tourism Battle”. In cooperation with visitBerlin, nine destinations or companies that focus on health tourism will be given the chance to present their concepts and products at the ITB Destination Day on 9 March 2012. The audience will vote for the winner. The winner will be awarded a city trip to the German capital Berlin. More information on the ITB Berlin Convention can be found at www.itb-convention.com. Details of the participants in the “Health Tourism Battle” can be downloaded here. The deadline for entries is 13 January 2012. The full convention program 2012 is available online. If wellness guests, medical tourists or health travelers are your target group, then ITB Berlin is worth a visit. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=330600 Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:58:10 GMT 20111230105810 Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:51:52 GMT 20111230105152 Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:58:10 GMT 2011123010105810 British and Irish health travellers at a pioneering Spanish health retreat in Alicante, claim that they are living a medication-free life as a Type 2 diabetic on a vegan nutritarian diet, because it is low fat and nutrition rich – combined with light exercise. Many have halted or reversed their diabetes and are now living medication-free for the first time in years. Cancer and heart disease sufferers, and those struggling with obesity, say the British-run centre in Spain has also made a significant and lasting impact on their recovery. 99% of guests at the Obsidian Retreat say their lives have been transformed after embarking on its healthy living programme. Most diabetic guests are beating the odds with a staggering 90% of Type 2 Diabetics either greatly reducing or stopping their drugs, including insulin and Metformin. During their stay, guests stick to a specially prepared vegan diet high in micronutrient content. Foods with the highest micronutrient scores are green vegetables, colourful vegetables, and fresh fruits. The diet, which is tailored to suit each person, as the micronutrient richness must be adjusted to meet individual needs, is proven to have powerful disease-protecting and therapeutic effects. There are an increasing number of people suffering from Type 2 diabetes - 2.9 million in the UK, estimated to rise to 4 million by 2025.The International Diabetes Federation estimates that by 2030 438 million – or nearly 8% of the global population – will suffer from the condition, which is largely attributed to poor diet, sedentary and stressful lifestyles. Obsidian Retreat's owner Andy West explains: “The link between poor health and poor diet could not be clearer and with a quarter of the UK population classed as obese this problem is only set to get worse, Our unhealthy eating is costing us all dearly in terms of life quality and expectancy, but we have an approach that addresses this. Applying this approach to diabetes management could save many lives. We give guests the tools to take control of their own health in a direct, immediate way – and the results speak for themselves. We really want people to sit up and take notice of what's being done. Not only can a nutrition-rich, low fat diet help prevent problems, it can actually reverse even major illnesses and we have already had doctors recommending us to patients.” Obsidian Retreat is just 45 minutes' drive from Alicante Airport. Known as an immersion centre because guests are immersed in their treatment, it is the brain-child of healthy living pioneers, Andy and Carol West, who launched it earlier this year following in depth studies into diets around the globe that have dramatic effects on serious health conditions and a desire to make them available to visitors year-round. The healthy living programme combines best practice from across the US and Europe. The approach is based on the simple idea that a nutrition-rich vegan diet in a stress free holiday setting is the quickest, easiest and often most cost-effective way to restore health, improve well-being and boost energy levels. Guests undergo a full medical assessment and continuous monitoring during their stay, with all visits supervised by a qualified GP. They are encouraged to participate in light exercise such as swimming, walking, yoga and rebounding (mini trampolining) and can also enjoy a wide range of complementary therapies from colonic hydrotherapy, hypnotherapy, Swedish massage, colon massage, crystal massage, bio-resonance, Reiki, metamorphic or Indian head massage; food intolerance testing, beauty treatments and life coaching are all available. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=329337 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:24:06 GMT 20111216102406 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 09:59:56 GMT 20111216095956 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:24:06 GMT 2011121610102406 According to new academic research on medical tourists in Bangkok, service quality has a positive relationship with value, satisfaction and brand trust. And it has a direct impact on medical tourists' behavioral loyalty. 'International Tourists' Service Quality Perception And Behavioral Loyalty Toward Medical Tourism In Bangkok Metropolitan Area' has been published in The Journal of Applied Business Research. The independent research was by Assistant Professor Aurathai Lertwannawit of Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, and Associate Professor Nak Gulid of Srinakharinwirot University. The Office of the National Research Council of Thailand and Suan Dusit Rajabhat University sponsored it. This research assesses the relationship between service quality, value, satisfaction, and brand trust on the behavioral loyalty of international tourists acting as medical tourists toward private hospital medical services in the Bangkok Metropolitan area. A quantitative study was performed using 400 international tourists who used medical service from private hospitals in Thailand. Most of the respondents used services from BNH Hospital. Medical tourists ranked several factors for deciding to use medical services at the hospital according to order of importance: medical quality, value of services, patient safety and security, location, international patient marketing, international patient management, attention to unique needs of the medical traveller, and transparency. Service quality has a positive relationship with value, satisfaction, and brand trust -which also has direct impact on medical tourists' behavioral loyalty. In addition, value, satisfaction, and brand trust have an effect on the relationship between service quality and behavioral loyalty. Nationality does not have any effect on the relationship between service quality and value, satisfaction, and brand trust. The research model is an extended service quality-loyalty model by insertion of brand trust from relationship market research. The results of this study provide empirical evidence better suited to the research model in a medical tourism context, in which distance between the service provider and the customer is relatively high. The researchers suggest that brand trust plays an important role in creating loyalty and also in leveraging the relationship from service quality and value to loyalty. Brand trust is an important mechanism in generating both attitudinal and behavioral aspects of loyalty. The main rationale that explains this phenomenon is that tourists have to travel to a distant country in order to receive medical services, which provides a direct challenge to the individual. Consequently, a high level of brand trust can reduce uncertainty. Brand trust is important when tourists travel from a developed country to use a service in a developing country where they think the overall level of technology and knowledge is relatively low. So everybody in medical tourism should devote more effort and resources to building a strong brand trust. Medical providers are able to generate loyalty among customers; this loyalty is directly beneficial, in terms of both creating repeat purchases and positive word-of-mouth. Word-of-mouth is important in medical tourism because key informants for medical tourism have a close relationship with the consumer. Word-of mouth and Internet reviews hugely impact which country and which hotel tourists go to, and medical tourism has not yet grasped the increased importance of peer review compared to traditional advertising. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=329336 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:19:18 GMT 20111216101918 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 09:55:39 GMT 20111216095539 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:19:18 GMT 2011121610101918 Oman wants to become a medical tourism destination, but before that can happen it has to find out why so many people, often at the expense of the state, go to another country for medical treatment. Suggesting that for their own country there are some negative aspects of medical tourism worldwide, experts in Oman have stressed the need for comprehensive studies on the growing tendency among their people to go abroad for medical treatment. Professor Lamk Al Lamki of Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal (SQUMJ), says that the quality and safety of medical treatment abroad has to be analysed and it should be under the scrutiny of the medical professions and the Ministry of Health in Oman, “Many Omani patients go abroad as outsourced patients. They are sent abroad by the government, when the necessary treatment or the specialist is not available locally. Sometimes locally available treatment is not trusted by the patients. Unless we have a good idea of the quality of the care that our patients are receiving abroad, their safety may be at risk. We need more statistics, better studies and better reporting systems. The question of who will look after these patients when they return, has not been answered, but it must be tackled.” In SQUMJ, Professor Lamk points out that there is a major lack of systematic data about health services provided abroad, not only for Omanis, but also for citizens of many other countries, “More organised studies are needed and specifically outcome studies. Research into the delivery of healthcare has not yet adequately evaluated the case of medical tourism. The issue of lack of data must be taken very seriously. Medical tourism has some benefits, but there are problems with it and, as doctors, we have to keep in mind our basic principles. One problem is poor or no follow-up care. After being in hospital for a short while, the patient comes home with, perhaps, complications of the surgery or side effects of the drugs. It is a surgical principle that every surgeon looks after his own complications and obviously that does not apply for most, if not all, patients who have been treated abroad. Many countries have very weak malpractice laws and thus patients have limited ability to complain about poor medical care.” He also raises concerns that patients may not be able to endure travel, or may not have inherent resistance to some of the diseases in the host countries. He underscores the need to have better scientific studies on the impact of medical tourism on the healthcare services of the source and destination countries as well as on the patients themselves, “We need more statistics on the rate of complications. Many medical tourists are satisfied, but satisfaction does not always parallel good outcome. Often, satisfaction can simply be a result of good service. The outsourced patients, or those who are sent by the government, are often dissatisfied with the total experience compared to the true self-financed medical tourists. That is why an institution has to be accredited for good medical care with a good quality assurance programme rather than just good service.” Professor Lamk says that patients going abroad need to get good advice. The World Tourism Organization's Global Code of Ethics for Medical Tourism says medical tourists should have the same rights as citizens of destination countries. He suggests that this is not always the case. A real concern from Professor Lamk, is that outbound medical tourism can effect the source country's health care system. Oman may become complacent by being able to send its citizens abroad for certain procedures and thus fail to develop the appropriate national services. He cites the development of positron emission tomography scans in Oman as an example of this. Prof. Lamk has ethical concerns. He argues that doctors should examine the risks and discuss these with the patient, but patients must have the final say in decision-making. Another ethical consideration is that each country may have a different standard of medical ethics. For example, what is considered experimental therapy in one country, like stem cell therapy, is routinely used in the private institutions providing care for medical tourists in other countries. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=329335 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:17:58 GMT 20111216101758 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 09:51:40 GMT 20111216095140 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:17:58 GMT 2011121610101758 Cyprus is making inroads in the Middle East to promote medical tourism, and also promoting itself to the key target market of UK visitors. The Embassy of Cyprus, in collaboration with American Institute of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery (AIMIS Spine), recently held a symposium on spine surgery in Muscat, Oman, AIMIS Spine is a spine centre that brings together the best minimally invasive international and American spine surgeons in a collective environment in Cyprus for medical tourism. The surgeons travel to Cyprus for ten days once or twice a year to perform surgeries. Nikos Anastassiades of AIMIS Spine says, “Our mission is to bring the best of American healthcare to the world at a fraction of the cost. AIMIS Spine provides the best American quality healthcare and necessary follow-up to the patients back home. It is offering collaborations with the medical community in Oman so that surgeons there share their know-how and expertise.” The ultimate aim of AIMIS Spine is to train the doctors in Oman whereby they will be sensitised on different ways of dealing with spine problems. It is a three-hour flight from Oman to Cyprus and there are plans to have a direct flight from Muscat to Cyprus in 2012. In the UK, Cyprus Tourism teamed up with travel and wellness expert Paul Joseph on a November radio campaign to promote the benefits and opportunities of wellness holidays for health-conscious holidaymakers visiting Cyprus for wellbeing breaks. Paul Joseph talked to local radio stations on topics such as how to get the most out of a wellbeing holiday, who should be thinking about wellness holidays, when the best time to go is and what activities and treatments are on offer. Orestis Rossides of Cyprus Tourism says: “Wellness holidays are one of our fastest growing areas, with health tourism visitor numbers up year-on-year and a wealth of exciting new spas and specialist centres opening up across the island in recent years. Regular flights from the UK and year-round good weather makes the island a popular destination with visitors from the UK.” Paul Joseph adds, “The trend for healthy holidays is one which is affecting all areas of the industry. It is no longer just about the girls – men are as equally likely to step over the threshold as their female counterpart - and the scope of the getaways appeal to a broad range of holiday-makers, from solo travelers looking for a healthy retreat to the over 60s concerned about health and ageing.” Cyprus - the third largest island in the Mediterranean - attracts over 2million tourists annually, although how many of these are medical or health/wellness travellers is not known. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=329333 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:13:46 GMT 20111216101346 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 09:47:34 GMT 20111216094734 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:13:46 GMT 2011121610101346 Cuba is one of the unsung heroes of medical tourism, as it has been quietly attracting people from overseas for decades. The government controls access to all local hospitals for overseas patients, and has just relaunched Servimed. Empresa Comercializadora de Servicios Médicos de Cuba S.A., known as Servimed, is a state owned and run company that offers foreigners access to the 16 Cuban hospitals and clinics that provide more than 100 types of health services on the island, ranging from cancer treatment and drug addiction programmes, to dentistry and cosmetic surgery. As an organization, their work has been ongoing for more than 20 years, initially as Servimed; later as Cubanacan Tourism and Health, then as Tourism and Health, and now back to Servimed. It has been hidden away, but as part of a more public international role, the for-profit medical services company relaunched itself before an international business audience at the recent International Havana Fair. The expectation that President Obama will fulfil his promise to do away with the rules that prevent most US citizens going to Cuba for tourism or healthcare is part of the reason for the new openness. Servimed deals with private individuals but its main role is to coordinate the bigger-volume business of government-to-government services. Servimed provides for-pay medical services by Cuban personnel to governments of 15 countries; which includes medical tourism. For-pay medical services to other governments are not new. Panama announced in 2011 that it will pay for the hands-on specialty training of Panamanian doctors in Cuban hospitals. Also in 2010 Qatar agreed with Cuba to pay for an undisclosed number of Cuban doctors to work in a new 54-bed hospital in the oil-rich country. Cuba also agreed in 2010 to manage and staff eye surgery centres in hospitals in China and Algeria. Servimed is providing services to 15 countries this year, including Algeria, China, Portugal, Jamaica, Qatar, Surinam and Ukraine. Cuban medicine has become a worldwide leader in healthcare services for people in poor and rural areas as well as in disaster zones; at least 38,000 medical workers from Cuba are currently deployed in 77 countries. Cuba is in charge of a $690 million plan to rebuild Haiti's healthcare infrastructure. Since 1998, the Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina (ELAM) in Havana has been training 7200 students from all over the world, and graduates 1500 doctors per year. Many of these programmes are funded by Venezuela, and others by countries such as South Africa, Brazil and Norway, but many are subsidised by Cuba. Cuba has proposed to the European Union and Canada that its doctors and medical services could be part of triangulated aid service provided in developing countries; so far, no agreement has materialized. Venezuela is paying at least $5 billion in oil and cash per year for the services of Cuban doctors and for training of Venezuelan and third-country medical students in Cuba. Venezuela has also funded Operación Milagro, a billion-dollar programme led by Cuba that has given free eye surgery to hundreds of thousands of low-income Latin Americans. Now, the government wants to use Servimed to make Cuba's public health services sustainable and more efficient by generating revenues from paid for medical services and medical tourism and investing the profits in maintenance, repair and purchase of equipment for Cuba's public health institutions. Servimed is spearheading a Cuban effort to increase for-profit medical exports. A Public Health Ministry document published in December 2010 said that, as part of an overhaul of Cuba's healthcare system, medical institutions should begin to sell services to foreigners wherever possible, “The medical services will remain free for poor countries. But they will be sold to those whose economy allows it, with the goal of reducing our expenses and contributing to the development of the national health system.” The Cuban medical system now offers medical services for Canadians. Servimed's individual subsidiary Health Services International began in January 2007. HSI is the agency officially recognised by Turismo y Salud and the Cuban medical system. It assists and guides medical tourists. In the agreement between HSI (Servimed) and Turismo y Salud, anyone who does speak Spanish will always have a medically trained person nearby who will act as an interpreter to help the medical tourist understand test results and to help when decisions are necessary. Many doctors and nurses do speak English and some speak French, also. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=329322 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:09:53 GMT 20111216100953 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 09:16:23 GMT 20111216091623 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:09:53 GMT 2011121610100953 Several US cities and states are keen on promoting medical tourism, to boost the economy and as an alternative to declining numbers in tourism from other areas and overseas. A recent study commissioned by Nevada recommended that the state leverage its medical/health sector to take advantage of opportunities in medical tourism. The study, by Brookings/SRS, urged Nevada to incorporate niche tourism markets, such as health and wellness travel, as part of its new economic development plan. The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) is a private, not-for-profit sales and marketing organization. It is a private-public partnership with more than 1000 private business members and four local governments. The GMCVB medical tourism initiative is aimed at marketing Miami as an international medical destination. GMCVB wants more local medical tourism members and offers a dedicated web page on MiamiHealthCare.org website, printed insert for inclusion in its medical tourism brochure, inclusion in ads of in-flight publications and the opportunity to participate in international media familiarisation tours The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has produced a 176-page Las Vegas health and wellness destination guide. The guide contains information on medical and dental treatment, cosmetic procedures, corporate wellness programs and retirement living in Las Vegas and southern Nevada. Also included are a directory of medical facilities and travel information. Las Vegas mayor Carolyn Goodman says that the recent opening of the Cleveland Clinic's Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health “has put Las Vegas on the map as a premier medical travel destination.” Promoting domestic medical tourism with lots of marketing and brochures looks good, but not all cities or hospitals can deliver what individuals and employers want. Shai Gold of medical tourism agency International Triage, recently commented; “The challenge for most domestic destinations is that destinations typically do not offer a meaningful discount to the retail consumer. The wholesale client (self insured group, or insurance companies) does not need these guides as they already purchase healthcare services at substantial discounts via re-pricing networks. To attract retail consumers, healthcare providers will have to offer Medicaid level fee structures. Will the prices of medical procedures in Las Vegas and these other cities be competitive with what we can offer in Latin America, and the quality of care standardized in delivery and quality?“ http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=329328 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 09:47:34 GMT 20111216094734 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 09:34:23 GMT 20111216093423 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 09:47:34 GMT 201112160994734 Hospitals involved with medical tourism are offered an array of third party accreditation and certification services, ranging from detailed inspections to a certificate for little more than filling in a form and paying a fee. Reputable German international accreditor TEMOS has launched a new certificate for quality in medical tourism for hospitals and clinics - 'Excellence in Medical Tourism'. Health tourism is a rapidly growing market but treatment of international patients is a challenge. Quality, costs, culture, distances and legal aspects have to be kept in mind – demands which are not completely covered by any certification system. Temos identified the demands of international patients and treating hospitals and transferred them into an international quality assessment system. Certified care providers get a neutral, professional assessment. Patients trust in the Temos Seal of Quality as a worldwide brand for certified quality in medical care. Patients have unique requirements and needs when undergoing treatment outside of their own country. Pre-, on-site and post-treatment take place in different countries and have to be managed to assure high quality and cost-effective medical care on all levels and at all stages of the care cycle. Information, communication, interconnection between various services, administrative processes, and data security have to be organized cross-border. The Temos “Excellence in Medical Tourism” programme focuses on the optimization of non-medical services. Certification for hospitals with an international patient centre covers the complete processing of non-medical services before, during and after treatment in the hospital and in cooperation with partners and referrers in compliance with international ethical, medical and qualitative requirements. Application for the specific Temos medical tourism certificate is only available as an additional service in the Temos certification process. An on-site visit is obligatory. One option is a mock survey and gap analysis with feedback and consultancy. The other option is help in implementation of recommendations, assistance and monitoring. For hospitals wanting to set up an international patient centre, Temos offers a consultancy package that includes a mock survey, gap analysis, feedback, help in implementation of recommendations, assistance and monitoring; with the option of an on-site visit as a start of the certification process. Temos offers a range of accreditation services to international hospitals and dental clinics. After a self-evaluation questionnaire, Temos experts (always a team of an internationally experienced medical doctor and a quality management expert) carry out an on-site inspection. Based on professional judgment and with the management, the team discusses ways and options for optimized care and services. Hospitals and clinics meeting the Temos demands and passing the process obtain the Temos Certificate, the Seal of Quality for high quality medical services for international patients. Temos also offers consultancy for hospitals, medical service providers and health ministries that intend to enter the health and medical tourism market. The organization recently partnered with Florida based medical tourism agency Orbicare to offer consultancy and certification in Latin America. Another new launch is Temos Aegean, offering certification and consultancy in Greece and Cyprus. This follows the certifications of its first two hospitals in Greece, Hygeia and Mitera, both part of the Hygeia Group. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=328406 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:35:17 GMT 20111214103517 Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:51:02 GMT 20111208145102 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:35:17 GMT 2011121410103517 Although healthcare and dental costs have fallen across Ireland this year, people can save considerable sums by travelling within Ireland or going overseas, a new survey shows. According to the second annual Avantis Health Global Health and Dental Price index, Irish health and dental charges dropped by an average of between 3% and 10% since the Spring. The survey also shows that there is a variation of up to 70% in the cost of some treatments around Ireland, and patients could also save up to 50% on some procedures if they travelled to countries such as Spain, Belgium and Germany. The index looks at treatment costs within Ireland and globally and covers a range of elective procedures including dental treatment, eye surgery, cosmetic surgery and elective surgery. Prices for common dental procedures have fallen by as much as 21% in some cases, while cosmetic surgery procedures have seen costs decline by between 10% and 20%. Elective medical procedures have fallen in price by up to 16%. Laser eye surgery has increased in price by 21%, and the cost of nose reconstruction surgery has increased by 24%. The survey reveals vast differences in prices throughout Ireland. Although Dublin is more expensive for some procedures, such as a tooth extraction, it is significantly cheaper for others. A simple dental implant costs 75% less in Dublin compared with some cities in Connacht or Leinster, while some cosmetic surgery procedures are 67% cheaper in the capital compared with other Irish cities. Orla Fahy of Avantis says, “These figures show a modest reduction in health and dental prices. It also shows a startling variation in prices between Irish regions for the same procedures. Irish patients can make significant savings on their health and dental care, by merely shopping around within Ireland, with substantial savings possible if they are willing to travel abroad for treatment.” Despite the cuts, Ireland remains one of the most expensive countries in Europe for health and dental treatments International average cost comparisons: Tooth extraction:• Ireland: €84• Dublin: €100• Rest of Leinster: €80• Connacht: €80• Munster: €75• Belfast €53• London €64 Laser Eye Surgery:• Ireland: €1868• Dublin: €2025• Connacht: €1700• Munster: €1750• Rest of Leinster: €1996• London: €2260• Belfast: €1785• Tunisia: €892• Hungary: €545 Breast augmentation• Ireland €2774• Munster: €5000• Leinster: €4700• Connacht: €3050• Dublin: €3000• Belfast: €4875• London: €4500• Belgium: €2256 http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=328414 Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:51:33 GMT 20111208155133 Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:20:27 GMT 20111208152027 Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:51:33 GMT 201112081535133 Most attacks on medical tourism are on the alleged dangers to medical tourists of going overseas for treatment. But national television in Israel has suggested that Israel is very safe for medical tourists, but medical tourism is impairing care of Israelis. The debate between the pro and anti medical tourism supporters began a while back, but is getting increasingly heated. An investigation by Raviv Drucker on Channel 10's television show "The Source" used leaked internal correspondence from Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel that the programme claimed shows that medical tourists do divert resources from Israeli patients. Sheba Medical Center, Hadassah University Hospital in Jerusalem, and Assuta hospitals are reported to be the top three earners from medical tourism, followed by Tel Aviv's Ichilov complex, Rambam Medical Center in Haifa and Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva. Medical tourism is highly lucrative for Israeli hospitals, most of which run at a loss due to the way Israeli healthcare is funded. They get 20% to 30% more per procedure from foreign patients than for Israeli ones Earlier in 2011 a government commission investigating the potential regulation of medical tourism in Israel, headed by Professor Arnon Afek, of the top medical tourism hospital Sheba Medical Center, delivered its conclusions to the Health Ministry. The commission rather sat on the fence as to whether or not Israeli patients could be suffering because medical tourism is not regulated in Israel. It recommended the establishment of an organisation to supervise medical tourism. It suggested that service to medical tourists should be handled separately from service to Israelis if the hospital has the infrastructure to provide separate care, which some do and some do not. After six months with the recommendations, the Health Ministry has not commented or decided on any action. This lack of progress prompted television journalists to investigate. The Source investigation made several allegations, including quoting on air, leaked internal documents at Schneider in which nurses, other carers and doctors appear to warn that mixing medical tourists with Israeli patients on the ward could be hazardous, and one department wanted the hospital to cease accepting new medical travellers from Palestine, as this was affecting resources for Israelis. The investigative show also noted the general increase in the number of medical tourists from the Palestinian Authority. Care has to be taken in assessing the quality of the information as in Israel it is impossible to separate the local Israel/Palestine politics from either medical tourism, or what appears to be internal disputes between different departments in hospitals. Schneider's business plan for 2011 includes a figure of less than 5% of patients being medical tourists, but other hospitals have percentages, which are much higher. The Health Ministry responded that the Schneider Children's Medical Center handles cases that other hospitals cannot, and the acceptance of non-Israeli children is based on the number of beds that are available without impairing treatment of resident children. Schneider Children's Medical Center said it complies with all the rules on accepting non-Israeli patients, who constitute fewer than 5% of its patients. In any case, as it is a nonprofit organization, any revenues from medical tourism are put to good use in buying advanced technology. What we are seeing is public and private debate within hospitals on whether or not a hospital should accept and/or seek more medical tourists. Intertwined with this is the use of the debate to get the government and health funds that pay hospitals for treatment, to pay local hospitals a higher and fairer price for treatment. Mix in local and international politics, and a government not sure where it stands on either regulating or promoting medical tourism, and the argument is far from the apparent simple question as to whether or not medical tourism is good for Israeli patients; and the debate also makes good television. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=328413 Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:50:51 GMT 20111208155051 Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:14:09 GMT 20111208151409 Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:50:51 GMT 201112081535051 An international healthcare tourism project has been officially opened in South Belfast, Northern Ireland. The opening also saw the launch of a new prostate cancer treatment at 3fivetwo healthcare's Kingsbridge Private Hospital. Mark Regan of 3fivetwo healthcare predicts that the private healthcare sector is set to be one of the major new industries in Northern Ireland. At the launch the company revealed plans to treat prostate cancer patients from the United States, Asia and the Middle East from December 2011 with a revolutionary new HIFU procedure to be undertaken by local urology consultants. Mark Regan adds, "Patients will be travelling with friends and family who will be staying in hotels locally for up to five nights resulting in a minimum of 1,500 bed nights in the first year, eating at local restaurants and visiting tourism attractions particularly in time for the Titanic celebrations. As the largest direct private healthcare provider in Northern Ireland we believe we are in a unique position to demonstrate the enormous local, national and international opportunities we see for the healthcare sector here. Our business has grown significantly in the last eight years, with three facilities in south Belfast, a training academy in Titanic Quarter, cosmetic surgery, dental and fertility businesses employing a total of 180 people throughout Northern Ireland. This new hospital will significantly improve the choice available to the 10% of the local population who invest in private health insurance or those who simply make the choice to pay for the healthcare they want. We have two state of the art operating theatres and one of the most highly specified endoscopy suites in Ireland. Our minor injuries unit is the first of its kind in Northern Ireland.” Kingsbridge Private Hospital had a soft opening in the summer of 2011, and offers a comprehensive range of elective surgery and endoscopic procedures under general and local anesthesia. It is a doctor led hospital as doctors own the company, and control the running of the hospital. A key market is patients from the nearby Republic of Ireland. In-patients have a private room, with en suite facilities and a plasma screen T.V. A nurse call system in every room, with locally sourced meals, visitors welcome at most times, and a free private car park. Officially opening the hospital, tourism minister Arlene Foster said, "Representatives from the company have recently returned from an Invest Northern Ireland Trade Mission to Boston, where they were able to showcase their expertise to a multibillion-dollar market. The healthcare manufacturing and services sector continues to be an area of growth. Northern Ireland has a highly skilled and motivated workforce and the establishment of this new facility proves that we can compete with other international destinations when it comes to excellence in this field." http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=328411 Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:49:27 GMT 20111208154927 Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:10:57 GMT 20111208151057 Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:49:27 GMT 201112081534927 The first ever European simulation on the impact of the EU Directive on the application of patients' rights in cross-border health care was held in Brussels in November. The right of EU citizens to access planned healthcare across borders has been one of the most hotly debated health policy issues at EU level in recent years. With the European Parliament vote in favour of the Directive on Patients' Rights in Cross Border Healthcare in January 2011, attention has now switched to the Directive's implementation. The cross border health care simulation was co-organised by the European Social Observatory (OSE), European Health Management Association (EHMA) and Association Internationale de la Mutualité (AIM) to find out what effect the new Patients' Rights Directive might have in practice. Many health managers deal with cross border care on a daily basis, through existing EU frameworks or through bilateral agreements between countries or providers. EHMA is particularly interested in the impact of the new Directive on the volumes and patterns of cross border care, and on how payers and providers will deal with difficult questions around prior authorisation, reimbursement and information for patients. The simulation sought to find out what effect the Directive could have in practice. The EU 27 member states still have to transpose the directive into their own legal systems and the simulation aimed to find any bottlenecks in the system. What is particularly tricky is that each state has a different mix of health payment systems and variation between what the state, individuals, employers and health insurers pay for, with most states having multiple options. So the simulation sought to see how insurers, health systems and other providers are planning to deal with problems. The simulation used three case studies with 32 participants in 6 countries to identify key issues on how information is provided to patients, interaction with existing regulations, rare diseases and prior authorization. The simulation highlighted that the Directive may mean more patients applying for prior authorisation for cross border healthcare in order to avoid the risk of out of pocket expenses; particularly when it comes to uncertainty of how much, or even if, they will get reimbursed, and from who. The bureaucracy and complexity of passing invoices from one state to another, and from and to different organizations both within and across country borders, has been underestimated with a real risk that hospitals treating foreign patients on an invoice basis may not get paid by anyone. Jeni Bremer of EHMA notes, "We need to know how much impact the Directive will have in practice. Health managers need to know how public authorities and health insurance funds are going to apply the rules, if they are to plan and deliver high quality patient care.” The simulation focused on information available to patients with a call for usable and independent information on the process itself and the quality of health providers. Bart Vanhercke of OSE says, “As this simulation has demonstrated, many issues remain open for discussion and states and others will make use of the new legal framework in a creative way. This might well lead to new litigation before the European Court of Justice.” http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=328410 Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:47:56 GMT 20111208154756 Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:58:59 GMT 20111208145859 Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:47:56 GMT 201112081534756 India's Merar Investment Network is offering an investment in a new medical tourism agency sending people to India. It is a seed investment and the principals are anonymous, but the full listing makes some interesting points about the problems that India has in turning potential into real numbers. Indian medical tourism suffers from many hospitals and many small medical tourism agents all fighting for business with each other, so losing out to rival countries that offer good national marketing. The investor is also dismissive of the unfounded claims that India has over a million medical tourists a year, putting it at the more modest 200,000 in 2008. Merar was launched in October 2010 with the idea of creating a best platform for entrepreneurs and investors from the emerging markets. It supports entrepreneurs from India, China, Brazil, Africa, Central, and Eastern Europe, and all other developing regions with the necessary platform to connect with investors worldwide. It only hosts investment projects with 'outstanding qualities from legitimate sources'. The mix of investors on Merar is also considered very carefully. The investment opportunity as on the virtual network- Health Care Consulting & Medical Tourism in India. Seed investment project in India • Country: India• Industry: Internet, eBusiness• Stage: Seed• Required Investment: $50,000• Minimum Investment: $30,000• Date submitted: 21 November 2011 We are starting a health care consultation and medical tourism company in India. In 2008 over 200,000 patients have visited India for medical tourism and this number is growing day by day. However, there are no big players in this industry and we aim at becoming the #1 medical tourism provider. www.way4healthcare.com (under construction) Every day hundreds of people visit India to avail medical care. There are 3 important reasons for them to do so:1. No waiting period2. Low cost (60 %+ lesser)3. For example, a heart bypass surgery that costs US $144,000 in USA costs only US $8,500 in India.4. Experience of the doctors, success rate and facilities available. Nevertheless, the patients face a major inconvenience when they come to India. The difficulties come in the form of language problems, cultural change, insecurity, cheating etc. This is where we come into place. We provide A-Z services to the patients who come to India through us. Right from initial consultation, appointment setting, visa assistance, airport pickup, lodging, food, surgery, post-surgery care, travel arrangements and post-surgery tourism, we will take care of all the needs of our patients. We also have a secure account on our website for our patients where they can upload and store all their medical documents and records, which can be accessed from any part of the world. Cash Payback Period:The estimated payback period is 12 months from the start of the business. Stage of development:1. Our website is under construction and will go live on 30-11-2011.2. We have got an agreement with Apollo Hospitals to pay us a commission for the patients we refer to them.3. We are in talks with other hospitals and service providers to include them in our business. Competitive advantages:1. We have a state of the art website with wide range of information for the patients, which will be constantly updated.2. We have a discussion forum, which will play a very important role in the development of this business.3. We have 24/7 live support and phone support.4. Our city of operation is Chennai, which is the hub of the top hospitals in the country. This is a major advantage for us as there are no major competitors in our city.5. We will appoint a service manager to each patient who will personally be with them and take care of each and every need of the patients, while our competitors just refer patients to hospitals and other services.6. One of our partners has been working in a major hospital for over 20 years, dealing with the international patients who come to their hospital. So, we have the huge advantage of having an experienced person in this field.7. Our other partner is an online marketing specialist who will play a major role in bringing customers. The competitors can repeat our success but we grow and keep improving ourselves, leaving no room for the competitors. Rationale for the deal: Income will flow in the following ways:1. The hospitals have agreed to pay us a % of the total bill of the patients we refer to them.2. Hotels, service apartments, guest houses, medical shops, scanning centers, travel & tourism operators and Forex traders will pay us a % from the patient's bill.3. Depending on the patient's country we will charge a small fee as service charge on a monthly basis. For a heart bypass surgery, a patient will bring in a profit of $2000.We are also in negotiations with other service providers who can provide the necessary service to our patients. With proper marketing we can easily capture a major market share within 1 year. There are other players in the market who provide a similar service and earn good money. But most of them stop with just referring patients to the hospitals and service providers. There is a big difference between the number of patients who come to India and the number of service providers who are available for them. Use of financing: The initial investment is for a period of 6 months after which the business will run and grow with its own money. Here is how the finance will be used:1. $6000 - Office Rental2. $3500 - Server Expenses3. $20,000 - Salary for employees4. $15,000 - Online and Office Marketing5. $5500 - Misc Expenses and Backup Money Investment can be made on a monthly basis of $8300 for 6 months. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=328415 Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:39:45 GMT 20111208153945 Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:36:54 GMT 20111208153654 Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:39:45 GMT 201112081533945 Why are increasing numbers of Australians travelling overseas to have expensive and potentially harmful treatments where what is promised by the clinics offering stem cell tourism far outweighs scientific evidence? Is science too timid? Are clinics exploiting people desperate to have what may be life saving treatment? In 2012 Professor Alan Petersen of Monash University's School of Political and Social Inquiry, with Dr Megan Munsie of Stem Cells Australia and Professor Steven Wainwright of Brunei University, will undertake the first sociological study of what shapes peoples' understandings and expectations of stem cell therapy options abroad. Professor Petersen explains, "Stem cell tourism is a phenomenon where people travel to other, often developing, countries to undergo radical, experimental treatments that are not offered in Australia. People with a range of illnesses and injuries, including cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury are heading overseas for treatment in increasing numbers. These procedures are not scientifically proven and may actually be harmful to the patients. The health risks include infection, immune system rejection, and cancer. We need to understand patients' decision-making processes so we can help protect them from harm and financial exploitation." Professor Petersen believes that the regulatory and educational strategies currently employed will fail to stem the flow of SCT tourists because they underestimate the power of hope and desperation, "These patients obviously want an improvement in their quality of life or respite from suffering and are frustrated by the lack of progress in stem cell therapies in Australia. Hope is very powerful and tends to be nurtured by communities and support networks. It helps people form their own conceptions of risk, despite the recommendations of medical professionals. Their high expectations of stem cell treatment are understandable considering the enthusiasm around the potential of stem cells from various levels of the scientific community here and abroad. This enthusiasm is reinforced by the persuasive online advertising from the overseas clinics." The researchers will canvass the views of Australians who have undergone stem cell overseas, as well as the views of medical professionals, policy-makers and regulators. The advertising, practices, and claims of clinics and agencies offering stem cell tourism will be analysed. The Australian Research Council supports the project. New therapeutic approaches to multiple sclerosis, diabetes, stroke and heart disease may be discovered at the new $21 million Stem Cells Australia research initiative. Led by stem cell researcher Professor Martin Pera from the University of Melbourne, the research initiative is receiving $21 million in funding from the government through the Australian Research Council (ARC) Special Research Initiative in Stem Cell Science. Professor Pera recently led a major stem cell research centre at the University of Southern California in the USA. The government hopes that the initiative will give stem cell researchers the opportunity to carry out highly innovative, internationally-competitive research that could produce discoveries that fundamentally change the direction of health care, and stimulate a greater public awareness of the benefits of stem cell research. Stem Cells Australia could make an important contribution to life-changing research by delivering stem cell research breakthroughs that will help ease suffering and save lives. It will also take a leading role in encouraging public debate into the ethical, legal and public policy issues associated with stem cell science and technology. Stem Cells Australia will have national and international partnerships, including with Monash University, the University of Queensland, the University of New South Wales, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Florey Neuroscience Institutes and the CSIRO. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=327624 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:21:03 GMT 20111202162103 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:16:51 GMT 20111202161651 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:21:03 GMT 201112021642103 Californian medical tourism agent Jim Arriola of Sekure Healthcare explains the possible the advantages of using cross-border healthcare for self-funding employers in California and gives an insight into the alternative of cross-border insurance schemes. “The case for cross-border healthcare is not a new phenomenon. Take California's experience with cross-border healthcare. Because of the consumer demand, laws were enacted and regulations were developed to allow for cross-border healthcare coverage. The Department of Managed Health Care, the regulatory agency for HMOs in California, approved several plans that allow for cross-border healthcare, including Blue Shield of California, Health Net, CIGNA, Aetna, Delta Dental as well as a Mexican Health Plan. Some of these health plans have been operating for over 10 years. Needless to say, the concern for quality has been adequately addressed to the point that cross-border health care is now an established option with consumer appeal for its affordability. The cost of healthcare is largely a function of the unit cost for hospital services, doctor services and medication. Since the unit cost of healthcare in Mexico is significantly less than in the USA, the cost of healthcare cover for similar benefit plans would also be significantly less. The cost differential can be seen in the Aetna health plan offerings. Aetna is one of the approved carriers in California that offers cross-border health coverage plans. Take the Aetna small group HMO Plan offering for San Diego employers with a standard 1.0 Rate Adjustment Factor based on October 2010 Rates. For this illustration, an employee is 38 years old with a spouse and two children. The Aetna HMO offering for care delivery in San Diego County is $1,311 per month. The Aetna HMO Plan offering for care delivery in Baja California, Mexico is $465 per month, or just over one-third of the cost of a similar Aetna offering in the US. Under this comparative illustration, the co-payments are slightly more favorable for care delivery in Baja California than in San Diego. There are several well-known examples in California where some agriculture employers and some union trusts have formed ERISA self-funded plans that included cross-border healthcare benefits. The Western Growers Association, United Agriculture Benefit Trust and the United Farm Workers RFK Trust are but a few ERISA programs with cross-border health care benefits. For those who live close to the border with Mexico, it is no news that the price differential for the same procedures is very significant and continues to widen between the two countries.” Michael Tarabay of Mercury Healthcare International adds, “Once an employer has decided to add a domestic or international health travel benefit option to their ERISA self-funded, group health benefit plan, they need to design their benefit option and add the details of their unique program to their summary plan description. ERISA requires plans to inform participants of their rights under the plan and of the plan's financial status. To be qualified for tax preferences, plans must meet requirements with respect to benefits, and there are special rules for plans that primarily benefit highly compensated employees or business owners.” He also mentions that employees not only have to be told of any changes such as adding cross-border benefits, it has to be in language that is easily understandable by the average employee.” http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=327622 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:16:51 GMT 20111202161651 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:12:20 GMT 20111202161220 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:16:51 GMT 201112021641651 Bulgaria has launched a major new tourism strategy highlighting the wide range of attractions the country has to offer as it attempts to raise its profile as a mainstream holiday destination One key market for Bulgaria is the UK, with the launch of a new UK advertising campaign that promotes Bulgaria under the banner of "Magic Lives Here" and focuses on some of the country's lesser-known tourism products including spas and well-being, culture and folklore; and eco-tourism. The campaign forms part of a wider effort by Bulgaria to position itself as a desirable tourist destination in three of its major markets: the UK, Germany, and Russia. Traycho Traykov, Bulgaria's minister of tourism, says: "300,000 UK tourists visited Bulgaria in 2010. With the help of the new advertising campaign our target is to increase this number to around 500,000 by 2020.A lot of people still assume that Bulgaria is a country for mainly cheap beach holidays and skiing but there are many other offerings which deserve to become much better-known. Our new strategy positions Bulgaria as a destination that can offer the discerning traveller a wide range of experiences all year-round. Stronger promotion of health spas and wellness are key priorities for us. Bulgaria has been blessed with the gift of nature. Our country is rich in mineral springs. We have more than 600 sites that provide endless opportunities for health and beauty treatments." The advertising campaign is being supported with a wider communications campaign of PR activities. Bulgaria Tourism has also launched an official new web portal available in nine languages. It covers more than 450 cities, resorts and villages and provides information on everything from conference facilities to UNESCO World Heritage Sites. There are more than 100 spa and wellness centres in mountain areas such as Rodopi, Pirin and Rila and also on the Black Sea coast. According to the forecasts of the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and SPA tourism, the expected growth in the revenue in this sector could reach 20% in 2011. In a boost to Bulgaria's ambitious plans to establish itself as a world-class spa destination, Sofia has been selected to host the 18th Annual Congress of the European Spas Association in 2013. Minister Traykov adds that Bulgaria is now totally committed to long-term investment in its tourism industry, "We have already embarked on a plan which will see massive developments in infrastructure over the next few years including a new motorway network. We are also investing heavily in restoring historical attractions, improving the quality of our beaches and ski resorts and laying new hiking paths and mountain trails". Bulgaria has 48 mountain resorts, 15 marine resorts, and 38 balneological resorts. The country is known for offering a wide range of services including massage, baths with mineral water, pearl baths, reflex therapy, traditional needle therapy, medicinal exercises, acupuncture, laser therapy, acupressure, paraffin treatment, apitherapy, phytotherapy, mud treatment, aroma therapy, anti-stress programs, dieting programs and programmes for losing weight, balneo-cosmetics, sauna, solarium, fitness, and medical cosmetics. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=327620 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:12:16 GMT 20111202161216 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:07:05 GMT 20111202160705 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:12:16 GMT 201112021641216 Mubadala Healthcare, a unit of Mubadala Development Company, has announced the structural completion of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, adding that it is set for handover in the second quarter of 2013. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi will offer a 364-bed hospital with the option to expand to a 490-bed facility. It will be organised into the five institutes of digestive disease, eye, heart, neurological, plus respiratory and critical care, to offer an advanced range of medical services. Like its counterpart in the United States, it will be a doctor-led hospital served by North American board certified medical professionals. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is a key project in Mubadala's strategy to stimulate Abu Dhabi's healthcare sector by establishing world-class healthcare facilities. Mubadala appointed Aldar as development manager in 2007 to oversee the design, construction and commissioning of the hospital, which is scheduled for a full-service opening to patients in late 2013. Suhail Mahmood Al Ansari of Mubadala Healthcare says,” Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi will be an outstanding facility that brings the highest international standards of care to patients in this region." Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi will serve local and international patients in an environment that combines excellent amenities with world-class medical care. The site is Sowwah Island, the heart of Abu Dhabi's new central business district. It shares the island with a hotel, stock exchange, and office buildings. Access to the island is by multiple bridges to the mainland. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi will be an extension of the Cleveland Clinic model of care, providing a spectrum of specialty services that are designed to cater to the healthcare needs of Abu Dhabi and the region. One of the objectives of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is to address the needs of patients currently travelling abroad for treatment. Local and international patients will be cared for in an environment combining excellent amenities and service standards with the highest quality patient care and superior clinical outcomes. The hospital is being designed to offer state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment capabilities and utilize advanced technologies in surgery, imaging, telemedicine and electronic medical records. Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) owned Madinat Zayed Hospital in the Al Gharbia region of Abu Dhabi has achieved international JCIA accreditation. Carl Stanifer of SEHA comments, “JCIA accreditation is an important element in ensuring excellence in healthcare that meet or exceed globally accepted standards. We are working on developing a healthcare system that is on par with the best in the world, and Madinat Zayed's accreditation is further confirmation of our commitment to this goal. We are working towards ensuring that all our healthcare facilities, clinics and operations are eventually JCIA accredited and deemed to be operating to the highest healthcare standards." Other JCIA accredited SEHA facilities include Al Rahba Hospital, Corniche Hospital, Tawam Hospital, Al Ain Hospital, SEHA's Ambulatory Healthcare Centre in Khalifa City A, SKMC Hospital, SKMC's Outpatient Clinics, Abu Dhabi Blood Bank and Tawam Dental Clinic. SEHA owns and operates 12 hospitals with 2644 beds. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=327619 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:07:05 GMT 20111202160705 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:03:03 GMT 20111202160303 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:07:05 GMT 201112021640705 The Philippines earned a total of US$1.3 billion from healthcare and wellness services from overseas foreign tourists and balikbayans (expatriate Filipinos) who visited the country in the five-year period 2006 to 2010, says healthcare business intelligence firm Healthcore. The Healthcore report, 'The Philippine Medical Tourism Compendium' contains analysis of the key competitive strengths of the country in terms of its hospital and healthcare infrastructure, cost structure advantages, market segmentation, value propositioning and quality systems in relation to the global market. Joyce Alumno of Healthcore explains, “The Philippines has the potential to grab a bigger share of as much as US$1 billion to US$3 billion in annual revenues in the global medical tourism market by 2018 if it puts in place an attractive investment environment that will enable the country to expand its healthcare infrastructure, more open and liberal travel arrangements for medical tourists and better and more extensive international marketing promotions and programmes.” Joyce Alumno adds, “The Philippines is losing out in Asia to Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. But the country has a world-class medical infrastructure and facilities and well-trained and proficient doctors, nurses and medical personnel. The top three hospitals in Metro Manila have put up hotel-quality facilities that will cater to not just the high-end Filipino patients, but also foreign medical patients who go to the Philippines for their healthcare needs. The country possesses the added competitive advantage of having English-speaking and compassionate and caring medical personnel. Most Americans are familiar with the friendliness and caring attitude of Filipino nurses in the USA.” Alumno wants the medical and tourism sectors and other industry stakeholders to get their act together and to develop broad-ranging strategies as well as improving healthcare infrastructure, quality management, international accreditation, liberalisation of visa restrictions for the medical traveller and international marketing and promotions. Health Secretary Enrique Ona underscores the need for the Philippines to become globally competitive because of the challenges posed by medical tourism,“While the competence, compassion and communication skills of Filipinos give us an advantage, other countries are also recognizing the opportunities in this global village. Losing out may prove too costly for our country grappling with limited resources for health care. Philippine medical tourism is moving but the country has not truly maximized its potential. It was back in 2004 that the Philippine Medical Tourism Program, a public-private partnership project, was conceived and launched after the government realized the potential return of medical tourism. The number of patients who come to our country for health-related services has continued to grow since then, and if it keeps pace, we may be able to generate a cumulative income amounting to as much as $3 billion from this industry by 2015. Years before former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo decided that she needed medical attention overseas, the government started promoting the Philippines as a destination for medical tourism. As in several other aspects, the promotion was either belated or lacked the steam manifested in other Asian countries. Today the Philippines are lagging behind Thailand, India and Singapore in medical tourism.” The Philippine Medical Association says that what is lacking is more aggressive marketing of the expert and affordable medical services available in the Philippines. A similar problem afflicts the tourism industry in general. The Philippine Medical Tourism Program is no longer active and the Healthcore report says that there was a failure to sustain and capitalize on the momentum of the project. Former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has caused much embarrassment to the country in recent weeks by her attempts to go abroad for medical treatment, on hold after authorities stopped her because she is under investigation for corruption. In a high-profile drama, the government ignored a Supreme Court order to allow the former president to travel and blocked her at the airport. Arroyo stepped down last year and immediately faced at least half a dozen complaints accusing her and her husband of tampering with election results, diverting state funds for her campaign effort and benefiting from foreign contracts. She has denied any wrongdoing. Arroyo has had three surgeries on her cervical spine but says they failed to make her better and she needs treatment abroad that is not available in the Philippines. Offers to have foreign doctors of her choice treat her in Manila have been refused. In the dramatic airport showdown Arroyo, in a wheelchair and a surgical mask covering her face and the contraption over her head, tried to board a plane only to be turned back by immigration officials. The current government claims that local medical treatment is available and if she goes abroad she will never return. Arroya claims that local doctors cannot cure her and medical facilities are not adequate. Whoever is right or wrong, it is an embarrassment for those seeking to promote medical tourism. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=327618 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:03:03 GMT 20111202160303 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:00:40 GMT 20111202160040 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:03:03 GMT 201112021640303 The 2011 Treatment Abroad Medical Tourism Survey has attracted over 600 participants in the two weeks since it was launched. The initial 600 participants have been attracted by targeting enquirers to the Treatment Abroad family of medical tourism web sites. The research aims to find out about the experiences of patients who have gone abroad for some form of surgery or medical or dental treatment. The research is being undertaken by European Research Specialists on behalf of Intuition Communication who run Treatment Abroad, and the International Medical Travel Journal. The research data will be provided at no charge to a Medical Tourism Research Team led by Dr Neil Lunt at the University of York and Professor Richard Smith at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The team recently completed a review of Medical Tourism for the OECD. Intuition is encouraging all healthcare providers who offer services to international patients to encourage their past patients to complete the survey. Intuition is offering £100 (or €100 or $150) of Amazon vouchers to five participants drawn at random, who complete the survey in full. In addition, for every completed questionnaire, Intuition will donate £1 to Smile Train, an international charity that provides cleft palate surgery to children around the world. Healthcare providers will get a free copy of the full report of the research, provided that more than twenty of their patients complete the survey. Providers can download an email template to send to medical tourists who have used their services. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=327616 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:00:35 GMT 20111202160035 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:54:56 GMT 20111202155456 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:00:35 GMT 201112021640035 A large integrated commercial development on the coastal highway at Riverson in Borneo is to include a hospital and is expected to be ready by 2014. Developed on 5.5 acres of prime commercial land, the project includes The Gleneagles Kota Kinabalu Medical Centre, three-storey retail shops, a tower of six-storey office suites with mezzanine floor and a seven-storey tower of residential flats. Ben Kong Chung Vui of Riverson Corporation says that it will part of many other attractions in the city, “Riverson, being the upcoming new addition to the city, together with its immediate neighbours, will bring about substantial integration of activities and continuous crowd movements, served and generated by about 900 residences, 600,000 square feet of commercial retail outlets, 800,000 square feet of office space, 6000 car parking spaces and 12 hotels. This new integration of Southern Hub will cover leisure and wellness in one destination.” The Gleneagles Kota Kinabalu Medical Centre will be the main anchor for Riverson. It will be developed as a hospital, bringing Sabah a healthcare facility of international standards. Gleneagles KK will have five-star hotel amenities and comfort, service levels to match, cutting edge technology and have a highly trained team of consultants and staff. With up to 250 beds, 180-seat auditorium, and six operating theatres, it will be built to comply with Joint Commission International (JCI) standards. Initially it will cater to the growing healthcare needs of the residents in Kota Kinabalu and the surrounding areas and serve as one of the main private referral centres for Sabah. Ben Kong Chung Vui adds, “Saharans will not have to go overseas anymore for medical treatment. Gleneagles Kota Kinabalu will contribute to the development of Sabah's medical tourism targeting patients from Indonesian cities such as Balikpapan, Pontianak in Kalimantan and from Brunei Darussalam, as well as neighbouring countries such as Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong and even Korea. There will be a focus on setting up centres of excellence on cardiology/cardiac surgery, neurosurgery, surgery, orthopaedics, gastroenterology and women /children. Gleneagles KK will also act as a catalyst for young local talents with 95 specialists covering all major specialties.” Gleneagles Kota Kinabalu Medical Centre - the anchor component in Riverson development will be run by Asia's largest private hospital chain, Parkway Group, and is a joint-venture between Riverson, Sabah government's investment arm, Warisan Harta and Saham Murni.Groundwork has already started at the private hospital which is just 10 minutes from the Kota Kinabalu International Airport, within the central business district, and enjoys the seaside views of Sabah. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=327615 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:54:56 GMT 20111202155456 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:52:41 GMT 20111202155241 Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:54:56 GMT 201112021535456 While the subject of cross-border healthcare has been debated endlessly at political level, few seem to have thought through how it will affect those places that will have to actually deal with what the politicians have agreed. Hospitals in Europe, and healthcare budgets throughout Europe are under pressure, with Spain already closing hospitals. 150 medical professionals at the first European Hospital Conference debated the current European health policy and the impact of the EU patients' rights directive. Passed by the European Council of Ministers in February, these guidelines envisage patients having cross-border access to healthcare services, inclusive of a free choice of doctors and hospitals across the entire EU. Prior to the conference three senior figures offered some insights in European Hospital. Although the European healthcare systems are very much geared to their own national control mechanisms, there are common grounds on an EU level regarding the patient's rights directive, Heinz Kölking of the European Association of Hospital Managers (EAHM) says, “The implications for hospitals will differ widely depending on their locations and the range of clinical service being offered. Every healthcare institution will have to deal with issues such as the quality of structures, processes and, not to forget, outcomes. There are also many legal, cultural and linguistic requirements that must be met by the organisation and staff.” Georg Baum of the German Hospital Association (DKG) agrees that one of the effects on hospitals of the EU patients' right directive will be that they must prepare to receive streams of foreign patients and this includes providing the necessary communication skills, within the hospital as well as for follow-up communications with patients' physicians abroad: Many hospitals are actually already responding to enquiries from abroad and also actively promoting their services abroad. We are already working with the Federal Ministry of Economics to promote medicine made in Germany as an international brand. I think it is a legitimate approach for each country to offer its medical treatment capacities and qualities on the international healthcare market. The cross-border freedom of choice can actually promote quality competition amongst hospitals and doctors.The directive requires that all EU Member States provide transparency about their range of services, prices and quality of treatment. We are already well on our way with this in Germany; we introduced a hospital catalogue a few years ago that systematically informs about the range of treatment on offer, and the quality of results in all German hospitals. There will probably be a need for clarification on how services are being reimbursed. The directive envisages that patients will pay for their treatment immediately. However, there is also discussion as to whether it would be possible to process payment via the respective social security systems. In countries that lack capacity for patient care, things will depend on how they handle the right of provision of their own medical insurance systems, that is, how they will handle their national guidelines on the authorization of treatment abroad.” The directive requires that all EU Member States provide transparency about their range of services, prices and quality of treatment. Dr João de Deus of the European Association of Senior Hospital Physicians (AEMH) sees three key strategies to achieve standards that could guarantee treatment quality and patient safety of healthcare in a cross-border environment, where health professionals and patients can move freely within the EU: “ 'First, the introduction of risk management routines; for example, by developing guidelines and indicators as a part of a quality assessment system in the healthcare sector. Second, the involvement of senior doctors in hospital management is crucial. Doctors take responsibilities for many hospital decisions that influence performance and quality of care and therefore interrelate with other areas in the hospital and human resources, financial success, healthcare policy and economics. The third aspect is the evaluation of pre- and post-graduate education as Europe faces a huge problem of harmonising medical training and a consistent recognition of professional qualifications in working life. When it comes to specialisation, the countries have very different rules for training periods, certification and validation processes.” In his role as elected president of the European Hospital and Healthcare Federation (HOPE), Georg Baum adds, “Our European healthcare systems are very much geared towards their own, national control mechanisms. There are different opinions across HOPE member states as to how much freedom patients should be given regarding their choice of treatment abroad. In Germany, we do not have concerns because we can provide all forms of maximum care ourselves. However, there are countries with different national healthcare systems that fear they might lose patients. This includes countries with long waiting list problems, such as the Nordic countries and Great Britain, and Eastern European countries that are only just in the process of developing independent healthcare infrastructures. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=326549 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 11:15:33 GMT 20111125111533 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:25:33 GMT 20111125102533 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 11:15:33 GMT 2011112511111533 The ethics of medical tourism are coming under scrutiny from academics in the USA. Leigh Turner is an associate professor at the University of Minnesota Center for Bioethics. Turner's blog, Health in the Global Village, provides regular updates on medical travel and globalization of health care. This Canadian citizen's research addresses ethical and social issues related to transnational medical travel and the emergence of a global marketplace in health services, “My work suggests the importance of moving beyond hyperbolic promotional rhetoric and notions of the self-regulating marketplace and better addressing risks to individual medical travellers, public health systems, and global health as increasing numbers of patients participate in cross-border health care. Several forthcoming publications draw upon five years of research. Finding credible information is a major problem. Many medical tourism companies provide little information about risk, and instead emphasize any benefits associated with going abroad for treatment. A global marketplace for health care doesn't equate to uniform global health care standards.” Medical tourism agency Mercury Healthcare International comments, “It makes no mention of the detailed vetting and credentialing done by organizations such as us, that follow strict protocols established by several accrediting bodies, perform primary source verification and negotiate recourse into their provider agreements.” Glenn Cohen has also done research in this area and produced three major law review articles on the subject .The first law review article focused on quality of care and medical malpractice recovery. The third, which is coming out soon, focuses on circumvention tourism - patients who travel abroad for the purpose of circumventing a home country restriction on access, such as in the case of abortion, assisted suicide, female genital surgery, and reproductive technology. 'Medical Tourism, Access to Health Care, and Global Justice' is his second law review article and the author says, "Does medical tourism have negative effects on health care access for the poor in the destination country? If so, do home countries or international bodies face obligations to prevent or correct those negative effects, and under what circumstances? While my focus is on medical tourism, I also show how some of the ideas I develop are applicable to other instances of the globalization of health care such as medical migration. The goal is to have a dialogue between these theories and medical tourism cases, to see ways in which the theories speak to the cases but also the ways in which the cases identify gaps, ambiguities, and possible divergent ways of filling the blanks.” Cohen is currently editing a book for Oxford on legal and ethical issues in health care globalization and starting a new book project on medical tourism. Glenn Cohen adds, “When medical tourists consume health care abroad, they are essentially investing in that country's health care infrastructure. This gives foreign hospitals an incentive to invest in the relevant medicines and technologies. At some point of saturation, these medical goods spillover into the general population and will become accessible to all.” http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=326546 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 11:13:05 GMT 20111125111305 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:17:12 GMT 20111125101712 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 11:13:05 GMT 2011112511111305 The Apex Medical Group (AMG) has signed its first land acquisition deal as part of plans to set up a $1bn medical city in the seaside resort of Salalah, Oman. AMG will develop a medical city to include a 530-bed hospital, a regional organ transplant and rehabilitation centre, a diagnostic and medical prevention centre, healthcare resort and a healthcare education complex. The medical city will also have a luxury hotel, wellness centre, and will also offer free medical and educational community support services to poor families. The project will be developed initially on 500,000 sq m of land but AMG has government approval to expand on a further 300,000 sq m. The site is already connected to major utilities including electricity, gas, water and telecommunications. It is just 15 minutes drive from the Salalah International airport which is undergoing expansion so it can deal with up to 6 million passengers a year; due for completion in 2014. It is in line with the Oman government's five-year tourism development plan and is the first healthcare infrastructure development project in Oman being set up by a private investor. The medical city project also aims to tap the inbound medical tourism market. AMG is a subsidiary of Aljoaib Holding, a Saudi group with diversified portfolio of business in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere. Company founder Dr Abdullah Al-Joaib says an agreement had been signed with the Oman authorities for the integrated medical tourism complex in Salalah, which aims to put Oman on the global medical tourism map, "The strategic vision of the project is to create a high quality sustainable healthcare led mixed use development that functions as a vibrant, sustainable and self sufficient community and place Oman as a preferred destination for medical tourism." Oman's Vision 2020, revolves around establishing Oman as a regional travel and tourism hub, increasing the contribution of travel and tourism to at least 3% of GDP, increasing the participation of the private sector in the development of tourism activities and increasing the Omanization to 80% in the tourism sector. Sandeep Sinha of Frost & Sullivan comments, “The initiative of an integrated medical tourism complex in Salalah by the Oman authorities is justified to meet the healthcare needs of Oman and the GCC region. Oman has the lowest per capita expenditure in healthcare across the GCC region though the increase in population is second highest. Expenditure on healthcare in Oman is also second last across GCC. Additionally, Oman lags behind in both public hospitals as well as private beds across the GCC region. This new setup is primarily expected to address the need for healthcare facilities in Oman and provide huge opportunities for medical tourism across the GCC and neighboring countries.” http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=326550 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 11:05:38 GMT 20111125110538 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:34:40 GMT 20111125103440 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 11:05:38 GMT 2011112511110538 Californian medical tourism agent Jim Arriola of Sekure Healthcare explains the possible advantages of using cross-border healthcare for self-funding employers in Texas. “Why would any employer choose to include medical providers from Mexico? The three major reasons are: • Employers may have Latino workers who may prefer their healthcare from Mexican medical providers.• Cost of care in Mexico is significantly less expensive than in the USA.• In some rural US communities along the border, there is a long wait for access to some medical specialties. The cost of healthcare is largely a function of the unit cost for hospital services, doctor services and medication. Since the unit cost of healthcare in Mexico is significantly less than in the USA, the cost of healthcare cover for similar benefit plans would also be significantly less. Unlike California, where there are several cross border insurance plans, Texas law does not allow its insurance carriers to contract with Mexican providers. Several studies in the early 2000's were conducted by the University of Texas to look into the merits of cross-border healthcare for Texas after California had allowed cross-border healthcare plans. The Texas medical community convinced Texas legislators in public hearings that patients could be seriously harmed if insurance carriers were allowed to contract with Mexican providers. For those Texas employers who might be considering the merits of going self-insured, access to cross-border health care might be a positive tipping point factor. Under ERISA and federal law, a self-insured Texas employer is not prohibited from establishing benefit plan services that would allow participants to access healthcare services in Mexico. Such a plan could be developed to offer much more healthcare benefit bang for the employer's allocation buck. The Texas market has been largely void of any self-funded employer benefit programme with integrated cross-border healthcare benefit services. This is not entirely surprising given the Texas market and the relative complexity of an employer going self-insured versus the easier fully insured health plan model. One pioneering effort is underway in Laredo, Texas with a large self-insured employer association. Our firm was contacted a year ago by a third party administrator working for an employer association offering self-insured health cover that had several employer members with a large Hispanic workforce along the Texas-Mexico border. The association had a number of employees who were already accessing care in Mexico, since some of them actually lived there and worked in the USA, while others were attracted by the much more affordable price tags for their care than those they could find locally in the USA. Everybody agreed that the standards of care that they found across the southern border were excellent, and that they could find high quality doctors and medical providers, if they knew where to look. After many meetings with staff, actuaries, benefit consultants, steering committees, claims processing centers, medical directors, legal counsel, reinsurance carriers and countless other entities, the green light was finally given to proceed. It seems that cross-border health care is going to be a new win-win initiative that provides relevancy to the employer association in demonstrating innovations in the form of out of the box thinking to achieve healthcare cost savings to its employer members, while expanding consumer choice for employees. Since self-funding has more moving parts than fully insured coverage, introducing cross-border healthcare benefits into the self-funding coverage offering increases the level of complexity. The biggest challenge by far is the lack of credible information and basic knowledge related to cross-border healthcare expenses, utilization frequencies, medical management processes, quality of care standards, provider networks credentialing and operations, the legal framework and the operating environment. My company has been focusing on this kind of question for over six years. Cross border healthcare is an idea whose time has come, as the cost of care continues to increase in the USA For those who live close to the border with Mexico, it is no news that the price differential for the same procedures is very significant and continues to widen between the two countries.” http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=326551 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:43:50 GMT 20111125104350 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:39:29 GMT 20111125103929 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:43:50 GMT 2011112510104350 The ultimate vision for Dr. Devi Shetty's proposed medical tourism development involves the creation of a massive healthcare city on 600 acres in East End, with a 2,000-bed hospital, a teaching hospital and assisted living homes for seniors. This is a huge project that will require significant improvements to Grand Cayman's infrastructure, in transport, housing and public services. Dr Shetty says, “Once we have a facility of 2,000 beds everything has to change in this country. The current infrastructure will not sustain that.” Major infrastructure upgrades should not be necessary for the first phase of the 15-year project, consisting of a 140-bed hospital. Infrastructure requirements will be taken into account by government agencies as developers seek planning approval for each phase of the project. Apart from the Narayana Cayman University Medical Centre itself, the greatest stress on Cayman's infrastructure will be the predicted volume of people going to and from and residing at the hospital. It expects to cater to 120 patients a day in its first year of operation and eventually expand to 1,400 per day when fully operational. Patients would stay on the island for an average of nine and a half days. Dr Shetty plans for the assisted living centre to expand beyond the 1,500 units approved by government, “We need to have at least 10,000 people living in this city in this assisted living facility.” Grand Cayman currently has only the 124 bed Cayman Islands Hospital and 18 bed Chrissie Tomlinson Memorial Hospital. Just the initial 140 bed Shetty hospital would double the number of hospital beds. If the 2,000 bed hospital is completed, Grand Cayman would have more than 14 times the number of hospital beds it currently has. Premier McKeeva Bush predicted last year that by 2013 87,600 patients and accompanying family members would arrive in Grand Cayman to visit the hospital centre, and by 2025 the number of medical tourists would increase to over a million a year. These are very ambitious and optimistic figures both for medical tourists and others coming with them. To put those figures of a million in perspective, in 2010, only 288,000 tourists arrived in Cayman by air. In 2009, the number of tourist air arrivals was 272,000. According to the government projections, the hospital would lead to a 30 % increase in tourist air arrivals in 2013 (compared to 2010) and a 365 % increase in 2025 (compared to 2010). The government has bent over backwards to make this project happen, and has effectively staked their economic future on success, which is why the estimates are so optimistic. If those figures and the 2,000 beds are both reached, there is still a huge problem for the local economy. It will need 10,000 new hotel rooms-on top of the existing 2,000 hotel rooms and 2,600 rooms in apartments, cottages and guesthouses. This would be a 500% increase in the number of hotel rooms. The hospital's phased approach will allow the development to progress without infrastructure upgrades being immediately required. David R. Legge, spokesman for the project, says, “The existing infrastructure- the road system, the airport, and of utilities are sufficient and will be so for the first three to five years of the project. The reason for that is the project starts out rather modestly.” The government plans to build an east-west road corridor from George Town to East End once Cayman has the funding, but not yet and with no set date. One reason for the delay is simply that the government has no money. The government expects the hospital developers to pay for and build their own feeder roads to the site, just like any other developer- and may well ask them to fund the new road too. The government has agreed to upgrade Owen Roberts Airport to handle the proposed number of medical tourist arrivals. The airport expansion is an existing government initiative to begin in the next four to five years- although where the money is coming from is unclear. The hospital will have to build its own medical waste recycler, as the country's bio-waste service is one man and a truck. The Cayman Islands is not fully independent. The government has opted not to sign a fiscal policy document put forward by the UK government that seeks to control spending in the overseas territory, and is attempting to negotiate. The British government is seeking to pin down the local government to restrict the UK's exposure to fiscal irresponsibility in Cayman. The deal will affect how the local government spends and borrows money in future as well as the consequences for not sticking to the deal. The UK asks the Cayman Islands government to undertake effective medium-term planning to ensure that the full impact of fiscal decisions is understood, that it puts value for money considerations at the heart of the decision-making process, that it demonstrates effective management of risk and drives the delivery of improved accountability in all public sector operations. The government took over from a previous government that had borrowed and its overspending had placed the country in a dangerous financial position. The UK government will not be prepared to bail out the islands again, and if the local government fails to agree to terms or makes a deal and breaks those terms, the UK government will take control. The current offer from the UK will require the local government to gain approval not just for borrowing but for the whole budget as well as any projects that are planned over CI$5 million or to use any public asset as collateral for any arrangement with a party outside of government. The agreement will tie this and any future government into responsible and transparent financial practices with greater reporting requirements to the UK. It will also require government to make a proper business case to spend any public money and provide far greater accountability to the people for its spending. So the UK have to agree any public spending on improving the local infrastructure, and is likely to take a much tougher line on cost sharing than the local government. Effectively, whether or not the full 2,000-bed hospital ever happens could depend more on Britain's Foreign Office, than local investors or politicians. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=326548 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:25:33 GMT 20111125102533 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:23:36 GMT 20111125102336 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:25:33 GMT 2011112510102533 A planned medical city for east Beijing's Tongzhou district is eyeing the growing demand for high-quality medical services and has set a goal of becoming a medical tourism destination. The initial aim is to attract some of the 60,000 and growing number of Chinese people going to other countries for medical treatment. Chen Lihua of the Fu Wah International Group, developer of the medical city, says, "Since Chinese people are becoming richer and richer, their awareness of health is growing rapidly. That is why we are going to build a first-grade medical city. The medical city will include disease prevention centres, excellent general hospitals, a nursing home and a health examination centre." Zeng Yixin of Peking Union Medical College comments, “As an international metropolis, Beijing should have health centers that provide high-quality medical services and set a model for nearby cities. Being able to provide high-quality medical services, especially curing complicated and chronic diseases, is essential. Since we do not have much experience with high-quality health service in China, we can surely learn a lot through cooperation with foreign researchers." Though the cost and time needed for construction have not yet been set, the developer is determined to invest in the project and build the largest hospital in China. As the first-stage of the medical city, a cancer research centre will be built for Chinese scientists to cooperate with University of Oxford experts on introducing target therapy to China. The therapy is a type of anti-cancer therapy that blocks the growth of cancer cells by interfering with specific targeted substances essential for tumor growth. Professor David Kerr of the University of Oxford explains, "Some of the treatments have been used in the West for many, many years before they come to China. Now we want to do trials both in the West and China, so this will hugely speed up getting the therapy and new drugs to Chinese citizens on time. Target therapy has been in clinical application in Western countries since 2003, and was proved more effective than current treatments and less harmful to normal cells than traditional methods.” Besides introducing the therapy, Kerr and his team will train Chinese doctors and nurses with their knowledge of tumours. Professor Sun Yan of the Cancer Institute and Hospital at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences says, "Only 10 % of the cancer patients who need drug therapy in China can get access to target therapy, which is lower than in the West. Target therapy is effective for cancers like lung cancer, breast cancer and liver cancer, but it is more costly than chemotherapy, and some Chinese doctors do not know how to use it. We wish that every single patient who needs target therapy will have access to it." http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=326544 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:17:11 GMT 20111125101711 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:11:32 GMT 20111125101132 Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:17:11 GMT 2011112510101711 While medical tourism concentrates heavily on price, wellness and spa tourism is promoting quality, excellence, and professionalism. Elisabeth and Heinz Simonitsch run Austria's GrandHotel Lienz, which was recently named Europe's leading wellness hotel. The five-star hotel opened in 2009, and offers wellness tourism by pairing conventional medicine with the latest medical advances. GrandHotel Lienz overcame stiff competition from Adler Thermae Spa & Wellness Resort, Bagni di Pisa Natural Spa Resort, La Reserve de Beaulieu & Spa, and Richmond Nua Wellness Spa to win the prestigious World Travel Award. Under the management of Professor Peter Lechleitner the hotel offers a range of wellness, medical and spa facilities for the improvement of wellbeing through effective exercise, nutrition and relaxation programmes. It offers preventative medicine, medical check-ups, individual health advice and targeted therapies. Also offered are numerous professional treatments including traditional Chinese medicine, beauty, health, nutrition, fitness and well-aging. Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has held its first ever global spa week to shine the spotlight on the company's international collection of high quality spas. It offered access to global and regional experts through exclusive offers and robust social media experiences, including a partnership with American Express. There are six more spas at Four Seasons properties due to open within a year. Access to its global network of spa professionals is through an expert panel called "Curators of Calm." They share their unique insights on the latest industry developments, spa trends and more on Twitter, Facebook and Foursquare. Guests who check into Four Seasons spas on Foursquare will receive spa tips from those properties and the Curators of Calm. A series of Twitter chats led by the Curators of Calm were hosted and centred around industry trends in categories such as aging gracefully and the growing male spa segment. Christopher Norton of Four Seasons says, "Evolution is essential in spas, and our extensive specialised network provides a truly global perspective on the latest trends and innovations that shape the industry." As one of the largest operators of luxury spas in the world for more than 25 years, Four Seasons has continually created treatments and environments that are ahead of the curve. Spas at Four Seasons are beautifully and comfortably designed with an authenticity of style that inspires guests and reflects the local flavour of each destination. Indigenous ingredients and locally inspired treatments are offered alongside international and domestic brands and a broad variety of traditional, classic and new spa treatments. Many Four Seasons spas are emphasising organic local products, recycling, ozone or negative ions. By the end of 2011, all Four Seasons spas across the globe will offer an organic or chemical free option. Four Seasons has partnered with American Express to offer guests extra time when paying for a spa experience with an American Express card at participating hotels or resorts. Until March 15 2012, guests can receive 30 extra minutes of service when booking a 60-minute massage with an American Express card. Spas are a top priority for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, with five new property and spa locations opening in the coming year in Toronto, Guangzhou, Shanghai Pudong, St. Petersburg and Baku, Azerbaijan. Baltimore opened in November. More than 60 new properties, each with luxury spas, are slated to open in the next decade. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=325501 Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:54:46 GMT 20111118175446 Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:05:16 GMT 20111118140516 Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:54:46 GMT 201111181755446 Groups of Japanese medical tourists can now take a direct charter flight from Komatsu, Japan to Taiwan. Groups tend to visit some of the ancient city's well-known historical sites such as Anping Fort and the Tainan Grand Matsu Temple, and go to the city's leading hospitals for medical treatment. Taiwan is set to let mainland Chinese visit the island purely for physical examinations or medical treatment without the necessity of fitting their journeys into tourism itineraries, announced the National Immigration Agency (NIA). Under the new regulation, Chinese nationals can cite health checkups and medical cosmetology services as the purpose of travel when applying for an entry permit for Taiwan. Visitors for medical reasons can file entry applications via medical institutions in Taiwan. Existing regulations only allow ordinary Chinese visitors to receive such services after they enter the country with tour groups or as individual travelers for tourism. After receiving the medical services, mainland visitors have to leave the country with the same groups they entered with or leave within the allotted time under the individual travel programme, which is currently only open to residents of Beijing, Shanghai and Xiamen after a relaxation in rules in June 2011. Hsieh Li-kung of the NIA said the new policy will bring more mainland people to Taiwan for medical services and will boost the business of the local medical sector and the traditional tourism industry. NIA has reached a consensus on the proposal with other government agencies, including the Mainland Affairs Council, the Department of Health and the Ministry of Justice. The program will take effect soon pending approval from the Executive Yuan. People in China generally have highly positive impressions about the capability of medical workers and medical facilities in Taiwan. The relaxed rules on visits are expected to bring more Chinese customers to Taiwan in part due to the fact that Mandarin Chinese is used on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Medical spending by travellers from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau amounted to NT$60 million in 2010. The new open policy will help significantly boost the revenues for medical centres and larger hospitals in Taiwan. The NIA has shortened the processing time for medical treatment applications from mainland Chinese people. In cases concerning people facing life-threatening situations, entry permits for people on the other side of the Taiwan Strait can be completed within four hours, including on holidays. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=325481 Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:53:06 GMT 20111118175306 Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:50:52 GMT 20111118125052 Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:53:06 GMT 201111181755306 Although China is promoted as a medical tourism destination, with the difficulty of getting visas and lack of destinations, the numbers going there are small so far. But the real interest is the quiet but hidden growth that now makes China one of the main suppliers of outbound medical tourists. The number of Chinese going abroad for medical treatment has increased significantly in recent years due to rising affluence and mobility of the country's emerging middle class population. Chinese health consumers are not motivated by price but by the poor availability of services. Outbound Chinese have high-middle to upper class income levels and are going abroad to receive a quality of service, care and discretion not widely available in their home country. China's rapid development into the world's second largest economy over the past few decades has generated millions of people wealthy enough to demand the highest quality of care available worldwide and pursue elective medical procedures China's healthcare system has and will be improved but it starts from a low base of public care rather than a mix of private and public care as in other countries. Treatment costs are very low, the range in services is narrow and service quality varies by and within region from excellent to very basic. Medical tourism countries are finding that Chinese consumers are willing to pay high prices for quality services and privacy, but only if the service is meeting Chinese consumer needs. One key to this huge market potential, is as some hospitals and clinics in South Korea and the USA have quickly realized is Chinese-speaking staff. While many Chinese speak several languages, they are comfortable using these for tourism, but not for medical treatment or business. According to the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, the most popular destinations for Chinese medical tourists include Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong and the USA. The number of outbound Chinese medical tourists has increased from just a few thousand at the start of the decade to nearly 60,000 annual travelers in 2010. The Shanghai Medical Tourism Products and Promotion Platform says anti-aging therapy, cancer screening, high-end diagnostics, and treatment and care for chronic diseases have become the most common type of procedure sought out by China's medical tourists. For those who want to venture abroad for treatment but have not yet: language barriers and lack of private health insurance are seen as the principal obstacles to partaking in overseas medical treatment. Health insurance in China is very new still. Some Chinese health travellers are expectant mothers leaving the mainland to give birth in a foreign country-maternity tourism. While some argue that it is to avoid local laws on the number of children, this argument falls down as they all return to China. The more believable reason is that many come from other parts of China such as Hong Kong or Taiwan so want to' go home' for birth. In 2010, 40,648 mainland mothers gave birth to children in Hong Kong hospitals, out of the 88,000 total in the city for 2010. New legislation by Hong Kong limits the number of non-residents allowed to give birth in the city to 34,000 in 2012 and beyond. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=325408 Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:52:08 GMT 20111118175208 Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:34:33 GMT 20111118123433 Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:52:08 GMT 201111181755208 Global Health Voyager has bought US medical tourism agency PlanetHospital from Healthcare International Networks. Rudy Rupak, founder of PlanetHospital, will work with GLHV. PlanetHospital has been a pioneer in medical tourism since 2002 and has served thousands of patients to become one of the largest medical travel agencies in the USA. PlanetHospital will release a new state-of-the-art website by the end of the year, featuring a clean, minimalist appearance that is simple to navigate, and includes an updated customer relationship manager, virtual detailed anatomical procedure body and video of patient testimonials. The business targets individuals, self-insured employers and third party intermediaries by providing a range of services to assist access to medical procedures, including cosmetic surgery, hip replacement and stem cell therapy. Global Health Voyager is an international medical tourism company that offers technology solutions, medical tourism consulting services, and access to a worldwide network. PlanetHospital is showing a new documentary on US television networks,” Under the Knife.” The 60-minute documentary takes a comprehensive look into the process of medical travel, including a PlanetHospital patient's trip from California to Mexico to get surgery she could not afford in the USA. Global Health Voyager has added to its global network the Indian hospitals of Apollo Hospitals Group, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center in Israel, and AMERIMED Hospitals in Mexico. Ali Moussavi of Global Health Voyager says, “Mexico is a short plane ride from most cities in the United States, offering convenience and ease of travel – key considerations for those traveling outside the country for medical care. The Mexican government is expecting the number of medical tourism patients to reach 650,000 annually by 2020.” Global Health Voyager has a strategy to operate as a full-service medical tourism agency in the United States. The company offers access to a network of accredited facilities and providers to patients seeking healthcare, surgical, dental, and wellness procedures. Global Health Voyager Inc. incorporated on March 14, 2000, changed its focus to develop medical tourism websites and in April 2011, launched its initial medical tourism website www.globalhealthvoyager.com. The company was formerly known as NT Media Corp. of California, Inc. and changed its name to Global Health Voyager, Inc. in August 2011. The group was founded in 1999 and is based in Los Angeles, California. The company was originally focused on development, production and distribution of programming in the entertainment industry, including creating music platforms and skilled gaming in the United States and abroad and vertical social and professional networks. The company has phased out several websites, which it had developed, including www.neurotrash.tv, www.singlefathernetwork.com, and www.stemcellstalk.com. NT Media had developed and implemented an aggressive marketing plan for www.singlefathernetwork.com to expand audience and revenue. It also sought to develop of neurotrash.tv, the first in a planned series of websites to establish the organization as an online entertainment and media provider.Neurotrash.tv was a video-sharing site targeting young adults between the ages of 18 and 35. Users were able to post and share videos on the site as well as take advantage of video player to place videos on their own sites, social networking profile pages and blogs. It promoted the development of content by amateur and professional videographers, and information channels. Extensive social networking opportunities exist on the website. NT Media developed and implemented an aggressive marketing plan for neurotrash.tv to expand audience and revenue. The company's plans to take advantage of these new trends failed and so it has now turned to medical tourism. So far, the company has announced many deals that are just adding hospitals to a global network or promoting its services. It has yet to send more than a handful of people overseas for treatment, and the PlanetHospital acquisition seeks to turn promises into reality. The latest SEC return shows market capitalization of $ 1.1 million, enterprise valued at $3.2 million, one listed employee, nil revenue and net income of $559,000. Enterprise value is market cap plus debt, minority interest and preferred shares, minus cash and cash equivalents. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=325505 Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:18:05 GMT 20111118141805 Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:13:58 GMT 20111118141358 Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:18:05 GMT 201111181421805 Wellness holiday specialist Health and Fitness Travel has forecast the top wellness travel trends for 2012: Spa and cultureMore spas around the world enable you to dip your toes in another country's culture and experience your destination on a holistic level. Combining a healthy getaway with culture is a way to experience spa therapies that are indigenous to the country you are visiting. More innovative spas have created treatments based on their local culture and customs. Bootcamp for the soulThe new wave of active and wellness retreats help you wind down and tone up at the same time with a little bit of luxury in comparison to the tough military bootcamp approach. More holidays offer a gentler approach in how to exercise with dedicated tailor-made wellness programmes and some much needed time for relaxation. Age adapted spasMore generation spas to appear in 2012, adapted to the needs of specific age groups. Age adapted spas targeting younger groups will be focusing on the preventative aspect of healthy ageing, while 55+ spas will be incorporating rehabilitation treatments and looking at how to prevent age related diseases such as osteoporosis. Holidaying with health gurusTop health and fitness experts work at some of the leading resorts around the world. More people want to receive dedicated support and guidance from the best in the industry; wellness retreats are bringing in the top yoga teachers, nutritionists, doctors, personal trainers and more health gurus to raise their game. Nutrition as a foundationSpas will start to focus more on nutrition with follow-up consultations for clients to make healthy changes to their lifestyle. It is imperative that more spas stress the importance of nutrition, as we cannot expect to see proper results from spa treatments without the spa-goer making the necessary adjustments to their diet. Health and fitness consultationsWellness retreats are introducing comprehensive health and fitness consultations to analyse clients' needs in order to create a lifetime goal-driven tailor-made programme. This could range from losing weight to comprehensive post-recovery from an injury to building strength or flexibility. Social spa-ing2012 will continue to see a rise in community spas where socialising is a major aspect. The spas will be designed in ways that allow spa-goers to socialise and receive treatments at the same time. Healthy breaks for menThe stereotype that pampering is for women and fitness for men is cracking. More men every year are opting for healthy breaks rather than adrenaline-filled action-packed holidays. The dawning realisation that healing spa therapies and detox are not a feminine concept is increasing demand for such retreats for both genders. There are many spas that cater to men and have specialised treatments for their neglected muscles and abs. Healthy agingFor 50+ travellers - walking, cycling, tennis, spa and yoga holidays become more popular as retirees seek to prolong their vitality. It is not about reducing wrinkles, but rather health enhancement and disease prevention. Mind and body awarenessAs well as keeping in good physical shape, the equal importance of mental fitness and body awareness is being more widely acknowledged. Meditation is no longer viewed as a spiritual past time, but as an essential daily tool for coping with stress, and more holistic classes are appearing on activity schedules such as Tai Chi, Qi Gong and yoga. Wellness retreats around the world are incorporating programmes to aid stress reduction through meditation and healing therapies. Health and fitness in natureMany wellness resorts are moving their programmes outdoors and encouraging guests to engage with the natural resources exclusive to their locations. Outdoor activities include hiking in the mountains, yoga in the garden, outdoor rock climbing, open air spas, water sports and meditation on the beach. Family wellnessMore families are searching for these types of getaways. Parents want their children to be healthy on holiday and also keep busy with plenty of activities so they do not get bored. More resorts are also introducing healthy children's menus so they can learn good habits early. Parents also want to be able to enjoy holistic activities and spa treatments, whilst their children are staying active. Health concernsAlongside personal financial worries the consumer mind-set is also dominated by health and weight concerns. More adults are trying to engage in healthier activities to fight the flab and beat stress. Active holidays help encourage a healthier lifestyle away from home. Sleep wellWith the majority of workers getting less than the recommended eight hours of sleep per night, more of us are suffering from sleep problems due to stress and hectic lifestyles. Wellness retreats round the world are introducing sleep programmes to assist clients with problems such as chronic insomnia or even just mild sleep problems. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=325407 Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:34:33 GMT 20111118123433 Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:26:26 GMT 20111118122626 Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:34:33 GMT 2011111812123433 Mercury Healthcare International (MHI) has selected Practice Fusion, the fastest growing electronic medical record community in the USA, for its electronic medical records system within its globally integrated health delivery system. Electronic medical records used properly with other information technology can improve communication and patient safety if fully implemented in hospitals as they can help reduce medication errors, avoid the need to repeat diagnostic testing, and improve continuity of care. Practice Fusion currently has iPhone and Android applications in private beta testing. When the stable release comes out, the mobile solutions will provide MHI people a lightweight and secure way to stay connected to a global network of providers and other medical advisers on the go. MHI's network includes over 6,000 pre-screened and inspected hospitals, more than 4,300 of which are in the USA, along with over 750,000 vetted doctors, clinics, dialysis centres, physical therapy and rehab centres, labs, imaging and hearing centres, plus substance abuse and mental health clinics. MHI operates several offices worldwide where staff work to operate a health travel and medical tourism logistics hub, conduct patient safety reviews and use medical records to conduct extended outcomes measurements for health travel and medical tourism patients seeking care in a location other than their home town. MHI's core business is to provide employees of self-funded / self-insured companies and individual consumer members the opportunity to access clinically coordinated health and wellness services. MHI uses innovative and well-developed outcomes measurement tools originally developed by Rand Corporation to monitor, measure, and report functional, clinical and patient satisfaction outcomes over a 36-month period and to document continuity of care. Maria Todd of MHI says, "Practice Fusion will make our operations flow more efficiently and lower the cost.” MHI clients and members can access affordable hearing aids as well as free hearing exams, walk in free battery replacements, and savings on hearing aids throughout the USA. TruHearing has developed a discount hearing services programme. MHI clients who enroll in this plan can receive hearing benefits for their plan participants, but also for members of their immediate and extended family. Hearing loss is a condition that affects 12 % of the American population. There are 1500 TruHearing centres throughout the USA and Canada. MHI clients and members can access prescription discounts at most local chain and independent pharmacies throughout the USA. For members of self-funded health benefit plans pharmacy copays are more than $25 and some medications may not be covered at all. The new deal can save money on any prescription where the copay is more than $10. Some members have already saved up to 90% at Walgreens, CVS, Costco and Sam's Club.MHI members get the prescription savings at more than 54,000 pharmacies as a free added bonus of membership. MHI clients and members can access affordable diagnostic imaging tests at more than 3900 locations throughout the USA. Maria Todd explains, "Almost every medical tourism case that we have coordinated in the last five years has required some pre-procedure testing in the form of MRIs and CTs especially for shoulder, knee and hip surgeries, or in the case of cancer patients, PET. These tests have been available to medical tourism patients at a cost of generally $1000 or more. If they go to a hospital to have it done, they are charged a radiologist fee for the interpretation and a facility fee. Now they can go to a small private free-standing location, be treated with respect for their time, the pain they may be in, and the hard-earned money in their pockets." Diatri is a diagnostic imaging network and scheduling/referral service. MHI can now offer client employers and insurers a way to control their health spending for diagnostic services such as MRI, CT, Arthrograms, and PET. It is estimated that 10-15% of employees will need an MRI, CT or PET scan in the next 12 months. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=324739 Tue, 15 Nov 2011 09:33:31 GMT 20111115093331 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 13:45:54 GMT 20111114134554 Tue, 15 Nov 2011 09:33:31 GMT 201111150993331 While many medical tourism agencies have come and gone, US agency MedToGo International has increased the number of American patients it takes to Mexico, and has launched a new discount package. US surgical patients in search of premium quality, affordable, safe medical care will travel with MedToGo International to Mexico, every two months from November. For new customers MedToGo offers a $500 discount on cosmetic and orthopaedic surgery packages, and a 25% discount for obesity surgery. The medical tourism agency is unusual as it owned and operated by a family of practicing doctors educated and trained in the USA. MedToGo International, based in Tempe, Arizona, coordinates every detail of a patient's trip south of the border. It uses leading doctors and hospitals in Mexico and Costa Rica. Dr. Robert H. Page of MedToGo has accompanied patients on the trip in November to Puerto Vallarta, along with a patient coordinator. Currently the owner of a bilingual medical practice in Tempe, Arizona, Dr. Page works alongside his two American educated and trained sons at MedToGo, Dr. Curtis Page and Robert R. Page. MedToGo's mission to provide quality, safe alternatives to medical care for the underserved in America and Canada began more than a decade ago. The organization's founder, Arizona native Dr. Robert H. Page, got his medical degree from the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara in 1971. MedToGo helps to connect Americans and Canadians, often those who either do not have insurance or those whose insurance company will not pay for surgery, with medical services in Mexico and Puerto Rico. The company has focused on providing orthopedic, cosmetic, obesity, gynecological and cardiovascular surgery. What originally started as research on Mexican emergency services for American tourists turned into something different. Many US medical tourism agents either have no medical or tourism background or are travel agents who have branched out. While doctors may run others, the company claims it is the only one run and owned by doctors who also run their own practice in the USA. The company claims it can do many non-emergency surgeries for 50 to 85 % less what the same surgery would cost in the United States. Despite the reduced costs, the company strives to ensure quality care. All doctors are extensively screened. Dr. Page completes a vetting process on both surgeons and hospitals before using them. All of the doctors speak fluent English and most have completed their post-graduate training in the United States, Canada or Europe. In a typical month the company helps anywhere from 10 to 15 clients. Many patients are from Arizona, California, Washington and Texas, but some are from Canada as well. During the client's time in Mexico or Costa Rica, they are met at the airport by a patient coordinator, who acts as a translator, guide and advocate for the patient. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=324764 Tue, 15 Nov 2011 09:31:43 GMT 20111115093143 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:32:33 GMT 20111114143233 Tue, 15 Nov 2011 09:31:43 GMT 201111150993143 The loudest and most frequent criticism of cosmetic surgery tourism in the UK, Australia and elsewhere is that 'it is not safe'. But what tends to be forgotten is that in many countries, including the UK, domestic cosmetic surgery is unregulated. This makes it impossible to compare the number of problems or number of unhappy customers among those who go overseas and those who stay at home - whether or not it really is safer at home or abroad. Cosmetic treatment ranges from simple beauty treatment to complex surgery. Like all surgery, it carries a risk even when the surgeon, clinic and staff all perform their tasks perfectly. A new consumer website has been set up by Katherine Griffiths, ”After years of working as a journalist in the beauty industry I know how often a treatment, product or procedure is pushed, whether it works or not, by over-enthusiastic PRs and compliant journalists looking for material to fill their pages. I became concerned that people were not getting an honest opinion about the options available. So I launched a website where people can discuss the treatments and procedures in a free and open way amongst their own peers; where people can receive an honest opinion and get genuine advice from people with first hand experience before embarking on a costly and potentially life-changing treatment.” Katherine Griffiths founded TreatmentAdviser.com to prevent the rising number of botched and bungled procedures. The site is a Facebook-style forum where people can discuss pros and cons of procedures, discuss surgeons and clinics, and post comments about their experiences. According to official figures, 100,000 cosmetic procedures are carried out in Britain each year. New research by TreatmentAdviser.com suggests a fifth of cosmetic operations regularly go wrong. Katherine Griffiths adds, “The number of people in the UK choosing to have cosmetic surgery is increasing, yet many patients are trusting their lives to surgeons without a clear picture of their experience and success rates. Operations can, and do, go wrong yet there is no easy way to find out who is routinely making mistakes or putting profits before patient welfare.” Despite reforms, the British cosmetic surgery industry is still poorly regulated. Unscrupulous clinics use digitally enhanced models in advertising and financial incentives. In addition to the forum, TreatmentAdviser.com has a comprehensive gallery of 'before' and 'after' pictures. The site provides some useful advice whether you are staying at home or going abroad for cosmetic surgery:• ResearchBefore embarking on any procedure it pays to be informed – know the limitations and risks before handing over your money. Often the best way to find out information is to ask others who have had the same treatment. • ExpectationsIf your expectations are not realistic then the treatment will not be a success in your eyes. An experienced practitioner should be able to spot this, but by doing research yourself then you will know if that particular treatment will achieve the results you desire.• Avoid the Hard SellThere are so many treatments out there promising to turn back the clock or make you more beautiful, but how do you know which to choose, particularly as practitioners are often geared to sell you their services. The best thing is to do your research beforehand and chat to others.• PremisesAll UK clinics and independent hospitals offering cosmetic surgery or laser treatments should be registered with the Care Quality Commission. Any aesthetic treatments that do not involve surgery such as Botox, dermal fillers and skin peels are not regulated by the CQC. Laser treatments that are not carried out by medical practitioners have also been deregulated. So for these treatments, it is important that you ensure the staff are properly trained.• ExpertMake sure that the person carrying out your treatment is suitably qualified and experienced. Most surgeons and beauty therapists have a governing body or non-profit organisation that works hard to promote safety and good practice. They are always a good place to start checking out credentials.• CareAftercare is often as important a factor in the eventual success as the procedure itself. Make sure you know how you will be looked after, particularly if there is a complication. Also many procedures are not one-offs and your practitioner should fully explain this and the cost implications.• TimingSurgery is best avoided when going through one of life's major events. Know that you are embarking on the procedure for all the right reasons http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=324759 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:56:21 GMT 20111114155621 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:28:55 GMT 20111114142855 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:56:21 GMT 201111141535621 Aintree University Hospital and the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust have been recognised internationally as leaders in the treatment of a rare form of cancer. The hospitals have received joint accreditation from the European Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (ENETS). They are one of just four centres of excellence in the UK, and 12 others across Europe in just 7 countries. Domestic and cross-border medical tourism in Europe for rare diseases such as this type of cancer will increase under proposed cross-border rules. Neuroendocrine tumours affect one in every 50,000 people and are unusual because they are typically slow growing, going undetected for many years. They are mostly found in the intestine, but can occur anywhere elsewhere in the body, including the lungs. The symptoms, which include indigestion, altered bowel habit; wheezing and facial flushing can often be difficult to deal with. Because of their rarity, many doctors are reluctant to treat these patients due to a lack of experience. Graeme Poston at Aintree University Hospital says, “This is one of only four centres in the UK where people can come for treatment endorsed by ENETS.” Aintree University Hospital and the Royal Liverpool University Hospital have been treating patients with neuroendocrine tumour disease for a number of years. The accreditation acts as a quality assurance and will likely lead to more referrals from GPs in the UK and internationally. ENETS was founded in 2004 and is the largest endocrine tumor society internationally, with more than 700 members and 16 centres of excellence across Europe. It aims to unify research among European medical professionals and establish guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Professor Martyn Caplin of ENETS says, “The accreditation follows a robust independent audit of the neuroendocrine tumour service at the hospitals and recognises the excellent multidisciplinary care. Liverpool joins three other centres in the UK, which has the most centres in Europe and has become a leading light for care of neuroendocrine tumour patients.” The other UK centres of excellence are the Royal Free Hospital in London, Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester. Other non-UK accredited centres:• Zentrum für Neuroendocrine Tumore, Bad Berka, Germany• Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway; • Marburger NET Zentrum at Philipps University, Marburg, Germany• University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium • Hopital Edouard Herriot, Lyon, France• Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy• Umbria, Regional Cancer Network, Perugia, Italy.• Charite University Hospital in Berlin• Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen• Hopital Beaujon, Clichy ,Paris• Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam• University Hospital, Uppsala Sweden http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=324758 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:49:02 GMT 20111114154902 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:26:18 GMT 20111114142618 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:49:02 GMT 201111141534902 Fortis Healthcare (India) is paying $665 million to acquire Singapore-based Fortis Healthcare International, a business run by the Indian company's founders Shivinder Singh and Malvinder Singh. The plan is to consolidate local and overseas operations. Fortis Healthcare India has agreed to acquire 100% of Fortis Healthcare International from RHC Financial Services Mauritius, for a purchase consideration of $665 million. RHC Financial Services Mauritius is owned by the Singh brothers-Malvinder and Shivinder. A valuation of $695.7 million was recommended by a committee of independent directors but the brothers agreed to offer their investment in Fortis Healthcare International at a price of $665 million, as they decided that they did not want to look at making a profit from this transaction. The acquisition is expected to be completed by mid- December 2011 subject to relevant regulatory approvals in certain jurisdictions. This acquisition is a part of consolidation of domestic and global operations of the healthcare group, which gave up the bid to control Singapore-based hospital chain Parkway Holdings to Malaysia's Khazanah in July last year. The combined revenue is estimated to be more than $1 billion. The Singh family set up the Singapore-based firm in October 2010 to drive the group's international expansion following last year's aborted bid by Fortis Healthcare (India) for Singapore hospital chain Parkway Holdings Ltd. The local and overseas entities have been growing through acquisitions and by setting up new hospitals as demand for health-care services rises. Fortis Healthcare India and its joint venture partner International Centre for Robotic Surgery will set up ten robotic surgery centres across India in the next 24 months. Both partners have an equal stake in Fortis ICRS, which has just opened the robotic surgery centre at Fortis Escort Heart Institute in Delhi. The centres will be set up within Fortis Hospitals in Bangalore, Gurgaon, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and in smaller cities including Mohali and Jaipur. Fortis ICRS centres will offer robotic surgeries in cardiac, thoracic, urology, gynaecology, general, head and neck and orthopaedics. After the consolidation, the combined network will have 74 hospitals in ten countries, with 12,000 beds, 580 primary care centres, 188 day care speciality centres, 190 diagnostic centres and 23,000 employees. Fortis Healthcare India has 66 hospitals and 190 diagnostic labs across India. 1018 Omani nationals obtained medical visas from the Indian Embassy last year, and 778 people took medical attendant visas to accompany them during their treatment period in India, says the Indian Embassy. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=324757 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:47:11 GMT 20111114154711 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:24:12 GMT 20111114142412 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:47:11 GMT 201111141534711 Filipinos living abroad are a huge market for medical tourism, says Joyce Socao-Alumno of HealthCore Philippines. She says that in the USA there are 5 million Filipinos holding American passports who could kick start the local medical tourism industry if it can convince them to 'go home' for medical treatment, cosmetic surgery and other wellness needs, “We have a big market from among Filipinos based abroad. It is better for Filipinos abroad to get healthcare procedures in the Philippines because they have relatives here and they are familiar with the language.” Alumno argues that the industry has virtually ignored this key market, while becoming left behind by neighboring countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and India. In 2010 the country had an estimated 100,000 of the 3.5 million medical travelers in Southeast Asia. Despite much promotion, the 100,000 figure has stayed static since 2008, and some local tourism organizations argue that the real figure is at best 70,000. Alumno adds that to effectively promote Philippine medical tourism, several key issues need to be addressed, including the image of the country as having poor security, poverty and lacking in quality facilities and/or doctors. Her solution is to benchmark standards for doctors and healthcare facilities with international level accreditation to help attract foreign medical travelers. HealthCore is in the accreditation business. Health investors feel that sooner or later, medical tourism in the Philippines will produce income and profit. And if medical tourism is only small, then profit can be made from local business. Manuel V. Pangilinan's Metro Pacific Investment continues to buy or acquire shares in hospitals in the Philippines. In 2007 Metro Pacific bought a minority stake in Makati Medical Center as the troubled hospital had long term potential. In 2008 Metro took over the management of Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMC) in San Juan, to use subsidiary Medical Doctors Inc, originally formed to manage Makati Medical Center. The group then bought a minority stake in Davao Doctors Hospital, acquired Riverside Medical Center in Bacolod City and took over the management contract of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Manila, which includes a commitment to spend heavily on facilities and equipment for the hospital over the next five years. All acquisitions are or have been upgraded and refurbished to improve hospital operating standards, as medical tourists will not come to substandard hospitals St. Luke's Medical Centre recently opened in Global City, Taguig. The new hospital offers a wide range of medical services covering cardiovascular medicine, ophthalmology, cancer, neurology and neurosurgery, and treatments for liver and digestive diseases. It gets international patients from the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. It has an international patient care centre providing extra services for the medical tourist such as travel planning and airport pickup. Hospital groups in other provinces, notably Cebu, have been busy upgrading their facilities and expanding their services. The Philippines is starting to show potential due to investments in new and existing healthcare facilities. Returning Filipino doctors and nurses who have trained and worked abroad bring with them valuable insights that help medical tourism. But although the country has low costs compared to the USA and Europe, it is not always cheaper than other competitors such as Malaysia and Korea, who have a better national approach to marketing medical tourism. http://www.imtjonline.com/news/?entryid82=324741 M